Save Money on Gluten-Free Food

Find More Local Stores

Since gluten-free products tend to cost higher than traditional food (cheap mass produced food) you'll need to shop around to protect your wallet. This may be annoying at first, but you should first look for large grocery chains that may just be a few extra miles away, in addition to the many local health food stores that are in existence because they know something you don't! Get to know these people and ask them questions. Talk, learn, share and try new things.

Food Education The Mainstream Won't Teach

Now that you're avoiding gluten (amino acid/protein) that is found in wheat, barely, rye, malts, etc it's time to learn more about improving your health today and long term. A gluten education is the stepping stone to learning about the corrupted food supply domestically, worldwide and about nutrition. First, gluten is typically found in everything (because wheat is a mass produced cheap ingredient used to fill various types of products) or gluten-free food is contaminated in the manufacturing process (cheap and dirty) because chefs, line staff don't separate and clean equipment and now you need to be smarter. 

It's now important to avoid GMOs, genetically modified organisms, as they're found in more than 70% of the traditional grocery store fresh and packaged foods. GMOs are un-proven, un-tested and believed to be dangerous because they're not actual food, in fact, the seeds are labeled by the FDA first as toxins. How? The DNA of GMOs are entirely made in a laboratory to help them resist insects (a natural predator in the world) and yield more harvest, and that's unproven, while killing too many insects, like bees, and people along with damaging the eco-system because pesticides are over used since the GMO crop can resist the pesticides and prosper. And it's a business, Monsanto, a tech company has patented the seed (life) resulting in horrid business politics of big business and small - large farmers. Its' a mess and it's a heavy corrupted lobbying practice in rich America that you can personallly void with a food education... We 100% recommend that you avoid GMOs and avoid gluten to maximize a legitimate and credible natural and healthy life like our ancestors prospered just fine.

Don't Replace Comfort Foods

Your first step is to finding smarter and healthier real food is to avoid your comfort alternatives such as the pretzels, chips and easy microwavable alternatives.  That would be the opposite of what you should be doing. Focus on organic and nonGMO fruits, vegetables, wild fish, hormone and antibiotic-free meat and poultry, because the mass produced packaged food industry typically have less nutrients and is not healthy or sustainable and now you're in control of living longer and healthier, so minimize the easy alternatives and start cooking, slicing, dicing, baking and sauteing, real nonGMO and organic food. You are given a second chance so don't let what you thought you knew was good, safe, or comfortable get in your way of the new tasty and healthy options ahead to re-train yourself, that's what I did.

Donate Your Microwave

Get rid of it, seriously. There is nothing smart or healthy about putting your food or liquids in a box, pressing a few buttons and it comes out 'ready to eat' unless you have to! The would be fine for an astronaut, if the world ended and you had no choice, or if someone put a gun to your head and said to do it. Eat real, living, raw foods first and slice, dice, cook and bake them like real people have done for thousands of years. Using a microwave everyday is lazy and I highly recommend that you stop. If you can't stop, I'm mad at you, then at least commit to using it only 1x per month or less because planning ahead is part of real challenges in life. Easy to heat and cook foods typically lack nutrition, too.

Don't Pay More For Gluten-Free Products

Research food price, just like the smart shoppers! And don't pay for a crappy product marked up with a gluten-free label. Buy legit natural and credible products from brands you can trust and found in health food stores. They go on sale sometimes or just have legit quality ingredients that you can pronounce and have the certifications on the labels to feel good paying for. Healthier products are worth trying and then you can learn more about how to find them at the best price. Don't be enticed by some mainstream brand with a gluten-free label, that's the easy and dangerous solution, go with a brand that has proven to you their all about health alternatives, not just a band-aid gluten-free text on the bottle.

Plan Ahead, Not Just For Tomorrow

In order to be smarter and healthier, you'll need to plan for what you do today, tomorrow and the next day, just like everyone else. However, now you're not like common people, you have a second chance to gain health and make improvements long term in your life. Have ample fresh organic and nonGMO fruits and vegetables, nuts, etc that you can have handy for when you are on the go. Cook enough left overs for more than the same day and plan ahead to cook, and clean as you should be making food fresh, just like everyone else who is committed to being smarter and healthier. 

