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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To say eating gluten free food sucks

207 replies

Stickseas0n · 25/10/2024 18:20

It's been a month since I was diagnosed and I'm so miserable as I'm so hungry.
Not to mention how expensive it is for much smaller portions.
I've gained so much weight in the month, my iron is low as shit, I'm struggling at work because as soon as I eat any foods I'm on the toilet.
I'm just so fed up Sad

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
itsgettingweird · 25/10/2024 20:42

My GF secret food is rice noodles- put in a thermos with a cup of soup.

Add hot water.

Makes a lovely lunch. Very filling, tasty and low cal and fat.

Snacks I tend to eat fruit or rice pots!

VegasandPenny · 25/10/2024 20:42

VegasandPenny · 25/10/2024 20:33

First you gave to accept your condition and change your mindset.

used to have the ‘poor me’ I can’t have xyz mindset and feel miserable all the time looking at the world of what I couldn’t have.

I was taught by a very wise councillor - gluten to you is like rats poison … if you eat even a tiny bit of it it makes you desperately unwell.. why would you want to do that to yourself

(I’m ‘lucky’ that u am symptomatic and the tiniest bit gives me gastric and other awful effects)

now - if someone offers me a biscuit I no longer think ‘oh - I loved them - i can’t one - I’m sad ‘ - I genuinely look at them and think ‘that is poison’ because to my system it is.

there is so much I still can have and a couple of good gf cook books and learning to read every label in supermarkets etc - I have a good life.

it is hard - but it is mind over matter - and I am so much healthier and feel so much better not having poison induced in my system on a daily basis.

Am also intolerant to oats and diabetic but it’s all doable - plan, Carry a snack at all times and research restaurants before you go.

honestly it is all manageable once you get your head around it.

itsgettingweird · 25/10/2024 20:43

’d really recommend going to a big Sainsbury’s and checking out their free from section. Some have a whole side of an aisle now.

Second this

itsgettingweird · 25/10/2024 20:45

For pasta sainburys GF Macorroni is the best

PumpkinPantz · 25/10/2024 20:47

There’s some useful Facebook groups - gluten free dupes - you can ask for replacements for things you are missing.

NerdWhoEatsMedlar · 25/10/2024 20:48

Aldi even does GF breaded ham
https://groceries.aldi.co.uk/en-GB/gluten-free
Also click link to see fish goujons, chicken nuggets, baked beans and snowballs.
In store, there will be even more.

You may need to purchase reading glasses, some ingredient labels are dreadfully small.

Gluten Free | ALDI

https://groceries.aldi.co.uk/en-GB/gluten-free

Bangwam1 · 25/10/2024 20:51

As mentioned you have to learn how to replicate these things. Most of the bread is akin to a loaf forgotten at the back of the shop, Warburtons is the only brand that manage it.

It doesn’t sound like your body is reacting well to rice flours so maybe hold off and see what’s going on. The weight gain could maybe be your body receiving nutrition (if celiac)

VegasandPenny · 25/10/2024 20:52

I have managed to find a way through everything I previously ate to gluten free versions now - by buying either prepared not all from free from range - sometimes ‘normal’ stuff surprises you as us naturally gf or cooking from a gf book - only exception that I have never found a substitute for is gf licorice allsorts (but my diabetic team is thankful for thatas they would kill my sugar levels if I ate them as I used too!!!! )

you can do this!!! - take control , shop around and think how can I ? rather than ‘I can’t have’

hardhatready · 25/10/2024 20:52

LakelandDreams · 25/10/2024 18:36

I'm gluten free too and I'm afraid you need to change your mindset drastically. It's not about eating the foods you've always eaten but the expensive, processed gluten free versions. You need to eat naturally gluten free, unprocessed foods.

So breakfast might be eggs with vegetables, or yogurt with nuts, seeds and berries. Lunch is fish or chicken with salad and veg, dinner is sweet potato curry with rice etc. Make your own seed bars, chocolate chia puddings, fruit mousses etc. There are loads of amazing recipes out there that don't have gluten in. Of course you'll be hungry and feel crap if you are eating gluten free bread and cakes. Just don't bloody eat bread and cakes!

