If you are one of those people who have been celiac for most of your life and think that this whole ‘gluten-free fad’ is a load of crap, just hear me out. I get it, there are many people choosing to eat gluten-free for certain reasons that may rub you the wrong way.

However, when it comes to other peoples diets, who cares what they choose to put in their body? I am a relatively recent example of someone who doesn’t eat wheat (while in North America) and I am tired of how people judge you on what you eat. There are many judgments passed when it comes to choosing a gluten free diet. Some people have a reason for this as they may have been told by medical professionals that they have been diagnosed with what we know as celiac disease. Other people may simply choose to eat gluten free meals for dietary reasons (i.e. to lose weight, live a healthier lifestyle).

Me? If you must know… my favorite food is pasta, my favourite desert is apple crisp and my favorite breakfast is peanut butter and banana on toast. Why am I choosing a gluten free diet?

I have been to the doctors numerous times over the past 5 years in hopes to finally figure out why I have the symptoms I have. Nothing much has come of it. In an attempt to solve this issue on my own I decided to remove gluten from my diet. Guess what?! It is working! I feel healthier, happier and I’m actually saving some money on groceries every once and a while!

While I now believe that it’s something to do with the preservatives in the wheat processed in North America, I am still unsure as to what has caused this. Upon moving to Europe, I noticed that I am able to eat wheat without any side effects. This is still a mystery to me.

This was me in 2011 when I ate too much gluten in one day – my belly swelled!

Saving money on a gluten free diet sounds impossible, I am aware. However, when you don’t have the money coming in to purchase the pre-packaged labeled ‘gluten-free’ foods, you’re going to have to improvise your eating habits. Here are my solutions to the problem:

• Stay away from the pre-packaged goods titled ‘Gluten-Free’
• Do your research and only purchase goods that are gluten free naturally
• When you are making gluten free snacks, always keep them in the freezer so they stay fresh longer
• When making gluten free foods such as bread, pizza dough and cookies, always try and cook in bulk, it will save you time in the long run and money on buying smaller packages
• Learn to substitute everything with gluten into rice (instead of wheat bread, use rice cakes)
• Make your OWN flour! No matter what, gluten free flour mixes cost a TON of money. Try taking rice, oatmeal, soy beans or dried corn and throwing it in the blender – ta daaa! You’ve got yourself a flour base for cooking!

To get you started, here are the solutions that I use while traveling:

• Use rice cakes (usually $1 – $2 per bag) instead of bread
• Amp up your fruit and vegetable intake – I actually eat much more of this now that I can’t eat wheat
• Instead of granola bars for snacks, make your own mix of dried cranberries, chocolate and nuts (it will keep you full, longer)
• Get back to the basics, I don’t know about you but I LOVED the days my parents use to pack crackers and cheese as a lunch for school. Rice crackers are SO easy to find, and SO cheap!
• Remember, there ARE cereals without wheat in them that are extremely cheap! Try corn pops or corn flakes – hence the name… CORN

**Please note, this blog has been created for people like myself who aren’t celiac but who choose to cut out the wheat in our diets. Even things you would never expect to have wheat, may often contain traces (i.e. Quakers Oats or Corn Flakes).

Off the topic of eating, here’s a little travel inspiration to get you thinking: How I Could Afford to Travel to 20 Countries in 2015