How to Save on a Gluten-Free Diet When Prices Are Soaring

If you’ve shopped for gluten-free products recently, you’ve noticed the prices have been going up. Just as prices are going up on all food products, gluten-free foods are also experiencing an increase. That should come as no surprise since food, energy, and other consumer prices have all been on the rise. 

What’s Causing the Price Increase? 

Prices have been going up for the last two years due to the Covid pandemic, which saw people buying food in large quantities. This led to food shortages that were made worse by supply chain problems. One thing has led to another. 

In February this year, the news of war in Ukraine hit us all hard. The result has been horrific for the Ukrainians, there’s no question. However, the war has also affected markets across the world and is causing even more food shortages and supply chain problems. 

Then we throw inflation into the mix and the result is prices that increase from day to day. One day, you may pay $6.89 for a loaf of gluten-free bread. The next day, that same loaf may be several cents more. It’s a scary time. 

So, how are we gluten-free people to get through these hard times? It won’t be easy but there are some things you can do to keep the cost of gluten-free foods lower. 

Manage Gluten-Free Food Costs

This won’t be easy, especially with prices increasing from one day to the next (in some cases). However, there are some things you can do to manage the cost of having to eat gluten-free. 

Before You Shop

Hopefully, you have a budget in place. Having a budget helps to control spending and can even help save money. Figure out how much you spend on rent/mortgage, utilities, the car payment, health insurance, and more. Then calculate how much you have for groceries each week. 

When you know how much you can spend, it’s much easier to manage your money and avoid overspending. You might even consider shopping with a calculator in your hand.

I used to shop this way when my kids were small and it was a great help. I could add up the total and know whether or not it fit in with my grocery budget for the week. If not, then I always put something back on the shelf, until the price was right, so to speak! There’s no shame in using a calculator at the store to make sure not to overspend. 

It’s a good idea to do some research prices before you shop, too. This way, you’ll have an idea of how much the groceries on your list will cost. And during the research phase, you can also search for digital or printable coupons for money off your gluten free products. 

Granted, those are more challenging to find but you may be able to find some coupons for gluten free products. Even a few cents off the grocery bill is money in your pocket. 

1. Shop with a List

Be sure to shop with a list. Before you head out to shop, make sure to have a list of items to buy. Try to stick with only those items you need, especially if you’re on a tight budget (and who isn’t, these days?). 

It can be challenging if you have one gluten-free person in the family and everyone else can eat normal food. However, here, too, you can save. For instance, count on making a batch of chicken noodle soup (gluten-free recipe) without the noodles! Why? Everyone in the family can eat the gluten-free chicken noodle soup without sacrificing taste. 

The difference is in the noodles. Buy inexpensive regular noodles and the cheapest gluten-free pasta that's available. Make your soup, cook both kinds of noodles separately (watch out for cross-contamination) and serve gluten-free noodles to the family member who needs them, while everyone else has regular noodles. Then serve everyone some of the soup. You save money! 

You can do the same with many other dishes, too, including beef stew, spaghetti, and so much more. Just be sure to make everything in large batches using gluten-free ingredients. For instance, stew usually needs thickening, so you’ll need to do that with a little gluten-free flour. It doesn’t take that much. 

2. Shop the Perimeter of the Store

When you’re on a budget, one of the best ways to save is by shopping the perimeter of the store. The edge of the grocery store contains fresh foods. These are also foods that are naturally gluten-free. You’ll find fresh veggies, fruit, meat, dairy, and more. 

By starting in the perimeter of the grocery store first, your shopping cart fills up with fresh, wholesome food. Save the center aisles for last. This is usually where stores put their processed foods. Most of these are not naturally gluten-free. Only by the things you really need in the center aisles. These include panty staples (flour, sugar, spices, beans, and more). 

3. Avoid Buying Unnecessary Prepared Gluten-Free Products

Speaking of processed food, prepared gluten-free products can be just as unhealthy (and more expensive) as regular prepared foods. These foods are made with unhealthy ingredients, such as preservatives, unhealthy fats, and more. 

Rather than buying prepared gluten-free foods, consider learning how to cook and bake from scratch. This is a great way to save money and you control the ingredients in the food you make. While it’s true you’ll use more energy and time to cook at home, the extra effort to prepare healthier foods at home pays out in savings and feeling better. 