When Gluten-Free Doesn't = Gluten-Free Safe

In today's society, gluten is one of many ingredients that contaminate the food supply because it's a cheap filler. It's added to almost everything. Therefore, when you see a gluten-free label you can't trust it unless there is a certification label or they provide transparency into their verification process they do themselves regularly to ensure it's safe. The truth is food often has insects, urine, dead rats and traces of stuff in them and brands are not forced to label that unless someone catches them or if there is a high enough traces if they're tested and somebody catches them! I'm saying, mo money mo problems, in the food industry, got it? The food supply my friends, is a bit wild! FDA passed a gluten-free guidelines in August 2014 about testing <20 ppm for all labeled gluten-free products, but there still is no official policing, except the people :) 

Cluck 'n Moo Gluten-Free Product Review

Grass Fed     No AntibioticsNo Hormones     Low Sat Fat52% less fat than beef33% less calories than beef
Gluten-Free     Paleo No Sugar            

Cluck 'n Moo Burgers 

Can you guess what it is inside? Hahaha, isn't it time to step up your burger nutrition, on all counts, starting with reducing your red meat? Why would you eat a burger that only has beef, or only has turkey when you can have them all in one!?  The Cluck 'n Moo Burger concept is unique and I find it awesome. It's a righteous combination of our favorite burger protein ingredients, beef or a poultry option and they have a product that adds kale as well, which I often add to just about everything to get those healthy leafy greens present in my diet more and more.

NoGii Gluten-Free Product Review

No Gluten

No High Fructose Corn Syrup

No Trans Fats

No Hydrogenated Oils

Balanced Protein, Fats & Carbs

Great Tasting

Who & What is NoGii 

I first found NoGii at a healthy natural food trade show, Expo East, years ago. It is founded by Celiac Disease diagnosed author, celebrity football wife, and news show personality, Elizabeth Hasselbeck. Elizabeth Hasselbeck has a lot going on with her new product line, NoGii (no gluten,) and has introduced 10 small bars, large bars, and protein powders.  Elisabeth is a fabulous gluten-free and Celiac Disease advocate making sure that gluten-free living reaches not just those in the main stream on the gluten-free band wagon, but deeper into the healthy and active gluten-free community.

Healthiest Lifestyle On The Planet Excludes Gluten

Almost 18 years ago, I was forced to convert to the mysterious gluten-free diet with my Celiac Disease diagnosis. Nobody in my family or friends had ever even heard of what the heck gluten was and yet my current and long term health was now dependent on avoiding gluten without medication. It wasn't a nightmare though, because the more I read and learned, I realized that gluten was found in all of the the foods that I ate that were unhealthy, addicting and affected my sports aspirations and everyday health. Gluten-free food is sprouting, harvesting, swimming and grazing all around you... not found in a box.

Avoiding Medication Is Amazing!

There is no cure or Rx treatment for Celiac Disease. That may be scary to most people, but hallelujah for others!  Are you saying that I can treat myself and prosper by avoiding gluten, a grain found in certain grains that are commonly associated with obesity, food addictions and not be dependent on taking pills?  Amaaaaaazing! It is more complicated than that for me and others, but critics will tell you that eating breads, pasta, pastries and various other common wheat based products are perfectly fine. However, I think anyone with common sense will tell you that eating in moderation is fairly okay, but when you realize that avoiding gluten and wheat based products have show significant improvements in gut and brain health then perhaps you should make your own opinions about what's good and bad for you. When people diet they cut out the sweets and snacks, and those are mostly made from gluten and high sugars. The main stream media and the uneducated public will always believe alternative lifestyles are crazy, stupid or fads, because someone is always affected, such as wheat farming industry, and other culinary based gluten industries. Do you realize that most cultures in the world already adhere to a near gluten-free diet but tend to include cultural breads and pastries? Let's look at the low fat diets that had way too much sugar or calories in the products and were merely fads. For gluten-free living, there is no fad here, and there is no drugs necessary, just requires an honest education and will power to change bad American eating habits.

