Think eating properly on a celiac diet will be bland and boring? Think again!

A celiac diet can be one of the most healthy and delicious ways to eat. After all, fresh fruits and vegetables are safe for those on a gluten-free diet as well as meats, fish, poultry, eggs, milk, legumes, yoghurt and more. The varieties and combinations available truly are vast.

Having a great diet when you have celiac disease just requires you to have a little creativity and to know where and what to substitute. Grain alternatives such as corn, flax, millet, rice, amaranth and buckwheat can be used when on a gluten-free diet.

When planning out your diet and what you will be eating why not separate your planning into meals. Here are some suggestions for Celiac diets and needs:

Breakfast

Gluten- free cereal, bagel, waffles, muffins, toast, pancakes, omelette, yoghurt, or fresh fruits

Lunch

ham sandwich (gluten-free bread), homemade soup, gluten-free pasta, salad, baked potato, egg salad, chilli

Dinner

chicken stir-fry, pasta (gluten-free), hamburger patty, baked fish, cabbage rolls, shish kebobs

Snacks

fresh fruit, veggies and dip, nuts, celery sticks with peanut butter, popcorn, yogurt, apple sauce, crisps like riceworks take out crackers & banana bread

Of course all the items mentioned above would need to be gluten free. For example just buying regular white bread at the grocery store won’t do at all because it will no doubt contain gluten. You’ll need to either bake the bread yourself or purchase it as a specialty gluten-free item.

If you are new to creating a gluten-free diet plan then it’s recommended that you start simple at first. Don’t overwhelm yourself with complicated recipes and five-course meals while you are still learning what foods are safe. Start with simple meals that can be prepared fairly easily and then graduate on from that as you get more comfortable.

Another good idea is to plan out an entire week of meals and go grocery shopping for those. As you transition your kitchen over you may find that you don’t have everything you need at first. Over time knowing what to substitute and how to cook gluten-free meals will become second nature to you.

Eating out when you have celiac disease can be a challenge. Again, the key to being successful is planning ahead. Not every restaurant will be well equipped to handle your needs so call ahead to figure out the best place to go. If you end up at a restaurant before you get a chance to call make sure you get all your questions answers and make the servers well aware of your gluten intolerance.

Starting on a gluten-free diet is going to take some getting used to but over time you’ll be thrilled that you no longer suffer from the results of gluten in your diet. It will be well worth the few inconveniences of living gluten free.

Tags: celiac diet, gluten free diet

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