Did you just get diagnosed with celiac or a gluten intolerance? Or have you had celiac for years and are tired of eating the same thing everyday?

Either way I got your back. My name is Kayla and I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease when I was 8 yrs old. At a time where there was no gluten free labeling, barely any products, and no one knew what “gluten” was.

What this means is over the years I have become obsessed with finding the best gluten free meal alternatives out there because I had no interest in letting my restriction define me, my enjoyment, and my lifestyle, and neither should you!

Here are my top 4 action items to remember when going to the grocery store:

1. READ THE LABEL!!!! Yes I am talking about EVERY product you buy. Even that new frozen broccoli and chicken brand. Most products are actually gluten free and just because a product doesn’t have an official certified gluten free label on it does not mean it’s automatically unsafe. Don’t restrict yourself more than you have to. There are tons of gluten free items that aren’t labeled that way simply because the company didn’t want to pay for the certification. Just save yourself the pain and read it because you truly never know. Here’s a label reading guide you can screenshot:

2. Try and prioritize the outskirts of the grocery stores. Almost all whole foods are naturally gluten free. This includes fruits, vegetables, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and rice. It might even encourage you to be a little healthier, which I love about the lifestyle as a health and nutrition coach.

3. Stock your basics. The grocery store should mainly be used for grabbing foods that are naturally gluten free like meat, cheese, yogurt, vegetables, fruits, and maybe some small snacks like rice cakes and rice crackers. Where you will find the yummy gluten free product alternatives will mostly be online (big fan of amazon prime). Here are some of my favorite brands:

4. Be creative in your meal choices. Most foods are naturally gluten free! Here are some quick and easy meals that can be picked up at most local grocery stores.

These are the basics when going gluten free but cooking all the time can get old.That’s why I used my knowledge as a nutrition coach with celiac disease to build a Gluten Free Denver restaurant guide and app.

Happy Eating

Kayla King