Any Gluten-Free-ers out there? I need help getting started!!

I gave up wheat/gluten for January and at first I found it difficult, but once you get into the routine it is easy. The main thing for me was to ensure I always had plenty of fresh food at home, so, step one, stock up on the kinds of things you can eat: fruit, vegetables, meats, etc. If you are vegetarian, it is a bit harder because many fake meats have wheat protein in them. Also start getting used to things like rice (preferably brown) and quinoa, which are good to get your carbs. Also try some gluten free pastas - some of them are not too bad. I tend to avoid GF breads as they don't taste very good to me. After you have done a big shop and stocked up, step two is to throw out all your pastas and breads and start reading labels. You will be surprised at how many things have gluten, so it depends on how far you want to take it. I have had small amounts of gluten because I was not prepared to give up soy sauce.

Then just start cooking - fresh meats and vegetables with some brown rice is a good start.

For breakfasts, I have porridge with nuts and fruits. Also there are some gluten free granolas and puffed rice cereals, or eggs/fruit.

Also, I don't know where you live, but in the UK all the major supermarkets have "free from" ranges, and in the US there are a lot of options at places like Whole Foods. You can also google restaurants that do GF options, and many are starting to label them and otherwise accomodate. It is a bit of a process getting starting, but you will probably get the knack for it after a week or two.

My boyfriend's sister has celiac disease, which was daunting at first because I love to bake and always felt like I had to exclude her. I finally started learning gluten-free AND vegan baking recipes. And I'll tell you, it definitely has been a challenge.

When it comes to gluten-free baking, the main difference is in the type of flour you use. Gluten is actually a by-product of certain proteins combining with water, and it helps the food keep its shape. For this reason, wheat flour is preferred for a lot of products because it produces TONS of gluten and is very versatile (and is obviously a lot cheaper). By comparison, soy and spelt flour have a lot less gluten, while buckwheat and rye have nearly none at all.

If you decide to give gluten-free baking a shot, you'll need a combination of different kinds of flour, and it'll change depending on what you're making. So one problem is that it's a total science, which is why a lot of people complain about gluten-free products tasting bland or outright terrible.

Another downside is that it can get very expensive buying several types of flour as well as xanthan gum (to hold the product together). As a shortcut, I use Pamela's Pancake Mix & Baking Mix, which is made from a combination of different rice flours and has baking powder and xanthan gum already in it. If you Google the brand Pamela's there are tons of recipes on their website, so it's a great starting point.

Other than that, I second everyone else's advice! Good luck!

There is a gluten free oatmeal from Bob's Red Mill. I get it at the health food store. It is good.