Trying to go gluten/dairy free.

Could anyone suggest easy meals for lunch, i seem to be having salad a lot, its not really weather for salads at the moment.

Many thanks
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Replies

  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    Soups, stews, veggies and meat, etc.?

    I mean, the possibilities are really endless.
  • CorneliusPhoton
    CorneliusPhoton Posts: 965 Member
    Corn tortillas, corn chips, rice, rice noodles, cauliflower rice, cauliflower crust pizza, potatoes, sweet potatoes, seed-based crackers, popcorn, quinoa, oatmeal, grits. I buy Udi's GF multigrain bread and keep it in the freezer for the rare occasions I need a slice of bread. It gets easier once you have more GF options on-hand. IMO, it also helps if you prioritize your protein (meaning make sure you hit your minimum) in your meals and then fill up the rest of your calories with veggies, fruits, and then GF bulk, sweets if you still have room. Protein is really important in that it helps keep you satiated and helps preserve muscle which you are losing if you are in a deficit.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    Soups, stews, veggies and meat, etc.?

    I mean, the possibilities are really endless.

    I agree, there are endless possibilities

    Want pasta? Have rice noodles.
    Want rice? Cool, rice is naturally gluten free (as are several other grains)
    So are beans, lentils, eggs, fruits, vegetables and meat.

    Want milk? There are numerous dairy free milk alternatives available - soy, almond, cashew, rice, etc.
    There are vegan yogurt and cheese alternatives as well.
  • mph323
    mph323 Posts: 3,565 Member
    Could anyone suggest easy meals for lunch, i seem to be having salad a lot, its not really weather for salads at the moment.

    Many thanks

    Are you going gluten-free by just not eating food with gluten in it, or are you trying to avoid ingesting any gluten at all? I'm just asking because if it's the latter you'll need to educate yourself on contamination issues, since if you're sensitive to gluten even the minutest amount hitting your digestive tract will cause issues. I honestly wouldn't recommend going gluten-free without committing to truly research and understand the cross-contamination issues. You'll be restricting food you like without the benefit of knowing whether or not gluten is a problem for you. Best of luck however you decide :-)
  • I have a sensitive stomach and trying to going gluten free to see if it improves things. Its kind of the last option because nothing else has helped.
  • StephAStephan
    StephAStephan Posts: 22 Member
    I did something similar! No gluten, dairy, soy, refined sugar, or red meat. It is tough, but for recipes you can google Whole 30 and Paleo friendly recipes :-) try to stay away from eating out as much as possible. I make a lot of crock pot meals, which helps with food prep for the week.

    ... And I disagree with the person who said it has nothing to do with weight loss. My sister in law went dairy free and immediately dropped a ton of weight! If you are gluten sensitive, you'll immediately notice a reduction in bloating. I have a very sensitive belly and with only minor trips to the gym here and there, I've experienced major bodily changes.

    I'd say give it a try. The worst that happens is you find out it's not a lifestyle you can maintain and you slowly incorporate gluten and dairy back into your diet...
  • GYATagain
    GYATagain Posts: 141 Member
    crock pot is my friend for easy lunches. I'll do a sweet potato/quinoa/black bean/chicken type of chili and use it all week for lunches. So easy. There are so many things you can do. This time of year, it is usually a soup/chili of some kind with as much spice and flavor as possible. Doing the gluten thing (non-celiac medical reasons) was difficult at first - but 4 years down the road, it is pretty easy. I also have to admit I do Not buy or use breads, cookies, pastas, etc. that say GF - most taste like cardboard to me and super high on other ingredients I'd rather not use.
  • Thank you for your replies. Does anyone have any suggestions for dinner tonight that is gluten and dairy free.

    Many thanks
  • Taliafinch
    Taliafinch Posts: 60 Member
    My daughter has food allergies (anaphylactic) and intolerances. She is affected by wheat rather than gluten which may be worth keeping in mind. If you have noticed issues after eating bread it may be an issue with yeast. Do you keep a food/symptom diary? It could be worth doing while you try to pinpoint any issues. Especially if you are introducing new foods. If you are susceptible then New foods may aggravate.
    We were wheat, egg, dairy, beef, salmon, sesame, pulse, banana for 4 years. Currently egg and sesame free with restricted, baked wheat and dairy. What sort of meals do you enjoy? What do you have in your cupboards ? We enjoy wheat free pasta, with meat or vegetable sauce. risottos, Thai curry is my current favourite. stir dry veg with curry paste and lemon grass add coconut milk. Yum!
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    I did something similar! No gluten, dairy, soy, refined sugar, or red meat. It is tough, but for recipes you can google Whole 30 and Paleo friendly recipes :-) try to stay away from eating out as much as possible. I make a lot of crock pot meals, which helps with food prep for the week.

    ... And I disagree with the person who said it has nothing to do with weight loss. My sister in law went dairy free and immediately dropped a ton of weight! If you are gluten sensitive, you'll immediately notice a reduction in bloating. I have a very sensitive belly and with only minor trips to the gym here and there, I've experienced major bodily changes.

    I'd say give it a try. The worst that happens is you find out it's not a lifestyle you can maintain and you slowly incorporate gluten and dairy back into your diet...

    When people lose weight going dairy-free, it's because they're eating fewer calories than they were before. It's just another way of cutting calories.

    Someone who is truly intolerant to gluten or dairy may lose some water weight when they remove them from their diet, but that isn't going to be a "ton" of weight.

    I remember several years ago when a doctor finally suggested going gluten free. This was right before the GF craze, and none of my previous doctors had thought to have me tested. I was miserable for many years because of that oversight... But going gluten free, I didn't lose any weight - in fact, I was already on the thin side and I gained a couple of pounds because I could finally eat again - but while I gained a couple of pounds, I also lost a pant size and got this magical flat stomach, just from the bloating going down. Went from a size 8 to a 6.

