Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

If you’re wheat free, would you tell me what you live on?

60 replies

TeapotCollection · 09/01/2026 10:04

Please 🙂 I’ve got to do 2 weeks without anything with any kind of wheat in and would really appreciate some help

OP posts:
Mademoidame · 09/01/2026 12:54

It's not hard. No gluten in a roast dinner if you don't add flour to the gravy (I add cornflour). Fish and green veg with potatoes, or with roasted veg, stir fry (with Tamara instead of soy sauce if you're being strict), omelette (and homemade chips if you like, or one with lots of added veg), chilli and rice, cottage pie, home made soup. I hardly eat any bread, sometimes eggs or beans on toast, and GF pasta maybe once a week. For lunch soup is good, or some kind of salad (bad time of year for ingredients I know). I do 'tinned salad' with a tin of tuna, tin of sweetcorn, tin of mixed beans and fresh chopped parsley. Have with tomatoes and grated carrot if you want extra veg. Homemade hummus is quick and more filling than the stuff from the supermarket. Nairns has a good range of GF oatcakes, but I find the normal ones are fine. Oats are gluten free - there's just a risk of cross contamination during processing. For breakfast I have fruit and Greek yoghurt, sometimes with a gluten free granola (M&S does a nice one). We bake GF too, using a lot of oat and almond flour (commercial GF flour contains a lot of rice flour which can sometimes taste gritty in baking).

ETA I was really daunted at first, so I appreciate it's hard if you eat lots of wheat products now. However if you want substitutes it's much easier than it was 15 years ago.

TeapotCollection · 09/01/2026 14:55

A couple of you have mentioned hummus, I’ve never heard of this (and I’m 54!) I’ll try anything once though

I have to avoid all types of wheat, there was no mention of gluten, is it the same thing?

Thankfully I’ve never been a big fan of bread, and I love meat and fish which I think will help

If it’s made permanent I’ll definitely be getting a cook book

What do you all do for takeaways?

Thank you everyone, really helpful 🙂

OP posts:
BCBird · 09/01/2026 15:27

Breakfast i have fruit and greek yogurt. You can get certified gl
uten free porridge, it is gluten free usually though. The best gluten free bread in my opinion is from M and S- it's £3.20 for 6 slices- they quite big.

Cook from.scratch. be careful with pre made stuff- often has wheat. Tesco do a decent range of decently priced gluten free products.

Rice based dishes are ur friend.

MiddleAgedDread · 09/01/2026 15:30

can you not manage 2 weeks without a takeaway?

Turmerictea · 09/01/2026 15:34

I basically dont eat grain based carbs - I can just about tolerate rice and oats but only in small amounts. My meals I pad out with veg. I can eat gluten free stuff but it gets expensive and isn't that great, Warburton Pitta are good but generally avoid others!

PapaSatanicus · 09/01/2026 15:35

Just go carnivore.

sdaa · 09/01/2026 15:43

For takeaways, I rarely have them, you have to be confident in them not doing cross-contamination, and for my local ones, I don't have that. Your mileage may vary depending on the ones you have locally. My freezer is my takeaway! I keep gluten free pizzas, indian food etc in there for the cravings.

Upintheairnow · 09/01/2026 15:52

My 10 Yr old daughter is allergic to wheat so we are pretty well versed in buying/preparing wheat free food now...

Be careful with soup. Most of the cans eg Heinz etc are made with wheat flour. Even the vegetable ones.
Also Gravy granules can have wheat in and some other sauces/stock cubes.

I've mastered cakes and baking now using Gluten free flour. You need to use Xantham gum in the mix.

I have the Becky Excel "How to make anything Gluten Free" cookbook that has loads of recipes for most meals and bread/cakes etc in. Happy to photograph some of the pages and recipes and post them on here if you'd like?

MsWilmottsGhost · 09/01/2026 15:54

Stick to egg, rice and potato based meals - Scrambled eggs, omelettes, fritatta, stir fry, curry, rice noodles, baked spuds, roast dinner etc.