4. Buy Freezer Foods

Another way to save is by using your freezer! This goes along with cooking and baking at home. You can cook and bake larger batches of certain foods that freeze well. 

For instance, some people create larger amounts of spaghetti sauce at one time. They use the sauce needed for the day’s meal and store the rest in the freezer for later. It’s a great way to save time, too. You can make your own prepared meals, which are also healthier than the products at the store. 

When it comes to freezer foods, don’t overlook buying meat in bulk. Buying frozen veggies and fruit also saves money. They’re usually cheaper than fresh and healthier than canned fruits and vegetables. What’s more, frozen fruits and veggies don’t go bad like fresh ones. So, you save more by buying frozen and cutting down on the amount of food that gets thrown out. What could be better?

 5. Find Deals Online

Researching or shopping online can help you save time and money, too. There are some online stores where you can save on gluten-free products. For instance, Amazon sells a wide variety of gluten-free products, from pancake mixes to crackers, and more. 

There are other sites that also help you save on gluten-free foods. It just takes a little research to find these places and save. 

Summing It Up

There’s no getting around the cost of food and gluten-free products rising to heights never imagined. It’s a scary time. Even so, there are things you can do to help keep costs down, even when you or someone in your family, has to eat gluten-free. 

The extra effort is worth it to save money when you have to stay on a gluten-free diet for your health. 

I’ll share more tips in future articles, including batch cooking and more! 

Xanthan Gum in Gluten Free Cooking and Baking

Getting started with gluten free baking and cooking can be challenging, especially when it comes to new ingredients, such as xanthan gum. I had no idea what xanthan gum was the first time I saw it listed in the ingredients for a gluten free recipe or in packaged gf products at the store. I thought it was a gum from some kind of plant—similar to rubber tree gum!
What is Xanthan Gum?
Just what is xanthan gum? According to Wikipedia, xanthan gum powder is “a polysaccharide secreted by the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris, used as a food additive and rheology modifier, commonly used as a food thickening agent (in salad dressings, for example).” In other words, xanthan gum is a type of carbohydrate (sugar) that’s created by Xanthomonas campestris, a type of bacteria responsible for black rot in broccoli and other vegetables.

Xanthan gum is created by adding Xanthomonas campestris to a base of carbohydrates (made from corn, wheat, rye, etc.), after which the bacteria begin the fermentation process. After fermentation, the xanthan is made into a solid by the addition of isopropyl alcohol. The solid is then dried and ground into a powder. Doesn’t that sound yummy?

It may not sound yummy, but xanthan gum is a useful ingredient for many products, including gluten free foods.

Xanthan Gum Uses
Xanthan gum is used as an emulsifier and stabilizer to improve texture, as a thickener and a binder in products ranging from cosmetics and personal care products (makeup, toothpaste, shampoo, etc.) to frozen foods (including ice cream) and more.

Where Can You Buy Xanthan Gum?
Xanthan gum can be found at most health food stores; many regular grocery stores now carry it in their gluten free food section. It can be pricey; however you don’t have to use too much at a time—a box/bag will last for quite a while. Xanthan gum has a long shelf-life, so you won’t have to buy it too often.

Is It Safe?
Animal and human studies have continued to show that xanthan gum is safe for most people. Both the European Union and the U.S. have listed xanthan gum as a safe food additive;however, it can cause problems for people allergic to wheat, corn or soy, as these grains are often used as the base used to create xanthan gum.

In addition, xanthan gum can have a laxative effect and may cause unpleasant gut issues, including gassiness, diarrhea, etc. in some people. However, most people can safely ingest xanthan gum without unpleasant side effects.

In case you can’t tolerate it, there are substitutes for xanthan gum available. I’ll cover those in another post.

Xanthan Gum in Gluten Free Baking and Cooking
Xanthan gum improves the texture and elasticity in baked goods—you can also use it to thicken sauces and salad dressings.  It works to replace the gluten found in “regular” flours (wheat, rye, etc.); it acts as a binder, giving gluten free baked goods a similar texture to their gluten counterparts. It’ll also keep your baked goods from crumbling apart.

