Finding your safe food is definitely the first step in your gluten-free life. We need to eat!
Fear can hold you back with thoughts of:
. . . what CAN I eat now?
. . . what foods are really safe?
. . . where is the hidden gluten?
. . . oh wow – there’s nothing left to eat!
Yes! You may be feeling this way . . . but . . . moving forward so that you can start to feel good and be healthy again is imperative.
As a Health Coach, I help find your healthy path. Yet, if told you to start having smoothies each day and eating quinoa right after you went gluten-free, you’d probably run for the hills. It just might be too much. It sure was for me at the beginning of my GF journey.
You can get there too – but first . . .
Start where you are
Look at what you typically eat and start there. This does not mean to continue to eat gluten!
Look at the types of food you grab each day and switch over to gluten-free versions. This will allow you to take steps in the right direction, on a path you can manage, to enjoy your safe gluten-free food.
Do you have favorite foods you eat each week?
Do you have favorite meals that your family will not want to give up? Start there!
Spaghetti and meatballs were a staple at our house and my kids didn’t want to give them up when they had to be gluten-free.
We made gluten-free meatballs and pasta sauce and found a gluten-free pasta we enjoyed. There are so many great gluten-free kinds of pasta on the market now.
Our gluten-free version is a BIG hit. We serve this all the time and most have no idea this dish is all gluten-free – they just gobble it up.
Find the right substitutions
Finding the right substitutions really helps you keep your favorite dishes so that when deprivation kicks in – those feelings of having to give everything up – you can easily bat it away.
List out your favorite meals
What can you substitute to create the same recipe in a gluten-free version?
Some dishes are easier to swap than others but as you learn more, this step becomes quite easy. (HEY! If you’re totally stuck- just PM me!)
Keep a list and keep track of what you do substitute so you remember. (BIG mistake if you forget this step!)
Something to think about:
Should you shop the gluten-free processed food aisle at the grocery store?
My first thought is always to steer you away- but, gluten-free food has come a LONG way. You CAN find some good items that are healthier options. Reading food labels will become your new job, to find your gluten-free choices and those healthier options.
Processed food is still processed food (another topic for another day).
Reading labels will help you sort out which foods to try – and will help you cut out the food that may carry hidden gluten or cross-contamination issues. You’ll need to “test drive” a few choices as everybody’s tastes are different.
When you watch labels and extra package information, you can make better choices to choose good, safe gluten-free food.
Still remember that all of your fruits and veggies are gluten-free (unless mixed with sauces and additives). Buy fresh and you’re good to go.
You’ve got this!
If you feel stuck to choose your safe gluten-free food, schedule a call to move forward so that you can . . .
* Eat to enjoy
* Find Your Food
* Live your life!
Schedule your FREE call here:
