More than ever before, gluten free diets are being recognized as a healthy way to live. Whether because of a medical mandate or simply for improved health and energy, many people are cutting gluten out of their diet at an increasing rate. Though cutting all gluten out of your diet seem overwhelming, it can actually be a simple and easy way of living. If you have been considering going gluten free, but found the idea a bit daunting, try these simple strategies to make going gluten free easy!
Easy Ways to Be Gluten Free at the Grocery Store
The first place to start on your gluten free journey is on a trip to the grocery store to stock your kitchen with plenty of healthy gluten free food.
Look For Naturally Gluten-Free Options
One of the healthiest and easiest strategies for going gluten-free is to look for foods that are naturally gluten-free, rather than looking for processed products that attempt to replicate a gluten-containing food. Fill your cart with plenty of fruits, veggies, lean proteins, and dairy. These whole foods make knowing you have gluten-free foods automatic.
Be a Label Reader
If you do need a few packaged foods, train yourself to automatically read the labels. This will only take a few seconds, and it will keep you from accidentally getting gluten in your diet from an unexpected source.
Easy Ways to Be Gluten Free Eating Out
Be Clear
Having a clear and concise way to explain your dietary needs to your server will help make sure you get exactly what you need. With the growing number of diners looking for gluten free options many restaurants have gluten free menus available, but taking the time to explain your needs to your server will help assure you get everything you need and nothing you don’t!
Eat Local
Because local restaurants are typically smaller and in charge of developing their own menus, they are often more familiar with each and every ingredient in their food and can more easily help you make a safe gluten free choice and/or accommodate menu items as needed.
Easy Ways to Be Gluten Free at Home
Do a Clean Sweep
When you are making so many other efforts to keep gluten out of your diet, the last thing you want is to accidentally ingest some gluten crumbs left on counters or other surfaces in your kitchen. At the beginning of your gluten free journey, take a few minutes to wipe down all the surfaces in your kitchen to make sure this accidental gluten consumption doesn’t happen to you! At the same time, remove any butter, jam, peanut butter, or other products that are likely contaminated with bread crumbs.
Stay Organized
If you are the only one in your family going gluten free, the organization will go a long way in keeping gluten free eating simple. Segregate the gluten free food from other foods and mark any questionable foods to make knowing what you can eat fast and easy.
While you may make a few missteps as you transition to gluten-free living, but soon it will be such a way of life you will barely have to think about it!
We are not a GF family, but I know this will help a lot of people making the switch to gluten free lifestyles.
My daughter had to go gluten free because of celiac disease. It was a hard change but now it is second nature to her.
I love eating locally as most of the time they’re a bit more flexible about diet restrictions and will happy substitute. One of the benefits of shopping small!
I haven’t gone gluten free. My mother has and swears that she feels a lot better. I may not go all the way but I am trying to increase whole foods and less processed foods, including bread. Great tips here. Thanks!
🙂
Traci
I’m slowing cutting Gluten out .. I’m finally understand that its more of a Lifestyle choice rather than a popular trend. These are all great ways
Lena that salad looks so delicious. I love finding creative ways to eat out even with my vegetarian diet.
I try to GF when I can, these are good tips for folks that just aren’t sure what GF is or if a product is GF.
My Grandma is gluten free. I am going to send this to her. She is having a hard time making the switch but it is something that has to be done….
Great tips! It is finally getting easier to find gluten free options but sometimes its still a challenge. Thanks for the suggestions!
I would like to know where those scrumptious looking bars came from and why they aren’t in my mouth right now. Yummy!
I bet it is difficult to be the only one who goes gluten-free, especially at first. You’ve got some helpful tips here.
I have noticed that lots of restaurants now offer Gluten free options. I think I chain one would be helpful as it is more predictable if they would have that item. However, you are right Mom and Pop ones might cater more to a local crowd who asks for it.
I have been wanting to try out gluten-free living. My daughter works at a steak house and they have a gluten free menu!
We are not a GF family now but we have taken steps to drastically reduce the amount of grains we consume in a day. We have friends that grew up GF so we have seen how hard it can be to transition. So glad it’s getting easier to be GF.
Love your ideas, I’ve been trying to go gluten free, your ideas will help me!
My sister is trying to go gluten free and these are great tips. I’ll share these with her!
So many ways for people to eat GF these days. Good tip about eating locally.
This is SUCH great timing! A nutritionist suggested I go gluten free and the hubs and I were just talking about it.
This is very healthful and easy. Fascinating ideas 🙂