Does This Really Depress Anyone Else?

[LuvMoosic4life]

So I definitly stick to whole foods because of cost reasons, and since they are easier to digest. But I just have to have some gluten free replacement stuff once in a while so I don't feel deprived from my old ways of eating, otherwise I will binge on things when I buy them (not good, and a habit I am slowly getting better at breaking)

I used to be heavily into baking. I love to bake and experiment with creating my own recipes. I am actually happy that I found a new challenge: baking gluten free. Only problem, the cost of gluten free flours.

It depresses me and angers me that other people can just go out and buy a huge bag of regular flour and bake cookies and bread until it comes out of thier ears... and here I am looking through the isles at gluten free flours, which arent really all super expensive depending on brand, but considering the amount you get in a bag in comparison to regular flour, it's definitly not easy on the wallet.

I havent even baked anything yet b/c I just dont have the extra money, plus I have to buy new pans. Being a college student doesnt make this easy. I hope maybe some day these gluten-free alternatives will be bought more frequently and lowered in price, or at least sold in bigger bags.

just had to rant....

[nikky]

hey

rant seconded, the price of gluten free food is just stupid, when you do get some ive heard a lot of praise for pamela's mix.

Good luck

[cruelshoes]

Do you have an asian market near you? I can get many of my flours there very inexpensively. White rice flour, tapioca, potato starch, cornstarch, etc. can be had for $.39 - $.99/lb. There are a few more expensive ones like brown rice flour and sorghum flour that I have to get at the health food store or on A.M.A.Z.O.N. If you are able to get some of your flours at the asian market for less, it may make the average cost of gluten-free flours on par with wheat flour.

You're right, it can be challenging from a financial standpoint to bake gluten-free.

[sickchick]

Seriously I found a close asian market and it cut my shopping bill IN HALF.

I was dancing... the little asian couple was laughing at me and asking "Why you need so much Coconut Milk"???

I bought a lot

Jasmine rice, 50 pound bag 22 bucks! I paid $9+ at the grocery for 5 pounds.

a collective sigh of relief

And when I get overwhelmed with costs of food I eat rice and beans a few times that week.

[Beth in NC]

It gets to me too, and I've only just started this journey...I guess soon it's gonna get to my hubby too!

For me, I'm going to really have to talk myself through this. I have made our own fresh home ground whole wheat bread for several years now, 6 loaves at a time. It was so good! And "healthy" too! Weird...I used to add a whole cup of extra gluten to make it softer...little did I know what I was doing!

I went to WF and they were out of the Pamela's bread everyone is raving about. I bought a box mix of the 365 brand and let's just say...it NEEDS something. Overall it wasn't horrible, but it needed to be a bit sweeter.

Maybe it's a good thing that it doesn't taste wonderful, I'm hoping to loose weight doing this rather than gain.

[Katsby]

It does get expensive. I bought a whole bunch when I first started, determined to make myself something/anything. It was a lot of trial and error really with many products and recipes so the cost just added up. Xanthan Gum is 10.00 for this little dinky bag, but the good thing is it goes far. I finally started buying Pamela's from amazon. It's a lot cheaper than in the stores and you can also get the extra 15% off if you do the subscription, and I didn't want the hassle of mixing my own flours. I've tried the 365 and Bob's flour mixes also and I didn't like either of those. Good luck.

[LuvMoosic4life]

I will have to look into aisan markets. There are a lot of mexican and latino foods stores around here but I havent seen aisan, but then I havent really looked...

for those of you who buy at the aisian stores, are the flours really gluten-free? I have seen cheap rice flour at wal mart and other stores, but the back of the bag says processed in a facility that makes wheat....

[JayinUT]

I just received my diagnosis 3 weeks ago after going through a balloon endoscopy and colonoscopy with the biopsy proving I had celiac (after 20 years thinking I had IBS) and have been gluten free since. I haven't had an issue adjusting, but the cost, man the cost. Thanks for the tips on the Asian Market. I believe we have several nearby. I'll say that I am actually cooking far more than I did and my wife is getting really good already at modifying receipes that are working quite well and are still tasty. We are finding that by planning out our menu, that is helping as is finding 6 to 8 main dishes that I'll repeat and that work with the family. My two teenagers actually like the diet better, say it tastes better (while, minus the bread).

[Nancym]

Fortunately the gluten free fruits, veggies and meat are the same price as the regular ones.

I've come to believe that it is really a blessing and that being forced away from food produced in factories is a step in the right direction.

[VioletBlue]

I tend to agree. Once I had to start reading labels and saw what was in most packaged foods and the huge impact of what I'd been eating most of my life hit me, I pretty much just stopped buying anything in a package.

It does get easier. For me now I buy a few special gluten free things that fit into my life; things like breakfast bars, rice noddles, flours and some Pamela products. I leave the rest behind in favor of whole foods or homemade versions of things like crackers or sauces. Unfortunately there are no asian markets within an hour of me and I react to potato flour and cornstarch and to a lesser degree corn. So I buy what flour I use off of Amazon. The last order was for white teff. It was ultimately cheaper that way even with shipping, then buying a single bag from the local organic store when they have it in stock. You can also sometimes find deals on gluten-free flour on ebay; things like Montina and teff mostly.

Fortunately the gluten free fruits, veggies and meat are the same price as the regular ones.

