Nearly two years ago as I cleared out our pantry shelves, emptied the freezers, dumped, and donated 75% of our food; surely I thought; “I’ve I lost my marbles” occurred more than a few times. What were we going to eat? What would I feed my family of five {soon to be six}?
Thankfully several friends served as a guiding light in many ways; they shared stories of baking triumphs and failures. They led me to brands their families enjoy and the stores that carry them. It quickly became clear that I was out of my normal shopping zone and I hope if you are making a switch that this can in some small way serve as your light. Those days of purging food were dark and having hands to hold got me through it.
A typical shopping trip for me once included mostly organic foods (crackers, snacks, pastas, sauces, etc.) fruit and veggies were ordered from Door2Door Organics or the local farmers market, and all meat was ordered from an area farm. How was I to know that just because it’s “organic” the first ingredients were still wheat flour? If the flour used was wheat regardless of the non-chemically altered state it was no longer going to work in our home. I needed wheat, barley, rye, and oat free. Organic or not my list was vastly different.
In fact did you know you know that shopping the outskirts of your grocery store is actually the only part you really need? The inner stocked shelves are mostly processed foods that our bodies have become overloaded with. Now, that said; balance is vital in a gluten free diet or any “diet” per say. Remember just because it’s a gluten free packaged item in no way does it make it healthier. Gluten free foods are typically not fortified with the added vitamins as it’s “normal” counterparts. Eating gluten free is not a weight loss diet either as many of the foods carry a higher sugar or fat content in order to compensate for the texture “loss” that gluten provides.
Some products we use/enjoy;
Trader Joe wheat less waffles
Glutino Pretzels
*I will continue to compile a list of products we use. Affiliate links are included for your convenience if a purchase should be made directly through these links a portion of the sale will help support my family.
