When you found out that you had to adopt a gluten free diet, odds are it felt like the rug was being pulled out from under your feet. And with good reason. Its relearning how to cook, eat, grocery shop, etc. And it doesn’t help that it looks like all your old favourite foods now cost 4x as much. (You want to charge me HOW MUCH for a dinky little frozen pizza??)
I’m going to share real tips, real brands, a little tough love and a whole lot of useful tips for savings right here. I promise you, this diet is not just manageable. It can also be satisfying and comparable in cost to anyone else diet.
Quick Breakfast
Quick breakfasts have special consideration when you are gluten free. The main reason for this is that oats, a common grain found in a lot of breakfast cereals, are at high risk for cross contamination so must be certified gluten free. As a result, any breakfast cereals need to be certified gluten free to be considered safe, and must be made with certified gluten free oats. This will be specified in the ingredients, and be sure to look for Gluten Free claims on the box.
Affordable easy to find gluten free cereals : Chex, Fruity Pebbles, or Nature’s Path cereals – there is a lot of flavour variety and that’s helpful especially for gluten free kids or families looking to maintain a gluten free kitchen.
Oatmeal packet & a piece of fruit : this meal can be taken on the go and will cost about $2. Yes, a gluten free oatmeal packet costs more than an instant oatmeal packet. But this is still an affordable option, and the gluten free option comes with the benefit of not destroying you and your week. So we will take this as a win.
Yogurt with gluten free granola & berries : Made Good is my favourite gluten free granola. Always always confirm that your granola is made with gluten free oats. If you are purchasing your goods in a ‘Natural foods’ aisle instead of a gluten free aisle this aisle will be full of ‘organic’ granola and most will not be gluten free (they will however be priced like they are gluten free and its easy to get confused)
(Notice the first ingredient?)
Egg bites : scramble eggs with cheese, bacon, veggies, and pour them into a muffin tin. Prep these ahead of time and grab a few to go with you in the morning. This recipe is for sous vide or pressure cooker, or try this one for muffin tins. If you’re going to make egg bites often, be sure to get a muffin pan where the nonstick actually works. What’s the point of a grab and go breakfast if you have to scrub the tin for ages after?
Smoothies : combine any combination of ice, milk, fruit, nut butters in a blender and serve it at home or to go. Give it a boost with protein powder (I like adding non flavoured collagen for protein since it has other health benefits). Need smoothie ideas? Berry Smoothie, Strawberry Banana Smoothie, Pina Colada Smoothie (omit the rum if you’re driving), Coffee Smoothie
Leisurely Breakfast
Got extra time for breakfast? Try any of these options
Pancakes will always be a Sunday morning staple in this house. You can also make pancakes from a mix. I do like the Duinkerkin mix because they’re Canadian (PEI proud) and are made with enriched gluten free flour to provide extra nutrients.
French Toast served with sausage and fruit is a fun way to start the day! Presidents Choice bread is my bread of choice. At $4.99 a loaf, its a price thats hard to beat.
Egg in the Hole : butter both sides of your bread, cut a hole in the centre, put it in a greased cast iron skillet, and crack an egg into that hole. Cooked until its you’re desired level of done. I like to add Seasoning Salt to mine and dip it in some mayo (I use Hellmann’s or the Kirkland brand which is the exact same ingredients)
Egg Scramble: scramble eggs, veggies, cheese, bacon bits and milk together. Cook in a skillet. Meanwhile cook Tasti Taters / Tater tots in your air fryer or oven. Plate your taters, top with scrambled egg mixture, cheese if desired, and top with sauce of your choice (mayo, ketchup, hot sauce, hollandaise).
Breakfast Pizza eat this one for breakfast, supper, lunch, or brunch. Prep your pizza crust ahead to save time the day of (you will want to have pizza dough and not a premade crust for this recipe)
Omelette served with fruit, bacon or sausage, side of toast (President’s Choice brand is the most economical loaf of gluten free bread I have found.
Did you have a favourite muffin or baked breakfast recipe before going gluten free? Try it with all purpose gluten free flour. As long as there is no yeast in the recipe, it should convert well. I have had best results in baking using the Presidents Choice All Purpose Gluten Free Flour.
One tip for baking : start preheating your oven AFTER you’ve mixed your ingredients. You will have better results when you let the batter sit. Once your oven is preheated then it will be good to go in the oven.
You’ve got things to do! Let me make life a little easier with quick and easy meals the family will love (and your wallet will thank you for). With dozens of weekly plans to choose from, and a new plan added weekly you’re sure to find something to keep you happy. What’s on the menu this week? Check it out here.
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