My extremely NON-GF Lemon Drop cupcake.
It’s Day 5 of my 7-Day Food Countdown, and only a couple more days left until I am summer-bound!!
While Gluten-Free, I was able to try out some classic GF alternatives with a fair amount of success and satisfaction. But as I soon found out, not all things are created equal. Here are three times that the GF alternative didn’t quite make the cut.
1. Gluten-Free Donuts/Pastries
This category of GF indulgence provided some breathing room on days when it was especially tempting to sneak a chocolate chip cookie at work. Unfortunately, there always seems to be some sort of weird texture or after-taste that I encountered with store-bought gluten-free baked goods. I was able to make some amazing gluten-free cookie bars at home, but that took time and ingredients. I was made fast aware of how imitating the structure and feel of a gluten-filled treat is no easy task.
2. Gluten-Free Subs Sandwhiches
I never used to be a huge sub sandwich type of girl, until I met Cheba Hut. Now I know what you’re thinking… that this place is a parent’s nightmare and a stoner’s dream-come-true. But no matter where you lie on that spectrum, they have THE BEST SUBS. Hands down. And I have missed them dearly over the last two months.
Fortunately for Madisonians, Erberts and Gerberts provides a mean GF sub! And it’s a nice alternative, it really is. But there is just something about those 8 inches of gluten-heaven… This issue brought to my attention the limited amount of convenient GF food items that I could quickly grab off the shelf (or in a store) in a pinch. I know many stores have become more aware of gluten-intolerance and GF diets in even the last year or so, but I dually took note that convenience is not a characteristic often associated with being Gluten-Free.
3. Gluten-Free Pantry Items
One last unfortunate encounter I had with gluten-free was the price tag. Gluten-free alternatives left a noticeable dent in my wallet simply from buying common pantry items. There are ways to avoid this (I merely ate more fresh produce and left the packaged items alone), but I still wasn’t too keen on spending upwards of 6, 7, or 8 dollars on a loaf of bread…
Overall, I am glad I tried out a gluten-free lifestyle for the amount of time that I did. It was another educational experience that allowed me to open my eyes to the way we view food, and I am thankful that I could catch a small glimpse of what those with celiacs and gluten-intolerance go through on a daily basis. I am lucky enough to not be one of those people, but I definitely give you all mad props for hanging in there and being awesome!
The Environmentalist Digest 