So, what CAN I eat???

Oh, gentle reader, rejoice, eating gluten-free is not a hopeless endeavor!  So many more foods are gluten-free than gluten-full that your choices are legion.  In addition, more and more gluten-free substitutions exist now than in previous years so your desire to eat a bag of salty pretzels or have an amazing birthday cake will not be in vain.

Probably the best advice we can give those embarking on the gluten-free adventure is to start with whole foods.  Veggies, fruits, meats, seafood, and many grains are naturally gluten-free.   Many dairy products are also gluten-free (though watch for fillers and thickeners).  By filling the majority of you diet from these basic choices you'll find that eating gluten-free is easier ~ as well as healthier ~ then you previously realized.

Once you've identified the huge number of options available to you from a whole foods diet, next consider those things which you cannot live without.  Is it breads and rolls?  A favorite morning cereal?  Crackers?  Birthday cake?  Once you've found those things, see if you can find a gluten-free substitute.  A good place to start looking is the grocery section of Amazon.com by simply searching the item you're searching for and adding the tag "gluten-free." Another good place to start is in the natural foods section of your local grocer; for those of you in the NW, Fred Meyer has a well put together gluten-free section and has also labelled many other gluten-free products throughout their stores.  Natural food stores and specialty markets may also care gluten-free products - it's worth a look or a call to see what might be available to you.

In the coming weeks, we'll be sharing some of our favorite gluten-free choices and other options for common gluten-full products starting with the obvious first choice, bread.   We'll also make suggestions on where to find these products.  Keep an eye out for more installments in our "What CAN I eat" series.