Everyone wants to know if going gluten free made a difference in our health so I am not going to waste anytime and I will tell you… I have no idea. I really do not believe that we could tell a difference in one month. Not to mention that two weeks into our experiment I went out of town and came home to find a cabinet full of junk food. Ahem.
However, as I researched the testimonies and studies about gluten and even quizzed the unlucky people who were seated next to me during my flights to 2:1 Conference (one of whom was an Oncologist), I began to realize that too much gluten is definitely not a good thing. Actually, too much of anything is a bad thing. The Oncologist was especially helpful as we discussed limiting gluten in stead of going completely gluten-free and the problem with eliminating other foods from our diet. In her opinion, “Unless it is medically necessary to remove any food from your diet, when you start removing several avenues of nutrition you will create new problems in other parts of your body.” Makes perfect sense to me as I have struggled with the fact that God created nutrition and the basis of what our family consumes is whole foods.
Will our family stay gluten free?
So, we will not be 100% gluten free tomorrow or the next day but we will be drastically cutting the amount of gluten in our diets.
When I thought about how much gluten I was feeding my children, I was stunned. Cereals for breakfast or cheese toast. Gluten. Sandwiches for lunch with pretzels. Gluten. Crackers or a roll with their dinner. Gluten. Not to mention any gluten-laden snacks in between meals. Gluten, gluten, gluten. Enough!
Our new diet will contain gluten free cereals and more protein in the mornings. I will use gluten free pastas and when I buy convenience snacks, they will be from Udi’s Gluten Free. As a matter of fact, I plan to experiment more and more with gluten free flours. The only thing that will remain as it was prior to this month is the children’s sandwich bread. (Lira’s texture sensitivities could not tolerate the different texture in most of the gluten free breads.)
Thanks to Udi’s Gluten Free
We would have never been brave enough to attempt a gluten free diet in honor of Autism Awareness Month without the help of Udi’s Gluten Free. The boxes of gluten free goodness they provided were such a tremendous blessing. Thank you, Udi’s!
Oh, and I have to insert right here that angels were singing last week when the doors opened at the first Publix in our area. A friend was quick to message me that they have a HUGE selection of Udi’s Gluten Free products. I am excited because there are several items that I would be willing to pay extra for. Yes, I have become addicted to a few of their products but it works out for YOU because Udi’s Gluten Free has generously decided to give away a collection of my top five favorites to one Meet Penny reader.
Penny Favorites ~ Udi’s Gluten Free Giveaway
What’s in the box? Well, if you have followed us this month at all on Instagram or even here on the blog, I bet you can guess that BAGELS are one of my favorites. I must admit that the muffins are delicious as well. Yes, this is a difficult decision, and I do not want this to be just about me since I was not the only one on a gluten free diet. So, here are the items our family has chosen as the prize:
Lira ~ Dark Chocolate Brownie Bites
Franc ~ Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Ruble ~ Blueberry Muffins
Bill ~ Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Penny ~ Mighty Bagels
To enter, just put your information in the Rafflecopter widget below. Best wishes!
[sc:”Giveaway Disclosure” ] I was provided with Udi’s Gluten Free products for personal use but a favorable review was not required. Opinions expressed are 100% my own.
I’m excited about this giveaway! My doctor just told me to go Gluten Free because of my thyroid disease. This would be a great opportunity to try some new treats.
We are not 100% gluten free at our house either, but we have severely limited the many gluten items we did have.
I haven’t tried eating gluten free. I may soon because I do have some stomach issues though I can usually trace them back to sugar.
If I win though I’m planning to give the package to my dad for his birthday. He just started eating gluten free a couple months ago and has had some skin issues clear up.
I have 5 grandchildren who are GF and it is hard to know what to do about snacks, desserts, etc. I would love to try Udi’s!
I would love to reduce our gluten intake.
I have to eat gluten free, I have celiacs
We don’t eat gluten free, but it’s something I’ve been wanting to try with my children–my son especially. I’ve just been hesitant about where to start . . . .
Oh wow, that package sounds like one heck of a spoiling. I know I *have* to be gluten free.. At least one of my daughters might have to be too (we’re going to see the doc in a couple weeks), if not both. I’ve already spoiled them with gf cookies (from a mix), gf pumpkin bread (from scratch), and my younger daughter already loves my gf cereal (she eats more of it than I do.. lol). So they’re definitely no strangers to gf foods, whether they need to stick with ’em or not. 🙂
We get gf because my daugther (9) has too. This would be a great surprise to her. We get most of her stuff off line because there aren’t many stores here carry a large selection. I did get Publix to start carrying the Udi’s bread, I asked Winn-Dixie they said they would but it has been months and they still haven’t gotten any in yet. Publix got it within 3days. It is the only gf bread that she likes all the time. The others she would eat then about the 3 or 4 time we used the same loaf just different meal she didn’t like them. I am hoping to get more stores in our area to carry more of the Udi’s products.
We have GF days at our house and we cut out wheat most days due to my allergies. Udi’s makes it so much easier!
We are mostly GF due to dietary changes to pinpoint allergies. Haven’t tried much pre-made GF foods just to the fact they are expensive. I try to make my own when I can and if I can’t, we just do without. But those bagels do intrigue me 🙂
We purchase GF for my oldest daughter who suffers from celiac disease.
I haven’t been diagnosed but I believe I have a gluten sensitivity, so I am striving to be gluten-free!
We don’t have to, just think it may make a difference in our health.
my family is going gluten free this month. this would be a cool prize pack to win since we’re still struggling a little bit with what to eat!
We are mostly gluten free because of allergy issues
I have to eat gluten free. I was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2009.
After being sick for over four months and seeing all different specialists, my gastroenterologist did a surgery to see if he could find any abnormalities. Everything came out negative. Thank God. I was put on a gluten-free diet. Although I do not have Celiac, I was diagnosed with a gluten intolerance. Going gluten-free has been so much better! I have not had any pains and all my symptoms have disappeared! I’ve slipped up once and did get sick from it so I know that the gluten is what makes me sick. I would love to win some free Udi’s snacks. I have tried all different GF products and have found some that I love and some that I wasn’t too fond of.
Learning about my allergy fairly recently, it has been increasingly difficult to stick to the new GF diet, especially living in the Deep South and being a student! Everything here is fried with a side of rolls, and they don’t sell Udi’s anywhere!