Category Archives: Tips

The cost of eating gluten free

Posted on January 27, 2012 | 2 comments

Thanks to a nifty new app on my iPhone that I got called Mint I can now budget and track my spending online and on my phone.

Seeing how much money I spend on food on a weekly and monthly basis has gotten me thinking more about the cost of a gluten free diet. According to the USDA, the average single woman aged 19-50 should spend around $159/month on a “Thrifty Plan” and $316/month on a “Liberal Plan” for groceries.

I set a budget of $400/month to spend on groceries (not including eating out). So I guess I’m on the “Extra Liberal Gluten Free Plan”. Even if I spent on the top end of that amount, I probably spend at least $80-$100 more on groceries a month than the average gal. So, that’s about $960 – $1,200 more a year.

I’m fortunate enough to have enough disposable income to not worry too much about what I’m spending on food. And since finding things to eat on a gluten free diet can be difficult enough on its own, without having to take cost into consideration, I’m grateful that I can afford to spend what I do.

That said, there are a few things that I do to keep my grocery costs down:

1. I don’t eat meat
While I do eat seafood about twice/week, keeping my diet mostly vegetarian helps remove some of the big ticket items from my list like steak, lunch meat, etc.And plant proteins are far less expensive.

2. I buy store brand or mainstream where I can
For staples like sugar, canned goods, and spices, I go to normal grocery stores or Target and get the cheap stuff. If I’m making a ton of cookies for work, for example, I’m not going to use a $8 jar of peanut butter, I’ll use a $1.99 jar from Safeway. When it doesn’t affect the quality of what I’m making, I’ll get it as cheap as I can.

3. I try to avoid gimmicks
There are a ton of new gluten free products coming out on a seemingly daily basis. Some of them look great, or are something that I’ve been looking for. Some don’t look that great, but I’ve bought them before because of that pretty “gluten free” label slapped on the packaging. Then I’ve gotten them home, tried them, and cursed myself for spending $7 on a box of cookies that aren’t even close to as good as the ones I can make at home. I’ve tried to become better at telling myself that I don’t have to try every new product that comes out.

And a few things that drive my expenses up:

1. Specialty products I can’t live without
That’s an exaggeration, but there are some gluten free products that I love that are just expensive. I love Glutino pretzels, but they’re $7 a bag. So, I only buy them occasionally. I also love Bakery on Main’s granola, but again, I think it’s $7.99 a bag. Usually I try to resist buying them unless they’re on sale.

2. Keeping up the variety and nutrients
I’ve found it to be really easy to get into an eating rut on a gluten free diet. For example, I love Pacific Foods tomato soup. So, for about two months straight I ate it. Every. Day. Now I try to load my basket with different fruits, veggies, and kinds of whole grains/proteins (quinoa, lentils, beans, tempeh, tofu) to keep me interested. Trying new recipes and flavors helps me feel more content and less frustrated with having to eat gluten free.

That said, all of that variety comes with a cost. Quinoa is $6 a box, spices are expensive, and rare fruits/veggies can add up. Not to mention all of the nuts and nut butters I eat. I can easily spend $30 on nuts alone at the store.

3. Laziness
I try, I really try to make things myself. But making bread with Pamela’s bread mix is so easy that I always buy the mix instead of getting ingredients and figuring it out myself. While I’ve gotten used to paying $9 for a loaf of bread, sometimes when I see a delicious gluten-filled artisan loaf on the shelf for $4, I get jealous.

The same goes for bars. I could easily make my own granola bars, or Kind Bar-type bars (which I do sometimes), but when I’m out and need something quickly I can end up spending $2.50 on a snack.

In conclusion, eating gluten free is a strain on the wallet for a number of reasons. It took me years to figure out a balance between splurging and saving on different grocery items, but I feel like I’m at a pretty livable place right now.

Any tips on saving money while grocery shopping gluten free? Or anything that you spare no expense on?

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Gluten Free DC News Round-up

Posted on January 19, 2012 | 1 comment

Seems like there are more and more gluten free things going on in DC all the time. Here are a few that I’m excited about!

