Gluten-Free Top Tips

Within minutes gluten-free tips started to flood in on our Facebook wall so we decided to compile them into this blog post. If you have any to add, please just comment below!

1. Eat more potatoes and learn to love to cook!
2. Learn to cook!
3. Only eat food made by you that is gluten free.
4. Learn to cook, read your labels, don't worship soy or corn or psuedograins, get the highest quality food that you can but don't ever think that you have to beat yourself up if you're "not there yet" ... and be good to yourself. Remember that GF living isn't a death sentence -- it's a new chapter in your life, another scene in your ongoing movie. That's what truly matters.
5. Remember Genius is pure Genius.
6. Read the labels and ask when eating out.
7. Only trust your own cooking & always check labels.
8. Move to Italy where they actually go out of their way to provide you with gluten-free meals rather than stare blankly at you, like I get here in the UK!
9. Read everything; grow your own, think Paleo.
10. Believe in yourself that you can kick the grain.
11. If you ask in a restaurant if something has gluten in it and they seem iffy and haven’t a clue what you are on about just leave. Or in a chippy ask to see the bag the chips come from. Trust your instinct here.
12. Don't panic, it isn't as hard as you first think.
13. Have a completely gluten free house.
14. Think about what you can have, not what you can't!
15. Embrace the chance to change your eating habits for the better.
16. It’s not the end of enjoying food ...the journey has just begun.
17. Don't settle for less.
18. Expect your weekly shopping bill to go up .
19. Celebrate - life is going to get a lot more interesting!
20. DO NOT PANIC.
21. Accept it and move on, don't dwell on no-go foods! I've tried so many new things and have a much healthier diet, as do my partner and family as they eat GF with me a lot!
22. Use xantam gum in your cakes AND eat potatoes and rice dishes.
23. Eat Fresh...it doesn't cost more, in nutritional value per £ spent...it tastes better, and is healthier all round due to a lack of additives. Stick to foods your body was evolved to use, not the "improved" versions it wasn't.
24. If you miss good pizza, go to Mamma's in Edinburgh. They do the best gluten free pizza for only 50p extra. They do gluten free beer too!
25. Make sure the family understand the importance of being coeliac and teach your husband/wife how to cook GF.
26. Bake your own cakes and biscuits. They taste much better than shop bought!
27. Experiment!
28. Follow Phil Vickery's cake baking.
29. Sign up to the Genius web site for all information if it is not there ask.
30. Don't panic.
31. It’s quite easy to adapt with Genius.
32. There is a period of adjustment but you will get through that and stop thinking in a wheat-centric way it gets a lot easier.
33. Don't compromise on taste; you absolutely can still enjoy food.
34. Products like Genius are great, but don't get hooked on GF versions, because when they're not to hand it's too easy to cheat. Learn to replace the grains with greens. You'll be surprised how full (and how much better) you'll feel.
35. Be imaginative. It's the perfect chance to try new things and a great excuse to be healthier.
36. Do not take anything for granted...just because a food was gluten free the first time you tried it, make sure you check the label every time.
37. Don’t let big supermarkets convince you that a GF diet consists entirely of biscuits, cakes and desserts.
38. Stick to it.
39. Be kind to yourself. It took a while for you to get to this point, & it can take time to heal everything.
40. Protein protein protein (preferably organic, grass fed, antibiotic, & hormone free).
41. Get back to basics and cook everything from scratch and don't expect everything to be perfect over night - look how long it took to get the Genius bread recipe right!
42. Don't ever cheat and ask questions without feeling you're being a pain.
43. Never trust anyone with your meals...
44. Stick with it, it gets easier!
45. Relax :)
46. Read labels, ask questions and prepare in advance. It’s not a convenience way of life.
47. Avoid gluten!
48. Don't be afraid to ask even if it might sound silly to you.
49. Buy Harry Eastwood's red velvet and chocolate heartache book. It's full of AMAZING gluten free cakes using vegetables too. So yummy!
50. Eat lots of Genius Products - because they're sooooooo yummy!
