Wheat Intolerance

poshcouture

I was recently told by my doctor that I have a wheat intolerance and now must eat gluten free. I've been struggling with this a bit for the past couple of weeks, finding that gluten free food is super pricey. Are there any other MFPers that are on a gluten-free diet that are willing to give me some grocery store guidance?

coliema

I'm not on a Gluten-Free diet, but I found this website to be helpful to others that are. It lists foods that you can and can't have.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gluten-free-diet/MY01140

Then there is this website, that has specific recipes for Gluten-Free.

http://allrecipes.com/recipes/healthy-recipes/gluten-free/

I hope this helps!

JSMJSM

I am GF but I don`t tend to eat many of the GF products. For grains I mainly eat quinoa and rice. I used to eat rice bread but I would rather have eggs for breakfast. What are you having the most trouble replacing.... (sorry my keyboard is having issues and my question mark isn`t working).

caraiselite

i am not gluten free, but i eat low carb, so you can add me for some ideas.

Sabine_Stroehm

I'm primarily gluten free (it gives me tummy aches)
The key for me was NOT buying most of the substitutes.
They are generally expensive, processed, and not very healthy
I do without, by and large (not always)

skinnyjeans13

I am gluten-free, but the only gluten-free food I buy is Udi's bread or any specific sauce or dressing I need. I don't buy any pre-packaged food; if you're eating anything that comes as is (meat, eggs, almond butter, vegetables, fruits, quinoa) it's usually gluten free. You'll need to do some research into what actually contains gluten. Don't get discouraged, after reading into it and memorizing some stuff- you'll get it!

momtokgo

I'm GF due to Celiac, but I don't buy any of the pre-made gluten free stuff either. I did invest quite a bit in flours etc, but they will last awhile. If I want muffins, cookies, bread etc. I make it myself. I can't even find many GF options here so that makes a difference too.

The only GF products I do buy are gluten free chex, rice crispies (to make granola bars) and the occasional box of Enjoy Life cookies. I also can't eat eggs, dairy or meat, so I buy a lot of fruits and veggies, rice and quinoa.

Definitly read all the labels of what you are buying though, wheat/gluten can hide in odd places. Ice cream, licorice, sauces, (especially soy and teriyaki)

monicalosesweight

If you're on a budget and can't afford gluten free breads, rice is the way to go! It's super cheap. They also sell a lot of oriental sauces nowadays that are gluten free so you could easily get those at a place like whole foods and try stir fries. My favorite is San-J's Gluten Free Low Sodium Soy Sauce. It's really, really good!

Be careful of pre-prepared french fries, they contain wheat! If you get desperate for pizza, the Udi crusts are pretty darn good. You can make your own BUT look out for the pepperoni. You have to buy gluten free versions. I would also look at anything that's pre-cooked and look to be sure it doesn't say wheat. You'd be surprised what's hidden in those ingredients. It's safest if it says gluten free.

There are tons of good gluten free pastas. Those are pretty affordable. You could also buy canned soups that are gluten free which aren't too expensive like Amy's. You can eat potatoes (Sweet, Idaho, Red) and cook them in a variety of ways. That's always easy: baked, fried, or chips that are deep fried. You'll probably need a food processor for the last one. Deep fried skinny chips that are marinated in lemon are delicious, better than store bought chips.

Veggies are pretty easy to cook up. I buy large bags of frozen veggies and cook them as a side dish. They'll become rather critical or you're going to get bored pretty darn fast.

Breakfast is pretty easy. Van's makes great gluten free waffles. They aren't too bad cost wise. You can also buy mixes that are gluten free for pancakes (Pamela's). There are tons of granola types of cereals labeled gluten free. I love the ones that have fruits in them. Yum. Oatmeal is safe if you make sure that it's certified gluten free!

If you want to fry something, use Gillian's for Gluten free bread crumbs. I love making fried pork with it. It's actually better than the real stuff. Here's a link for their website so you can get them through online ordering if you don't have a store that carries them:

http://www.gilliansfoodsglutenfree.com/products/index.php?cPath=29&osCsid=511565396d9768987cfbe4e022e4a2a5

Be careful of pre-processed meats! Sometimes they have gluten in them as part of the preservatives.