1. Whole Foods and Cleveland Park Wines are now carrying New Planet beer

Cleveland Park Wines has the best selection of gluten free beer, and as far as I know they’re the only place in the city that carries the Off Grid New Planet beer and Estrella Damm Daura. Lucky for me it’s right by my apartment. They also sell New Planet for $1-2 cheaper than Whole Foods, at $9.49 for a six pack.

2. FUEL Pizza opens on K Street, offering gluten free pizza

Yesterday FUEL Pizza opened on K street and 16th, offering gluten free pizza crust and Redbridge beer. They also have a gluten free menu that points out which toppings are not gluten free.

  source

3. Whole Foods P Street is hosting gluten free tours on January 31st (1-2pm and 4:30-5:30pm)

Considering I’m at this Whole Foods about four times a week, I don’t think I really need a tour. But I may make an appearance to meet some other people in the DC gfree community.

4. Science Club serves delicious gluten free fries with homemade mayo

In my book, homemade mayonnaise is newsworthy. Science Club in Dupont has really delicious crunchy fries made in a dedicated fryer.They also have $5 glasses of wine for happy hour.

5. There will be lots of gluten free baked goods at the next DC Grey Market

Grey Market just released their product list for the January 28th market, featuring yummy goodies from Kate Bakes, Goldilocks Goodies, and MeBakes.

Anything else going on lately in DC gluten free news?

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What to do if you get glutened

Posted on January 14, 2012 | Leave a comment

source

Getting glutened is a lot like a break up: awful, frustrating, confusing, and makes you want to lay in bed and cry all day. It happens to me more often than I’d like, 3-4 times a year I’d say. Whether it’s due to cross contamination, or that one time I ate a Red Vine because I confused it with Swedish Fish – gluten is always around threatening to make your life miserable.

These are a few things that I’ve found to help me recover from a glutening. I’m not a doctor, so take this advice with a grain of salt – but it is what has worked for me.

1. Get mad, then move on

Whether you write a strongly worded letter to a restaurant, or curse yourself for letting your guard down, let out your frustration. Then you’ve got to move on. There’s nothing you can do at that point to get the gluten out of your system, so you have to focus on healing your body as soon as possible.

2. Drink ginger tea

Ginger is known to help aid digestion, and also has anti-inflammatory, anti-nausea and antioxidant properties. I’ve found that having a cup or two after a meal really helps settle my stomach. Peppermint tea has many of the same benefits.


3. Exercise, but not too much

There are a ton of benefits to exercise when your system is a mess from gluten. For one, it helps your body digest food and pass (ahem) gas. It also helps fight fatigue, which is one of the most annoying side effects of being glutened for me – I feel like I could sleep all day.

That said, take it easy. If you feel like you’re overdoing it, or are struggling to keep up with your normal workouts, turn it down a notch. If you usually run, try incline walking, or take a yoga class.

4. Avoid foods that are hard to digest

The worst thing you can do when your gut is damaged is fill it with foods that are hard to break down to even the strongest of digestive tracts. Things like kale, broccoli, cabbage, and other insoluble fibers are too harsh for your system. When you’ve made it through a few days, then slowly introduce small amounts of greens back into your diet.

5. Be gentle with your gut

I tend to treat my stomach like I would if I had the flu for 2-3 days after I realize I’ve ingested gluten. I eat lots of bananas, mashed potatoes, soup, rice with butter, cooked carrots, and eggs. Even things like caffeine and carbonation tend to affect me more, I feel, so I try to cut down on my coffee and soda intake.

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Grinds my gears: gluten free labeling and cross contamination

Posted on December 6, 2011 | Leave a comment

You know what really grinds my gears?

1. When things aren’t labeled as gluten free, but they are.

The other day I got a craving for peppermint ice cream. It comes along with my Christmas spirit. I checked the label of Edy’s, and nothing contained gluten, so I bought it. Then, just to be sure, I checked their website when I got home to see if they had allergen information on it.

They did, and they labeled it as gluten free, nut free, and kosher.

So why not do it on the actual package? Makes no sense.