Xanthan gum is easy to use in recipes and you don’t need very much of it. Putting too much in a recipe can make cakes, breads, etc. come out with a gummy, sticky texture. One important note: if you use store-bought gluten free flour mixes, be sure to check the product’s ingredient list. Some gluten free flour mixes contain xanthan gum. If your flour mix includes xanthan, you won’t need to add more xanthan gum to your recipe.

Cleaning Up Spilled Xanthan Gum
Spilled xanthan gum can be hard to clean up. I’ll share a short tale with you about my own experience cleaning up a xanthan gum mess. One time I was baking some cookies and managed to spill xanthan gum all over the counter and the floor--I can be quite a klutz sometimes. I tried to use a damp cloth to clean up the spill, which was a huge mistake. The moisture in the cloth acted with the spilled xanthan gum to create a slippery, gooey gel, making the mess go from bad to worse. It took me quite a while to get rid of that yucky mess. These days I’m very careful when using xanthan gum!

I found some clean-up advice on Bob Redmill’s site. They recommend the following steps to clean up spilled xanthan gum: first, sweep/vacuum/scrape up as much of the powder as possible. Then pour a generous amount of dishwashing liquid (not dishwasher detergent) onto a damp dish cloth or sponge and use this to clean up the remaining residue. Xanthan gum will not turn into a gel if you use dishwashing liquid or even vinegar/lemon juice to clean up the spill. Once you have the initial mess cleaned up, thoroughly wipe the counter and you should come out with no messy, gooey residue.

Summing It Up
Xanthan gum is a helpful ingredient in gluten free baking and cooking. It’s safe for most people; however, some people are sensitive to it and may experience some unpleasant side effects after eating foods that include xanthan. While it can be expensive, you don’t use much of the powder in recipes, so one bag/box will last for quite a while (depending on how often you bake or cook). Xanthan gum can be easily bought at your local grocery and health food stores, and is also available online from sites such as Amazon.

One note--I do use xanthan gum when baking, as it doesn't cause me any digestive problems. I use Bob's Redmill xanthan gum and have been using it since I was diagnosed about 14 years ago.

Welcome to Thrifty and Gluten Free!

Welcome to my new Thrifty and Gluten Free blog, where I’m going to share ideas on frugal living on a gluten free diet. As this blog grows, you’ll find grocery coupons, tips for gluten free cooking and much more.

I’ve been gluten free for over 14 years, after being diagnosed with multiple allergies (including food allergies) and asthma. In those days, I was a single mother of two kids living on a very tight budget. These days, my kids are grown and on their own, and I’m now living as an expat in the Czech Republic. The lessons learned about being thrifty and living gluten free have been applied to my expat life, too.

When I was first diagnosed with gluten/wheat allergy, there were not as many gluten and wheat free products on the market, as there are now. My doctor told me to stay away from all wheat and gluten products. Well, once I started reading labels, it was soon obvious that staying away from gluten and wheat was going to take a lot of work. This new diet also proved to be very expensive.

It was about this time I ran into a cookbook called The Gluten Free Gourmet, by Bette Hagman.  This book was literally a godsend. Hagman developed recipes that were easy and tasted great. The texture and taste took a little time to get used to, but with her cookbook I was able to more easily make the transition to a gluten free life. The Gluten Free Gourmet became my gluten free “bible,” teaching me how to bake and cook the wheat free way.

Since that time I’ve learned how to adapt “real” recipes to their gluten free versions. I also save money by using simple and easy to find gluten free flours, such as rice flour, potato flour, potato starch, etc. This blog will share what I’ve learned over the years, and what I continue to learn about better wheat and gluten free cooking.

You can find some of my recipes on HubPages, too! 

(http://successfulliving.hubpages.com/#mycontent_food_and_cooking_hubs)

Thanks for stopping by and my hope is you’ll find helpful information and yummy recipes to help you on your own gluten and wheat free journey!

Sher

Czech Offthe Beaten Path

BellaOnlineAsthma Site

Sher’sKindle Bookshelf

Shervacik.com

Sher’s Stuff

Asthma’sNothing to Wheeze At!

20 Tips to Save Money on a Gluten Free Diet

Photo by mconnors

Going gluten free is a big job and it can be expensive—I know that first-hand. I was diagnosed with wheat/gluten allergies in midlife, when I was a single mother with two teenagers to feed and a strict budget. I was afraid of adding gluten free food into the mix and upsetting my struggling budget even further. With time, patience and practice I learned how to save money on our entire grocery budget.

