Tips To Help You Go Gluten Free
My goal for next month is to try going gluten free. But I’m also setting realistic expectations for myself. To my knowledge, I do not have any food allergies. The purpose of me going gluten free is to try and see if I notice any changes in my body. My husband is celiac, and has been for the last few years. Luckily, nowadays there are endless options and gluten free substitutions if you are someone who has celiac disease. Here are some Tips To Help You Go Gluten Free.
*If you are someone who has celiac, it is important to be a lot more careful when it comes to changing your diet. You may have to worry about cross contamination when eating out at restaurants or buying food at the grocery store. Consult with your doctor if you have celiac disease*
Now, going completely gluten free probably won’t be accomplished next month. However I am excited to try to focus more on my nutrition. I want to see if I notice a difference by eliminating gluten in my diet. I won’t be perfect, and I know I’ll make some mistakes. But decreasing the amount of gluten I consume is something I would love to be more conscious of by the end of the year.
After doing some research, I’ve found some tips online to help me (as a beginner) to start. Here are Some Tips To Help You Go Gluten Free.
Find replacements for what you already eat
Think about what foods you eat throughout the day. You will probably be able to identify what swaps you can start making. Gluten free pasta for regular, grabbing gluten free bread when you make a sandwich. If you like to bake, substitute gluten free flour. Going gluten free nowadays is MUCH easier than it was ten years ago. There are almost always substitutions for your favorite foods that contain gluten. And most of the time they taste pretty similar and you can’t notice a difference
Start out slow
Don’t go to the grocery store for your weekly shopping trip and purchase all gluten free items. Your grocery bill will be enormously high. And you will probably end up purchasing way more food than you’re going to eat. Start out by purchasing gluten free condiments and slowly start incorporating them into your meals. Then next week try some gluten free bread or gluten free pasta. You are going to have to have some trial and error when it comes to what gluten free brands you actually like.
Start practicing reading labels
Again, going gluten free nowadays is much easier than it used to be. More often than not, gluten free items are usually labeled as such. You’ll see “gluten free” or “certified gluten free” on the back of the label. This takes the guesswork out of reading the ingredient list. No more searching for words that indicate their is gluten in the product. Here is a great resource if you are finding it difficult to remember what words to search for.
Find online resources or apps to help support you
Thankfully, technology today can provide us with so many helpful resources if you are trying to go gluten free. You may have to make some changes to your diet, but that generally can be pretty easy. And when it comes to eating out at restaurants, you’re in luck! There are a ton of apps that you can download to help you locate restaurants that provide gluten free options. Find Me Gluten Free and The Gluten Free Scanner are the two best apps I’ve been able to find online. They have great reviews and seem to be very helpful if you are trying to cut back on your gluten.
Alcohol Alternatives
I’m not a huge alcohol person, so this change won’t be very difficult for me. Unfortunately if you are a beer drinker, it’s time to say goodbye and learn about alternative options. Seltzers, hard cider, vodka, rum, tequila and wine are all great gluten free options if you still want to enjoy alcohol.
Prepare Early
When you are making your shopping list and creating your meal plan, take extra time. Sit down and determine what you can switch up in your plan. Having a plan will prevent you from overspending at the store and will help this not be so overwhelming.
Use online resources
With the amount of free information online, you can’t go wrong when it comes to being successful with this change. Along with the free apps you can download on your phone, use the internet as much as possible! Whenever you have questions about items being gluten free, you can quickly get the answer you are looking for.
Going gluten free isn’t easy. Because it’s easy to not be aware of what items have hidden gluten in their ingredients. But it is possible to be successful when it comes to making this lifestyle change. Utilizing the free apps and resources online will be a huge help. They will make it easier to find gluten free products quickly. Plan early and start slow. Learn about labels, and find replacements. Going gluten free? Follow these tips, and you’re bound to be successful!