Ahh! I Dont Want To Starve!

[Mango04]

I just want to say that you really shouldn't worry about dried beans and rice. If you are, you can always rinse them off before you cook, but generally, beans and rice are considered safe foods for celiacs.

[LuvMoosic4life]

I just want to say that you really shouldn't worry about dried beans and rice. If you are, you can always rinse them off before you cook, but generally, beans and rice are considered safe foods for celiacs.

thanks. I guess I was just leary b/c I've had reactions more than once to dried beans and also lentils, I will defintly try washing them! I know they are gassy foods to begin with, but I also got the tirdness and fatiguing.....eh....who knows gotta love this disease

[casnco]

So I moved into my brothers house for the summer from college since it is near where I am working for the summer. well, it happens to be in the middle of nowhere and pretty much farmland. I went to the main supermarket, which is like 20 mins away and they dont even have an organic isle!!! No gluten-free slections whatsoever! (of course whole foods/fruits veggies and rice chex and your general "normal" things that are mainstream and gluten-free, but thats it.) I kinda figured they wouldnt have anything, but now I'm stuck in a crappy situation:

I'm working all summer and start this week. I pretty much cant spend anymore money until next week (thats if my mom helps me out then, I hate having to ask b/c she has already helped me out with gas money just to get to work until I get a paycheck. I DO NOT come from a rich family so I feel really bad when family gives me money)

I have to bring my own lunches to work and all I really have right now that I can bring is apples, brown rice pasta, chicken, tuna, brown rice, and I bought celery and carrots which I can dip in peanut butter (its smart balance, gluten-free) I suppose I have enough to last me until I can drive to where my mom lives where there is a wegmans with a whole GLuten free isle. I made pasta salad with chicken miced in to bring with me for a few days, but I dont want to eat that all summer, and honesly not for a whole week haha

Does anyone have any suggestions on what to buy for when I can get to a bigger store? Something that I can take to work that will be nutritional, at least have some protien and preferably doesnt have to be heated (there is a microwave there, but I really am against microwaves.) there is also a fridge. I am also avoiding dairy and keeping my soy intake very smalll B/C too much will bother me.

THANKS!!!! I pretty much wanted to cry in the store today!!!! Now I'm realizing how hard this can be, especially when you're a broke college student and work is 25 miles away (open road, but still) with gas prices going up to $4 dollars a gallon!!!!!! AHHH@!!!!!

My herbalist is against microwaves also and suggested a thurmos for my warm food. There are small ones that will hold food other than soup. You can buy them at discount department stores like WalMart ant Target in the camping section. Good Luck!

[LuvMoosic4life]

I can relate to having to prepare meals on a fixed budget while juggling a busy schedule and not having local stores which carry gluten-free products. It can be a challenge, but it's not impossible.

One thing that you may want to consider as you start to earn more money is a checking account. From there you can get a debit card that acts as a credit card for your on-line purchases. That will also allow you to use PayPal for products. Sites like A.m.a.z.o.n or V.i.t.c.o.s.t can really help as far as stocking up on some essentials you can't make yourself. Or, you can look into buying those pre-paid credit cards sold at groceries, Walmart and gas stations.

Most stores send out weekly sales flyers in the mail. I shop sales and stock up. Things like whole fryer chickens, other meats, produce and chips are listed and with a bit of planning, you can eat very well for a minimal amount of money. For example, whole fryer chickens can go for as little as 79 cents per pound. That means a whole chicken can cost as little as $3 and you can get a lot of meals out of that. I often bake a chicken for dinner and serve with mashed potatoes and home-made gravy. Leftover mashed potatoes can be mixed with some freshly grated potatoes, some ground flax, chicken broth and a bit of grated onion and baking powder to make potato pancakes which can be frozen for breakfast or other meals. Leftover chicken can be used in chicken salad, chicken tacos/nachos and I sometimes use it with the leftover gravy, other veggies and serve over rice for another lunch/dinner option. Ground beef can be used for hamburgers, meatballs, meatloaf, cabbage rolls, tacos and plenty of other recipes. Frozen shrimp can be used for seafood pastas or even as a cocktail to go with lunch. If you can get your hands on some cashews, you can make a relatively good alfredo sauce that is dairy-free (and can be made soy-free).

Easy sides are fruit cups, nuts, dried fruits, veggies sticks with hummus, fresh fruit (you can blend extras into smoothies for breakfast).

Baking is definitely a must once you get more established. I've taken to pre-making single serving pizza crusts (use a cake pan instead of a pizza pan for a "personal pan" size) and I freeze them for later, quick meals. Once again, cashews can be used to make a "cheese" for the pizza, giving you a food option that is free of gluten, dairy, soy and eggs.

I also make mini-muffins: banana bread, zucchini bread and also Carol Fenster's breadstick recipe can be used in muffin pans. Those can be used to make "sandwiches". They don't take long to make and by using mini-muffin pans, you can stretch those more expensive gluten-free foods a lot further.

Also, soups are so easy to make and really do go far when packing a lunch. And thermoses are relatively inexpensive as well as easy to find. That will give you several more options to take along.

Depending on your housing situation, you may want to try a bit of container gardening as well. One cherry tomato plant can yield several dozen tomatoes over the summer. It's an investment that can cost less than a dollar, is easy to care for and you've got fresh tomatoes to go with your meals. It may seem silly, but these little things pay for themselves relatively quickly.

For inspiration, you can also visit the parents board on this site and do a quick search for "bentos". Bentos are a great way to pack a whole food lunch that is appetizing, healthy and made with whole foods available anywhere.

Best of luck!

thanks! I will definitly use this info! especially the pizza!