Here are some of the ways I’ve learned to save money on my gluten free lifestyle. Keep in mind we’re all different with different circumstances—not all of these ideas may work for you. However, maybe these tips will spark an idea that will work for you!

1.      Buy staples on sale and in bulk:  staples include beans, rice, canned tomatoes, canned fruit, gluten free flour, gluten free pasta, etc. Keeping your pantry stocked with the staples you use most often saves money and enables you to stay on a gluten free diet. If you run out of staples, you may be tempted to use the non-gluten free version. That type of behavior will hurt your health!

2.      Look for regular products that are naturally gluten free, such as some yogurts, cereals, etc. You’ll avoid paying extra for the gluten free versions, and as a result saving a lot of money on your grocery budget. Be sure to always read the labels to make sure you’re buying a gluten free product.

3.      Cook from scratch and avoid convenience foods. You can grind your own gluten free flour, buy dry beans rather than canned, make your own snacks and more. Cooking from scratch saves money, and your meals will be more nutritious as a result. I used to think cooking from scratch took too much effort; however, with a little organization it doesn’t take much longer than using convenience foods. Cut up onions in advance—it’s easy to chop up onions for your week ahead and then store them in an airtight container in the fridge, ready to use when you need them. The same goes for lettuce and other ingredients.

4.      Eat more meatless or vegetarian meals. Cut down on the amount of meat in your diet and replace it with healthy vegetarian ingredients. Beans (legumes) are a great source of protein and they’re filling. Quinoa is a grain full of protein and lots of important nutrients. Noodle and pasta dishes can be filling and nutritious, while saving your grocery budget. You might consider dishes such as vegetarian lasagna, mac & cheese, bean enchiladas…peanut butter and jelly sandwich (served on gf bread)—all of these main dish courses can be made healthy and cheap.

5.      Make your own snacks and desserts.  You can make your own chips, crackers, cookies and cakes from scratch. Mixes are expensive, but cooking from scratch saves a lot of money. Plus, you can control the amount of fat, salt, etc. in your creations, while avoiding preservatives and other chemicals.

6.      Eat breakfast for supper.  This is a fun change for any type of diet and it can be filling and satisfying. Omelettes, quiche, pancakes and waffles are all good examples of versatile breakfast foods that make a great dinner. You could fill omelettes and quiches with lots of vegetables; include bacon and sausage as sides with pancakes and waffles, etc.

7.      Eat more pasta. This one word, alone, says it all. Pasta is versatile, satisfying and filling. Here, again, you can combine pasta with vegetables, smaller amounts of meat—combined with different sauces and served with a small green salad on the side, making a healthy and filling meal.

8.      Make a main dish soup. Soup is another dish that’s versatile, filling and satisfying. You can make it with most any vegetable and meat ingredients you have on hand. You can make it in the crock pot, in the oven or on the stove—making just the right amount needed for your meal. Soup can also be fixed ahead and stored in the fridge or the freezer, making it a great meal to have on hand for those days you don’t feel like cooking or you need a meal in a hurry.

9.      Use leftovers creatively. Rather than reheating last night’s meal for tonight’s supper, why not take your leftovers and make something new? Leftover roasted chicken is wonderful for soups or salads, leftover ground beef can be used to make spaghetti meat sauce, etc. Leftovers, creatively used, will have a new taste and you won’t get tired of eating the same thing again the next day.

10.   Watch for sales and specials on the products you typically use.

11.   Use cheaper cuts of meat. Using cheaper cuts of meat will leave the protein in your diet, while saving money. Slow-cooking is a good way to cook cheaper cuts, leaving them fall-apart tender and full of flavor.

12.   Create gluten free main dishes for your whole family. Cooking one meal, rather than two separate meals, saves both time and money. You can make a batch of gluten free spaghetti sauce, and then cook one pot of gluten free spaghetti for gluten free family members and fix regular spaghetti for the rest of the family, with all of you eating the same spaghetti sauce.

13.   Cook with foods that are naturally gluten free:  fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs, dairy products, nuts and seeds, meats, poultry and fish. Not only are these foods naturally gluten free, they are also packed with nutrition. Be sure to avoid fresh foods that come in any type of sauce, such as marinade, etc.

