How to Handle Food Issues

For quite sometime, I've had this blog post welling up inside of me. As you all know, my family has undergone a major change in our dietary habits. We are gluten-free family-wide, and I am also dairy, soy, and egg free at the moment. I meet people all of the time who can't believe we can actually eat this way and survive, and others who have to start on this journey but deem it impossible. I really want to answer all of these issues with one post, so hold on for a bumpy ride. We'll do Q & A format from real questions I've been asked and real objections I've heard.

Q: It's impossible to eat this way (as stated by my pediatrican.)

A: No it's not. It's not only very possible, but leads you into healthier eating for the whole family. And honestly that's the silliest thing I've ever heard!

Q: Is your food bill enormously high? I mean, gluten-free stuff is too expensive!!

A: Yes, it is pricier, but let's think about this: If you are going from eating white bread, white flour pastas, white flour cookies, white flour crackers, and other such things to trying all gluten-free versions of the same, it is more expensive. But here's the deal: All that white bread stuff is bad for EVERYONE not just the gluten-free person! And even the whole wheat versions aren't much better! When we started feeding our kids fruits, veggies, cheese sticks and Simply Gogurts for snacks with the occasional homemade treats, our grocery bill decreased significantly. Rob takes leftovers to work, we also eat popcorn for snacks, etc. We do buy gf flour and pasta, but we also look for the best prices and those things do not comprise the majority of our meals. We're actually spending about the same amount on food.

Q: It seems too hard to get started. How did you get used to it?

Yes, it was hard to start. It's hard to look at how you were eating and realize there are many things you can never have again. But then you start to realize how much of what we enjoy in life is tied to food. And instead of focusing on food at social gatherings, focus on the people! Food is only here to sustain our bodies, not entertain us. We recently went to our Sunday school class' breakfast and I couldn't eat a thing on the menu. I brought my own smoothie and had a marvelous time talking to a few friends. I barely glanced at the food table! Change your attitude toward food and it's not so hard!!

The other thing that is hard is changing how you buy and how you look at the items you buy. Yes, it will take three times as long to go through a grocery store, but pretty soon you will get used to what things you can buy. And you HAVE to view the old food as poison to your body.
No one wants to eat poison, right?

Q: But if I eat gluten free (or whatever-free) I won't have anything left to eat!

A: Did you hear my eyes rolling in my head? Sorry, but that objection brings out a rather unspiritual side of me :) You CAN eat meat, fruits, veggies, and nuts. And if your only sensitivity is gluten, then you also have dairy, eggs, and soy. And corn. Get the picture?

I also heard a great piece of advice for starting out on a new eating plan: Find one or two things to eat and just feed that to your family every day until you find one or two more. Pretty soon you'll have a very diverse menu. Remember, we are sustaining our bodies, not entertaining ourselves.

Q: But I'll never feel full only eating that stuff and how will I get fiber in my diet?

A: At first, you body will feel hungry all of the time. I think it took me about three weeks before I felt full eating a meal of mainly veggies. But the point is it DID happen! And it WILL happen to you! You can't look at the immediate and the now...you HAVE to stay focused on the future and how much better you will feel when your body gets used to a new normal (and please apply that principle to every aspect of your life!!). There is far more fiber in fruits and veggies than in wheat products. And just think of what God put into the Garden of Eden...anything in boxes? Bags? Nope, just good stuff that our bodies were intended to eat. (Although there may have been a Reese's tree but I haven't found that in Scripture yet!)

Let me also say as a side note that my kids are far healthier now that they were before we started this journey. They have barely been sick this winter and when they were sick, they got over it quickly. Ben and Anna's airborne and pet allergies are gone, as are mine! You will do your family a real favor in the long run by dumping the preservative-laden junk food and eating mainly real food!

Q: We all know you love to bake. How are you doing that now?

A: At first, we did buy a bunch of alternate flours and search out gf recipes. Then I got to thinking: Can't I just take my existing recipes and substitute the flours? So I did and so far the results have been great!

Q: I still think it's too hard and I could never do it.

A: Then you're not ready. I wouldn't have been ready a year ago, but God slowly changed my thinking and we started making small changes that have led to bigger ones. When you're ready, I'll be here to help you :)


And for those keeping up with my weight loss, my total loss as of yesterday is 26 lbs!!