Things You'll Need:
- Internet access
- Health food store
- Grocery store
- Gluten-free cookbook
- Time
- Patience
- Notebook
- Pen
-
Step 1
The first step is to make a list of all the foods/ingredients that you or your family members need to avoid. Generally gluten intolerances or Celiac's disease require you to eliminate wheat, gluten, barley, rye, and some oats. There are more extensive lists at www.Celiacs.com for those new to gluten-free(GF) living. Once you are armed with your list of foods to avoid, you can begin.
-
Step 2
If you are not into cooking there are a lot of restaurants that now cater to people with allergies. Two in particular that my family has used are Outback Steakhouse and The Spaghetti Factory. They both have a GF(Gluten-free) Menu for their customers.
-
Step 3
Shopping on-line is now a lot easier for GF products. There are so many more choices and options for people on restricted diets now. Some terrific brands found at stores and on-line are: Pamela's, The Gluten Free Pantry, Namaste Foods, 1-2-3 Gluten Free, Bob's red mill, Gillian's foods, Tinkyada Brand, Glutino, Kinnikinnick, and many, many more. The companies that I listed are all ones that have products my family has tried and I would highly recommend. A great website for a much larger and even more inclusive list of companies can be found at: www.gfmall.com
-
Step 4
Many regular grocery stores now carry a small selection of GF/allergy-free products in their organics section. Wholefoods markets, Trader Joe's, and other Organic/Healthfood stores often have an even larger selection of products. Always remember to read the label carefully. Wheat-free does NOT mean gluten free, and there is a big difference. Look for products that have GF or Gluten Free written somewhere on the label, or products that are endorsed by the Celiac's Association. Otherwise, you can not trust it. Gluten is hidden in all kinds of things from soups and sauces to salad dressings, and is often an ingredient in the list "and other spices". Wheat flour is even used to coat the inside of some potato chip bags so that the chips do not stick together or stick to the bag, and flour is not listed anywhere on the bag as an ingredient! You have to read every label very, very carefully!
-
Step 5
You can find great GF cookbooks on-line and at most book retailers. You can also find many great recipes on-line at GF Websites. Most recipes can be modified by exchanging the regular flour with a GF flour substitute. I use the Namaste sugar-free pancake mix as my all-purpose flour in recipes.
-
Step 6
Once you have tried some products and have purchased some GF flour you can try the recipes. I have learned form experience, that trial and error seem to be the best way to learn about what products and recipes will work for you. Once you start trying products, you and your family will soon learn what works for you. My family now has our favorites that we use on a regular basis. The more you cook with GF products the better you get at it, so get cooking!
