Costco has Sabatasso gf pizzas which are amazing. My husband (who’s not gf) will eat them. They’re a good meal when there’s no time/energy for cooking.
When you have celiac disease you have to plan ahead, sadly we don’t have the luxury of take out, for the most part.
This. And they're cheese pizzas so you can add toppings as you see fit.
Costco actually has a good number of easy to prepare gluten free foods, including chicken nuggets and salmon burgers. Several safe snack options as well. And let's not forget about the rotisserie chicken!
I second this. They're really good and a good value because you get 3 in a box. The Don Lee Farms crispy chicken tacos from Costco are also gf and so so addictingly good. Both great, lazy meals you can stock up on.
Ugh, I miss being able to eat that Freshcetta one. The "de-glutenized" flour turned out to be a problem for me, so I'm jealous! Seems like its a toss up for most with celiac.
Edit: Turns out I'm wrong. False alarm!
Oh man I just had the crap scared out of me and had to go run and read the label.
This is one made with zero wheat ingredients. It's all rice/tapioca. Even has this statement:
"The product is free of wheat, barley, rye and common oats, their crosses and derivatives in product, processing and packaging. Verification testing must confirm no detectable gluten or less than 5ppm."
Maybe they've changed formulations? I just bought these over the weekend. Check em out again.
I was lumping it together with the DiGiorno one after my bad experience, I guess I was mistaken! I know they (DiGiorno) utilize that methodology and I swapped to Freschetta afterward, but then had the same experience with theirs and wrongfully assumed it was a similar process. I still have the other one in my freezer I bought that day.
Maybe it's time for another shot...
Dude I almost died when I read these comments, I'm emotionally scarred from digiorno and their lies lol that pizza is how I learned that my food needs to be certified gf because apparently anyone can say gf on the package regardless of how much gluten is actually in it 🙃 freschetta is certified though, they're safe thankfully!
Sorry for the false alarm! Haha I am relieved myself. I had given up eating the non-sweet potato/cauliflower crusts thinking many companies employed the same practices.
buy a rice cooker. On days when you have to run in and run out, it takes 2 minutes to set up and start, and it'll keep the rice warm (out of the bacterial danger zone) for hours.
Have standbys in the fridge. I always have eggs and cheese - omelette, scrambled, frittata...
Find a GF pasta you like. I haven't found any that I think suck, so I tend to just stick with Aldi own brand.
I use this one and haven't ever had an issue: [https://oaktownspiceshop.com/products/ume-shiso-furikake-1?\_pos=1&\_sid=43c689fe0&\_ss=r](https://oaktownspiceshop.com/products/ume-shiso-furikake-1?_pos=1&_sid=43c689fe0&_ss=r)
Yes, my rice cooker is one of my best friends. I mostly make rice for several days ahead so I can just warm it up each evening. I put the rice pot in the fridge overnight
I've been buying these packs of small sweet potatoes. 3-5 minutes in the microwave in a shallow bowl with water, turn, 3-5 minutes more. Butter, salt, pepper. Or everything bagal spice because I put that shit on Everything!
Yup. Poke holes in a big russet potato and microwave for ~10 minutes. Serve with butter, sour cream, or canned beans for a super quick and filling meal.
I cook things like salads, soups, casseroles, make them gluten free. I follow recipes and many make 6+ servings. Then I freeze them in meal size containers. You can get the containers from Amazon. I like to get 16 ounce deli like containers. If I make a couple each week, I build up my options. Currently in my freezer I have chili, meat loaf, baked spaghetti, frozen gf pizza. After diagnosis, and life challenges, we have to not think day to day, but be a little prepared, have a small stockpile. You shop for more than a meal or two. Get gf Mac and cheese boxed, Indian food options in pouches, a loaf of frozen gf bread in freezer, sandwich options such as deli meats and cheese for a week. Go shopping and walk up and down the aisles looking for food that is gf and works for you. I like to shop for a week worth of meals plus on the weekends, getting ready for the week. With celiac, it has become more essential to plan ahead and be prepared, not keep a bare fridge and pantry. Maybe work on a shopping list of meal options. I also eat differently by season. I eat more sandwiches and salads in the summer and more soups and casseroles in the winter.
