Gluten Free Eating for Beginners
Are you new to gluten free eating?
Do you feel overwhelmed not knowing what you can and can’t eat on a gluten free diet? These tips and gluten free recipes will help you start your journey to better health as you go gluten free!
Perhaps you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a gluten intolerance, or maybe you’ve just decided to make a healthy change in your diet. Either way, going gluten free can be somewhat intimidating. I know. I’ve been there. It can be hard to know where to start! Thankfully, a lot of progress has been made in the past 10 years of my gluten free eating career. 😉
Now with that in mind, let me share with you some of my tips on how to go gluten free…
Beginner’s Guide to Gluten Free Eating
I’m hopeful that this beginner’s guide will help make your transition to a gluten free way of life a bit easier. You’ll find information here for:
- my favorite gluten free swaps
- tips for gluten free & allergy friendly holidays, parties, etc.
- our reader’s choice gluten free recipes
- gluten free meal plans
- more gluten free eating resources
Gluten Free Pasta Alternatives
Here are some of my favorite easy gluten free alternatives for pasta.
Zucchini noodles, carrot noodles, cucumber noodles, or any other vegetable noodle. Get crafty with your spiralizer 😉
Spaghetti squash
Shirataki noodles
Rice noodles
Pin this infographic for reference!
Gluten Free Flour Alternatives
Here are some of my favorite gluten free flour alternatives.
Swap Note: For gluten free flour alternatives, especially for baking, we recommend Bob’s Red Mill. They have a wide variety of gluten free flours and baking mixes, including a 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour. It’s a great swap for regular flour. They also have a paleo flour mix which is great for grain free baking and gluten free muffin/pancake/brownie mix! A brand we turn to for allergy-friendly snacks, including dark chocolate and *milk* chocolate, is Enjoy Life Foods.
Gluten free rolled oats
White rice (including jasmine and basmati), wild rice, brown rice, black rice
Millet
Buckwheat
Quinoa
100% stone ground corn (polenta)
Prep Note: One tool that has saved me lots of time in the kitchen with my gluten free eating is a rice cooker, slow cooker, or instant pot. All you do it set it and go! You can use a rice cooker to cook brown rice, white rice, quinoa, oats, and more. Most rice cookers suggest following the standard stove top directions; be sure to verify before cooking.
Pin this infographic for reference!
Readers Choice Gluten Free Recipes
Our readers have spoken! These are their favorite gluten free recipes, all created in the Cotter Crunch kitchen!
Gluten Free Snacks
As you adapt to gluten free eating, you may struggle with finding healthy gluten free snacks. It can be difficult, especially if you enjoy gluten foods like crackers and cookies. Here are some of our favorite gluten free snacks!
Additional Info & Recipe Resources
Use any of our gluten free meal plans to help you create your weekly menu. We have several, including some with dairy-free and anti-inflammatory recipes!
The Celiac Disease Foundation is a great resource for patients and their loved ones. They have a helpful section on gluten free eating as well.