Good luck! I'm on the same voyage and I can tell you that you'll start to feel pretty darn good by the end of 10 days once you stop eating wheat.

Monica

monicalosesweight

Oh, I should have mentioned this, if you don't have a rice cooker - invest in a good one. That's going to become a staple in your life. You can make a big batch of rice and afterwards keep it in the fridge. It lasts a very long time. To reheat it, just add a little bit of water in a bowl with a lid that's microwaveable (or a paper bowl and a plate that fits on top) and reheat for a minute or two. It'll seem like it's totally fresh.

Oh, if you get rice paper (big round sheets), you can put them in really hot water in a tray till they are really, really moist and then you can wrap all kinds of stuff in them to make a type of burrito. You can even fry them to make them crispy like spring rolls. I know on Youtube you'll find all sorts of links on how to use rice paper for cooking.

Monica

Nerdy_Rose

When I'm broke, I don't buy substitutes. Pretty much it.

bikinibeliever

It's times 2 in our house! I have an intolerance and my son is highly allergic. You are right, it is very expensive! I will watch to pick up any good tidbits.

I tend to use taco shells, rice, tortilla chips a lot.

My best tip is to use cereal instead of bread crumbs. baked chicken breaded with crushed corn flakes and seasoning. I use crushed rice chex in meatloaf. It's better than the price of gluten free flours.

Woly1

I'm wheat free for health reasons as of the past few weeks-- mostly gluten free but I eat rice occasionally. I find I like eating wheat free-- it makes low-calorie choices easier and forces me to eat creatively. I also feel a lot better off wheat. One of my favorite meals to make is well-seasons scrambled eggs with tons of veggies and some or the other meat. There are so many possibilities with eggs that some weeks I eat them every day. I also eat tons of salad. I love to make it with spinach and applewood smoked turkey, mmm.
When I'm craving pasta sometimes I bake cauliflower with a teensy bit of parmesan and add marinara. Just try to focus on proteins and veggies and a healthy, gluten-free diet will fall into place Gl!

Nickiii_123

Hi!
I'm gluten intolerant too and have been eating a gluten free diet for a little over two years now. It's helped me so much, I hope it helps you out as well.

Like many of the others who posted I don't buy too many of the 'specialty' GF products, just some breads some times (Udi's or Rudi's) and GF cereal (Rice or Corn Chex, GF granola). Bob's Red Mill makes some great mixes that you can get from Amazon for a decent price.

Corn tortillas, qunioa and rice are my go to item's now when I need carbs in my meals.

Eating gluten free can be intimidating at first but you'll get the hang of it. Feel free to friend me if you want

ebbyzone

If you have a health food store or a grocery store that caters to special diets (like a Sprouts, Whole Foods or Trader Joe's) in your area, you can find some good gluten free options. A lot of them have been mentioned in the thread already (Udi's, Rudi's), but I would also add Glutino to the list as they have a good multigrain gluten free bread that is also easy on the carbs and calories.

I'd also suggest looking into the gluten free cookbooks at your local bookstore/library. And at bloggers (like Gluten Free Cooking School). Lots of creative ways to use healthy grains and ingredients, and you will probably find that eating fresh/gluten-free can be worked into your budget too. It's hard, but it can be done.

rlmadrid

I'm wheat free for health reasons as of the past few weeks-- mostly gluten free but I eat rice occasionally. I find I like eating wheat free-- it makes low-calorie choices easier and forces me to eat creatively. I also feel a lot better off wheat. One of my favorite meals to make is well-seasons scrambled eggs with tons of veggies and some or the other meat. There are so many possibilities with eggs that some weeks I eat them every day. I also eat tons of salad. I love to make it with spinach and applewood smoked turkey, mmm.
When I'm craving pasta sometimes I bake cauliflower with a teensy bit of parmesan and add marinara. Just try to focus on proteins and veggies and a healthy, gluten-free diet will fall into place Gl!

