Ideas For A Typical Day Of Eating Gluten Free?

[mindypal]

Hi everyone,

I am not diagnosed Celiac's as I had a negative blood test, but have some symptoms and am doing the Enterolab test next week. I am trying to start the gluten-free diet today, and for some reason am feeling stuck. I know there is probably a ton out there to eat, maybe I'm not using my imagination enough. Can you guys who've been doing this awhile give me some examples of a typical day eating gluten-free? I live on my own, so I guess I just don't want to feel like I'll be living in the kitchen. I also REALLY don't want to lose weight, so ideas for snacks and such would be cool too. I'm hoping to take all your ideas to the grocery store and get this thing started!!!

Also, it's best to stay away from restaurants right? That's the impression I'm getting since it's seems shady whether you'd know if they were gluten-free.

Thanks for all your ideas and help. Although I'm new and not diagnosed this site & board have been very helpful the past few days!

[CarlaB]

Hi mindypal, welcome!

I avoid restaurants unless they have a gluten-free menu, or those that I'm sure can prepare my food.

My doc has me eating all whole food right now, no pre-packaged stuff, lots of protein, only two starchy carbs per day because my adrenals were so fatigued from being sick. So, you don't have to be as severe as my diet it, but it's a good place to start.

Breakfast: 2 eggs any style, 2 pieces gluten-free toast

Lunch: meat and veggies -- I usually cook this in a frying pan, it's easy cleanup. Lots of times I use all natural chicken sausage from Wild Oats, or Ostrich burgers, or some other easy meat. Veggies, I just chop them up and let them saute while the meat cooks. Doesn't take much longer than making a sandwich.

Snack: apple with almond butter, celery with almond butter

Dinner: meat, veggie, potato/pasta/rice -- I like Tinkyada pasta. Any kind of meat cooked however you like.

This is just a basic starting point. I do have a few favorite dishes. One of my kid's favorites is when I saute veggies and Italian sausage, and serve it mixed in with penne, garlic, and olive oil.

[jerseyangel]

Hi!--A typical day for me might look like this (keep in mind that I have many additional food intolerances)

Breakfast--Sliced banana with blueberries and slivered almonds. Bacon cooked in microwave to get rid of most of the fat. Spring water.

Lunch--Large salad with olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Grilled lean hamburger (no bun) or piece of chicken. Spring water

Snacks--Homemade grain free chocolate chip cookies, almonds, dark chocolate, fruit, tea, hot cocoa, Boylan Soda. (not all at once )

Dinner--Most anything I had before--tweaked to be gluten-free if necessary. Stews, pot roast, pork chops, oven fried chicken ("breaded" with Potato Buds), steak, homemade chicken soup, homemade pizza, etc.

[jnifred]

cocoa pebbles, eggs, or gluten free toast with cream cheese for breakfast..

sandwich rolled up in large lettuce leaf, smear cream cheese on the leaf, add meats, cheese, etc..roll up and eat....or leftovers....or salad...or cheese, yogurt, veggies, fruit, whatever is on hand..

dinner....any grilled or baked meat with any veggies with or withot cheese or seasonings...potatoes...rice.....I've learned to make my own ravioli with Chebe mixes....fabulous!!!! Tinkyada pastas with gluten-free sauces or jsut pesto for a side...home made soup...open a bunch of cans, add some gluten-free broth and some fresh veggies and meat and you have a fabulous home made soup.

I have a crazy life with 4 boys and I do not starve by any means..... Just eat food unprocessed..it really isn't hard once you get used to it...

And as far as eating out I usually only go to a place that has baked potatoes and steamed veggies. I forgo the cheese and just use sour cream and salt and pepper and so far it has been fine. Occasionally I will try something off the menu with a list of instructions to the manager of the restaurant for the cook, but normally I jsut get the baked potato and make sure they know I have "an allergy to wheat" jsut in case they have a great idea to thro bread crumbs on my veggies......... It's been the easiest explanation sofar......

good luck and live your life......you may have to alter a few things, but attitude counts for a lot and it COULD be worse!!!

[tiffjake]

HI Mindy! Welcome!

Here is a typical day for me.

Breakfast:

gluten-free Cereal with Skim Milk (got the cereal from Whole Foods, it is EnviroKids "frosted flakes" kind)

Lunch:

Bushes Bakes Beans (Veg. Version is gluten-free, don't know about all of the others, but I don't like the pork in my beans, so I get the Veg kind)

Hamburger Patty

Dinner:

gluten-free Noodles (Notta Pasta, a rice pasta) and Sauce (Ragu, check the label, they are good about ingredients) or Prego (the regular, plain kind is ok...not sure about all of the others...)

Snacks- Jello (Kraft will list any gluten in their ingredient list)

Cheese

Apples

Fritos

Tostitos Corn Chips

Popcorn (I get ACT II Butter Lovers)

Hope that helps! Tiffany

[DingoGirl]

Hi Mindy, welcome.

