Celiac unable to go completely GF
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Oh wow, I did not know that, nmtGurl! Thank you!!!0
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Thanks NMTGURL I will have to look into that one!
Ok what Lee eats. Fruity Pebbles with milk, bacon, peanut butter and grape jelly sandwiches (refuses to eat the crust and white sandwich bread only), apples, ham, plain chicken nuggets, hot dogs, string cheese, kraft mac and cheese only if I make it (if someone else makes it he won't eat it) cheese totinos pizza and teriyaki beef jerky, That's it. Literally that is everything. Even if you tell him it's basically the same as something he already eats he refuses to eat it. It's very frustrating.
Jenn0 -
Okay, will post back when I have some time to review and think through some recommendations.
On an aside, has anyone ever talked to you about "food chaining" for Lee? Might help if it is sensory/anxiety issues.
Then again, he sounds very much like kids I have run into on my other celiac groups -- a certain subset of gluten and dairy sensitive kids will eat nothing but gluten and dairy. Often restricted to just chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, and pizza. Then when they have to go gluten and dairy free, after a bit, they suddenly start opening up to different foods that they would never consider before. I've heard the same story from a number of different parents.
Anyway, will post back with some food thoughts later.0 -
So, your dilemma as I understand it is getting foods that your boys can/will eat, and still being able to afford your own foods that are all gluten free.
Fruity Pebbles - I understand this is now gluten-free. So if you are buying them for kiddo, you can have them too.
Bacon - usually gluten free. google brand names
Peanut butter - usually gluten free. google brand names
Grape jelly - usually gluten free. google brand names
If you are worried about gluten crumbs getting in the pb&j, then when you get it home from the store, put some aside in separate containers for you.
PB is usually pretty cheap, is calorie dense so it is a good source of calories while you're trying to maintain your weight, and can be used for more than just sandwiches. Make some peanut soup, a simple Thai peanut sauce that you can use for noodles, salads, curries, etc. For some really cheap noodles that go well with your Thai peanut sauce, go to an Asian grocer and pick up thin rice noodles super cheap.
If you can't find a cheap GF bread or a bread recipe that you like, have a look at some muffin or cornbread recipes. Not nearly as tricky or fussy as bread, and you can put pb&j on them. Or pancakes, really forgiving and cheap.
apples - gf
ham - usually gf, google for brands
plain chicken nuggets - if what you mean by "plain' is that they are not breaded, they should be gluten free. google brands.
hot dogs - now I don't eat meat, but my understanding is that it might be a bit more difficult finding gf hot dogs. google for brands and stock up when they are on sale. Or on the days that kiddo is having a hot dog, make yourself a chili dog with homemade chili. Ground beef and/or beans/lentils are cheap and naturally gf.
string cheese - should be gf
kraft mac and cheese - obviously not gf. You said that you like noodles, and others have given some options to look for that are fairly cheap in the US. I generally use potatoes in place of pasta. Potatoes are usually quite cheap.
cheese pizza - obviously not gf. I gather that this is a frozen pizza, I assume he doesn't eat homemade. If you want to have pizza the same day as he has it, I know a number of people who are gf who would use a corn tortilla as a simple base for a pizza. Or stir-fry your toppings, throw them in a bowl, toss with sauce, and melt some cheese on top for a "pizza bowl" instead of a slice.
teriyaki beef jerky - probably not gf, as most teriyaki is made with soy sauce, which is made with wheat.
So most of the foods that Lee is eating could be used as the base for your meals as well. Add extra veggies, particularly cheap root vegetables. What foods are you having the most trouble with? That is, what foods do you find that you're buying and eating yourself, even though they are not GF?Thanks NMTGURL I will have to look into that one!
Ok what Lee eats. Fruity Pebbles with milk, bacon, peanut butter and grape jelly sandwiches (refuses to eat the crust and white sandwich bread only), apples, ham, plain chicken nuggets, hot dogs, string cheese, kraft mac and cheese only if I make it (if someone else makes it he won't eat it) cheese totinos pizza and teriyaki beef jerky, That's it. Literally that is everything. Even if you tell him it's basically the same as something he already eats he refuses to eat it. It's very frustrating.
