Wheat allergy

[legal girl]

I've just found out I've got a wheat allergy. Can anyone give me any tips about what I can/should/shouldn't be eating?

[carolegif]

Apart from the usual bread, cakes, pasta, pies, biscuits etc. You must check every label as some foods have gluten in them and you are not aware of it. Bisto Gravy Powder has it, but Bisto Best hasn't, so use that. Many soups have it in them so be careful.

You can buy many gluten free goods, but the bread is awful, so I try not to eat bread at all! If you don't have any wheat for a long time, you can get away with a slice now and again.

You will lose weight by the shedload, but chocolate is gluten free!

Good luck!

carolegif

[legal girl]

What about packed lunches? Any ideas?

[carolegif]

This is the difficult bit! The one thing I really miss is the easiness of having a sandwich, not only at work, but if I am out shopping and need something quick. You could do a gluten free pasta salad, or a rice salad (rice is gluten free) or just an ordinary salad in a bowl and take it with you. M & S do a prawn salad that is gluten free but it is expensive. Jacket potatoes are OK if you have the use of a microwave. Snack-a-Jacks and Rice Cakes ae gluten free as are Ryvitas I believe. You could try the gluten free rolls, but like the bread they are made of rice, rock hard and go to sort of slime in your mouth! I am at home now, so I can have Asda Chicken Thai soup if it is cold or a salad if it is hot. Chips are gluten free provided they are not coated in flavouring, some crisps are fine (again check the packet), fish in batter is OK provided you peel the batter off and don't eat it.

You can make things using buckwheat flour and if ever a French market comes to a marketplace near to you, buy the buckwheat bread as that it fine, just like ordinary, but I cannot find it here. Perhaps if there is a deli or small baker's they may do it.

Hope this helps! You will soon get used to it, you will have a different way of eating, in fact I think it healthier and you still have the chocolate!!

carolegif

[beryllium]

Hi legal girl,

Tescos et al, have a great fussy cow isle, as i call it....

The best pasta is TRU FREE, honestly it is the best one, it holds it shape and doesn't taste powdery. Makes a great salad with sundried toms and feta cheese, red onions celery, cherry toms, cucumber and red peppers.....

You could also do a tuna pasta salad, again red onions, and all the salady bits you like and mayo.....

You will have to start making yourself rice salads, too.... and add sultanas or raisins for a little sweetness and a little mayo....

The best bread really is only for toast, and it's DIETRY SPECIALS is the make.

I bake all my own cakes, and DOVES FARM is the best for cake baking, and just add baking powder if it need sr flour.

Stock cubes.... KALLO. You'll find them in the organic section and near the oxo cubes section. No rubbish in them and great taste.... all the family is converted.

Make your own goodies as the cakes and biscuits sold in the gluten free sections have HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OIL, and that's no good for you either.

Best of luck in your cooking and you are going to feel sooooo much better in yourself now... :-)

[Nummy]

I have a friend who has to be gluten free...and for a treat, she sometimes takes a gluten free pizza base down to her local Pizza Hut and they do a pizza for her...and she occasionally takes gluten free rolls into McDonalds for a Big Mac!!

Obviously it's a once-in-a-blue-moon thing, just for a treat, but it's nice to know that you can have the option! :o)

However i was amazed at the food that she couldn't eat, including a lot of frozen food because of the additives they use. i think you can replace normal flour with rice flour (not 100% sure on that one tho) for stuff like Yorkshire puds and the like.

it'll take some getting used to...but once you get the hang of it...i'm sure it won't be too bad. Good luck