Gluten free diet - is it really that bad?

[cauliflowercheese14]

Hoping for some positivity here. I'm likely to be advised to go on a gluten free diet for the rest of my life. I've been upset, then done some research and just had a browse round Asda. I have a generally healthy diet, I cook from scratch most of the time and don't have a sweet tooth. Am I being madly optimistic to think that this is not going to be too bad? An average day would seem to only involve me replacing the odd slice of toast, crackers or pasta. I see I can buy gf pitta, naan and garlic bread all of which I probably have once a week or so.
Additionally we're a family of four and would it be unreasonable of me to cook gf for everyone? I suspect the kids may have some mild issues anyway.
Any experiences / advice gratefully received!

I've been gluten free for around 20 years for similar reasons OP. It is SO much easier now compared to then. It was very very difficult in the 1980s to eat gluten-free and I had to order flour and various things by mail order. When my DCs were young I'm afraid it was often a case of making different meals, or adapting meals. You should be fine - there are loads of commercial substitutes or you can just cut out the gluten foods and eat other things. As others have said it depends on what your condition is. I am not coeliac and can tolerate a small amount of gluten, but I don't eat it regularly or long term.

Gluten free is pretty easy tbh.
Places like Starbucks and cafe Nero do gf brownies - it's just a change of mindset.
My DD is gluten dairy and soya intolerant but (aged 13) is a cracking baker and produces fantastic cakes and puddings.
It's an adjustment but it's do-able.

Also PurpleBlueBirds post is utter guff so ignore it. Total horse shite.

Caprinaha - She sounds marvellous! I never make puddings anyway though, we always have fruit, yoghurt, ice cream for dessert and the occasional rice pudding. I'd also never buy a brownie with a coffee but am a fiend for crisps and savory stuff. I will struggle with sandwich on the train situation so I think oatcakes and salad will have to replace them.

Ha! She's 13 so she's a pain in the bum most of the time
It's just a talent borne of necessity - she loves cakes and biscuits.
I think sandwiches are the hardest but we have found some decent bread rolls. My DD can tolerate the Warburton ones. They are softer than most 'processed' ones - in fact the whole range is pretty good

here.she likes the wraps too

Have a google as well.
This bakery is local to me. I buy their gluten and dairy free cup cakes - which are brilliant and freeze them. They have done lovely birthday cakes for me too

here - almost everything can be adjusted if you order in advance. I know this is probably not local but it's increasingly common

Hi OP

Ive been at the dermatologist very recently with probable DH and I'm now on a GF diet.

How long have you had DH? It's bloody awful isn't it?

Iodine is something to cut out too if you have DH.

Cauliflower - like you I have a severe gluten intolerance but not coeliac and have had it 20 years undiagnosed and very ill. Then went gluten free. My health is permanently damaged but much better.

I cook all my own food and use gluten free flour from Doves (easy to buy in supermarket). Its really not grim to go gluten free. I buy gluten free pasta from the Freefrom range at Sainsbury. I eat very little bread but occasional Genius bread as toast.

Using gluten free flour works for most normal recipes. Your cakes will be dryer but much lighter. My whole family now eats what I eat but I buy or make normal bread and they eat normal pasta.

At first I used to buy gluten free products like cakes from health food shps. Not nice and made me feel unwell.

You already cook all your own food, so it will be easy for you. Use Kalo stock cubes though as others contain wheat. Read all labels very very carefully. I never realised cornflakes had barley malt on them - containing gluten!

And rice crispies

Yes and rice crispies.

I buy gluten free rice crispies but for breakfast I do porridge with certified gluten free oats, my own home made granola and a gluten free muesli, occasional salmon and egg on toast, crepes or fruit, cheese, nuts, yoghurt.

I eat a more varied diet now which is good.

Yes I think for me going GF has definitely made me think about what I'm eating rather just absentmindedly putting stuff in the shopping trolley.

Can't say I'm over the moon about it but it's the way it's got to be.

I've been gf for several years because it aggravates my IBS. It's really tricky to start with, I felt like i was always reading packets for hidden gluten- beware of anything like packet sauces that are bulked up with flour, many chocolates that have wheat (like smarties!). However, I have a good handle now on what's GF. Also supermarket stocks have massively improved in the last few years. You can now get a variety of bread, bagels, pretzels, rice based 'pot noodles'. My local Tesco even do profiteroles!
Most places eating out now are genned up about GF and offer various options. I often have steak with jackets out (beware pub chips - usually cooked in the dryer with all things gluteny so coated in batter). It's not easy to start with and I do miss some things but actually it's a lot easier than it used to be and from the sounds of it your current diet won't need to be adapted too much.