51. Plan ahead.
52. Find the genius bread as soon as you can.
53. Eat fresh.
54. Go in and talk to the people at Whole Foods and Trader Joes. Often, markets that specifically carry gluten-free foods will be able to offer great tips.
55. Experiment!
56. Get rid of most gluten containing ingredients from the home, in my kitchen only my partner's bread and cereal contain it. However, I realise that would be really difficult if you have a large family to cater for.
57. Educate family members about using corn flour in gravies and sauces.
58. Speak to the chef before booking a table at a restaurant or booking accommodation with breakfast. Don't go if it is clear you could not trust them to provide adequately for you, but tell them you will return and also give good feedback if the response is positive. I have been treated really well at several venues.
59. Spread the word about Genius bread, which actually tastes like bread should!
60. Thoroughly check all labels... you find gluten is in some unexpected places!
61. Start cooking!
62. Genius!
63. Be thankful for Genius, and don't be afraid to experiment.
64. Genius bread is the best one.
65. Stick to it.
66. It's not that bad - honest!
67. Remember to leave space in your suitcase for Genius Bread when going on holiday :-)
68. Just stick to it.
69. Simply MEAT AND VEG... Don’t knock it 'til you've tried it!
70. If you don’t know how to cook, lots of council’s run evening classes – just make sure you let them know you’re gluten free.
71. Experiment with food from other places. You will find things you love!
72. Estrella Damm lager - you can't tell the difference!
73. Keep it simple and go back to basic naturally gluten free meals like meat, veg and potatoes.
74. Cook from scratch.
75. Never shop hungry, reading labels when you're tum is rumbling leads to mistakes!
76. Read the labels and double check stuff you have had before as the producers do change the ingredients.
77. Be brave and try stuff you wouldn't normally eat.
78. If you're not 100% certain that it's gluten free don't eat it!
79. Don’t assume that when a meal in a restaurant is described as being gluten free, that it is! Twice now I've had a yummy GF meal that's been covered in normal gravy!
80. Most decent chocolate is gluten-free
81. Toaster bags and tin foil!
82. Plan ahead and enjoy.
83. Make batches of soup – perfect gluten-free lunches.
84. You won't find better than Genius!
85. Cider doesn't contain gluten!
86. If they give you a blank look in restaurants then they don't know and don't eat it!
87. It's only when you make the switch that you realise how much RUBBISH you were eating before!
88. New found discipline. Food combining also helps digestion issues.
89. Try Genius foods. I love Genius sliced white bread. Also I’ve just tried Genius mince pies from Tesco - their awesome! Definitely on the Christmas shopping list, Thanks Genius. Going to try the pizza when it's back in stock.
90. Remember if you need an emergency snack when you are out and there are no gluten-free cakes/cookies there is always chocolate!
91. For a gluten free child - make sure they understand from the outset that it's important they don't eat gluten. I firmly believe in cooking family meals that we can all eat but at the same time I don't provide my daughter with everything that looks the same. She never ever misses out on treats but she understands that hers are different treats and it won’t always be the same as her friends. My daughter is 3 and already turns down treats off anyone saying 'mummy will give me my special ones'.
92. Take Tamari to Chinese and Thai restaurants.
93. If you go on holiday take a travel card with you that explains your allergies in the local language.
94. Learn to enjoy cooking meals from scratch, experiment and have fun with home cooked gluten-free meals.
95. Join Coeliac UK! What a fantastic resource!
96. If you want to go out for pizza, Pizza Express is more than happy to cook a gluten-free base if you take one in.
97. Freeze your sliced Genius bread and just take out a slice each time you want one.
98. Don’t be stuck for inspiration the internet is full of recipes!
99. If you’re stuck for lunch ideas, use leftovers from the night before.
100. Put pressure on your local supermarket to stock Genius. The more people who ask for it, the more stock they’ll receive!

Please note that these tips are from Genius Facebook fans and are not the opinions of Genius.