Jenn0 -
The chicken nuggets I use are the "Naked Nuggets" I buy in bulk from Costco that are gluten-free. My main thing is pasta. I'm really not a fan of GF pasta though I will buy a couple of bags of Pasta Joy Brown Rice Shells when I get my food stamps. Cory is a pasta eating machine but does not like the taste or texture of GF pasta. Also I love salads, but of every dressing I have tried I can't stand any of them but 1, a midwestern US dressing called Dorothy Lynch, which is made with Wheat. I think more though after talking with everyone and all of your suggestions I'm just making this harder than it seems and a little stubbornness and frustration on the home front as well. It really has helped me think about things more, I've noticed the past few days that I look at the ingredients in my food a bit more and think "Is there a better option right now". I also talked with my mom and she is willing to order me the Cecilia's Gluten Free Shopping Guide to kind of help me along as well. Thank you everyone for the help and support though this. More suggestions are welcome!
Jenn0 -
Rice
Potatoes
Beans
Those are all filling and gluten free.
I don't buy "gluten free" foods all that often - i have a hard time justifying the price. But there's no reason you can't make Rice and cheese instead of macaroni and cheese (I do it with quinoa all the time) - and throw in some frozen vegetables. Bam.I have had CD for nearly 9 years, however only known for about 3. My complication we have figured out is only chronic diarrhea. When I first was diagnosed I resented it and didn't care about the symptoms. Then I went completely GF for about 6 months until I was unable to work anymore due to other health problems. Once I lost that income and am now on disability and food stamps for me and my 2 children (once of which is MSPI, allergic to tomatoes, and any citrus fruits.) Since then I have not been able to go completely gluten free because I simply cannot afford it. i try to do foods that are naturally GF...meats, fruits, veggies, and nuts for instance. It's very frustrating because that is the reason that I am severely underweight. I'm 5ft and barely maintaining 96 pounds. I actually have been 79lbs and struggled to get where I am now. I have no pain with my symptoms but it interrupts my sleep having to use the restroom so many times during the night. Is there anyone else with CD who is also unable to go completely GF for various reasons? If so how do you deal with it when it comes to you wanting to lose/gain weight?
Jenn0 -
I don't want to sound mean or insensitive here.. but YOU HAVE TO GO 100% GLUTEN FREE!! You have to find a wayto make it work! You have celiac disease - if you don't get off guten it will kill you! Even if your sympoms are not severe you are killing yourself by continuing to eat it.. that is the truth!.. Yes it is difficult and there will be food you will miss and badly- I miss cheese more than I can express but I don't eat it because it does damage to my body.. am I tempted ?.. not really I see pain when I look at it and it's not worth it to me to feel crappy.Do I want it - YES!!!! Do I ever eat it? NOPE not ever!.. same with all the foods I can't' eat and they are many including gluten!..You have to find way to either love gluten free subs or do without .. it is that simple.. Cheating is only hurting yourself. Your family needs their mother-do it for their sake if not for your own. I really do understand the budget issue and how hard it is...but it can be done. My husband and I have 8 children and we live soley on his income. I have celiac disease with many food intolerances - 6 of the 8 kids have my same food issues- as a family we are gluten, grain, dairy, legume and soy free- we have no other choice. It was not easy at all at first. We all had to adjust and learn to live with it..I have some picky eaters too. it'. not easy to get them to eat when you are reduced to only meat, eggs. fruit , vegetables , nuts and potatoes.. However, hunger is a pretty good motivater to get a little one to try new things and getting them learning to love them.If the child knows without a doubt they will not get anything but what is on their plate. They learn to eat what is in front of them. It wont hurt them if they choose not to eat a few meals.. They won't starve to death. Offer them a meal .if they choose not to eat and choose to go hungry then that is their choice.. Eventually, they will give in and get hungry enough that they will eat what you give them. The best way to stay gluten free is stop buying the stuff if you are tempted by it. It is the easiest way to keep your little ones gluten free as well.. when they whine and beg for a certain food you can simply say " I am sorry we don't have any but you can have this instead"