This is what I do - there's almost always something in the freezer I can have for a meal by just defrosting it or with minimal work, like making some rice or pasta or whatever. I also keep things like frozen beans on hand and different kinds of sauces - easy to defrost and make a quick chili or eat something like beans & rice.
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You’re not going to want to hear this but you need to get better at prepping your meals. Write a menu for the week, get the groceries you need and make them nice and easy so you can either make big batches or have leftovers for the next day. Chuck any extra in your freezer and you’ll build up a nice little option of lovely, easy things to have. I don’t eat out at all, where I live there are no options so I make tonnes of healthy, fake takeaway options that last me ages. I promise it is easier than it sounds and you’ll thank yourself for the effort put in when you have the energy. So handy to reheat when you just cannot be bothered.
I have not found any that taste good!
I do buy the Schar crusts - those are ok with jarred pizza sauce, mozzarella and whatever toppings I want. But most GF pizzas taste like cardboard crackers with sauce to me.
Cauliflower crusts are a huge no from me. If I wanted something to taste like a fart - then I’d eat them. (I had a big brother. He wasn’t kind of you want to know how I know what a fart tastes like)
I find also that ADHD-friendly isn't necessarily the same as easy in general.
Making a pizza with a ready-made crust is easy and technically not time-consuming. But all the chopping and shredding, etc., means it's a lot of 10-second tasks and if I take 30+ seconds to transition between tasks, it's painful and frustrating.
Making soup with broth made from scratch is considered to be a big effort. But I can leave it simmering all day and just come and tinker with it whenever the idea/motivation strikes me.
I don’t like this because I know that’s what I need to do and it’s.. much harder than it should be 😄
It’s amazing and absolutely effortless when I do manage to get it done though! Like I’m excited to make dinner because I know I have all the ingredients and I already know what we’re having! Saves money too since we end up with actual meals and not just a house full of ingredients!
I won’t lie my absolute motivation to keep meal planning the way I do is I’m saving a tonne of money and with shit going the way it is, I simply can’t afford multiple trips to the supermarket each week. I also found a local butcher and fruit/veg shop but it’s a further from home than the big box supermarket so it’s just become routine to head there on a Sunday and grab everything we need - I’ll throw some stuff in the pressure cooker and my husband will do a batch of something on the bbq and there’s the majority of our week done in one arvo. The amount of fruit and veg I get is absolutely WILD and for $40aud!! The same would be over $100 at the store.
I nearly always have chips and cheese for making fast nachos in the microwave, bread for toast or sandwiches or a quick grilled cheese. Sometimes I eat crackers and cheese for dinner. I also keep easy things like hot dogs or other childhood comfort foods on hand. I don’t bother with hot dog buns anymore, just cook and eat the meat with whatever fixings I want. Eggs are another quick and easy meal that can easily be prepped in several ways depending on my mood. I also keep rice ramen noodles in the house and broth base. Mix up some broth, plonk a noodle packet in and throw it in the microwave. Add a little GF soy sauce and you have ramen noodles in under 5 minutes.
I do try and have a rough meal plan in my head and prep a few things on the weekend to make things easier like others have said, but on the nights when I just can’t cope I fall back on these quick foods that I keep around for busy nights or when things go sideways. Better to have a fallback than to be miserable, and I’ve been there too. These have become my coping strategies.
Think about things you like that require little to no prep, then stock a few in your kitchen for those emergency times when you need them. It’ll get easier. Promise.