I second this. It’s my DH with the diagnosis not me but we usually eat together and I feel so much better for it!

breakfast is usually fruit, seeds and yogurt or sometimes eggs.

lunch is soups and / or salad

dinner is usually something with rice or potato es. Occasionally gf pasta or noodles (rice or buckwheat)

everyday snacks are nuts or fruit, dh also eats lots of rice and oat cakes. More occasionally kettle chip type crisps are usually gf, dips, those corn things, pistachios and olives. Plenty chocolate is gf. And biscuits wise the finest ranges are nice and hobnobs are most noticeably similar to their regular counterparts

it is hard at first and takes thought but give a few more weeks and you’ll be into the swing of it

Bangwam1 · 25/10/2024 20:55

In an ideal world we should all be eating fruits, vegetables, proteins like fish, fats, seeds and far less bread but I know it’s a shock to the system at first. And we literally put gluten in everything.

NailsHairNipsHeels · 25/10/2024 20:56

@Stickseas0n
If you have Instagram check for GF accounts there's loads on there with really good recipes

If you have the Tesco app you can filter their product for GF and there's surprisingly loads

Asda do a 16 pack of sausages that are GF and actually taste nice
Aldi do a lot of GF products. Their burgers are very nice as well

For lunches the warburtons GF pitta breads are very nice and actually you wouldn't know they were GF fill them with salad and cold meat

Morrisons to a really good GF frozen pizza.

It's a bit of a minefield to begin with but you'll soon adapt and don't have to live on chicken and rice

Snapplepie · 25/10/2024 20:59

It's definitely rough to begin with! I think prior to diagnosis gluten was my favourite food! But this is what ive learned. I hope it helps a bit.

  1. Gluten free versions of cakes and bread tend to be awful. Biscuits and crackers are mostly OK. Marks and spencers gf oaty loaf is the best bread I've found. Schah loaves from the supermarket are OK if you really want bread. All gf bread is better toasted, otherwise it has the texture of playdoh.

  2. there are some good and some terrible gluten free pastas, the best ones seem to have a mix of flours in them, don't write them all off if you get a bad one

  3. rather than eating lots of substitutes, stick to food from countries that are mainly gluten free like India and Japan. But beware soy sauce- you need the gluten free stuff.

  4. along this vein, if you are a cook/baker there are lots of breads from other parts of the world that don't use gluten. I make cassava flour wraps, Mexican tortillas, Brazilian cheese bread, socca.

  5. if you are really craving something thats usually gluteny, chances are Becky Excell has figured out how to make it and it's on her blog (glutenfreecuppatea) or in one of her books. She's a hero.

  6. I found this choc chip cookie recipe recently. It uses oat flour and tastes like a fancy chocolate hobnob. I make them far too much now and cannot recommend enough: buttermilkbysam.com/oat-flour-chocolate-chunk-cookies/

NailsHairNipsHeels · 25/10/2024 20:59

Just to add GF lasagne sheets are faaaaaar better than the ones containing gluten and you can break them up to include in any pasta dish.

You can get GF breakfast bars that are high in protein and taste really nice. The name escapes me but they're on Amazon

CraftyNewt · 25/10/2024 21:02

Sainsburys do gluten free choc digestives.
waitrose is the best for gluten free bread and they do the New York gluten free bagels.
stick to gluten free penne seems to hold its shape etc better than others.
baked beans- sainsburys own and Morrisons, Tesco own are all gluten free.
sausages the posher ones like taste the difference etc are normally all gluten free.
lots of frozen pizzas are gluten free too.
i have been gluten free and dairy free for 7 years. I know how hard it is it will get easier :)

Natsku · 25/10/2024 21:08

PickAChew · 25/10/2024 19:48

Most soy sauce and many other Chinese seasonings are made with wheat.

The coeliac society in my country says that soy sauce is actually ok because tests show that the gluten levels fall below the 20ppm level that means it can be defined as gluten free

Natsku · 25/10/2024 21:13

I feel for you OP. I got diagnosed on my 21st birthday and it honestly took me months to fully switch over to a gluten free diet. Dinners aren't hard because its very easy to cook main meals gluten free, but bread and snacks are a different matter. Schar white loaf is the most bread-like bread (apart from fresh baked home made) I've found but its probably quite unhealthy as ultra processed. If you learn to bake GF it'll be better but of course that takes time and costs a lot. But so does everything GF. Biscuits and cakes are fine to bake GF, not really any different to normal, but bread is more difficult but it is doable.

