If you’re like me, you may find yourself struggling to know what to eat for breakfast. Afterall, when you think of breakfast, what comes to mind? Cereal? Toast? Pastries? Muffins?
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You’ve likely run into this if you’re going out to a restaurant or looking to grab a fast gluten free breakfast on the go. You’ll find wraps and sandwiches and muffins and pastries, all very delicious and convenient but all very laden with gluten.
When asking myself, what can I eat for breakfast that’s gluten-free, and poking my head in the refrigerator, I found myself re-thinking what breakfast really is.
Did you know that breakfast cereal was not invented until the 1950’s? Before that people broke their fast with a simple, high protein, nutritious meal. Having a high protein gluten free breakfast is so important to give you that morning energy boost.
Potatoes are naturally gluten-free and are a go to staple on a gluten-free diet. We’ve already talked about frying up those leftover mashed potatoes and adding an egg for a quick nutritious gluten free breakfast. How about these ideas
What about the foods that we traditionally eat for breakfast? Are any of them gluten-free?
Bananas are gluten-free and delicious and full of potassium.
.Eggs are not only gluten-free but they might just be the perfect food.
Eggs got a bad reputation in the 80's for being too high in cholesterol, but that's long since been debunked1. So go ahead and enjoy this easy source of protein.
The possibilities here are endless. Of course, you have the traditional hardy egg breakfasts like:
*When buying breakfast meats, check the labels to be sure they are gluten-free
Those are all great, but how about a bit of creativity. Try some of these gluten-free eggy ideas. These are so good you’ll even serve them to guests.
Most of the breakfast cereals we are used to are made at least in part with wheat, so they are not gluten-free.
There are gluten-free grains of course and there are breakfast cereals made with gluten free grains. Just be careful. Grains are a high-risk item so only buy grain products that state “gluten-free” on the label.
Rice Krispies are made with rice but also contain malt syrup so they are not gluten-free. Instead look for gluten-free alternatives like:
Cheerio’s are made with oats, but not with certified gluten-free oats so they are not safe for people with celiac disease.
Some boxes are labelled gluten-free, however the Canadian Celiac Association has investigated and found that they use an unreliable mechanical process for sorting the oats from other grains2.
Look for certified gluten-free alternatives like:
When I was growing up, instant oatmeal porridge was a regular in the morning especially on those cold winter days. “Sticks to your ribs” my grandmother would say. My grandfather preferred his Red River cereal and I liked Cream of Wheat. None of which are safe for celiacs on a gluten free diet.
Oats are technically gluten-free but are often grown with wheat and barley. This makes them a high risk for cross-contamination.
If you are going to eat oatmeal, make sure it is certified gluten-free. Popular brands include:
We’re talking about American style pancakes here, the fluffy ones that we slather with butter and drench in Canadian maple syrup. Add a side of bacon and you have breakfast that is sure to please anyone on this side of the pond.
Of course, these pancakes are traditionally made with wheat flour but you can definitely make American pancakes gluten-free and it’s pretty easy. Here are some options:
- Gluten-Free pancakes from a mix – this is the easiest way. Common brands are:
- Gluten-Free pancakes from scratch
Going gluten-free may be the perfect chance to break the sugary cereal habit.
Of course if you check the organic or specialty foods section of the supermarket you’ll find gluten-free versions of these. But how about seizing the opportunity?
Looking for inspiration tailored to little ones? Check out these gluten-free toddler meal ideas featuring easy every-day meals even picky eaters will enjoy.
Click on a picture to go to the recipe
Sources
1. Holland, K. (2021, November 2). 11 foods to increase your HDL. Healthline. Retrieved March 19, 2022, from https://www.healthline.com/health/high-cholesterol/foods-to-increase-hdl#what-it-is
2, Canadian Celiac Association. (n.d.). Cheerios statement. Canadian Celiac Association. Retrieved March 19, 2022, from https://www.celiac.ca/439-2/
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