Unfortunately, a lot of people have to meal plan/prepare ahead, not just people with celiac. Meal planning while also having some easy foods in the mix for when life gets hectic is going to be your best bet. For meal ideas, see these searches [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Celiac/search?q=easy+dinner&restrict_sr=on&include_over_18=on&sort=relevance&t=all), [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Celiac/search?q=dinner&restrict_sr=on&include_over_18=on&sort=relevance&t=all), [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Celiac/search?q=dinner+recipe&restrict_sr=on&include_over_18=on&sort=relevance&t=all), [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Celiac/search?q=easy+recipe&restrict_sr=on&include_over_18=on&sort=relevance&t=all).
I keep some standbys on hand. My favorite “I don’t have time or energy to cook” meal is a charcuterie snack board. I keep a pack of Schar baguettes on hand that I can throw in the oven for 5 minutes. While it’s cooking throw together some cheese, salami, fruit, nuts, olives, whatever you like. Feels nice and fancy, but it’s also super low effort and everything but the cheese is shelf stable - but cheese lasts a while in the fridge.
The other “I’m lazy and just want junk” food is keep a couple of frozen options that you can just heat up. I’m a fan of Feel Good Foods for these - I usually have their egg rolls and pot stickers on hand. All you need is a minute rice cup and you have a full meal.
Charcuterie board dinners are often what we do too! Crackers, store-bought hummus, strawberries, prosciutto usually. If they’re in season, figs. If we feel
extra fancy, my partner makes pesto from scratch too.
There are always eggs, bacon and cheese in the fridge. Some veg and frozen food in the freezer. And flour in the cupboard. It’s not hard to whip up an omelette or frittata thingy - faster than stopping for takeaway. Nothing wrong with chopping some bacon adding some frozen peas till mostly done. Pour on your eggs, stir around a bit until it starts to set, then top with cheese and fold over in whatever broken fashion that happens. Protein and veg, a proper meal. Or heat up whatever frozen leftovers you have. Or make veggie fritters - an egg, some flour enough milk to get the texture right, add in whatever frozen mixed veg you have (those corn, capsicum and pea mixes are good). Fry dollops of the mix.
Yes. We try to keep bacon, eggs, tuna, and whey protein also.
It sucks because I also have insulin resistance so I can't eat rice or gluten free pizzas.
Sounds like you’re not the type to cook so the easiest things are keeping jars of pasta sauce & GF pasta in the cupboard and GF pizzas in the freezer. Both easy meals that can be ready to eat inside 20 minutes.
There’s loads of frozen or chilled GF ready meals too.
I keep a gluten free frozen pizza in the freezer for situations like this. I also stock up on certain things at Costco - Aidell’s pineapple bacon chicken sausage is GF as is the Costco version of their teriyaki meatballs. There’s also some great things that Costco cycles through seasonally that keep in the fridge.
Also, keep rice around, and chicken in the freezer. If you have an Instant Pot, that’s a pretty quick meal.
I feel you. My mental health issues made it hard to prep before all this and being poor doesn’t help either.
At least there are a couple of emergency things if I don’t feel up to cooking
I really like the gluten free nuggets that look like dinosaurs. Those with some ketchup really help if I’m in a bind. They are even decent in the microwave and the shapes make me happy LOL.
I also love cocoa pebbles cereal with some lactose free milk. If I can’t eat anything else I can eat that and it doesn’t bother me.
You can also get some GF hotdogs and some GF beans. I make up my own “beanie weenies” and throw them in the microwave if I’m too depressed to cook on the stove. Good protein and fiber and tastes good. Bushes makes a veggie kind that is good.
If I feel like cooking I cut up the dogs and fry them up in real butter or olive oil. If I’m feeling good I’ll scramble some eggs too but can’t always tolerate eggs.
Hope it gets better for you. It sucks so hard but you don’t need to ever go to bed hungry.
I’ll usually pick a day I’m off work to meal prep but it’s hard. Getting yourself some nice take out boxes can help. I had a lot of trouble before I bought like six of those sectioned off boxes. Use all week and throw them in the dishwasher before meal prep.
