Marshy
Well-known member
I have a colleague who has been told he needs a gluten free diet, are there any decent tasty options out there ? Escpecially on the sweet tooth side of things , any help appreciated.
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Gluten free food advice
- Thread starter Marshy
- Start date
LamieRobertson
Not awoke
I wish him well...my daughter has to have a gluten free diet ..there are separate sections in a lot of the supermarkets for things like pasta ..bread...cakes etc.
The biggest issue seems to be if you want to eat out..places like ASK, Starbucks etc seem to cater for people on a gluten free diet but in a limited way...However, it is possible...just need to do plenty of research ...sorry for not being much help
PS MS do some gluten free cakes..re sweet tooth bit
Uh_huh_him
Well-known member
- Sep 28, 2011
- 12,142
My boy is autistic and has been on a gluten free diet most of his life. There are plenty of decent cakes and biscuits available to satisfy your colleague's sweet tooth. Mrs crimbles coconut macaroons are a particular favourite. Tesco and Sainsbury's both have excellent free from selections.
GF bread is rank though... Probably better switching to rice cakes or Corn thins IMO.
GF bread is rank though... Probably better switching to rice cakes or Corn thins IMO.
Since1982
Well-known member
Some chocolate bars are GF. Worth seeking out the Coeliac Society online for a list of what can and can't be eaten safely. My mum was diagnosed as a coeliac over 40 years ago and it's much much easier to buy all sorts of foodstuffs now. Good luck with it.
LamieRobertson
Not awoke
lol ye and costs about twice the price as 'normal' bread
Flex Your Head
Well-known member
My mum and brother both have coeliac disease and have to have a gluten-free diet. Lots of useful stuff here: https://www.coeliac.org.uk/home/
c0lz
North East Stand.
I Have been gluten free since February, so daunting to start off reading all the labels on pkts and cans
Heinz and nestles products are ok, you are still fine on most bar of cadburys chocolates,, mrs crimbles products are gluten free,
bread the best I have found is Glutafin gluten free select seeded loaf slice
if he gets free prescription you can apply to get free products to be added to prescription http://www.glutafin.co.uk/Image/files/Prescription Request form 2.pdf
i would recommend to join Coeliac uk also there is a gluten free app where you can scan foods now with your phone to see if they ok to eat.
Heinz and nestles products are ok, you are still fine on most bar of cadburys chocolates,, mrs crimbles products are gluten free,
bread the best I have found is Glutafin gluten free select seeded loaf slice
if he gets free prescription you can apply to get free products to be added to prescription http://www.glutafin.co.uk/Image/files/Prescription Request form 2.pdf
i would recommend to join Coeliac uk also there is a gluten free app where you can scan foods now with your phone to see if they ok to eat.
grummitts gloves
New member
If you're ever in Worthing, try Daisy Moos Bakehouse. It's my cousins cafe and she specialises in Vegetarian and gluten free. The food and cakes are amazing.
Curious Orange
Punxsatawney Phil
Going gluten free is right royal pain as far as I can tell from a friend who is a coeliac... it was one of the things that was considered when I was having issues with my bowels - fortunately it turned out I just had the guts of a pensioner rather than a chap in his thirties, and the issues I had could be easily controlled by eating better and with more whole-grained food. Think I missed a bullet there, good luck with the gluten-free diet!
chimneys
Well-known member
- Jun 11, 2007
- 3,609
Agree with most of what you say.
However far too general a statement to say all Heinz/Nestle products OK (unless you were merely talking about their clear labelling). For example most Heinz soups (bar tomato and one or two others) are not gluten free.
On bread, would highly recommend avoiding the long life or even "fresh" versions of Glutafin/Juvela etc and go for the fresh store versions of Genius /Warburtons and supermarket own makes. They keep in fridge for some while past sell by dates. Warburton wraps are excellent as well.
Booze is one of biggest pains-no more lager (bar Corona/Budweiser-both very low gluten albeit they don't advertise fact) or absurdly expensive GF varieties. Same with real ale (albeit try Westerham Breweries GF selection -google their website). So it tends to be cider, wine and spirits for me.
And if you find you can eat oats, don't be afraid to try breakfast aisle oat granolas (still check no wheat/barley/rye) rather than the rip off specialist GF versions.
Discovered I was a Coeliac some 7 years ago. Takes a bit more thought/expense but not the worst ailment in the world, and much, much more selection in shops/restaurants than even 10 years ago.
tinycowboy
Well-known member
There's lots available, much of it not that nice (in my wife's opinion), so best to try stuff out and see what you like - all the big supermarkets have plenty of stuff on offer. Usually more expensive though. For eating out, most curry dishes are OK, bigger chains such as Wagamama and Las Iguanas have special gluten-free menus. Although I appreciate Coeliac is a disease and vegetarianism is not, it's a bit like being vegetarian in the 1980s here - limited choice and what is available can often be bland, but I suspect, like vegetarian foods, things will come on in leaps and bounds in the next ten years as more people are being diagnosed and food manufacturers realise that there is potentially a huge market not being properly catered for.
