A friend recently asked if it's difficult to go gluten free and singled me out as one of the people to answer her question. I suspect this is because I've been pretty verbal about my own experience (no surprise there if you know me at all) and because I tend to post a lot about what I'm cooking in my newly GF kitchen. I was out of town at the time she posted her question, so I've had a few days to think about it.
Before going any further in this conversation, I believe that one should consider the reason behind making such a change. Is it because you suspect you have a gluten sensitivity? Is it because you received some test results from your doctor that indicates you have a gluten intolerance? Is it because you've heard that it's one way to lose weight? Is it because you have friends who are GF and you've seen the change in their health and want to experience that for yourself? Knowing the reason and what you want to get from this change, I think, is a necessary first step.
I, personally, do not advocate doing it for weight loss reasons. Like most "diets" using a GF approach to eating is only going to be as successful as any other diet, and since most people jump from diet to diet, then you will likely find the same results with GF as with any other. If, however, you have any of the other reasons I've listed above as your catalyst for looking into the GF lifestyle, then I advocate giving it a try!
That said, here's my answer, based on my own experiences, to my friend's question: I think the level of difficulty in making this change depends on a couple of things.
Up first is what you're currently eating. If your current diet is high in products that are made from wheat, rye and barley - then, yeah, it's going to be hard. If, however, you eat a variety of foods from all of the food groups (like most people today), then it will likely be easier.
Second, your own expectations about what being GF is like plays a huge role in how difficult the change will be. I've purchased a number of GF cookbooks and found that they're mostly about how to create GF versions of traditional gluten foods. I will admit that having a few "go to" recipes for GF versions of some traditional items is a good thing, and I'll happily share with you those that we've come to love at our house. However, I don't think it's absolutely necessary to try to "replace" the foods you're avoiding. In fact, sometimes I think it makes it harder because your taste buds expect to have something that tastes like what you used to eat and, well, wheat tastes like wheat.
An approach that I've found to be easier is to identify those foods that I ate before that are naturally GF. For example, meat/fish, veggies, fruit, legumes, nuts and dairy, in their natural state, are always GF, as are (most) potato chips and even, much of the time, ice cream - the cookie dough varieties and some others that include "mix-ins" like sugar cone, of course are not. Once you figure out which foods you already eat that fit into the GF lifestyle, then you can actively continue to buy and eat those items. This makes the transition much easier.
Eating on the go was also a specific concern of my friend. And, as a busy working mom of an energetic toddler who eats frequently, I feel I'm able to answer this question with a bit of authority (smile). I have learned that eating GF on the go takes just a bit of planning and, maybe, purchasing different "convenience" products than I may have before. Some of the things that I regularly carry around with me or pack for my toddler include: cheese sticks, fresh fruits that travel well (oranges, apples, bananas and most berries do, pears do not, strawberries in whole form do not, but if you slice them they do quite well), dried fruit, nuts, yogurt, rice cakes, a little container with both PB and Jelly (for the rice cakes), and veggeis like celery and carrot sticks. All of these are gluten free and, if you choose wisely, also healthy.
Another factor can also be whether you already make many of your meals and snacks at home or tend to go the fast food route. The truth is that there aren't many fast food items that are GF. Wendy's chili is a good choice as is their baked potato. Hardee's low carb burgers work for me in a pinch. Taco Bell goes so far as to say on their site that their menu is not appropriate for a GF lifestyle. So if you want to include fast food in your GF diet, you'll have to do some research.
Instead of fast food, I try to rely on batch cooking and convenience equipment, like my crock pot, to make eating GF easier during a busy week. Up first batch cooking, this is simply making enough of whatever you're cooking to have GFGF lasagna (made with GF lasagna noodles) and enchiladas (made with my hubby's GF crepes) are another freezer staple. So, with a little planning and cooking in batches, you can stash a variety of GF items in your freezer to make life more simple on a regular basis.
Next up, the crock pot. I have a couple of different sizes and would like to have even one more. In my large crock pot (6 qt) I can roast a whole chicken for dinner. There's even room for potatoes and carrots in the bottom to cook in those lovely juices. Same for a roast - pork or beef - or a small ham. I also use my large crockpot to make batches of soup or spaghetti sauce for the freezer.
I reserve my smaller crockpot (4 qt) for those things that don't require as much cooking room or that I make in smaller batches. Beans are a great example. One small bag of dried beans yields at least 3 servings for my small family of three. So, cook once, and freeze one or two servings for later use. If you don't have a crock pot, I strongly recommend you get one. There are tons of GF friendly crock pot uses!
So, in the end, I'd say that going GF is no more difficult than any change in eating style. Dieting requires you to, say, put down the twinkie and pick up a carrot. Going GF is much the same.
- You learn to read the ingredient list, you find the brands and products you like and you gradually buy them over and over until they become a staple in your pantry, lunch box or cooler for a family vacation.
- You figure out what meals your family loves that either, as you make them today, are GF (e.g., your Sunday roast with carrots and potatoes is most likely already GF), or you find easy ways to tweak your family's favorites so that they become GF (e.g., use potato starch instead of AP flour to make a white sauce, or pair Quinoa pasta with Grandma's meat sauce for a family spaghetti dinner).
- You learn what snacks you actually eat when you pack them along and those that you avoid eating even though it's right there with you.
- You figure out whether you can eat a Hardee's low carb burger (burger with the fixins, sans the bun) instead of a Big Mac and that Wendy's chili is already GF.
In the end, the real thing you figure out is whether you feel better being GF. I found out after a couple of months that I certainly did. I have more energy, am able to get more done and, in general, feel better. So, for me it was worth it. Anyone considering going GF should at least give it a try and then make your own decision based on how you feel.
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