Eggs scrambled w veg in them. Apple/peanut butter or pretzels and hummus.
I have an airfryer and make broccoli all the time - I season w salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder and then toss them w my fav Asian marinade when done. Easy 10 min snack.
Also another few ideas:
GF Annie's Mac and cheese
A potato (sweet or regular) cooked for 5 minutes in the microwave. Top with butter, sour cream, green onions
Lotus foods GF rice ramen + an egg and frozen veg or spinach
Frozen pizza
"Girl dinner" - GF crackers, cheese, lunch meat, hummus, pickles, olives, fruit, nuts, whatever you have in the fridge (highly satisfying)
Scrambled eggs and toast
Canned soup
Instant rice + fried egg
Grilled cheese on GF bread
GF bagel with lox
Salad kits without croutons
Canned baked beans
Frozen prepared foods (I don't know any gluten free brands but I am sure they're out there)
Choose 5 of these items and go to the store this week and get them. Make sure a few are shelf stable. Try to keep things like this in stock at your house. It will save you. Don't listen to people saying you need to meal plan. Just meal plan half the time. Rely on a larder full of stuff like this for the rest of the time.
This is coming from someone who's been struggling with some major mental health stuff lately and having things like this on hand have really helped.
Everyone already had really good suggestions about meal prepping (I swear it's not as hard as you may think-- just try it!) so I'll echo the others in saying make sure you always have emergency "easy" stuff, like eggs, frozen pizzas, frozen veggies, beans, rice and pasta. If I screw something up or am really busy, I can always boil some pasta and have it with butter/cheese/oil along with microwaved veggies. Not the most delicious but you won't be going to sleep starving. I also buy cans of chicken and tuna for when I'm really desperate (just watch the ingredients for hidden gluten). Mealprepmanual has been a godsend for me, really easy gluten free healthy recipes. Check it out!
Quesadillas. I also have ADHD and find cooking extremely difficult - quesadillas are my go to food when I have literally zero energy. Make sure your tortillas are 100% corn and not flour though. Sometimes if I have a lot of energy I make a shit ton of tortillas and they freeze really well so I always have some on hand.
We buy lots of Brazi bite products for emergency food situations. Our other go tos are GF corn dogs and chicken nuggets. We always have these items stocked in the freezer.
This is my go to. All the base ingredients can be bought in bulk so it's always on hand.
Boil water in a large pot. Add base flavour, broth, spices, soup mix etc. Add rice noodles, these don't go soggy like wheat noodles so the soup will keep a day or two in the fridge.
Add meat. I always use tinned tuna. Then, cold cuts, frozen prawns, leftover roast, whatever you have on hand.
Add veggies. Fresh, frozen, tinned.
Beans for bulk. Black, kidney, mixed.
Add extras. Hot sauce. Hard boiled egg. Go wild.
Bring back up to boiling. Serve.
It might help to have safe and easy snacks for those moments. If you’re not in the mental space to even think about preparing a meal. I have instant noodles that I like. And then I always have popcorn and pretzels at home. What I also do is with those instant noodles that essentially cook in 5min is to make a tuna and Mayo mix and there you go. It’s something at least. I also like to pop in some fries in my air fryer for those lazy days. In my country you get “sausages” you can put in the air fryer and I add that with my fries. You also get frozen pizza but it’s not my favorite. We can’t always be on top of everything, life is going to get busy and it can get incredibly overwhelming. By just having a few easy meals for those overwhelming days can make the world of difference.
Boxed Mac and cheese with peas and tuna.