Pebbles16 · 25/10/2024 21:13

Not that it helps you OP, but - believe me - it was a lot more shit 30 years ago when the only gluten free food you could get was on prescription and tasted like cardboard/felt like sawdust.
You will get used to it - and crisps are gluten free!

Rasputin123 · 25/10/2024 21:14

Ok being gluten free is much easier now than it used to be. Things will get easier and better once you get your head around it but iron deficiency and coeliac disease often go hand in hand.

If you eat things that are naturally gluten free it’s easier. I.E. meat, fish, potatoes, veg, garlic, herbs, rice, fruit, yogurt, cheese, nuts, eggs etc etc.

You can buy GF pasta, GF gravy, Gf teriyaki sauce, soy sauce etc.

I have recently been having GF oats and making my own overnight oats and Go Free cereal is really nice and tastes like crunchy nut.

In terms of snacks check out GF aisle in Sainsburys, M&S or Morrisons etc or wherever you usually shop. Also lots of foods are GF and not in the GF section i.e. certain sausages, certain crisp (check labels).

In terms of bread agree it is expensive and definitely not as nice as non GF bread. I don’t mind Warburtons (they look like squares) I keep it in the freezer to avoid wastage and take one out as I want it but eat much less bread these days.

Lots of groups on facebook with a wealth of information such as one called Coeliacs eat out too and Coeliacs for beginners etc.

Also I have recently discovered a few nice cafes locally that make lovely GF cakes and scones.

I have also intentionally lost weight recently just over a stone and still more to go.

Take Care OP

YourFunMember · 25/10/2024 21:14

M&S pork and apple sausages are gluten free. We also love heck 97% pork in our house too.

baked beans?! I’ve never come across ones that contain wheat. Heinz definitely don’t.

Aelathehuntress · 25/10/2024 21:15

Have you tried the Schar white bread? This is the best one I’ve found followed by the warburtons tiger bread as said by a pp. Schar also do a great GF pepperoni or margarita pizza. Nairn GF biscuits are lovely especially the choc chip ones.

OwnBrandCornflake · 25/10/2024 21:16

Stickseas0n · 25/10/2024 18:20

It's been a month since I was diagnosed and I'm so miserable as I'm so hungry.
Not to mention how expensive it is for much smaller portions.
I've gained so much weight in the month, my iron is low as shit, I'm struggling at work because as soon as I eat any foods I'm on the toilet.
I'm just so fed up Sad

You get used to it. Best advice is don't go to the gluten free section. Loads of normal food is gluten free. Also if you want bread get seeded rolls, they hold together better and the seeds distract from the bread which is usually gummy and dusty in equal measure

Harrumphhhh · 25/10/2024 21:16

How strict is everyone about buying things labelled as ‘gluten free’? I’ve been eating ‘normal’ oats. Should I be getting GF ones? (Why?)

Needanadultgapyear · 25/10/2024 21:16

Follow GF Glee on insta they feature all the accidental Gluten free products in the supermarket - their most recent post was all the Tesco ready meal curry items that are gluten free.
I am another advocate of Becky Excell and her books. She has a great air fryer cook book and she has chapters of fakeaways in all her books.

OwnBrandCornflake · 25/10/2024 21:19

Gluten free pasta is a decent price. So spaghetti bologanise, pasta bake. Rice is gluten free so curry, chilli, risotto etc potatoes and veg so bangers and mash, chops and spuds.
I'm vegetarian, gluten free and dairy free and I think its a lot easier if you can eat meat. As for treats and snacks, crunches, popchups, popcorn, lidl own brand have loads of gluten free crisps, chocolate and sweets. Dominos are coeliac approved for their pizza, mcdonalds fries and burgers without bugs are coeliac approved as well.

ANiceBigCupOfTea · 25/10/2024 21:20

NerdWhoEatsMedlar · 25/10/2024 18:25

The bread is generally shit.

The speciality free-from stuff is often horrible and expensive.

But there is hope
You can do roast dinner - minus the yorkies
Curry, rice and dal
Fish and chips - use tempura batter
Sausage mash and peas
etc

What are you really missing?

Gluten free yorkshires aren't half bad!
The bread is crap
I like rice and rice noodles for dinners
And potatoes. All the potatoes
Thank goodness wine and chocolate are gluten free