Getting Started in Your GFCF Kitchen

Getting started with gluten-free and casein-free cooking can seem like a daunting task. Take a peek in the average family’s kitchen and you’ll find a plethora of foods that don’t mesh at all with GFCF cooking. That box of pasta? Nope, not gonna cut it. The milk sitting in the fridge? Not so much. Those frozen waffles? Sorry.

Parents ask me, “What’s my kid supposed to eat? All his favorites are on the do-not-eat list.” When starting out on the GFCF Diet, I advise people to start simple. I wouldn’t encourage folks to jump in and start cooking complicated dishes; this is particularly true if the parent responsible for meal preparation isn’t much of a cook in the first place. Remember, simplest IS best. Starting off with ultra-complicated dishes is a surefire way to become frustrated and give up. You can do this!

Here are some things I encourage parents to have on hand when stocking a GFCF kitchen. I’m not including the baking essentials yet; I’ll go into that into more extensive detail in next week’s GFCF post. Besides, I really want to stress the fact that beginning with simpler food choices will help ease the transition to GFCF cooking. Furthermore, this list emphasizes a more “whole foods” approach to eating. And one of the best gifts a parent can give to a child is the gift of healthy eating to last a lifetime.

•Produce: all fruits and veggies are acceptable. They are a wonderful source of vitamins and fiber. Buy produce in-season—it’s more reasonably priced, and the flavor cannot be beat. Add fresh fruits to smoothies, cereals (more on that in a moment), and your child’s lunchbox. Veggies can be juiced, stir-fried, or served fresh; my kids love raw cauliflower and broccoli. Frozen fruits and vegetables are also good to have on hand. And don’t forget some herbs: fresh herbs can add tremendous flavor to a dish.

•Dairy: milk substitutes (rice, soy, almond, hemp, potato) are available in many supermarkets and health food stores. Also, have a look at the labels; some folks steer clear of these items because they’re concerned about the nutritional content, but oftentimes these milk substitutes are fortified with things like calcium, DHA, and Vitamins A and D, so they pack quite the nutritional punch.

•Proteins: lean meat (chicken, beef, pork, fish, etc.) is allowed, though I steer clear of already-prepared meats—things like chicken nuggets and fish sticks that are found in your grocer’s freezer. Eggs are a fantastic source of protein. I have read that eggs are a perfect food, and I would have to agree. Hard-boiled eggs are a great convenience food. I often boil extras to have on hand for lunch or snacks.

•Pantry: Rice, gluten-free pasta, quinoa, canned tomatoes, canned beans, and GFCF cereals (hot and cold); nuts, nut butters, fruit preserves, oil, vinegar, and dried herbs are all wonderful to have on hand. I can construct a pretty simple meal of rice and beans, or pasta salad, or chicken and oven-roasted veggies using a few pantry staples, veggies, and some lean protein. A note on dried herbs: do check ingredients here, especially on those that are spice blends. They are sometimes processed with gluten-containing ingredients. Also, have a look in your store’s cereal aisle or natural-foods section. You may be surprised to find some gluten and casein-free cereal. My local supermarket carries at least a dozen varieties of GFCF breakfast cereal. And several varieties of hot cereals are gluten-free as well. Brown rice cereal and grits are two favorites at my house.

Next time, I’ll discuss some baking staples that can help get you started on GFCF cakes, cookies, muffins, and brownies. Not to mention waffles, pancakes, and sandwich bread. Until next time!