14.   Use the cheapest flours in the beginning. Until you get the hang of cooking and baking gluten free, buy inexpensive flours, rather than more expensive alternative flours. Rice flour’s one of the cheapest. When you feel more comfortable and confident, then move on to more expensive alternative flours. You can even try grinding your own rice flour.

15.   Never throw away mistakes. Bette Hagman says this in her cookbook, The Gluten Free Gourmet. The ingredients you’ve bought are too expensive to throw away. Instead, save failed breads, cookies, etc. You can use dried bread crumbs to make meatloaf, hamburgers, meatballs and even use it as breading on chicken or vegetables. Failed cookies can be used to make a pie crust or cheese cake. You can even use crumbled cookies in ice cream recipes. You can also save crumbled potato or corn chips to use in your gluten free cooking. I keep a bag of bread crumbs and one of cookies crumbs in my freezer, so they’re fresh and ready to use when needed for a recipe.

16.   Adapt your favorite recipes to gluten free, as you gain experience and confidence, it will become easier to adapt your favorite recipes to gluten free versions. Keep recipes organized in a notebook or binder. You can also keep a digital version of your recipes on your computer or tablet. Find the method that works best for you and stick with it. In no time you’ll have your own go-to gluten free recipe cookbook.

17.   To start out, you don’t need expensive kitchen gadgets to cook or bake gluten free foods. I cook and bake with no bread machine, no powerful mixer or food processor. I don’t even own a blender. This has more to do with my moving overseas. I had a grain mill, bread machine and a blender before moving, but these all had to be left behind. I was in a new marriage and we were in effect just starting out. So, expensive gadgets were not possible and I had to relearn how to cook and bake without these kitchen wonders. You can make wonderful creations with only simple tools. The tools I currently have are:

·        Two whisks

·        Wooden rolling pin

·        3 mixing bowls (2 glass and one 1 metal)

·        Knives, forks and spoons (a set of sharp knives, regular dinner silverware)

·        Measuring spoon ring, one set of measuring cups

·        Microwave/convection oven (counter top)

·        Crock pot

·        Hand mixer (yes, like the old fashioned kind!)

·        Misc. other kitchen items—wooden spoons, skewers, cookie cutters, baking pans, cookie sheets and jelly roll pan, muffin pan, stick blender.

·        Electric frying pan and an indoor electric grill (small—on counter top)

I’m the first to agree that a food processor would make a wonderful addition to my kitchen tools, to say nothing of making it easier to create some gluten free foods. But it’s not necessary. A hundred years ago, people  didn’t have these kitchen gadgets available, and yet they managed to create fantastical food creations of all types.

18.   Look for free gluten free cookbooks on Amazon and other sites. You can also find many gf recipes online at recipe sites and on blogs. Checkout this blog every Thursday when I share free gluten free cookbooks from Amazon! You can also find free recipes on blogs and other sites on the web.

19.   Cook and eat at home, rather than eating out. This saves an enormous amount of money—gluten free diet or not.

20.   Relax and have fun experimenting with your gluten free diet. With practice you’ll gain more confidence and your cooking will be so good that even your gluten free family and friends will enjoy eating it with you!

These are some of the things I’ve learned living a gluten free lifestyle. It’s important to set yourself up for success. You can do this by starting out with simple ingredients and tools. As you gain confidence and experience, you can begin experimenting with flour mixes, recipes of all kinds and even adding kitchen tools that make cooking easier. Do what works for you—so you'll stay on your gluten free diet and end up being healthier and happier, while also saving money! 

Enjoy!

Sherry
Czech Off the Beaten Path
BellaOnline Asthma Site
Sher’s Kindle Bookshelf
Shervacik.com
Sher’s Stuff
Asthma’s Nothing to Wheeze At!

Barilla Pasta Sale on Amazon

Barilla gluten free pasta's on sale today on Amazon! Barilla offers different types of gluten free pasta, including rotini, elbow, spaghetti and penne. Barilla's pastas are known for their wonderful taste (just like "real" wheat pasta)and texture. The noodles don't fall apart or clump together, as some gluten free pasta does. In addition, Barilla uses only non-GMO corn and rice.

I've used Barilla and have found it to be exactly as advertised--even my non-gf family loves the taste of Barilla. They didn't realize they were eating gluten free pasta!

Give it a try and see what you and your family think!