Obtaining A Food Education 

Saved My Life

I was tired of eating the same gluten-free foods everyday and knew that something better was out there than a basic salad, plain chicken, potatoes and the occasional gluten-free sweets. However, I didn't know what to do or where to find the unknown ahead. I went to farmers markets, read cooking books and and watched chef TV shows, attended lectures on gluten-free health, and asked family members questions who were wise, like my brother, a former organic farmer.  Gluten-Free diet has taught me about all of the amazing leafy green vegetables, alternative grains that have more protein, shopping for more diverse fruits, trying new things like making kombucha and nut/coconut milks, new spices and tasting new meat and fish products.  For the critics that tell you gluten-free dieting is unhealthy or dangerous if you don't have Celiac Disease, they are protecting themselves or hiding something. Yes. Everything I Just mentioned above is gluten-free unless it's contaminated in the farm, manufacturing kitchen, your own kitchen, or a restaurant kitchen with gluten because gluten is littered in the eco-system! Our Paleo ancestors and recent family survived for thousands of years on the countless yet basic options in the world with or without grains like gluten. So ask yourself, how are the thousands of food options that are legitimately natural, diverse in nutrients and minerals, unhealthy for those who are attempting a gluten-free diet without Celiac Disease? Simply it's not and it's a very healthy lifestyle if you gather a well-rounded food education that we rarely receive in an American family home and don't get in schooling.  American food is typically fast food, unhealthy coffee chains, hot dogs, burgers, chips and soda. How many of these are you consuming per week, per day? I plan ahead by bringing snacks like nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetable with me to work, on the train traveling, in the car, always having re-usable water bottles and other tasty and nutritious packaged treats that I use only when being active and exercising on the go, so that I don't subdue to impulsive 'cravings'.

Gluten Free Packaged Goods 

Only In Moderation

Gluten-Free products at Wholefoods, Sprouts, Wegmans, Natural Grocers and found at Walmart, Albertsons, Target and Safeway may be growing by the day and tastier than ever before, but are not actually good for your body and mind. The kid in all of us crave chocolate, bagels, easy dinners, pretzels and snacks, and we are so ecstatic to find a gluten-free option that is NonGMO, Organic, and we buy it at high cost and eat those food replacements as they're easy and don't require any cooking, just like me. As a newly diagnosed Celiac, or another auto-immune Disease, child who is just being a child, or the average converter to lose weight, must realize that these replacement options have very limited nutrition in them because they're processed, and you're not adhering to the gluten-free lifestyle correctly by choosing real food first. Gluten-free foods may be easing your Celiac Disease or other health and behavior needs, but you're not going to be long-term healthy and happy until you develop a holistic, full education on health and nutrition which starts with learning how to cook and why GMOs and other foods are may be dangerous for you. You don't have to replace anything from your former life, you should create new food from real natural ingredients and enjoy this second chance at living well with your family and friends. However, I have seen many new nutrient dense products with alternative grains, seeds, nuts, veggies and removed unecessary sugars, fats and carbs appearing in the market and that's a great sign ahead! It's fun to learn, it's invogorating to try new foods solo or with others (and you can share them on Instagram or a blog) and being in tune with  how your gut and mental health will save your life.

Listen & Look Carefully At Your Body Signals

Don't get grossed out by the body noises, appearance and scents that you create. They dictate your health and often guide you for change and treatment. Your bowel movements, stomach/gut and brain are not lying to you... The proof is is right there as you analyze yourself. Get more comfortable with what's happening inside and out and discuss concerns with family, friends or someone who may be able to connect with you and go to a doctor that is right for your needs. 

Namaste Foods Gluten-Free Product Review

If you're gluten-free or have any food allergies, then you must know about Namaste Foods, or your life is about to improve dramatically! Namaste Foods has better ingredients and tastier products than typically found on gluten-free shelves. The team from Namaste Foods is real, passionate, healthy and wicked smart! Their products are NonGMO, top 8 allergen-free and certified gluten-free safe for Celiac Disease as they're committed to providing safe and delicious baking mixes and seasonings (breakfast, entrees, dessert treats) and quick meals like pastas and soups! I met Daphne and her team at Expo East food trade show and now I feel closer than ever to Namaste Foods as they're a regular in my kitchen cabinet.

Celivites Gluten-Free Product Review

Today, let's chat about vitamins and supplements. It's challenging to find a legit gluten-free supplement that is gluten-free verified. In addition, supplements are debatable on their absorption value as people should eat smarter via food education, especially when being diagnosed with Celiac Disease or any other auto-immune or food related intolerance. Nevertheless, I've found a product that speaks to our targeted, yet diverse gluten-free health community, with a balanced and well absorbed supplement that can help you!