Do you have a Trader Joe's nearby? Before I talk about those things, I'll wait and see if you do...

breakfast - Nature's Path Sunrise Flakes; or eggs and sausage; or cott. cheese and fresh fruit; or a smoothie and toast w/ pb; toast with melted cheese.....

Costco? the best chicken from their deli = only $5 here and it works for so many things: sandiches (open-faced on toasted bread from T Joe's), chicken salad (mayo, Herbamar seasoning (health food stores), grapes, celery, whatever served atop lettuce w/ good gluten-free dressing), shredded chicken in quesadillas (corn tortillas w/ Havarti Dill cheese - yum), and then I cook the carcass and make my own broth. If you don't have Costco, many grocery store delis have good chickens that are safe, I eat those too.

I sometimes eat for dinner smoked salmon (TJ's or Costco) w/ cream cheese, onions over rice crackers.

Salads w/ fish, veggies.....and toasted piece of Whole Foods sundried tomato/herb bread. Expensive, but worth it for a treat.

I am often just eating sauteed or baked chicken, meat, fish, pork w/ veggies and potato or rice.

you know, as I'm reading this, I'm realizing that I'm bored wtih my routine! Am going to mix it up a little here....back to making chili, spag. sauce, frittatas.....you can look on epicurious.com, they have over 400 gluten-free items also and those I"ve tried have been quite good (I got my white bean chili recipe from this site).

need more ideas, folks!

[Kaycee]

Breakfast for me is home made yoghurt with fresh fruit, canned or stewed. Sometimes I would have cereal, leftovers occassionally, and maybe toast.

Lunch. All sorts of salads, rice, potato, or lettuce with canned tuna or salmon, or left overs from tea, corn crackers or rice crackers. Fruit

Tea is meat and vegetables like before, just minus the sausages and processed meats. I make a lot of stews over winter. Pastas, rice noodles and rice feature a bit. When I want a treat I can always cook up some frozen fries or kumara fries in the oven. Not quite the same as from the local chippie, but they will do.

Snacks, home made muffins, fruit, lots of fruit. Maybe on rare occassions a prepackaged muesli bar. Have not found too many treats, but I am not looking too hard, as when I find something, I just go overboard. Have found marsmallows and a chocolate without soy in it! wow.

For that takeaway, I usually go chinese with a nasi goreng or a steak fried rice without soy or barbecue pork and other things that could be a problem.

I usually try to keep things simple and basic with the least amount of additives possible. I always check any cans I might want to use. But by choosing fresh, and from scratch, there is not as much need for checking labels, as fresh food does not have labels! Anything to make it easier for me at the supermarket. To start with it was quite overwhelming with what I perceived as extra time needed in the kitchen to cook. But I have absorbed all the extra time needed to a point where it is a breeze, not to mention I opted to finish work two hours earlier, when I was diagnosed.

I still feel like rebelling at times when they have a treat, as in husband and children, and I have to still cook my tea. At worst I will have toast, or if I have been very clever, arrange to have some leftovers for me. I think you just have to be more organised in your life and kitchen, as gone are the days when you can just decide at the last minute what to eat for tea.

Eating out, what is that? It is the occassional thing. What I have found is that the food, especially lunchtime fare in the cafes is too rich. That is great coming from me, me who never even thought much about healthy eating, let alone what I was putting in my mouth. Eating out at night in restuarants has been okay, there doesn't seem to be too much of a problem.

For drinks, it is coffee, tea or water, and wine when the week is through. No fizzy drinks, only ccassionally.

Hope you find an eating habit that suits you. The food is wonderful, I love it, and will never go back to eating all that stodgy food that was part of my past.

Catherine

[myserenityprayer]

Hello and welcome!!

My typical day is also filled with as much fresh whole organic foods as possible. As dingogirl said, if you have a Trader Joes nearby I would definitely check them out. They should always have a gluten free product list available to their customers. There are many other places to purchase safe foods if you don't have any organic markets nearby also. I have always struggled with my weight so I definitely do not want to gain weight while maintaining my gluten free diet. I am 25, live with my boyfriend (who loves gluten!!) and have a very busy full time work schedule- not to mention I am a part time master's student. I thought I would never have time to prepare gourmet delicious gluten free meals. I have realized that while I may not have the time to sit over the stovetop and prepare a meal for 2 hours, I sure do have 30 minutes to spare, especially if it means feeling better. I usually try to go food shopping in the begining of the week (preferably Sunday or Monday). While the weekends vary slightly, here is my typical work day food breakdown: (I need to watch my sugar intake because I am insulin resistant. I am also intolerant to soy and lactose so I am avoided those too. I did however find some cheeses I can tolerate and since I love love love cheese I make sure I include those in occasionally.)

