Gluten free meal prepping is necessary for some and for others a great option to work into a routine for a nutritional mix up. There are a lot of benefits to changing up diets on occasion and trying something new. A different diet breeds new creative meal routines and helps you discover new recipes and flavors. Less gluten in your meal prepping can be good for calorie management as well cutting out some of the less nutritional aspects of food like preservatives and overly processed grains.
Foods to include in your gluten free meal prepping:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Beans, seeds, legumes and nuts in their natural, unprocessed forms
- Eggs
- Lean, non processed meats, fish and poultry
- Most low-fat dairy products
Not all grains contain gluten, gluten free grains include:
- Amaranth
- Arrowroot
- Buckwheat
- Corn — cornmeal, grits and polenta labeled gluten-free
- Flax
- Gluten-free flours — rice, soy, corn, potato and bean flours
- Hominy (corn)
- Millet
- Quinoa
- Rice, including wild rice
- Sorghum
- Soy
- Tapioca (cassava root)
- Teff
Always read the nutritional labels, even on products with “Gluten Free” labels. Foods that contain wheat, barley, rye or triticale — or an ingredient derived from them — must be labeled with the name of the grain in the label’s content list.
Oats are naturally gluten free however they’re often grown in fields with other wheats or processed in the same facility as other wheats. This causes cross contamination and can be difficult to predict. If you have celiac disease, it may be better to play it safe.
There are also a lot of foods that don’t specifically contain wheat, barley, rye or triticale but do contain gluten. These foods commonly contain gluten as a thickening or binding agent, flavoring or coloring.
Foods to consider avoiding
- Beer, ale, porter, stout (usually contain barley)
- Breads
- Bulgur wheat
- Cakes and pies
- Candies
- Cereals
- Communion wafers
- Cookies and crackers
- Croutons
- French fries
- Gravies
- Imitation meat or seafood
- Malt, malt flavoring and other malt products (barley)
- Matzo
- Pastas
- Hot dogs and processed lunch meats
- Salad dressings
- Sauces, including soy sauce (wheat)
- Seasoned rice mixes
- Seasoned snack foods, such as potato and tortilla chips
- Self-basting poultry
- Soups, bouillon or soup mixes
- Vegetables in sauce
There are valuable nutrients that are missed on a gluten-free meal prepping diet. If you’re avoiding gluten for medical reasons, speak with your nutritionist or doctor for alternative options for replacing these nutrients.
Vitamins and nutrients missing from gluten free diets:
- Iron
- Calcium
- Fiber
- Thiamin
- Riboflavin
- Niacin
- Folate
Prep Yo Self gluten free meal prepping recipes are created to be delicious, nutritious, and easy to cook on a busy schedule. Our recipes are also designed to store and reheat well for a meal prepping lifestyle.
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