. Don't even have it the house.It will make your life easier .We kept it simple at first- no gluten subbed products or mixes , just basic food. except for birthdays when I bought a gluten free mix and made their cake myself. It was actually cheaper than the way we were eating... breakfast was bacon, eggs and fruit, lunches were things like tuna salad with apple slices, carrot sticks and celery, dinner I fixed a meat, a veggie and usually baked potatoes. cheap and healthy-Two years later, I make all kinds of gluten free goodies -everything from breads, cakes, cookies all kinds of things but it is a once in while thing. Most of our diet is still basic natural foods.My kids still eat burgers and hotdogs but they eat them minus the bun , and topped with chili, mustard and ketchup with fries or wrapped in lettuce-pb and j is big fave- almond butter for us because we can't have peanuts - mine like it now with apples or pears instead of bread.. mac and cheese- I make a dairy free nut cheese with gluten free/grain free asian noodles but it is a treat not an everyday thing because it is expensive to make. You can do it. You just have to accept the fact your life is going to change forever-gluten free is not a death sentence or mean you will lead a miserable life and never get to eat food you like again- just the opposite. You jsut hav to change your pserception and learn to love other foods. Gluten free is your answer to a long and healthy life enjoyed with your family-Acceptance is wonderful thing!! Denial or telling yourself it can't be done will keep you in bondage and rob you of your health and your life..You will feel much better when you make up your mind that you have no other choice. Saying going gluten free is too expensive is nothing but an excuse- It's not that you can't do it ..It is that don't want to do it. Be honest with yourself and face the severity of the situation. Celiac disease really does suck. You have to give up foods you love and its not fair! But it's the hand we have been dealt in life- like it or not so we have to learn to roll with it.
Once you accept that. You can begin to move forward with a fresh perspective and hopeful outlook to a healthier and happier you.
Forget the foods you can't have .Embrace the huge selection of wonderful food you can eat. I am not beng mean I am
really trying to help you. All of us celiacs have to com to this place of acceptence if we want to live. You can do this!0 -
I totally understand your struggle to eat GF on a budget. I'm a 22 year old college student, so I'm on quite a budget as well. I was diagnosed with non-celiac gluten sensitivity but may actually have CD that was undetectable because I was not tested until after I had been eating gluten free for 6 months., . Something that I've found is that at my local Asian grocer, they sell some gluten free pasta for really cheap. There are many options beyond rice pasta, see this link for some Asian GF pastas: http://www.thekitchn.com/glutenfree-asian-noodles-121367
The Asian grocer also has some flours, such as tapioca flour, much cheaper than I have found elsewhere! I'm from Canada, and the grocer I go to is called T&T Supermarket, but I'm sure that you can find one relatively near you!
In terms of bread recipes, I've tried homemade and failed every time. The only GF bread I have found that doesn't taste like cardboard is Udi's white sandwich bread...I can make a sandwich, put it in a ziploc bag, throw it in my backpack, and it stays together perfectly!
If there are any specific kinds of products that you are looking for, let me know and I'll try to help!0 -
If you are an American citizen on SNAP and you have a doctor's diagnosis, you can now apply for additional assistance. My friend is a doctor, and she let me know about this program. You can also keep your receipts and report the extra expenses for gluten free products as a medical expense on your taxes. Other than that, I recommend lots of beans, rices and veggie curries. I ate that all the time when I was living below the poverty line, but I was very healthy as a result of that.0
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My daughter has gluten issues - insensitivities. We tried for a solid year to find some sort of bread that she would eat, so we could get back to sandwiches. We had no luck whatsoever.
Eventually, we discovered this bread mix by Breads From Anna. It's allergen free. No corn, wheat, milk, stuff like that. On the surface, reading everything it DIDN'T have, I cringed when my daughter said, "Let's try it!" But... The cherub always wins. So we got it.
Turns out, it's surprisingly good!
We do it differently than the mix says. I use a bread machine. First, I mix the warm water, sugar (sometimes honey) and yeast, and let that go for about 15 minutes. Then I mix in all the other ingredients. I put the bread machine on the standard mix setting, and let it have its fun. After about 30 minutes, it's done mixing. With well oiled hands, I pull the dough out and make 12 balls with it, and flatten those into buns. Then I let those rest and rise for another hour. Then bake.
Once baked, I let them cool completely, and freeze the buns two to a sandwich baggie. Then, I just pull them out as we need them.
My daughter loves this. She has bread again. Sandwiches. Hotdogs. Burgers. Pizza. I even use the bread mix for taco shells.
The stuff isn't cheap. But there's no waste, since the entire batch of bread gets frozen.
I hope this helps, and I wish you well.0
