Restricted spontaneity when planning meals.

[computerdyslexic]

Hi Al,
I hate the texture of corn tacos. In my "other" life I loved flour tortillias. I don't really like hard taco shells, but I find them less disagreable than the corn soft tacos. I just realized I don't like anything that has a gritty mouth feel. Not a good position to be in if I have to eat GF.
_________________
Nancy in New York's Finger Lakes
Rescued Siberian huskies Zeke, Vixen, Duke and Moxie
Rescued DSH cats Timmy, Toby and Madeline-Rose
Please Google to learn about prosopagnosia, a neurological condition also called faceblindness.

[jeant]

[teacherpat]

[ostrich]

[mom2cassie]

I definitely agree that the loss of "easy" food is the blessing/curse of gluten free living. The advantage is that I'm eating a whole lot healthier. But it is definitely a PITA at times. For example -- this weekend. We went camping (in KOA cabins) with friends. We couldn't trust the grills at the campsite, nor did they have anything to cook in. But they did have outlets. So I brought my crockpots. I made breakfast in the small one (a mexican omelet casserole one morning, GF steel cut oats the other), and I used the large crockpot for dinner (chili). Needless to say, everyone commented that we had the best smelling cabin in the campsite! As you can see, it is doable, but it means planning is key.

Unfortunately, you do loose the ability to be "spontaneous". But with time, you do learn to come up with quick food solutions that work for you. It just goes back to being patient. Switching to a GF lifestyle is a learning experience. I think I'm FINALLY starting to get the hang of it after a year (as of Oct 2 -- YAY!)

[celiacmaine-iac]

[jeant]

I should try that recipe, especially since I already have the pan.

Personally, I love burgers without buns. At first it seemed sad to see a burger on the plate with no bun, but without one I was able to eat more food. Instead of filling up on a gluey NGF bun, I could have more fries, salad, or dessert. My NGF husband has even started eating all of his burgers at home without buns.

That reminds me of another thing: I always keep a big bag of frozen fries in the freezer. It's not terribly quick when I'm starving, but it is a good thing to be able to easily have safe fries.

[aklap]

[ErinElberson]

[aklap]

I think one of things that many of us learned in our GF journey is that we have learned make healthier choices and be mindful of what we put into our bodies. It goes beyond that of just gluten. We scrutinize those ingredient labels and tend to be much more selective. The process of weeding out all the additives, preservatives,etc, is another step closer to a healthier diet. Generally, if a product has more than 5 - 6 ingredients, I put it back. I eat vastly different know than what I used to. I by far, have a healthier diet now that I ever had. Guess that's why I used weigh 262 lbs before I was "sick". I'm now [and have been for 6 years I've been GF] at 210 - 217 depending on the day .

Awhile back I did a poll asking if you could go back on gluten, would you. In some ways I was surprised that 52% people would keep large portion of the GFness in their lives. I think it shows we learned much about ourselves and our diets.
_________________
Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

[cultureslayer]

I love hotdogs in summer roll wrappers with lettuce as an on the go meal to take with me. I also keep a bunch of simply asia and thai noodle kitchen bowls around. You can get a cup of steaming water pretty much anywhere.
_________________
Lauren
Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional.

[celiacmaine-iac]

I think for me anyway, the changes happened so gradually that I didn't even know it was happening. I only ate fast food once or twice a week pre-GF, usually on an errand day. Now I never do. On the few occasions recently when I have walked into a fast food restaurant to buy a drink or use the restroom, I have gotten sick to my stomach from the smell of the food. I never noticed the smell before. And even when I eat out at a higher-end restaurant lately the food all tastes too salty for me. I would rather eat at home now, and it's not just because of the gluten and CC issues. Those changes would not have come about if I hadn't had to go GF, so there definitely is an upside to all this.

I have learned that even if I'm out unprepared, I can be happy with a bottled water until I get home. I do that often, actually.

I have learned that hunger is not going to kill me.

I have learned that food does not have to be the focal point of every social occasion.

I have learned to be grateful for the kindness of strangers and friends alike when they go out of their way to make sure I can eat safely.

I have learned that every meal does not have to be a gourmet event. Sometimes it's just about filling the hole.

But, all that being said, I totally understand how Nancy is feeling. It's a process, and I'd venture to guess that if she pulls up this thread a year from now she will be amazed at how far she will have come from this starting point. I hear in her posts that she is committed to being GF. She understands the necessity of it, so it's just going to take some time to get her thinking in line with what she has to do.

