Frugal eating with Dietary restrictions

[raebies]

Is anyone else on this forum gluten-free? I'm gluten-intolerant and that means I can't eat wheat, rye, barley or any byproducts thereof. Because of this I have to buy specialty foods with get really pricey.

I'm trying to find ways to eat well, but not break the bank. At this moment, for food just for myself, I spend about $3-400 a month. I RARELY eat out. The cheapest meals I know how to make are chili, meat sauce, and chicken soup, but one gets tired of eating the same cheap meals all the time.

Thanks,
~Rae

[jpg7n16]

Well... wouldn't that only affect the prices on a portion of the groceries you buy? Maybe you could buy your non-wheat related products at walmart (like meats, dairy, fruits and vegetables), and get the gluten free options you need at Whole Foods?

I'm not gluten-free, so I'm not sure exactly what the implications are.

But I would think that tomato basil spaghetti sauce, with ground beef, over gluten free pasta would be good. I like to serve speaghetti sauce over green beans (lower calorie and still tastes good) and that's gluten free.


Plus you could look into a gluten-free cookbook: Amazon.com: gluten free cookbooks best sellers: Books

That could give you some options to mix it up from chili every night


But I would think that grilled chicken with steamed vegetables would be gluten free. Grilled fish wish mango sauce, and a side of broccoli and rice. Any fruit/vegetable combination. Dairy, meats, eggs. I wouldn't think that the gluten requirement would affect your entire grocery budget, only the portion of gluten free products.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

I would say your best bet is to learn to cook. There are scads of foods without grains in them. How about a meal of blackened whitefish, a couple vegetables, perhaps a potato? There would be many options. Look at the foods of unfamiliar cultures to find other flours, noodles, and baked goods that do not use glutenous grains.

Also, if you want to eat gluten free foods that do contain grain, buy your own gluten free flours (still more expensive than traditional flour that includes the protein) and do your own cooking.

I have seen cookbooks out there specifically for gluten avoidance. Do you have any of those?

[raebies]

As a matter of fact, I do a lot of my own cooking. Its the extras that can really bite you: gluten free breads ($5.99), gluten free deserts ($5), gluten free pasta (upwards of $3 a bag), and gluten free microwave meals for when I don't feel like cooking ($4 and up). I'm trying to get recipes together for a gluten-free cooking blog, but it seems like all I do is cook the same stuff over and over again.

Although, now that I think of it, I buy a lot of stupid extras at the grocery store that get lumped into my "grocery" budget because it is included in a "grocery store" purchase: hair products, kitchen gadgets, used movies (yeah, my grocery store sells used movies). I guess I need to stop being lazy and go to stores where these things are less expensive.

[LuckyRobin]

Eating gluten free with convenience items is expensive. Eating gluten free without convenience foods really isn't. You just have to adjust your mindset and make things from scratch. My son has a lot of allergies so we make virtually everything from scratch. Fortunately he isn't allergic to gluten, but we make a lot of gluten free recipes because they also don't have the other items in them that he is allergic, too. You could easily make your own bread products with rice flour or oat flour for a fraction of the cost of buying those specialty breads. I make bread twice a week. My bread machine mixes it for me (well worth the money). It takes about 2 minutes to put all the ingredients together. Then when the dough has risen I punch it down and transfer it to a bread pan (because my machine is old and no longer heats up, but in a fully working one you wouldn't even need this step). It takes maybe 2 more minutes of hands on time to punch it down and move it, then it rises on its own for a couple hours before I bake it. Start it right after work and you'd be done by nine at night. Or do it on the weekend and freeze an extra loaf.

And if you want meals for the freezer you should just make double batches every time you cook and freeze the excess for those lazy, exhausted days. Check your library for gluten free cookbooks. Having allergies means being organized. Plan out your meals ahead of time and maybe even do your prep on the weekends. (If you know you're going to need chopped onions or peppers, or broccoli or cauliflower later in the week do it up ahead of time).

This blog: A Year of Slow Cooking has a lady who made gluten free recipes in a crockpot for a year and I believe made a new thing every day. Crock pot cooking can really help with those lazy days as well. Just put everything in in the morning and it's ready when you get home and are exhausted.

[YourLifeSolution]

Is gluten-free anything like low-carb? If so I eat lots of boiled chicken, which is actually very good with soy sauce and hot sauce.

[jpg7n16]

Is gluten-free anything like low-carb? If so I eat lots of boiled chicken, which is actually very good with soy sauce and hot sauce.

Not really. Gluten free means you can't have certain grain products - when I think gluten free, I think 'no wheat.' But it's more than just wheat.

Gluten-free diet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Low carb would avoid fruits, berries, vegetables, and a few non-gluten grains like rice. None of which have any wheat in them. (and are all very healthy for you)

[Frugal]

I saw this post and had to respond. I too am considered allergic to milk and dairy, and that includes gluten. I consider myself to really only be gluten and lactose-intolerant, rather than allergic, as I was told.

It is very difficult to eat this way on a budget, to be conscious of gluten intolerance. The only advice I can really give is two things: to make your own bread at home to save on the high cost of gluten-free bread and cookies and baked goods, and to also 2) visit lower-priced health food stores. I am in the process of seeking out an inexpensive breadmaker to do this myself. I found one at Target about a week ago, on sale for 50% off, at a price of only $49.99. Making bread at home can sure save you money, by allowing you control over which ingredients you put into your bread (e.g. gluten-free flour). I'm not a health expert, however, so you would have to ask your medical professional exactly what you can eat in your situation. I know that I personally can eat some wheat and dairy and items with gluten (e.g. those baked goods I adore!), but not a lot without it bothering me.

If you have to use high-priced health food stores to seek out gluten free items, you might try to sign up for a mail circular or store email list. I have received coupons and advance notice of sales at my local health food store this way. I long ago stopped shopping at these specialty stores, however, because they cost so much money, and their retail price per ounce on most items was higher than at other stores with similar products, such as Walmart. You can usually also order specialty and hard-to-find items on health food store websites online for cheaper than in the health food store.

One more quick thing...the price of gluten-free bread in Europe ran ten-fourteen dollars U.S. when I was there a few years ago! I tried to go on a gluten-free diet abroad, but bread could cost more than twice as much for one loaf! It was crazy. Things are not that bad here price-wise...

Hope that helps!

[walker.kenny]

If you start snacking more on fresh fruits and vegetables you’ll probably be able to save some good amount of money.

[Alan_MoneySanity]

More and more Gluten free bakeries are opening up. The prices in these bakeries are not much more than a normal bakery. Try calling one to see how they source their supplies.