Gluten Free Meal Planning

If you're new to gluten free meal planning, you're probably feeling a bit lost.  Your go-to meals that you're comfortable making will no longer work.  You're busy and don't need one more thing to stress you out.

If you think about it though, this is an opportunity!  An opportunity to get out of the rut of making the same things over and over again.  It's going to be fun...really.

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Your One Week Gluten Free Meal Plan

Here is a one week sample gluten free meal plan with links to recipes and a grocery list.  Give it a try.  Sub in some of your favourites.  You'll find that many of your go-tos can easily be converted and can take their rightful place in your gluten free meal plan.

The plan is based on a few fundamentals that you can carry into your own planning:

• Economy: make use of your quality ingredients in more than one meal and you'll save money
• Variety: focus on the same food can cause food sensitivity so you don't want to just trade wheat based foods for corn or rice everyday.  Change things up.
• Whole foods: very little reliance on bread, packaged and baked goods.  They are too processed and can caused digestive problems.
  

Gluten Free Meal Planning: Week at a Glance

Grocery List

Sunday

Sunday is a good day to make ahead for the week.  This is the planning part of meal planning.  Put beans on to soak Saturday night and let them simmer in the crock pot all day Sunday.  Make home made stocks for use later in soups and sauces.  How about a steaming pot of home made soup.  Enjoy it fresh out of the pot on Sunday then freeze in 1 or 2 cup portions for quick weekday lunches.

Breakfast: Poached eggs with lentils and bacon (bacon optional)
Lunch: Soup and salad
Dinner: Grilled grass fed steak Grilled or baked fish Baked potato Steamed green veggie     Baked beans

Tip: I like to cook fish and meat together.  I prefer the fish my husband is a meat eater but he will have some of the fish if I cook it.  You can grill it with the steak or bake it in the oven with the potatoes. 

Meal Planning Tip: Don't worry if you have too much.  Meal planning involves leftovers so nothing will go to waste. If you find the family eats more because you cook more, set aside what you need for the next day before you let them at it.

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Monday

Breakfast: Gluten free toast with peanut butter and fruit
Lunch: Leftovers in a gluten-free wrap or microwave container
Dinner: Taco's from leftover steak , fish, baked beans Salad

Meal Planning Tip: We would all do well to cut back on meat a bit so I like to have vegetarian options like beans.  Healthy meal planning involves stretching the meat over a few days helps us to eat less and save money.

Gluten-free wraps: There are a few things you can do.  Lettuce leaves make a nice wrap.  I like to use rice paper wraps.  There is a flax seed wrap in the Wheat Belly book that is very good too. Make ahead the night before then just grab and go in the morning

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Tuesday

Breakfast: Fried egg w leftover lentils Lunch: Leftover tacos Dinner: Roast Chicken Roast potatoes and root veggies Steamed green veggie

Tip: A roast chicken if thawed takes 1 to 1/2 hours in the oven.  This is an easy meal you don't have to baby sit.  The potatoes and veggies go in the oven with the chicken and take a little less time.  So get the chicken in first, prep the potatoes and root veggies and get them in, then prep your green veggies and wait till about 15 minutes before you're ready to sit down before you put them on.  If you like to you can do all or some of this the night before and  reheat for dinner though it's much nicer fresh out of the oven and really doesn't take that long.

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Wednesday

Breakfast: Yogurt, diced fruit topped with nuts and honey or maple syrup
Lunch: Leftovers in a gluten-free wrap or microwave container
Dinner: Chicken Fried Rice Salad or steamed / sauteed green veggie

Meal Planning Tip: Make enough rice for tomorrow's pizza.  You can make up the pizza while hubby and the kids are doing the dishes.  Then all you'll have to do tomorrow night is pop it in the oven for 20 min

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Thursday

Breakfast: Cheese omelet w fruit
Lunch: Canned salmon or egg salad in a gluten-free wrap
Dinner: Rice crust pizza Salad

Meal Planning Tip: I usually make one veggie pizza with whatever goodies came from my CSV box and  one with leftover meat and a few veggies for my carnivores.

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Friday

Breakfast: Yogurt with frozen berries
Lunch: Poached egg w salad and cheese
Dinner: Chicken pie Salad Any other leftovers

Meal Planning Tip: I have a few versions of these leftover pies.  You can top with gluten free pastry or mashed potatoes - Sheppard's Pie style.

The yogurt and berries for breakfast is yummy.  You can thaw the berries, or leave them frozen and they freeze the yogurt.  Top with a touch of maple syrup and some nuts and you have your own breakfast sundae complete with protein.

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Saturday

Breakfast: Fritatta, fruit
Lunch: Soup and salad
Dinner: Egg Plant Parmesan    Steamed veggie Salad Baked beans if there are any left

Meal Planning Tip: This egg plant parm is just like lasagna.  They won't even notice there is no meat in this meal.  If you can't find a nice egg plant try zucchini lasagna.

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Your Gluten Free Grocery List

Here is a shopping list for the week for a family of 4.  Prices will vary widely depending on your location, but I thought there would be value in estimating just so you can see how meal planning and buying what you need can save a lot rather than impulse shopping at the grocery store.

Quality food can expensive compared to supermarket prices, but if you stay away from the processed and prepared foods and away from the fast food chains you'll probably find you are saving money. 

Maybe a lot of money! 

Regardless, the benefits to your and your family's health, to the health of the soil and in terms of the statement we are making to the policy makers is well worth it.

And remember, be kind to yourself. 

Rome was not built in a day as they say.  Take it one step at a time.  Enjoy the journey.  Soon you'll be loving your new diet and gluten free meal planning will be second nature!

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