GFCF on a Budget

Raw chicken breast pieces and vegetables on a white plate.

GFCF on a Budget

One comment I always hear regarding the GFCF diet is about the expense. So many families are reluctant to switch the items in their house to GFCF brands. Many feel that their local store will not carry the products and that they will have to order the GFCF foods online or find a specialty store to purchase these items.

There is some truth to the fact that some GFCF foods do cost more and are difficult to find, but certainly it doesn’t have to be this way.

First, consider single ingredient foods. Some people call them whole foods. Basically, I am talking about JUST chicken, JUST ground meat, JUST green beans, JUST corn, JUST potatoes, etc. You get the idea. These are foods that are not part of mixes or packages or those with added ingredients.

If you consider what you are paying for food now, especially, if you eat out a lot or purchase ready made packaged foods or mixes, using single ingredient foods will be MUCH cheaper.

Let’s consider taking the family out for burgers. At a sit down restaurant you will pay $6-8 for a burger, maybe they will toss in some fries with that. How much is a pound of ground chicken, turkey or beef? About $4-5. How many burgers can you make from this pound of meat? Maybe 3-4, depending on how large you make the burgers. Add some buns. GFCF buns run about $2-4 per bun (depending on the brand). You are still FAR ahead on price from the restaurant.

Here are some other at-home GFCF meals you can prepare for a reasonable price:

Pasta (Trader Joe’s has very cheap, and good GFCF pasta)
Meatloaf or meatballs
Chicken
Beef
Lamb
Fish
Ribs
Pork
Casseroles
Tacos
Pizza
Stew
Chili
Beans
Enchiladas
Salads and much more

You get the idea. You do not have to re-invent the wheel. Add potatoes, rice or corn to these items with some vegetables and you have a meal that is very affordable.

For breakfast you can make egg dishes, smoothies, ham, Canadian bacon, or breakfast burritos. There are GFCF cereals and bars that are priced very comparable to non-GFCF brands. Prices will be more for bread and bread related items: bagels, muffins, doughnuts, biscuits, tortillas, etc. But, you can make them yourself or check around to compare prices at various stores. Again, consider the cost per a slice of bread. Even if you pay $5-6 for a loaf of bread, it is costing you about 40 cents per a slice. You are getting healthy food, without chemicals or additives that meets your dietary needs.

Packing school lunches will save you a lot of money, compared to shelling out $2-4 for your child to eat lunch at school. Again, a sandwich can cost less than one dollar. Add a piece of fruit, some carrot sticks, a beverage, chips and it is not too expensive and it will be much healthier.

Some snacks that are GFCF sadly are pricey. Again, you don’t have to serve them daily and there are some brands that are better priced than others. Contact companies. They usually are only too happy to send you coupons. This will help you keep the costs down.

Think outside the box. Provide other snacks that are naturally GFCF, such as nut and seeds, nut butters, fruit (fresh or dried), or vegetables.

Preparing cakes, cookies, muffins and other treats from scratch can save you a lot of money. Purchase a variety of GFCF flours. Use Bette Hagman’s recipe books to help you figure out which types to buy. Most flours are best kept in a freezer, as they last longer and will keep the bugs away from the product. When baking from scratch, you only need small amounts of each flour, so the flours will last you a long time and will help you to make huge quantities of GFCF desserts for months to come. They all freeze well. So, to save you time, make large batches, freeze them and defrost as needed. Think about adding in pureed vegetables or fruits and/or flax seeds for added health benefits.

As you can see, it does not have to cost you a fortune to take the leap and serve GFCF foods in your home.

For more menu ideas and recipes consult with my book in Chapters 6 and 10.

Barrie Silberberg is the author of The Autism & ADHD Diet: A Step-by- Step Guide To Hope and Healing by Living Gluten Free and Casein Free (GFCF) And Others Interventions. Her web site is: www.puttingyourkidsfirst.com

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GFCF on a Budget

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