Switching to a gluten-free diet and planning a menu can seem like a daunting prospect. If you focus on foods prohibited in the diet, you may find yourself at a loss for foods you can eat. Fortunately, there are a great many foods that are naturally gluten-free, and gluten-free substitutes for traditionally gluten-rich foods are becoming more widely available.
Gluten-Free Diet
According to the Gluten Intolerance Group, the gluten-free diet is a medically prescribed diet for individuals who are allergic or intolerant to gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. Spelt, triticale and kamut are in the wheat family and also contain gluten. For individuals with celiac disease, the body has an immune response to gluten, and the small intestines can become damaged as a result. When this occurs, nutrients pass too quickly through the digestive system and may not be absorbed in adequate amounts.
Menu Planning
Menu planning for a gluten-free diet does not need to be complicated. Consider the foods you normally consume and determine which of those foods contain gluten. Then determine whether to substitute them for gluten-free products or to replace them with a different ingredient altogether. For example, pasta noodles can often be substituted for gluten-free noodles, but some vegetables, such as zucchini, eggplant or squash, can substitute as well.
According to the Gluten Intolerance Group, gluten-free breads, pizza crusts, waffles, cereals and quick breads are also convenient substitutes that are permissible in the diet.
According to the Mayo Clinic, naturally gluten-free foods include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, dairy products, vegetables, fruit, nuts, legumes, peas and shellfish. You can create menus that do not require gluten substitution when you build the menu on rice, potatoes or vegetables. Become familiar with quinoa as well, because it can serve as a delicious substitute for wheat-based couscous and provide variety to the diet.
Breakfast
Certified gluten-free breakfast cereals provide a convenient substitute for traditional wheat cereals. However, you can also enjoy an omelette, frittata, crustless quiche, fruit, yogurt and smoothies for breakfast. Nut butters, such as peanut or almond butter, can also complement an apple or banana well for a light but satisfying breakfast. Fried eggs, hash browns, breakfast sausage, ham and bacon can also be enjoyed for breakfast.
Lunch
Lunch can be easy. Pack last night's dinner into a storage container and reheat it at work for lunch. Enjoy a bowl of homemade vegetable soup with a salad topped with quinoa and vegetables. According to Celiac, you can enjoy gluten-free dips, like hummus, and use fresh, crisp vegetables for dipping instead of pita bread. Using gluten-free bread, you can recreate your favorite sandwiches, such as ham and cheese, roast beef or roasted turkey. Watch out for spreads, because they might be thickened with modified food starches, which could contain gluten, states the website for the Gluten Intolerance Group.
Dinner
Variety is essential to the dinner menu. Glutenfreeda contributor Shelley Case recommends maintaining a well-stocked pantry of dependable ingredients you can use to create dinner easily. Corn tortillas, gluten-free pasta, rice, frozen vegetables, frozen chicken breast, gluten-free sauces and spices, cheese, and fresh or frozen fruit can be used to create quick meals. Fajitas, stir-fries, herbed vegetable and meat dishes, and gluten-free pasta with spaghetti sauce are just some of the possibilities.
You can also choose themes for your weeknight dinners, such as Taco Tuesday, so that you can have some predictability to the menu. If you learn how to pull off eight or nine dependable meals and are willing to try a new recipe occasionally, you may find that gluten-free menu planning comes together naturally.
In the summer, take advantage of barbecuing. Celiac contributing writer Destiny Stone writes that you can also enjoy a gluten-free barbecue, as long as the sauce is gluten-free. Rather than making a traditional hamburger and eating it with a gluten-free bun, you can also grill vegetables and other meats. Be careful when you grill, Stone cautions, because you can accidentally contaminate your gluten-free food if gluten-rich foods have been grilled before yours. To be safe, grill your food on a clean barbeque before anyone else does, bring the food pre-grilled, or grill it on aluminum foil.
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