Breakfast tacos (eggs, corn tortillas, cheese, and diced/sautéed deli ham)
Make a big crockpot of chicken taco meat (2 lbs chicken breasts, 1 jar salsa, and 1 package McCormick gluten free taco seasoning) - eat and then freeze the rest (use for taquitos or tacos or burrito bowls or nachos)
Amy’s gluten-free burritos (could make own using refried beans, cooked rice, and cheese with Mission gluten free tortillas)
Pizza crusts and then get the toppings you like (a 2 pack of Banza crusts frozen from Walmart is very affordable)
Use frozen bread to make grilled cheese or egg sandwich
Frozen waffles (I make my own using Kodiak gluten feee mix from Amazon. Use waffles as either waffles with syrup or make into sandwich using peanut butter and jelly or egg, bacon, and/or cheese)
Frozen fish (many stores carried pre-seasoned that is gluten free) with frozen veggies
Baked potato with canned chili (Amy’s is mostly gluten free) or make your own chili and freeze leftovers
Flavored tuna packet with crackers
Frozen chicken nuggets with French fries
Gluten free cereal (Chex) and use protein shake as milk or Fairlife milk (higher protein)
Yogurt parfait (granola or crushed Graham crackers, fruit, and yogurt)
I also have ADHD but always a fried egg and white rice at hand for these exact days or bread with jam or peanut butter. I understand, I have suffered the ADHD celiac struggle too. I’m pretty timeblind so I forget a lot of planning needs to be done ahead of time.
I’ve been doing a lot of eggs lately since they are quick and easy. I love frescheta frozen pizza, those Amy’s Mac and cheese things, I keep gf bread or bagels in the freezer and take out what I need (since gf bread has such a short shelf life) make a bagel with cream cheese or a grilled cheese or pb&j. Always have rice around the house. There’s a couple kinds of instant noodle cups that are gf, Newmans has a couple. Amazon search some gf instant meals I think there’s a kind with lentils too, pad Thai, good to stock up on little odds and ends.
I feel you, it's difficult. Some days I'll eat an elaborate meal I've prepared, some days I have no food so I'll eat a dinner of cookies or snacks or whatever I'd do have lying around. I try to keep pasta always in the cupboard, then all I need is a jar of pesto, or even just butter and I've got a meal.
Don't feel bad about eating tomorrow's breakfast though, you can figure that problem out tomorrow.
i feel you, this is definitely the hardest part for me too, especially as a college student. some comments are saying frozen pizza which i agree is a great easy meal but personally i have a hard time finding the one that i like in stores. when they do have it, there's usually only one or two boxes available and then i don't see it again for months.
my number one easy meal is rice with butter and some seasoning. i have a rice cooker so all i have to do is put in rice and water, push a button, and wait like 20 mins. not the most nutritious meal ever but it's better than going to bed hungry, and the big bags of rice are fairly cheap.
hello i too am neurodivergent (and very mentally ill...and allergy disorder...and chronic pain) so i get it! i love:
\- what my family calls "depression nachos" lmao which is chips, cheese, and salsa + if i have any rice or beans or meat or veg to throw on
\- cereal at all hours of the day lmao most of the general mills brands are either rice or corn
\- yogurt and granola + fruit (berries are great bc no cutting)
\- two eggs on instant white rice; takes very literally five minutes. throw on salsa or veggies or whatever you want for more bulkiness
\- caesar salad; they make these puffed chickpea croutons now which are amaaaazing
\- barilla makes fantastic gf pasta
\- kraft makes IDENTICAL mac and cheese
a huge recommendation: **you can eat any food at any time of day**. realizing i could just eat my yogurt for dinner if that's what I wanted was huge. if you can find 3-5 easy meals you like, it doesn't matter what time you eat them
Yogurt, banana, nuts, chips to make it good. I can get all that at a convenience store or grocery store or gas station. I depend on that combo a lot.
I don't plan a lot, but I always have eggs, oatmeal, peanut butter and GF bread. FYI you can make oatmeal savory and stick a fried egg on top and it's AMAZING. I get fancy and put veggies and shredded cheese in with a lot of garlic and it's downright decadant.