There is NO gluten in rice!

Rice can be your staple food for sure. Try to focus more on whole foods than the calorie loaded, and expensive substitutes. I honestly have Udi's bread or GF cereal as a treat sometimes, but otherwise a student's budget can't handle the cost. Especially if you were just diagnosed, you may have some healing to do. Keep your protein and carbs at healthy levels and try very hard to cut out all gluten. I felt hugely better day one. I was myself again in less than a month.

Good luck! You can always add me for meal ideas or PM me for more info.

poshcouture

Wow! Thank you all for the advice! You rock! I'm certainly going to invest in a rice cooker.

PaveGurl

First tip: don't bother buying substitutes - it will drain your bank account pretty fast

Second tip: GlutenFreeGirl.com has some GREAT info and recipes. Her writing and personality aren't really my Thing, but her food is pretty tasty.

I'm GF for health reasons, too, so mostly, I just increased my other veggies - instead of spaghetti, I use squash or spinach, instead of bread, I use lettuce and so on. Paleo resources are actually pretty helpful because I find those guys hate gluten like it's cancer, so there are some pretty excellent meals and ideas out there if you can get by the kool-aid

chivalryder

Wait, you doctor said you have a wheat intolerance and then said to eat gluten-free? Wheat intolerances and gluten intolerances are two different things!

I think you should get the facts straightened out from him/her first before you start this diet. If it is a gluten intolerance, then go gluten-free. If it's just wheat, then you don't need to go gluten-free. It will make life a lot simpler!

confettibetti

Pinterest is also a good place to find gluten free foods/recipes!!

Eve23

Yep, I have been doing it for awhile now. My family eats normally but I cannot tolerate it. I have found a few good substitutes for flour for me. It makes it tolerable for when you are wanting something. I don't use them alot though.

It is a transition but in the end you will be glad you have done it.

vestarocks

Trader Joe's has the best brown rice pasta that I've had. It's super cheap and doesn't turn into mush when cooked. I'm in
Canada but I cross the border a few times a year to stock up on it (and the funny thing is it is made in Canada but I can't find a replacement here).

I don't buy substitutes. My friend's girls are both gluten intolerant and I have recently been told I am as well. Together we share recipes and have compiled quite the cookbook. She's perfected baking breads and treats (I'm not patient enough for that so I usually go without).

clh126

In addition to rice being gluten-free, most corn products are also safe to eat. Corn tortillas are great and cheap! In terms of alternative foods, Trader Joes has some corn pasta that I bought out of curiosity which actually seemed to be pretty close in texture and taste to wheat pasta.

Wenchilada

In addition to rice being gluten-free, most corn products are also safe to eat. Corn tortillas are great and cheap! In terms of alternative foods, Trader Joes has some corn pasta that I bought out of curiosity which actually seemed to be pretty close in texture and taste to wheat pasta.

Corn pasta is the only GF pasta substitute my husband will eat. He says the brown rice ones give him a tummy ache. Oh, the irony! But I've recently gotten him eating shirataki (yam) noodles in stir-fry, and he loves them. Before that, I was making two different pans of pasta for the two of us for the same meal (or just having my meal without pasta), and it was really frustrating because I can't bite-test his to see if it's done yet, so I'd be carrying a hot spoon across the apartment to get him to try it.