We are all willing to try to help you find some alternatives to old favorites that will be just as appealing to you. If you could give us some specifics about your likes and dislikes that would be immensely helpful. "Picky" is too vague a term to be useful as far as understanding the issues you are having with foods. I'm not sure when you say picky if you mean you are a foodie and will only eat gourmet/organic, etc., or if you mean you don't like much of anything.
_________________
Steph

[teacherpat]

[aklap]

[computerdyslexic]

I mentioned in a post somewhere here that I am sort of a "difficult" person. Theories of personality types place me in a group into which only 10% of the general population fall. This is according to the Myers-Briggs concept of personality types. If any of you are familiar with Myers-Briggs, I am an ISTJ. I am not a "people person," I prefer to work alone, I like predictability, rules and regulations, schedules, and I have to understand everything about a subject. Since I was told I might have celiac disease in August I have spent hours on the computer every day because I always have to have answers to everything. I am impatient with much of the little small talk that "normal" people feel necessary. I love facts and don't care much for feelings and hunches. I probably sound like a bear to most of you, but I do behave as 10% of the general population does. Add to that the recently discovered fact that I test just barely positive on the Asperger's scale--Asperger's Syndrome is a very mild for of Autism. In short--I don't feel I belong in many social situations. I have always been different and frequently blamed by those who believe I am this way just to be obstinate. When I keep saying GF food tastes awful it is because to me, it does. I am not trying to make others on a GF diet unhappy but I can never understand the Pollyanna approach to a bad situation of saying all is well when it clearly isn't. I am not going to positive think my way into changing what I believe, think, and feel. This is because I see the world as either black and white. I need concrete evidence to make a decision. Earlier this evening I had decided to stop writing to this forum because me being me obviously annoyed the majority of people. I am responding now because of Steph's intervention of my behalf.
OK, what do I like and dislike. I hate animal meat fat and love dairy fat. I like most vegetables and enjoy them lightly steamed without fancy sauces. Butter and salt and pepper are fine. I love the succulent summer fruits like berries and melons and can enjoy them without embellishment. I love strawberry shortcake but usually have it only once or twice each summer because of the calories. I like honey crisp apples to eat out of hand and I love 20 ounce apples in pie. I am proud to bring an apple pie to a friend's house (I am close to two other "old nurses" who are also retired). While I like some fruits, they are definitely not desserts. When I had kids home with me I loved to feed their friends. I like to cook and I love to feed people with whom I am comfortable. I was divorced many years ago, have never dated since (not willing to be required to fit myself into someone else's idea of normal), have one brother in CT and my only relative in the state of NY is my 35 year old married son. I have a 39 year old divorced son in CA and doubt if he will come east or I will go west any time in the near future.
Part of the autism syndrome is fierce intolerances to various stimuli. I think this may be the reason I am so disturbed by the consistency of GF baked goods. If food doesn't feel as I think it should, I really don't want it. I really do want a hot dog or burger on a roll--that's the way it should be.
I don't have a problem making a meal of meat, starch, and a vegetable that is GF. GF pasta is acceptable to me so I can still have spaghetti, macaroni or noodles if that is the way I believe a dish should be made. GF bread is a huge problem because every morning of my life, since I was able to refuse my mother's offer of cold or cooked cereal, I have eaten either a PBJ or baked goods for breakfast. I have even tried smearing PB on Rice chex and it just doesn't work! Rice cakes are something I have always disliked. I like flour tortillas but not corn tortillas--again, it is a texture problem. I sometimes eat leftovers for lunch but also often eat a sandwich.
Cooking a large batch and freezing has never been something I do. I can always feel and sometimes taste a difference in the frozen and reheated foods. I hate reheated meat and never cook more that a serving at a time because I have never found a way to reheat meat that doesn't taste funny once it has been reheated. I also don't like or eat cold beef or lamb. I sometimes do eat cold chicken or turkey, but only the white meat. Since my kids moved out, my pets get the dark meat if I roast a turkey or chicken.
I am not opposed to trying foreign cuisine but am reluctant to try anything with meat that can't be clearly seen. If I get a piece of fatty meat in my mouth because I can't see the fat through the sauce I am nauseated. I don’t like spicy hot foods and the chili I make could be fed to a toddler.
I am a compulsive eater--I have obsessive thoughts of food almost constantly, and a compulsion to eat, also almost constantly. I am really struggling because I want to eat and there is nothing in the house but GF, and that doesn’t appeal to me. What I consider "good" is great NGF bread and baked goods. I have been fat (and miserable about that) all my life. A few years ago I slid over the line to become a very mild diabetic. I am a nurse and understand the need to eat sensibly and have dropped from 247 to 190 but I really am not good about following the diabetic diet. I don't require insulin but I realize I may as I get older, especially if I don't follow the diet and lose more weight. I knew I would eventually become diabetic because I have many diabetic relatives and I had gestational diabetes. I used to say that when the day came that I had to follow a diabetic diet I didn't know if I could make myself do it. The day has come and I am not terribly compliant. However, my blood sugar is always good--so far. Little did I know that the GF diet would be so much worse! I haven't deliberately eaten any gluten since I decided to try the diet until Jan 1st. I hope by then I will feel so much better that I will be motivated to continue the diet. Having a conclusive diagnosis of CD would help, but I don't see the MD again until November 2. I know I am positive for transglutaminase and genetic testing but negative for other tests. Part of the iron tests are low while others are not so I am supplementing with ferrous sulfate and will be retested on Thursday for anemia. My visual and biopsy exams of the small intestine are negative.
That’s me folks. I may change how I feel about GF food sometime in the future, but I doubt it. I am a very rigid person but I do occasionally change my mind. I have and always will be a pessimist—not because I necessarily want to be, but because I am very different from most people.
_________________
Nancy in New York's Finger Lakes
Rescued Siberian huskies Zeke, Vixen, Duke and Moxie
Rescued DSH cats Timmy, Toby and Madeline-Rose
Please Google to learn about prosopagnosia, a neurological condition also called faceblindness.