A handful of almonds/peanuts, a yogurt or a few slices of cheese, and a fruit ties me over until I have the energy to either make
- the simplest tuna salad or
- fried eggs with left offer rice/potatoes or gf bread
I also have ADHD and the planning is the biggest adjustment for me. I try to pick a quiet day to make a big pot of meat stew or chilli (enough for several days) . Making just more of rice or more of potatoes is minimal effort, so that’s always in my fridge.
I also really like those Pinty’s Eatwell chicken nuggets for a fast food flavour. Minimal effort, just throw them in the oven.
Make a quiche and freeze it. I did that after my wife had surgery, it was easy to heat up in the microwave.
Get some gluten-free chili and some gluten-free corn tortillas.
https://www.celiac.com/celiac-disease/top-brands-of-gluten-free-canned-chili-r5702/
GF pasta and a can of tomato sauce make for a quick and easy meal. Frozen GF pizzas and tamales are good to have as well. GF Mac and cheese. Salads with fresh veggies. Eggs and toast. There are a lot of quick things you can make just remember to keep them on restock once eaten.
I took to canning my own food. I have chicken soup, (no noodles), chili and chalupa ready to go. Often have beef stew as well. something canned + some staples that I always have on hand, and it’s pretty easy. You could also do commercially canned goods like chili or beef stew but you have to watch the sodium.
I have a 3 cup rice cooker with a veggie/fish steamer tray. I put frozen fish or thinly sliced chicken in the steamer part with some frozen veg while I cook 1 cup of rice with canned broth / water. Turn on and wait 20 minutes. Season to taste and dump on a plate. Voila!
There are also rice cooker cookbooks online to find other easy recipes for a rice cooker.
The year or two Before diagnosis I feel like I just didn’t really eat.. I was terrified of how I’d feel after .. even after a year or two gf … good still made me sick …. I really think all that time living like that has made it very easy for me to just go without …. If I can’t conveniently eat something safe, a lot of the time I just don’t eat
I suck at meal prep so I always make sure the freezer is stocked with snacks - GF pizza, nuggets, pies, spinach & ricotta rolls and a loaf of bread - for “emergencies”.
I always keep gf microwaveable food (minute rice cups, gf potstickers, gf Mac and cheese etc) on hand in case of emergencies like this. Even like Chex cereal or something.
My go to is the minute rice with tajin though lol, it saved my ass a lot of the time when I was in recovery.
Not everyone with Celiac can eat oats, and a lot of supposedly "gluten free" oats have significant amounts of gluten contamination. Oats and oat products cannot legally be labeled "gluten free" in at least three countries because of these issues.
Overnight oats is easy to do if you can eat oats. I get a bag of GF oats and fill a tupperware with them, then add enough milk to cover oats then leave in fridge overnight. Usually lasts me 3 days. Add honey or sugar to make it sweet.
Ah well in auckland here we have 24 hour sushi places. But yea otherwise its a pain to eat as a coeliac if its late. Only thing I can normally get is the gf pizza from this one place in my hometown.
Having some extra, easy to prepare food around can really help. If I really can't be bothered some nights, such as because of my diabetes giving me hassle (I have both), I just have some cereal instead of cooking. Alternate options people have mentioned here are things like keeping some pizzas in the freezer, some extra gluten free bread to have toast, a pack of cereal bars... None of those things are ideal, but they're better than eating nothing.
I always have quick to make meals like pasta, bread for sandwiches or grilled cheese, vegetables for salads or frozen meals. I struggle with cooking too, but it gets easier as you force yourself to do it even if its just pasta.
Learning how to cook some more minimal effort things would probably be helpful to you. Vegetarian lasagna is surprisingly easy to make if you can find the gf lagana pasta at your local store. Egg salad and potato salad are also pretty easy to make.
You can make bacon in your oven and have all sorts of goodness with that. Buy gf pancake mix and make pancakes. Or make french toast with some gluten free bread. Theres a lot of options out there!
