More and more gluten free meals products are available everyday but being GF alone is not enough. Many people are shocked when they discover that most of the GF products commercially available, which come pre-packaged are expensive poor tasting, and unhealthy. Luckily, with the amount of products available today, combined availability of raw, pure, or unrefined ingredients means that you no longer have to rely on gluten free frozen meals to survive pain-free.
If you’re planning to move beyond pre-packaged gluten free diet meals, for example, there are a few guidelines which will help you avoid being glutened or being severely limited in terms of what types of foods you can eat whether you are considering starting an elimination diet, or have been GF for years. I know what it’s like to eat stir-fry three nights a week and gluten free pasta three nights a week, with the can of soup thrown in for Sunday.
How Can You Tell If These Are Gluten Free Meals
The most important rule is to be vigilant. When you’re seeking variety in gluten free meals, you’ll quickly face the desire to believe products are gluten free meals or ingredients and take a chance. Do not take a chance. There are enough options available that with a little bit of experience, and record-keeping, you won’t have to risk eating something that you’re unsure of. At the end of the day, it is not worth your health, never mind your overall well-being, just to satisfy a flavour urge.
I strongly recommend you become very interested in reading labels. I never eat anything — ever — if I haven’t read the label. Obviously, this can create some difficulties down the road when faced with situations such when you are looking for gluten free meals when eating out. This article, however, is primarily about home-cooked gluten free meals and shopping for the necessary ingredients, as well as reducing the day to day monotony of the newbie gluten intolerant person.
Some people are shocked when I tell them that I’m gluten intolerant (at least when they figure out what that entails) never mind the fact that I eat exclusively gluten-free dairy free meals. The truth is these people are half right. Even though I could list off 30 or more ancient grains and other starches that are perfectly acceptable for me to eat versus just wheat, barley, and perhaps oats, avoiding gluten is nevertheless a tremendous lifelong challenge.
Gluten Free Meals at the End of the Day
Ultimately, whether you’re planning gluten-free diet meals or a deluxe five course spread; there are almost limitless options for do-it-yourself preparation. You can eat healthy meals. You can make gluten free meals that cost far less than the gluten free frozen meals you’ve been eating all week. Start by shopping around the perimeter of the supermarket. Almost all of them will have many grains such as millet, buckwheat, sorghum, rice, and many more, which can form the basis of many a breakfast lunch or dinner. Don’t risk cross-contamination and eat something that is more expensive and less healthy just to save yourself five minutes of prep time. Read the label closely and if you’ve done your homework and you know how to spot all of the wheat and barley-based ingredients and derivatives, you then have the option of calling the toll-free number for information that can be found on almost any product available in the supermarket. Never just look at you a name and think this is a rice and vegetable bowl, for example, it’s probably safe I might as well eat it. Take care of yourself and start making gluten free meals today.