Although, on the bright side, I can still enjoy this delicious ice cream, even if it’s not labeled.

2. When things are labeled as gluten free, and they obviously aren’t.

This weekend I was in Baltimore and we stopped into a Vaccaro’s bakery in Little Italy. I was planning on getting gelato, but after waiting for about 15 minutes with no service or acknowledgement we decided to leave. But, while we were waiting we had plenty of time to ogle the cookie display, and at first I was excited because one was labeled gluten free.

Then I realized that it was on the second shelf, and there was powdered sugar and crumbs from the other cookies all over the tray.

For some people who aren’t as intolerant or don’t have Celiac’s, that might not be a problem. But it’s incredibly irresponsible to label something gluten free without taking any precautions to make sure that it actually is.

They can expect a strongly worded letter from yours truly.

Hopefully in the near future the FDA gets its act together and puts together sound regulations on gluten free labeling. Until then it’s every woman for herself.

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This is my gluten free Christmas list: Second Edition

Posted on December 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

Last year I made a list of some great gluten free gifts, including cookbooks, t-shirts, and chocolate-dipped pretzels.

This year I have a few more suggestions of things to buy for someone gluten free in your life, or things to ask for yourself.

1. Breadmaker

If I didn’t already have one, this would be top on my list. It makes the most delicious gluten free bread that I’ve ever had, and even non-gluten free people say that it’s so good they could easily substitute it for their “normal” bread.

My breadmaker has a gluten free setting, but most of the mixes that I’ve seen say that you shouldn’t use it. So, I don’t think it’s completely necessary.

I have this Breadmaker one:

Add on a couple of Pamela’s bread mixes, and you’re all set!

2. Magazine Subscription

A subscription to Delight, Gluten-free Living, or Living Without is on my list this year. Even though there are so many resources and recipes online, it’s way more fun to get  nice glossy magazine in the mail. Plus they’re inexpensive and easy to buy.

3. CSA Box

A CSA box is a great way to experiment with new ingredients in a healthy way. It’s also a great way to share with friends and family and support local farms. Find one near you here, or if you’re in DC I recommend Green Grocer.

4. Chocolate dipped potato chips

Last year I recommended chocolate-dipped pretzels, but these are just as good, if not better. They’re so simple to make and are great to have around during the holidays as a treat.

5. This shirt – Eat like a tiger. Go gluten free.

Or, if your “special someone” is gluten free, try one of these “My celiac girl/guy is hot” shirts.

Happy shopping!

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The power of the Silent Thank You

Posted on November 29, 2011 | Leave a comment

This morning I was cutting up my grapefruit, and I was thinking about how much I love it. It reminds me of being a kid and having it cut up for me by my mom before school, it’s delicious, it’s refreshing, and it’s good for me.

And then it happened – in my head I said, “Thank you, Grapefruit. Thank you for being gluten free.”

And it was awesome!

I realize I do that with other foods too, but there is definite power in the Silent Thank You. For all of the time that we spend thinking of what we can’t eat, it’s important to take time to show some gratitude for the foods we can.

I’m hereby instituting the Silent Thank You as a habit in my life.

I hope you do too 🙂

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Brilliant gluten free foods

Posted on November 27, 2011 | 2 comments

There are some food creations that you just wish you had come up with yourself. Like the taco shell made out of a Dorito, pizza muffins, or bear pancakes.

These are two of my latest food obsessions.

1. Cinnamon raisin peanut butter from Peanut Butter & Co.

Put this on an apple and your whole day will be better. I can eat this right out of the container – but it’s also great spread on toast. Such a great idea – peanut butter tastes great on cinnamon raisin bread – so why not just blend it all together?

2.Chocolate covered strawberry ice cream

I don’t know who came up with the brilliant idea to create this ice cream, but I would like to make them my best friend. Or possibly marry them.

I found this ice cream at Giant, but I’m pretty sure it’s the same kind that they sell as the Kroger “Black Label”.


See that fudgy chocolate goodness?

