Surviving Gluten-Free Life (Not a Love Story)

Let’s be honest. Being gluten-free is hard. Being gluten-free, dairy-free, and gut-friendly is harder! I know it’s easier than 10 years ago, but I still have little tantrums about it. 

I’m sick of buying “all” produce, not being able to have a burger on a gluten-filled bun, and ALWAYS PAYING MORE. Not fair that I have to pay extra for dairy-free milk at coffee bars, guys.

Some days, I sit daydreaming and I become sad that some of my food dreams will never be realized. I will never have a traditional croissant or brioche in France. My fried food tour at Calgary Stampede is at an end. Ice cream will forever hurt me. Traditional Japanese ramen, with wheat noodles, is in the past. It feels like tiny deaths.

-Tianna Morison, Babbling Panda Blog

I miss most candy, creamy textures and croissants. I even miss cheap, gross for you fast food with a regular bun and all the gluten-y sauces.

• 

• 

One supper, I was setting down pots harder than I needed to and Josh asked me what’s wrong. 

Being gluten-free is what’s wrong.

I know I’m complaining. I’m aware that this is just a lifestyle change that I have to accept. Changing my diet is easier than living with a chronic illness or being on a million medications. My change in diet is easier than some that manage other diseases. I know that. 

I’m just frustrated.

It’s frustrating to cook two different pastas at meals, for example, because my family doesn’t like the gluten-free, plus it is too expensive to “waste” on 4 of us. It’s frustrating that a lot of gluten-free and gut-friendly meals have SO much more prep than other meals I used to make. If I want to create a meal that is really good for me, and won’t have me bloated and achy afterward, I can look forward (sarcasm) to a lot of chopping and mincing. Most of the time, there are at least 4 more steps to cooking that perfect meal. You can be guaranteed a lot of dishes at the end. 

Before you tell me, I know there are some easy recipes out there. The ones that I like, I do too much, and don’t get enough variety of veggies. Some are so simplified that they have a lot of butter or salt to compensate on taste and hurt my gut. Most I am just sick of relying on. So! If you have some that I would love, let me know in comments. Enlighten me!

(Having said that, I did just remember Josh bought me a cookbook pack on Steam that I’m excited to delve into. Maybe it is all I need to reignite the fire in me for preparing gluten-free meals).

I’m sick of buying “all” produce, not being able to have a burger on a gluten-filled bun, and ALWAYS PAYING MORE. Not fair that I have to pay extra for dairy-free milk at coffee bars, guys.

-Tianna Morison, Babbling Panda Blog 

Some days, I sit daydreaming and I become sad that some of my food dreams will never be realized. I will never have a traditional croissant or brioche in France. My fried food tour at Calgary Stampede is at an end. Ice cream will forever hurt me. Traditional Japanese ramen, with wheat noodles, is in the past. It feels like tiny deaths.  

Traveling is kind of a nightmare, depending on the destination. My mom is unsure of what is gluten-free and lives in a tiny Saskatchewan town without options at their local store. She doesn’t want to accidentally poison me, so is always required to go to the city (an hour away), and do a special grocery shop on my behalf. I approve choices over text and feel guilty that I put her through the trouble. On certain trips, if I can time it right, I stop at the end of the eight hour drive and do the grocery shop on the way in. Which is as delightful as you can imagine.  I love dragging two tired kids into a store for over an hour to buy food, only to get back into the car and drive another hour, groceries crowding their feet.

There are also good things about being forced into gluten-free life. Silver linings, if you will.  I eat more mindfully, since I’m forced to plan ahead and cannot just grab food off the shelves. Checking for gluten has taught me to read food labels meticulously. As a result, it has taught me other harmful ingredients to avoid, not just the gluten, to keep my gut happy. Eating more veggies and healthier meat has also been a happy plus. It has also made me passionate about growing my own food, eventually, so it has expanded my horizons into gardening. So it isn’t all bad. On most days, I am able to focus on the positives.

But every once in awhile I become Grumpy Bear about it and all the “tiny deaths” of my gluten-filled dreams. 

---

Read this next:

---