    Nowadays, I avoid gluten like the plague, since it makes me puke out both ends (TMI), but sometimes I slip a little milk protein in there, because it doesn't make me sick so it's not as scary. But then I bloat up like a balloon and it's kinda uncomfortable! So like others say, I would never go gluten free unless I had to. It's not a thing I "try" to do. If I were to halfass a gluten free lifestyle, I would end up living in the bathroom again. :p But you could "try" it and see if you feel better. As long as you eat a balanced diet, it won't hurt to do it. But you really need to eliminate ALL sources if you want a true picture of whether it will benefit you. You can't just cut back. You have to cut it out completely.

    (As far as the dairy is concerned for me, aged cheeses like cheddar, etc. don't bother me, but milk and whey bloat me out. I go right back to normal the next day or so, so it's not a big deal to have a little now and then for me personally. But gluten can take weeks to get out of my system. I don't mess around with that at all.) Good luck!
  • CorneliusPhoton
    CorneliusPhoton Posts: 965 Member
    Thank you for your replies. Does anyone have any suggestions for dinner tonight that is gluten and dairy free.

    Many thanks

    Chili with corn chips
    Babyback ribs with baked beans and greens
    Rotisserie chicken with sweet potatoes and green beans
    Grilled or baked salmon
    Lentil Dal
    Hamburger topped with avocado, tomato, and bacon wrapped in lettuce served with potatoes.
    Endless combinations of meat and vegetables. Start by choosing a source of protein and add vegetable sides. Done.
  • CorneliusPhoton
    CorneliusPhoton Posts: 965 Member
    edited February 2017
    Thinking about dinner now, so thought I'd add some more ideas:

    Chicken tortilla soup
    (or find rice noodles in your grocery store and make chicken noodle soup)
    Black bean soup
    Italian Sausage and peppers served with rice or quinoa
    Chicken (or beef, or shrimp, or tofu) and vegetable stir fry (use tamari sauce or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce (which often has gluten in it))
    Palella
    Salmon patties
    Frittata
    Many Thai and Vietnamese dishes are made with rice noodles
    Chipotle - get a bowl
    Fajitas - ask for corn tortillas
    Meatloaf - use quick cooking oats instead of bread
    Google some Whole 30 meal ideas

    I've been GF for years (though I occasionally put up with the negative reaction every so often for a real pizza!), and I know how hard it is in the beginning. I ate a lot of salads in the beginning too! Happy to help further if you need recommendations for substitutions.
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    In my case, I was troubleshooting a few health problems (immense fatigue after eating, bloating, joint pain) - I tried out a low glycemic diet based on a self-help book... turned out a little bit of pasta made me sick, a LOT of creme brulee (I 'cheated' when throwing a dinner party and making creme brulee in bulk) did not affect me whatsoever. That was the first clue that wheat was the problem. A bunch of other symptoms cleared up too after limiting wheat that I had no idea were related.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    I did something similar! No gluten, dairy, soy, refined sugar, or red meat. It is tough, but for recipes you can google Whole 30 and Paleo friendly recipes :-) try to stay away from eating out as much as possible. I make a lot of crock pot meals, which helps with food prep for the week.

    ... And I disagree with the person who said it has nothing to do with weight loss. My sister in law went dairy free and immediately dropped a ton of weight! If you are gluten sensitive, you'll immediately notice a reduction in bloating. I have a very sensitive belly and with only minor trips to the gym here and there, I've experienced major bodily changes.

    I'd say give it a try. The worst that happens is you find out it's not a lifestyle you can maintain and you slowly incorporate gluten and dairy back into your diet...

    So, your SIL dropped dairy and lost weight? Dairy has a lot of calories.... your SIL dropped weight because she decreased her calories.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    I did something similar! No gluten, dairy, soy, refined sugar, or red meat. It is tough, but for recipes you can google Whole 30 and Paleo friendly recipes :-) try to stay away from eating out as much as possible. I make a lot of crock pot meals, which helps with food prep for the week.

    ... And I disagree with the person who said it has nothing to do with weight loss. My sister in law went dairy free and immediately dropped a ton of weight! If you are gluten sensitive, you'll immediately notice a reduction in bloating. I have a very sensitive belly and with only minor trips to the gym here and there, I've experienced major bodily changes.

    I'd say give it a try. The worst that happens is you find out it's not a lifestyle you can maintain and you slowly incorporate gluten and dairy back into your diet...

    So, your SIL dropped dairy and lost weight? Dairy has a lot of calories.... your SIL dropped weight because she decreased her calories.

    true dat.

    I have a legit dairy intolerance (imagine bloating, gas, rumbling, eczema, and more) and even I didn't lose weight when cutting out dairy... why? because i kept my calories constant.

    10/10 your SIL dropped weight by removing something in her diet and probably significantly reduced her calories.
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    Thank you for your replies. Does anyone have any suggestions for dinner tonight that is gluten and dairy free.

    Many thanks

    My wife is intolerant to gluten, dairy, potato, peanut, bean and a bunch of other things. I don't envy you at all as I know it has really limited what she can eat.

    Chicken is one of her goto's. Also we do eat a fair bit of steak. She made enchilada's with gluten free tortilla (rice based) and her fake cheese (mine had real cheese).

    She does some weird things with cauliflower. Has made ranch dressing from almonds. And all kinds of weird stuff.

    She ends up eating mostly Paleo though. You might try looking into a Paleo diet.
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    edited February 2017
    She does some weird things with cauliflower. Has made ranch dressing from almonds. And all kinds of weird stuff.

    I finally tried some mashed cauliflower last night..not bad. Not sure I'd have the patience to try making cauliflower rice though (if there is a good deal on the prepared version it might try it).