I have three coeliac DDs and compared to when DD1 was first diagnosed ten years ago, the range of foods available and the number of restaurants which cater for the gluten free diet is fantastic. It is possible to eat out pretty well these days and restaurants are adding to their gluten free menus all the time. The main problem when eating out and at friends' is contamination - just a crumb of gluten can set off a reaction, so for example you can't eat chips that have been fried in the same oil as something with a batter on.

You've had lots of advice, but I'm not sure that anyone has mentioned M&S - almost all their sausages are gluten free, their bread is pretty good (they do a bloomer loaf which is particularly nice), lovely cakes (even a ready-iced birthday cake!) and they add to the range all the time (gluten free quiches, sausage rolls, breaded chicken and fish etc). The bigger branches of Asda sell Genius frozen pastry - the puff pastry is especially good and makes really lovely sausage rolls and pie toppings.

The best gluten free sausages are Heck ones. They sell them in waitrose and they are delicious. My dh, who is generally a bit of a sausage fusspot claims they are now his favourite sausages in the world ever.

I am not celiac but am on a low FODMAP diet which means cutting out lots of random things including most things with gluten in. I have found just about everywhere will have some GF bread in the kitchen when you eat out and a lot of places advertise GF options. Out of all the things I can't eat the gluten stuff is some of the easiest just becuase of the awareness around it these days. Though I can tolerate small amounts so don't have to worry about cross contamination, which does make it easier in that respect.

If you eat toast get yourself a toaster just for you to use too.

One other thing to think about. I am latose intolerant as are many people who have had long term gluten issues.

I use lactofree milk and dairy free magarine. I can tolerate a little butter, hard cheese and cream.

Grrr....

LATOSE = lactose

How did you find out you were gluten and lactose intolerant BetaDad?

The Dermotologist is referring me to a nutritionist and I think he said they would check for allergies. Is that right?

Hi Farrow, good to hear from a fellow DH sufferer. If you know what I mean. I'd say about a decade but quite mildly (when I look at google images anyway!)

I get spots on my elbows and knuckles mostly and occasionally it goes to my knees. The itch drives me mad though, I always end up scratching the tops off the spots (often in my sleep) and they take up to a couple of months to disappear. It was always dismissed as eczema but I knew it wasn't and researched it until I found DH.

What is your experience? Have you ever found anything that helps? The only helpful thing I have ever found is soaking it in a mild bleach solution which seemed to dry it up a bit quicker.

Have you noticed any improvement since being gf? How long has it been? (Sorry lots of questions!)

Oh lord, I can't contemplate being lactose intolerant as well...

I'm still waiting for blood test results to see whether I am officially celiac. I might ask to be referred to a nutritionist if I am.

Gluten free bread is not brilliant but apart from that it's really fine. You need to check ingredients on everything to start with but after a few weeks you'll know what you can buy and what you can't. I would cook g-f for the whole family with coeliacs, then you avoid the risk of cross contamination.

My DH has been following a coeliac diet since January. I have changed what we eat like others have said - more meals that just don't involve gluten. The only thing I haven't been able to find is gf Worcestershire Sauce (for my shepherd's pie). Anyone?

Packed lunches require more thought - I tend to do him (and myself) a gf pasta salad - delicious.

My DH funds he can tolerate Worcester sauce ok. Is your DH OK with malt vinegar? He may be ok with it.

He's been avoiding malt vinegar and anything with gluten in it. I don't think this will change - he has been really unwell for a few years (lost loads of weight etc). He's feeling so much better I'm sure he wouldn't risk it and I would get a massive lecture if I suggested it.

I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease 8 years ago, it honestly isn't that bad. The only things I really miss are garlic bread and beer (there are lots of gluten free beers now though but I miss having a variety of ales).

Gluten free bread is only good for toasting really, when its toasted you can hardly tell its gluten free, but sandwiches are just not even worth trying as the bread is too crumbly.

I find corn pasta to be the best, I actually never liked pasta before I went gluten free but now I really quite like corn pasta.

Soy sauce is actually allowed on a gluten free diet (as per the Finnish Coeliac Society's official recommendations). It is also allowed to occasionally consume something that says 'may contain traces of gluten' for instance if you are on holiday and the hotel breakfast only offers rice krispies which are normally a no-no but ok very occasionally. This is the very latest advice by the way as my DD was diagnosed last summer and the nutritionist explained this last autumn - its based on the latest research.