If you are only going wheat free for a couple of weeks, you won't want to bother with any of the GF substitutes e.g. bread. They are generally not as nice as the real thing so you won't like them, and won't have enough time to get used to them.

Cooking from scratch is easier, but you get better results if you stick to meals that don't have wheat, rather than try substitutes (e.g. GF pasta), which get have variable results, different textures, and different cooking times. Again, it's just not worth it for only 2 weeks.

Unfortunately any kind of quick easy pre prepared, processed or snack food is a nightmare. Wheat is added to all sorts of things as bulking agents (e.g sausages), thickening for sauces, coated on things to make them crispy, etc.

Always read the labels <voice of experience> 😭

MsWilmottsGhost · 09/01/2026 15:57

TeapotCollection · 09/01/2026 14:55

A couple of you have mentioned hummus, I’ve never heard of this (and I’m 54!) I’ll try anything once though

I have to avoid all types of wheat, there was no mention of gluten, is it the same thing?

Thankfully I’ve never been a big fan of bread, and I love meat and fish which I think will help

If it’s made permanent I’ll definitely be getting a cook book

What do you all do for takeaways?

Thank you everyone, really helpful 🙂

Regarding takeaway, there is a local chip shop that does GF one day a week, I assume it's when they change the frying oil, I have occasionally risked it.

Otherwise, takeaways aren't worth the risk, as I have learned the hard way 😭

DeanElderberry · 09/01/2026 15:58

Flahavan's porridge bread is very good, makes nice toast and once it is cool can be sliced very thinly for sandwiches. Other brands of porridge oats, including gluten-free can be used. For the optional seeds, I use pumpkin seeds.

Bread soda = bicarbonate of soda

www.flahavans.ie/recipe/mary-flahavans-porridge-bread/

Defiantly41 · 09/01/2026 16:23

As mentioned by many PPs, gluten free and wheat free are not the same - GF food can have de-glutenised wheat in it.
Many things that should be safe have a “may contain” warning on the package - these are not safe eg oats, lentils etc are often processed on the same machinery or alongside wheat products, hence the chance for cross contamination.

For takeaways, check your local chippy, many do GF fish & chips on the day that the oil is changed.

at our local Indian, all the vegetable dishes, all the Tandoori dishes and many of the curries are wheat free. I would not eat poppadoms even though they are what free as often fried in the same oil as samosas etc. Same with Onion bhaji, gram flour is GF and a kind friend often makes me a batch of her delicious ones.

chinese food is more difficult, due to soy sauce used in marinades, and cross contamination in fryers, although our local (expensive) sit down Chinese does an excellent GF menu

Nando’s are good, with clear labelling and information

Thai food can be good but will depend on the outlet, same with Japanese, just watch out for soy sauce in marinades.

best pizza I’ve had is from Zizzi, Most others very cardboardy, even Pizza Express. Or White Rabbit GF pizza from supermarket frozen section.

if it’s Gluten you will also need to avoid barley, rye and oats - so GF beer only, GF oats etc.

jacket potatoes or omelettes are good for lunch out and about, most supermarket sandwiches are terrible. Some soup can be ok but again you will need to check.

good luck!

MeridaBrave · 09/01/2026 16:26

I rarely eat wheat.
yogurt chia seeds and fruit for breakfast
salad with protein for lunch
dinner is veg and meat

EvelynBeatrice · 10/01/2026 13:12

Gribouille · 09/01/2026 12:03

I would avoid leaning too heavily on bread substitutes - if you're new to this, you will only be disappointed! (Don't get your hopes up about that pizza, soz! 😂) If you must, Marks seedy loaf or oat loaf are passable.

I agree with Nairn's oatcakes, they come wrapped in packs of five so you can take them out with you. Schar do individually wrapped Madeleine that are good to go. I quite like the GF pasta myself though it's not quite the same... Spuds, rice and those bags of mixed grains are handy (as long as you check on the GF ones). A surprising amount of crisps are GF - manomasa are nice - also cakes and some biscuits are generally okay.