One day I’m going to come up with something equally as brilliant. Until then, I’ll be finishing up this ice cream 🙂

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How to date someone who’s gluten free

Posted on November 16, 2011 | 4 comments

After reading Gluten Dude’s post about the importance of spousal support when you have Celiac’s, I started thinking about the similarities/differences when you are still in the dating stage with someone who had to eat gluten free. Since you haven’t pledged to be around “in sickness and in health” yet, how accommodating or supportive do you need to be?

So, here are a few “Do’s” and “Don’ts” on how to successfully date someone with Celiac’s – or at least not completely piss them off.

1. DON’T feel like you have to be an expert in gluten free food.
Especially when first dating someone, I wouldn’t expect them to know that I can’t eat say, malt extract.That’s for me to know.

2. DO know the basics.
It is pretty easy to remember that I can’t eat anything with flour in it, or the word “wheat”. Plus if you know the basics I won’t have to give you a blank stare when you pass me the bread basket at dinner.

3. DON’T mock me.
If you think it’s funny to make overly exaggerated “mmm” sounds, or wave a bagel in front of my face. It’s not. Really… it’s not. I get it, I can’t eat yummy food. You can feel free to enjoy it, and even tell me how much you’re enjoying it, but just don’t make fun of me that I can’t have it.

4. DO let me smell your food.
Yeah, I know it’s weird. But smell is seventy to seventy-five percent of what we perceive as taste, so it’s the closest I can get to eating some foods. I might be fooling myself, but sometimes just taking a whiff of something is enough to give me an idea of how it tastes and allow me to enjoy whatever it is I’m eating.

5. DON’T speak for me.
There are some times I really don’t feel like answering questions or talking about Celiac’s. So if we’re at a party, don’t just randomly announce that I have it. “Oh, she can’t have that, she has this DISEASE.” Unless I’m starving to death, and give you some kind of signal that I’m going to pass out, I’m okay. I’ll bring it up if necessary or I feel like it.

6. DO be willing to try new things.
If I want to make you a gluten free pancake breakfast, or go out to a random vegan/gluten free bakery, don’t turn your nose up at it. Try it: if you hate it we’ll go get you an Egg McMuffin or something. I promise gluten free soy sauce tastes the same, and most of what I make will be so delicious you won’t care it isn’t the “normal” way you’re used to having it.

7. DON’T fawn over me.
This kind of goes along with #5. I can take care of myself, and I don’t need special considerations made for me at every turn. Sure, I won’t be overly ecstatic to go to a deep dish pizza place for dinner with your friends, but I’ll deal. I’ll feel worse if every one else has to go somewhere they’re not stoked about, and won’t enjoy myself anyway. Of course, if there’s a logical substitution (ie: there’s a place that’s equally as good that carries gluten free crust) then by all means, suggest it.

8. DO be understanding, and make an effort.
Sometimes having Celiac’s can be really frustrating. I can get grumpy if I can’t find anything to eat somewhere, or have to eat a salad when I really want something hearty. It’s not you, it’s the gluten.

Extra points if you make some kind of effort to be overly understanding – pick up a gluten free cookie you see at the store, take me to a restaurant I haven’t heard of that’s gfree-friendly, or make dinner. It’s not too difficult and I’ll love it way more than flowers.

Have you ever dated someone who did a really good job of supporting you, or a really bad job of it? What tips would you give to someone dating someone with Celiac’s?

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Five tips for eating gluten free during the holidays

Posted on October 28, 2011 | 6 comments

Around this time of the year, tons of holiday diet tips articles come out. Most of them tell you the same things – don’t stand near the food table, avoid high-calorie drinks like egg nog, have healthy snacks before a party, keep your will power strong.

Well, when you have to eat gluten free, things tend to go a bit differently. So here are the things that I’ve learned about eating during the holidays without getting sick, and still having fun!

1. Focus on the festivity
Sure, a lot of holidays revolve around the food we prepare, serve, and eat during them. However, it’s not everything. Even though you may not be able to eat grandma’s famous Christmas cookies anymore, you can definitely still make grandma a killer Christmas gift, or spend some QT with her while everyone else is in a sugar coma from the cookies. By focusing on the other aspects of holidays, you’ll still get the same amount of enjoyment out of them, maybe even more.

