WHILE I was on holiday in New Zealand four years ago, I gave up gluten for the first time. I was travelling with a friend who was coeliac, so when we bought food together or shared meals, I always deferred to her gluten-free needs. I banned pasta, bread, and biscuits from my diet temporarily, or so I thought.
I’m happier and healthier living without gluten. I live on potatoes, rice, corn, fruit, veg and free from products.
I was shocked by how much healthier and more positive I had become and though I tried to re-introduce bread and pasta to my diet, they made me ill and depressed.
Today I’m happier and healthier living without gluten. I live on potatoes, rice, corn, fruit, veg and free from products. Sometimes I miss eating in the carefree manner I used to, but I've become accustomed to my diet.
Lots of people say, 'Oh, I could never do that!' or 'What do you eat?' But there's plenty of choice to be had in supermarkets.
I cook when I can, but I consistently rely on gluten-free products, as I've no time to bake my own bread or make my own pasta.
Here are ten of my favourite gluten-free products below. I recommend them whole-heartedly. However, please do what I do and thoroughly inspect all labels before consuming.
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Livewell Sultana Scones, £1.98 You must toast these first, but they are absolutely lovely with butter. The sultanas are plump and the scones themselves are very filling. |
 Marks & Spencer Seeded Brown |
Marks & Spencer Seeded Brown, £2.49 Though Genius dominated the gluten-free market for an age and bread-making institution Warburtons released a gluten-free bread last year, they both have problems. Genius has a funny aftertaste and Warburtons' crumbles to bits as soon as it’s out of the package. On the other hand, the seeds on this M&S loaf are lovely and nutty, and the flavour can be matched well with sweet or savoury. It partly wins out because the other two are so inherently flawed, which indicates that the search for the perfect gluten-free bread has hardly ended. |
 Sainsbury's Corn Fusilli |
Sainsbury’s Corn Fusilli, £1.55 I can hardly remember what regular pasta tastes like anymore, but my husband eats these with me and we are both happy with the flavour and consistency. Other gluten-free pastas can seem rubbery and bland. The healthiest kinds are buckwheat noodles, which although they have the word ‘wheat’ in them, are actually a different kind of grain and are gluten-free. Soba noodles made in Japan are sometimes 100 per cent buckwheat, but it’s necessary to check the packages to be sure. Better to stick with these corn pasta twists, which are winners in both taste and texture. |
 Waitrose Cherry Bakewells |
Waitrose Cherry Tarts, £1.99 Like most gluten-free foods, these tarts are better heated. After removing the aluminum tray, a quick pop in the microwave will make the pastry fluffier and the icing inside the pastry ooze and bubble.
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 Mrs Crimble's Cheese Bites |
Mrs Crimble’s Cheese Triangles, 69p This selection is probably my favourite of the lot. They’re light (not greasy) and perfectly cheesy. They’re low in calories and I buy several packs of them at a time to keep on hand for long afternoons in the office or for trips. |
 McCain Ready Baked Jackets |
McCain Ready Baked Jackets And Heinz Baked Beans, £1.67 In a country where the sandwich is king, thank heaven for potatoes, and more specifically, for McCain’s ready baked jackets. This lunch is cheap, healthy, and ready in minutes. |
 Waitrose Bacon And Pea Risotto |
Waitrose Bacon And Pea Risotto, £2.39 This creamy, ready-made risotto isn’t too mushy. And although the package shows tiny bacon bits (I don’t know why), inside the bacon pieces are really quite large. At 558 calories, it’s the heftiest product on this list of food items, but good for filling up the belly on a cold day. |
 Marks & Spencer Broccoli And Stilton Soup |
Marks & Spencer Broccoli and Stilton Soup, £2 A second creamy offering, this soup is velvety smooth and has a delicate blend of flavours. With stilton and potato on the ingredients list, it’s hearty enough to fill you up. Try it with TruFree Herb and Onion Crackers. |
 Bakery On Main Nutty Cranberry Maple Granola |
Bakery On Main Nutty Cranberry Maple Granola, £3.89 Rice Krispies and Corn Flakes, lovely as they are, contain barley and as such are unsuitable for coeliacs. In fact, none of Kellogg’s products are gluten-free. Most cereals are not, so it makes shopping for them a bit difficult. But, this gluten-free breakfast treat has real substance and if you want energy, this nut-packed mix will make you so happy, you’ll never miss your Coco Pops. |
 Marks & Spencer Chocolate And Cherry Sponge Cake |
Marks & Spencer Chocolate and Cherry Sponge Cake, £5.98 M&S makes one of the only ready-made gluten-free cakes on the market. Moist and rich, it’s a small cake, but a little goes a long way. Perfect for last minute celebrations.
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