I will never forgive Marks and Spencer for ceasing production of the individual GF brownies... those were great on the go - now their only GF snack has hazlenuts in it, so excluding a lot of people with sensitivities... 😠

Good luck!

And marks allergy chocolate is revolting. I avoid dairy too and their offering is foul. They should just give up and stock Booja Booja !

ChinFluff46 · 10/01/2026 13:30

I don't have much wheat, porridge, eggs. Quinoa or puy lentils or new potatos make nice salad additions. There's some nice pea or red lentil pasta available.

Needlenardlenoo · 10/01/2026 14:05

Sushi, baked potatoes, meat, fish, veg, salad, nuts, lots and lots of cheese and M&S GF coffee and walnut cake.

Needlenardlenoo · 10/01/2026 14:07

Schar GF pizza is decent. If I want to go out I often go to Wagamama, which has a GF menu, or a local curry house.

Diondra · 10/01/2026 14:19

Needlenardlenoo · 10/01/2026 14:05

Sushi, baked potatoes, meat, fish, veg, salad, nuts, lots and lots of cheese and M&S GF coffee and walnut cake.

With sushi do watch out for soy sauce, wasabi, crispy onions, crab sticks, teriyaki sauce which can all contain gluten or be 'may contain'.

TiredofLDN · 10/01/2026 21:02

Takeaways I get Indian or a GF burger and fries from a local
restauant that does a GF menu usually. Vietnamese food if I’m somewhere I can get it, as much is GF.

Needlenardlenoo · 10/01/2026 22:03

Diondra · 10/01/2026 14:19

With sushi do watch out for soy sauce, wasabi, crispy onions, crab sticks, teriyaki sauce which can all contain gluten or be 'may contain'.

It's safe enough if you stick to the smoked salmon and avocado type combos, which M&S and the supermarkets have.

pastabest · 10/01/2026 22:05

TeapotCollection · 09/01/2026 14:55

A couple of you have mentioned hummus, I’ve never heard of this (and I’m 54!) I’ll try anything once though

I have to avoid all types of wheat, there was no mention of gluten, is it the same thing?

Thankfully I’ve never been a big fan of bread, and I love meat and fish which I think will help

If it’s made permanent I’ll definitely be getting a cook book

What do you all do for takeaways?

Thank you everyone, really helpful 🙂

Why have you been told to avoid wheat and by who?

TeapotCollection · 11/01/2026 11:28

Told by a gastro doctor to avoid it for 2 weeks, I’ve had a cough for 10 months that won’t go away. Respiratory tests showed nothing so they’re going down a different route. I assume it’s a test as a process of elimination but I didn’t actually ask why (yes, I know!)

Really appreciate all the help

OP posts:
WinterFrogs · 11/01/2026 11:48

TeapotCollection · 11/01/2026 11:28

Told by a gastro doctor to avoid it for 2 weeks, I’ve had a cough for 10 months that won’t go away. Respiratory tests showed nothing so they’re going down a different route. I assume it’s a test as a process of elimination but I didn’t actually ask why (yes, I know!)

Really appreciate all the help

That's exactly why I avoid wheat

Cushylife · 11/01/2026 12:07

I got a good Just roll puff pastry at Christmas and some lovely walkers shortbread made with butter - actually better the their normal range and there’s a good range of fancy pasta on Amazon. But mostly I prefer to not eat the processed stuff. Take aways - Indian, fish and chips, restaurants have been pretty easy.

pastabest · 11/01/2026 12:27

TeapotCollection · 11/01/2026 11:28

Told by a gastro doctor to avoid it for 2 weeks, I’ve had a cough for 10 months that won’t go away. Respiratory tests showed nothing so they’re going down a different route. I assume it’s a test as a process of elimination but I didn’t actually ask why (yes, I know!)

Really appreciate all the help

Make sure if they are taking bloods to rule out things like coeliac disease that you have been eating wheat/gluten every day for 2 weeks before they take them.

Also no point just avoiding wheat if the issue is gluten more generally.