2. Eat what you can, whatever it is
Sure, you could stick to plain veggies and shrimp cocktail. But if you’re not trying to lose weight, then eat whatever is gluten free!

Fattening casserole? Yes!
Cheese platter? I’ll try one of each.
Ice cream? Double scoop please!

I’ve found that I usually can’t eat most of the “bad-for-you” foods at parties like rich desserts, pies, pizza, and appetizers. So, if there are things that I can eat, I’ll go for it even if it’s not something that fits into my usually healthy diet choices. There are enough times I have to say no, so if I can say yes, I will!

3. Bring something and be proud that it’s gluten free
I’ve made the mistake before of bringing something that’s gluten free and letting it sit around incognito. Then I realized that if I didn’t say something about it being gluten free there was a big chance for cross contamination (ie: you bring a dip and corn chips, and someone grabs a hunk of bread and dunks it right in the bowl). It also will help other guest who may have food allergies, and may even spark a discussion that could lead to someone discovering their own gluten intolerance.

Even if it’s not homemade, bringing a box of gluten free crackers, chips and salsa, or a bag of nuts even, will ensure that you have something around to keep you from starving.

4. Scope out the scene before the party
Hopefully you know the host of your party, and can ask them casually what’s on their menu (or ask them if they need help, can bring something, or offer a great recipe you have). If they’re planning on serving turkey pot pie for dinner, cookies for dessert, and beer to drink, then you know that you should probably BYOB and bring something substantial to eat (or eat more ahead of time).

If you don’t know the host well, then don’t bank on them having a full array of gluten free items for you to eat. Have a yummy mid-sized meal beforehand and then you can focus on having a few drinks, socializing, and having a few nibbles. Not every party also needs to be a feast (I have to remind myself of this one sometimes).

5. Be a good sport, but also take control

If someone gives you a cookie tin as a gift, for godsakes just take it! Give it to your mailman or something. There’s no worse feeling than having a gift rejected, so just be thankful. There is so much going on during the holidays that your gluten allergy is probably not high on people’s priority list. So, be a good sport and keep your holiday cheer up.

On that same note though – take control of the holiday season! Have your own gluten free party! Gluten free graham cracker gingerbread house making party? Gluten free cookie swap? Hot chocolate, popcorn, and Christmas movies? Throw a get-together yourself and you can run the show.

Hope you find these tips helpful! Also would love suggestions on anything that you do during the holidays to stay gluten free and also have a merry time!

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Top 8 mainstream gluten-free snacks

Posted on October 21, 2011 | 5 comments

I saw a post about gluten free mainstream products, so I thought I would do my own. My fridge and cupboards are usually about 80% natural/organic and 20% mainstream products, and I usually only buy mainstream products that I LOVE and can’t live without. I did not include things that are obviously gluten free, whole foods, or things that are incredibly healthy really, but things that are truly just snackable.

1. Mini Snickers bars – not that you can call a candy bar a snack, but I love a couple of these in the middle of a rough work day. And don’t get me started on how adorable the Easter pastel colored ones are.

2. Chex cereal – even though the sugar count is high, still great for snacking

3. Archer Farms (Target) fruit strips – Perfect for a hit of sugar before a run, and they’re not too chewy or fake feeling

4. Orville Redenbacher’s kettle corn – this with white chocolate chips is my go-to late night movie or work snack

5. Fritos – horrible for you, but so addictive. On top of veggie chili is so ghettolicious. The flavor twists Honey BBQ flavored ones are also gluten free. And equally awful for you.

6. Skinny Cow truffle bars  – White Mint is my fave, I have one of these pretty much every day.

7. Emerald cocoa roast almonds – my aunt introduced me to these. It’s the closest you can get to dunking almonds in chocolate while still keeping them healthy.

8. Mentos – more of a mint than a snack, but sometimes I eat like five of them. In which case I make them a snack, albeit a bad one.

Any guilty pleasure gluten free snacks to add?

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