I've come to believe that it is really a blessing and that being forced away from food produced in factories is a step in the right direction.

[hawaiimama]

sorghum (SP) is found in Indian markets as Juwar. I pay $1.97 for a two pound bag. And Millet is same price and sold as bajri flour. I buy my thai rice flour at the chinese grocery and its 69 cents for a one a pound bag. I feel silly going in and buying ten single pound bags but oh well. I also buy all my rice noodles at the chinese supermarket too. I get a spaghetti type noodle for 79 cents a bag. We have always consumed a lot of rice so we've always bought the giant bags of jasmine rice in chinatown. We have always ahd a rice cooker too which makes flawless rice everytime and SO worth the $.

[Welda Johnson]

Hi,

Hospital stays and doctors' visits were een more costly than the food I'm buying now, so I'm rejoicing. Today I bought 12 packages of corn spaghetti and 12 boxes of Stevia sweetener over the internet, and they're going to ship them to me, so I have avoided the $4.50 per gallon of gas and having to drive across town to the two health food stores in town. Thank You God! I get my daily ration of soy protein by mail as well (Genisoy), and it is so neat to have all these things delivered to my door. I eat a vegan diet, and live next door to Von's, so, all in all, I'm blessed, and am now healthy and happy as well. I hope all goes well for you in this, your new way of living. Welda

[slmprofesseur]

I miss the convenience and feel your pain! Its hard at first. I have changed and I cook more. I moved to whole foods. I occasionally buy things out of a box for dinner. I use frozen veggies if I can't afford fresh. Beans and rice are a staple in this household! I also use up all leftovers. I cook a whole chicken on Sun with some roasted veggies and rice. On Tues. I make it into a soup or chicken casserole.

Most of the time I spend about $125/wk for a family of 4. I usually buy pasta 2x a month, and rice flour. The only Gluten-free special items are cereal (for daycare), oatmeal , and cookies/crackers for snacktime at daycare.

I will be canning/freezing veggies out of my garden like a crazy lady in 3 wks! I am so industrious that I have plans in the works for my own canned veggie soup, tomato, and pasta sauce. So I can come home from work, open the can (really glass jar) and have dinner in 20 minutes!

I remember buying Pamela's bread mix and returning it because of almond flour... (nut allergy)- does it still have almond flour?

[brendygirl]

There were two college girls who came to my celiac support group who ate in the dorms, explaining that their gluten free diet had to be accommodated by the dorm cooks, and they LOVED it. They thought the diet was so easy- which annoyed the rest of us. We asked them what they had for dinner that night and they said falafel and that is was yummy. They didn't have to pay any extra.

Also, for those of us who work, I signed up for the 125 flexible spending account at work, where I can pretax the amount of money that is the difference in cost between gluten free items and regular items. You can see on my blog here under 125 plan.

The cost of gluten free products is high, but I try to be thankful that I don't have to buy medication or give myself shots or finger pricks, etc. In fact, after 2 years of gluten free living, there are days that go by without me even thinking about it now.

[TammyK]

It depresses me and angers me that other people can just go out and buy a huge bag of regular flour and bake cookies and bread until it comes out of thier ears... and here I am looking through the isles at gluten free flours, which arent really all super expensive depending on brand, but considering the amount you get in a bag in comparison to regular flour, it's definitly not easy on the wallet.

/quote]

I have always had a "wine taste on a beer budget" even before I had to start cooking differntly. And, I have always comforted myself with mind games. At any give time, in your local grocery store or Walmart, sneak a peek into other people's carts. Look at all the junk they spend their money on. Ice cream, donuts and pastries, frozen entrees, chips, cookies, soda pop, hamburger helpers, case loads of beer, processed everything! This stuff may seem cheap but it really isn't. Not only does it make you feel wretched but it catches up with you eventually. Doctor bills and prescription drugs are very expensive. Worse case scenerio, cancer costs hundreds of thousands of dollars and a bypass surgery....

Investing into my health and my children's is top priority. We live a very modest lifestyle, live in a modest house with modest furniture, barely paying the bills and barely clothing our four teenagers. I rarely purchase anything that would adorn me or the house. A family vacation is something we have done only a couple of times in 25 years. My priorities are reflected in my budget. There is room for the gluten-free flours, natural foods and a needed supplement allowance. I figure my investment will pay me back later when my friends and family are spending huge amounts at the local pharmacy and doctor's office. I also look around occassionally to see all the thousands of other ways American's spend their money. Expensive vacations, trips to the theatre, fast food, new clothes, restaurants, new furniture, bigger, nicer house, etc... I'm just wondering if we could give up something unnecessary up in order to feed ourselves better. That's what we have to do. It's all in our priorities.

Most times when I am talking to someone about the importance of a healthy diet or taking a wonder supplement, like Cod liver Oil, I will hear a response like, "OH, we can't afford to live like that. So expensive! " One time this came from a friend who has Chrone's Disease. I still think it is a matter of priorities. Most people find away to get what really matters to them.

gluten-free flours are expensive but I view them as critical and valuable - better than gold. The cost doesn't bother me at all since I have watched my 11 yr old daughter's seizures, migraines and Asthma disappear. I no longer itch or having a pimpley rash on my neck and face. You can't put a price tag on those.