Billy the Fish
Technocrat
I'm a bit WTF reading some of these answers! A couple of years ago I went gluten free for ages without realising just because I wanted to get in better shape. It's a piece of piss and I don't think I could ever go back to a diet that revolved around bread and pasta.
It might take a bit of a brain and habit reset but once you do it you'll never look back. Everyone should try and eat less wheat, that's why more and more people are becoming intolerant. Tell your mate to check out the paleo diet as there's tonnes of books and info on t'internet and I'm pretty sure it's gluten free.
Correct me if I'm wrong but you can still eat vegetables, fruit, salad, meat, fish, eggs and nuts. What else do you need?
IMHO you'd have to be completely mental to base your diet on (expensive) special gluten-free versions of traditionally gluten based foods when you've got so much amazing healthy food available to you.
It might take a bit of a brain and habit reset but once you do it you'll never look back. Everyone should try and eat less wheat, that's why more and more people are becoming intolerant. Tell your mate to check out the paleo diet as there's tonnes of books and info on t'internet and I'm pretty sure it's gluten free.
Correct me if I'm wrong but you can still eat vegetables, fruit, salad, meat, fish, eggs and nuts. What else do you need?
IMHO you'd have to be completely mental to base your diet on (expensive) special gluten-free versions of traditionally gluten based foods when you've got so much amazing healthy food available to you.
tinycowboy
Well-known member
You're right, but you'd be amazed at what has gluten in it and what doesn't when it comes to anything that isn't straightforward - eg same flavour of ice cream, different manufacturers - one is GF, one isn't. Sauces are likely to not be GF, but not necessarily - all depends on the type of flour used (if any), plus some cornflour is OK, some isn't. If gluten is going to make you ill, you will avoid anything that is unclear; if you're doing it voluntarily, you won't notice that something you ate had traces of gluten in it, whereas someone with Coeliac is typically going to feel ill for the next two or three days.
Bold Seagull
strong and stable with me, or...
I think this is a very good answer.
Going gluten free should be able changing you're eating habits, not just eating the same foods just picking gluten free versions. Gluten free bread is crap unless you toast it anyway.
Porridge is gluten free I might add (generally with decent oats) so that's breakfast sorted.
For anyone that has cereal / toast for breakfast, a sandwich at lunchtime, and a pasta type evening meal regularly - it is tough to change. Rice is generally gluten free though (although some do enrich with corn starch so you need to check), so a good curry is still achievable….just no naan or popadoms!
chimneys
Well-known member
- Jun 11, 2007
- 3,609
I think this is a very good answer.
Going gluten free should be able changing you're eating habits, not just eating the same foods just picking gluten free versions. Gluten free bread is crap unless you toast it anyway.
Porridge is gluten free I might add (generally with decent oats) so that's breakfast sorted.
For anyone that has cereal / toast for breakfast, a sandwich at lunchtime, and a pasta type evening meal regularly - it is tough to change. Rice is generally gluten free though (although some do enrich with corn starch so you need to check), so a good curry is still achievable….just no naan or popadoms!
I think you/Billy The Fish are oversimplifying matters. It doesn't matter to those that choose a gluten free diet if there is a bit of gluten in a sauce. For example normal Soy Sauce is not GF therefore a no go to Coeliacs, but not to those merely choosing a GF diet.
The proposal of meat, fish, eggs, veg, fruit, nuts is fine if you want a bland diet, but why should Coeliacs want anything different from non Coeliacs? I'm pretty fit, have a decent balanced diet, but occasionally like something on toast or a pizza/pasta.
And to correct a few of your inaccuracies:
1. Not all Gluten Free bread is crap. It definitely used to be, even a couple of years ago, but has come on leaps and bounds with likes of Genius/Warburtons/UDI. Admittedly not cheap, but not crap either.
2. Oats can get contaminated with gluten in the field. Whilst most Coeliacs can eat oats, not all.
3. You are also suggesting porridge 365 days a year?! Oh hang on, I bet you also suggest fruit/yoghurt on weekends for variety.
4. Rice is always gluten free. If it becomes processed then may I guess get contaminated.
5. Have not found a cornflour that is not GF i.e. not contaminated with wheat/barley/rye, but of course always check.
5. Poppadoms are made with gram flour which is GF (wheat/barley/rye relatively rare in Asian sub continent hence very few Coeliacs there) albeit best to check with restaurant/supplier to make sure.
tinycowboy
Well-known member
I agree with this. I've seen Coeliacs quite tearful when they discover something akin to a treat that is GF - it's relatively straightforward to buy stuff with no embellishment, but everyone likes something a bit different and indulgent every now and then, be it a meal out or a ready meal, a fishfinger sandwich, or a biscuit - things everyone else takes for granted - but it's not easy to get something nice that is GF unless you test stuff out, do your research and/or ask people questions, which is a real pain and a world away from how you'd act if you weren't Coeliac.
Genius bread is the best one IMO.
Bold Seagull
strong and stable with me, or...
Woohooo I didn't know that!
Now is Scotch gluten free or not? I've seen some people say it is because distillation removes the gluten proteins, whereas others say it does remove them completely. I'm not a Coeliac, so have gone gluten free simply as a choice (hence I'm a bit flippant about it as you've pointed out) and found it to be beneficial to my fitness and energy levels.