Gluten Free Foods

Let's take a look at some naturally gluten free foods that you can rely on to fill up your diet healthfully. When you begin eating gluten free you might notice that you eat less processed foods, and more natural, whole foods - which is fantastic for your health!

Gluten Free Dairy Products and Eggs

Many - if not most of - the foods in the dairy case at your local supermarket is gluten free. Eggs, yogurt and cheese are generally considered gluten free, but it's always a good habit to check those labels just in case. The healthiest options are to get low fat - but not non fat - dairy products. Often those seemingly healthy nonfat dairy products like yogurt and cottage cheese are filled with fillers to artificially add a 'fat' feeling. So, 1% or 2% are usually fine, and are good gluten free foods. Eggs are also a whole, natural food that are gluten free and add a great boost of protein to your diet. Having some hard boiled eggs on hand in the fridge makes for a great snack when your body is craving protein. And, you'll find that eggs are helpful when you're making gluten free foods at home - gluten free baking often relies more on eggs than even regular wheat baking does.

Gluten Free Fruits and Veggies

Obviously we should all eat plenty of healthy fruits and vegetables, but especially so when you're eating gluten free foods. It helps add plenty of fiber to your diet that you might be missing from eating whole wheat breads. (In my experience, gluten free breads often contain less fiber than wheat based whole grain breads, but that's not always the case.) Keep lots of fruits and veggies on hand, already cut up and ready to snack on in the fridge in baggies or bowls.

Gluten Free Grains and Cereals

Corn cereals - even hot cornmeal or hominy or grits - makes an excellent hot breakfast cereal. If you can tolerate oats, then oat bran is an alternative if you liked cream of wheat. Check for gluten free cereals - both hot and cold - at your favorite supermarket or specialty food store. You can also rely on bowls of hot gluten free oatmeal - there are some oats that are labelled gluten free, as the producer can guarantee that there is no cross contamination with wheat. Brown rice is another good choice, as is quinoa - that superfood of superfoods! (Some people love it as a hot breakfast cereal with a little cinnamon and some real maple syrup drizzled over top.)

Gluten Free Meats and Packaged Meats

Most unprocessed meats are fine, but be especially careful of meat products like sausages - they can be bound together with flour. Many processed meat products do contain wheat in the form of starch or breadcrumbs (like in meatloaf or meatballs.) Make your favorite dishes like that at home to make sure you control what ingredients go into your gluten free foods. You'll also need to steer clear of processed chicken or fish nuggets or fillets that have a crispy coating - that almost always means there's wheat flour involved.

Gluten Free Pasta

Gluten free pasta has come a LONG way - there are many delicious varieties available now. My favorite still remains good old brown rice pasta, which comes in nearly as many shapes as traditional wheat pasta. Cook it in plenty of boiling water, since it's even starchier than gluten-filled pasta. Then, rinse some of the extra rice starch off in a colander with cool water before serving. It's delicious!

Gluten Free Sweets and Desserts

Puddings are an easy choice here, as even most mixes in the grocery store are thickened using corn starch and not flour products. Gelatin desserts (like Jello) are also thickened without flour, obviously, as they rely on gelatin to create that wobbly dessert we all love. Meringues are naturally gluten free, but as usual always check the package to make sure. They can come in many delicious flavors and plain baked and crispy meringues are not only gluten free, but make a wonderful base for cream and berries, instead of those little shortcake bowls you can find in the bakery. Ice cream is often gluten free, but what will get you are those add-ins like brownies or chocolate chip cookie dough. Those are obviously filled with gluten, and therefore must be avoided. You'll find many inspired gluten free cookies and cake mixes that are shockingly delicious - some are more tasty than their wheaty counterparts!