breakfast: 4 boiled egg whites with a pinch of salt, Mary's Gone Crackers (made of flax, quinoa, and rice- great source of fiber) and 1 piece of low fat white chedder cheese. alternatives if i get sick of eggs: envirokids peanut butter cereal with almond milk or gluten free waffles with warm apples, cinnamon, some nutmeg, and alcohol free vanilla.

snack: 5 almonds or an apple with peanut butter or 15 grapes and some low fat muenster cheese or if im really stuck i'll have some rice cakes with peanut butter (i need fiber and these have zero so i try to avoid them when possible).

lunch: fresh spinach (this was before the e coli scare, now its sprouts or lettuce) with chic peas, fresh veggies, low fat dressing (kraft is really good at listing gluten and organic markets have a good variety) or just some cider vinegar and olive oil, and a protein. beacuse i really don't like deli meats (boar's head and applegate are 2 safe brands) so i usually have homemade tuna salad or salmon salad or a left over protein from dinner from the night before.

snack: see above

dinner: here is where i get creative and have actually become quite the gluten free cook. i love brown rice pasta (i know some on this forum don't seem to like it but prior to going gluten free i never really at "regular" pasta so anything pasta like tastes delicious to me!!). i have made my own tomato sauce with fresh or usually canned tomatoes or i use organic marinara sauce and add some sauteed onions in it. i cut up chicken sausage and add that in. i also eat a lot of fish (salmon, swordfish, sea bass, scallops are my favorite) so I usually broil or sear some fish in olive oil and maybe "bread it" with some crushed pecans or even rice flour with lemon juice. I love brown jasmine rice with some butter in it and a ton of veggies on the side. i could go on and on. but the thing to remember is a yummy protein + veggies + starch of your choice= an easy great gluten free meal. and who's to say you can't have cereal or waffles for dinner too? if you can tolerate corn then look up some recipes for polenta, yum!

dessert: fruit of choice or natural sorbet.

i try to only have 2 servings of fruit per day and as much veggies and lean protein to keep me going. As I said, I am always on the go, so I make sure to have some sort of protein with me at all times (usually a zip lock of almonds or homemade trail mix with unroasted/non salted nuts or seeds and some dried unsweetened fruit. pumpkin seeds are really high in iron so if you are anemic like me those are a great snack.) oh and LOTS of water. i don't drink soda or artificial flavors (like sorbital or splenda, it hurts my stomach). I also enjoy unsweetened tea and drink hot black tea from starbucks when i need a caffeine boost.

i hope that helps! sorry if i ranted too much. there are some really great cookbooks out there and the glutenfreemall.com is a great place to start if you don't have an organic market nearby. they have a ton of packaged individual meals too if you are in a real crunch for time. they also have lots of sweets if you are dying for a cookie. and don't be afraid to try to cook and bake some things on your own too! its worth a shot. good luck and use this forum as much as possible, it has been a life saver for me!!

[KarenCM]

For Breakfast : Any of the following depending what I feel like on the day... Toast, Waffles, Scrambled Eggs with green onions, hashbrowns, cereal, sometimes I have leftover brown rice from the night before and add a little milk and brown sugar so yummy like a porridge.

For Lunches/Dinners: Recently I had a cooking day where I made a whole bunch of food and froze it in individual containers so that I have stuff to take with me to eat at work. I made Baked potato soup ( I used red potatoes and it was awesome), Broccoli and Cheese soup (I used rice as the thickener not flour), Brown rice and veggie soup, Homemade Mac and cheese ( I make it a couple different ways one of my favs is to make it all in one pot and throw in some veggies and I don't even have to drain it cause I boil the milk and pasta and cheese all in the pot.), Chicken corn chowder, and Chilli.

When I am not eating stuff that I have already prepared frozen for myself I will make sandwiches I like Freybe and Grimm's meats, brown rice and stir fried veggies sometimes I put a little Bragg's Seasoning in, plain meat and steamed veggies, Poutine I love poutine I use Alexia Oven Fries, Roads End Organic Gravy or Roux Gravy and whatever kind of cheese I have on hand. That's all I can think of at the moment although I am sure there is a lot more. I tried to vary what I eat so it doesn't get too boring.

Karen

[dionnek]

Well, today I had strawberries and grapes for breakfast, then half a gluten-free bagel (glutino brand I think - my first taste of a gluten-free bagel and it is acceptable - nothing like a real bagel though!) with cream cheese, smoked salmon, and capers. Lunch was sweet potatoe/carrot/lentil soup and a few gluten-free animal crackers (Envirokidz - yum!). For snacks I like these animal crackers, Lundberg rice cakes with pnutbutter or cashew butter or jam and cream cheese; cheese and gluten-free crackers; hummus and carrots. Another good breakfast idea is rice cake w/pnutbutter and banana slices - yum!

Dinner will be chicken/protabello sausage in spaghetti sauce (Newman's Own) over gluten-free pasta and a salad with organic tomotaoes (just went to Whole Foods this weekend)

I snack on popcorn or cashews or gluten-free cookies in the evenings. I have a sweet tooth