Also, echoing what others have said - don't try to replace wheat-based products with corn/rice/tapioca/etc. substitutes 1:1 in your diet. You will be broke and disappointed in short time. I use lettuce leaves to wrap sandwiches or just put my burger/sandwich innards on a plate and eat with a fork, and while I do occasionally splurge and buy an Amy's rice-mac & cheese frozen dinner or some Udi's burger buns for a picnic, I generally just live without the bready "meal accessories" that I grew up with. I think I'm still doing pretty okay for myself.

jennaworksout

I am gluten intolerant , and it is expensive, for the most part I have cut out breads and pastas, but if you want rice pasta doesnt seem to be too crazy expensive, I find it hard to find inexpensive alternatives around wher I live anyways

kimchi84

if you are into asian food, alot of their food and recipes are gluten free, especially chinese, thai and vietnamese food. most of the noodles they use are rice flour noodles, hope that help. Oh and shopping at the asian store will definitely save you alot of money since their stuff is tend to be on the cheap side

rpounds1957

I'm primarily gluten free (it gives me tummy aches)
The key for me was NOT buying most of the substitutes.
They are generally expensive, processed, and not very healthy
I do without, by and large (not always)

^^This^^

Plus, I find foods that are naturally gluten free. That's a fairly easy task if you stay away from processed foods. Boxed food most always has some form of wheat gluten in it. Gravies, meat loaf mixes, taco meat seasoning, soy sauce, etc. Read the labels and you'll find wheat in most of these. Stick with whole foods. There is no wheat gluten in corn, green beans, carrots, potatoes, etc. Nor is there in any meats or poultry. The key for me was pretty much eliminating any bread or pasta (along with boxed and/or processed foods) from my diet. I cheat once in a while, but usually suffer the effects. Plus, being gluten free for the most part has helped me in my quest to lose weight.

If you'd like, add me up and watch my food diary.

Ron

SuperKeely

Wait, you doctor said you have a wheat intolerance and then said to eat gluten-free? Wheat intolerances and gluten intolerances are two different things!

I think you should get the facts straightened out from him/her first before you start this diet. If it is a gluten intolerance, then go gluten-free. If it's just wheat, then you don't need to go gluten-free. It will make life a lot simpler!

Yes, this. Eating gluten-free is overkill if your sensitivity is only to wheat (and read Wheat Belly to find out why you might be sensitive to wheat).

I don't eat wheat and I don't buy any of the prepared gf foods (except pancake mix occasionally because I'm lazy). There are tons of other grains that are perfectly acceptable and affordable substitutes (rice especially, as everyone said). I miss bread sometimes but once you get the cravings for it out of your system, it's really not that big of a loss.

WarriorCupcakeBlydnsr

Read labels on everything, even if you buy the same stuff every week, and the stuff that you wouldn't thing has wheat/gluten in it. The FDA allows for products to be labeled Gluten Free as long as there is less than 2% gluten in the whole product, watch out for the term modified food starch, unless it specifies that it is a specific modified food starch (for example some things will say modified food starch (corn)) consider it wheat. Companies have the right to change their products at any time without warning (this is why I say read labels-always!) as long as they change the content of their ingredients, and remove the terms. I had this happen to me with sour cream, the brand I bought was gluten/wheat free, so I didn't read the label and had a reaction, read the label after the fact and discovered that they started adding modified food starch.
You're welcome to friend me and ask questions, I'll be happy to help in any way I can, Iwas diagnosed as wheat and gluten allergic (epi pen included) three years ago

SyntonicGarden

It's times 2 in our house! I have an intolerance and my son is highly allergic. You are right, it is very expensive! I will watch to pick up any good tidbits.

I tend to use taco shells, rice, tortilla chips a lot.

My best tip is to use cereal instead of bread crumbs. baked chicken breaded with crushed corn flakes and seasoning. I use crushed rice chex in meatloaf. It's better than the price of gluten free flours.

I could've written this response. We use taco shells and cornflake breadcrumbs.

We also have a group. Come on over:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/112-gluten-free

And feel free to add. I've got a sensitivity to wheat, so I'm not 100% celiac, but my diet's wheat free.

alasin1derland

saving for later

lesliev523

if you are into asian food, alot of their food and recipes are gluten free, especially chinese, thai and vietnamese food. most of the noodles they use are rice flour noodles, hope that help. Oh and shopping at the asian store will definitely save you alot of money since their stuff is tend to be on the cheap side

Be careful with soy sauce, though. It has gluten.

I have Celiac, and I avoid all gluten free substitute foods. They make me feel just as sick as the real thing!