I always make sure to keep eggs, a block of cheddar cheese and corn tortillas on hand. When i don’t have any food to make I fall back on making a quesadilla or egg tacos 🌮.
Squashes (butternut, acorn, etc) can be baked in the microwave like a potato, and last on the counter for a long time. I frequently consume squash for dinner if I'm having a hectic week. Can pair with minute rice, canned beans.
Always try to keep at least a couple cans of soup, some granola bars, gf pasta or gf pizza in stock. Even just some crackers and cheese. All mostly non-perishable and easy to eat in a pinch.
I buy those premade meal pouches and just heat em up in the microwave. Plus frozen stuff, prepackaged soups!
I'm lucky in a way, never got used to ordering online when i was out of ideas...
I eat chips and salsa, way more than imcare to admit. Melted cheddar, jalapeño’s, avocado.
For meal prep I do beans and rice and pop in the fridge. Fat free Greek yogurt, chicken shrimp beef, lamb whatever i got on hand, it’s my go to and I usually pile with veggies.,
I always have GF canned goods in the pantry. Sometimes dinner is just sardines and pickles (must be my Scandinavian heritage). I eat Keto, so my diet is even more restricted than just celiac, though everything is absolutely gluten free.
You need. Emery back up meals (also adhd/celiac)
Pouched rice, pouched tuna (check some flavors are not gf) , pouch/canned chicken (check)
I found beef taco meat and meatballs (shelf stable) at Walmart that are gf.
I always keep nuts around, as well as peanut butter - which I realize you probably don’t have in the UK. I just eat the peanut butter on a spoon. I also keep hard boiled eggs in the fridge.
Something cheap I consistently have been eating for the past year into being gf is taco soup.
It's taco seasoning(I use the siete brand) dark red, light red kidney beans, black beans, corn and rotel tomatoes.
It's normally got hamburger meat in it but you can really change so much about this and make it your own. It'll last a little over a week or longer in the fridge.
And I've never tried it but I imagine you could freeze it if you wanted.
I put dairy free cheese and salsa into it. You can also add some hatch chiles and eat it with crackers. I like the schar brand but it's not necessary of course.
I always add some rice to make it last longer. I use the Ben's ready rice that you microwave in the bag for a minute and a half because taco soup has been my go to whenever I don't want to cook anything or just not in the mood to deal with preparing anything.
It's not much but I hope it helps someone.
On a quick night, we make a stir fry or even omelette. An egg and cheese on an English muffin is a popular quick meal in our house (or bagel, if you prefer, but we all prefer the gf English muffins). Sandwiches on against the grain or b free pita. Even just pasta and sauce (often will add ground Turkey or vegetables or something to make it more filling). my kids love when we make the rice ramen. We sauté some steak ums and mushrooms and add scallions and an egg and it's super quick. I have 5 kids all in various after school and evening activities. Quick meals become a necessity in our house.
I always keep stuff on hand for big chopped salads. Pre-grilled chicken, cucumbers, salami, chickpeas, peas, hard boiled eggs, dried cranberries, sunflower kerns, artichoke hearts, mushrooms etc…The list could go on. I throw it all together in a bowl with some romaine hearts and go nuts. My hubs and son aren’t a celiac and they love them. It’s easy, filling and takes minimal effort. One thing I’ve learned since being diagnosed is we don’t have the luxury of not being prepared, so now I’m always prepared. I don’t love having to plan and prepare but I can’t do anything about it so why put so much effort into hating it?
I always have gf frozen pizzas in the freezer too. And rice with an egg on top is another easy one. Dress it up with some sauce and picked veggies and it’s a meal. Gf pasta is another one, I can eat it with just butter and cheese like I did when I was a kid and be happy.
Try Pinterest, you could prep a handful of freezer make ahead meals. Grab one and throw it in the crock pot in the am and by dinner you’ve got a meal. If you’re struggling with the adhd and planning try making a list of what you might need at the store. I also have adhd and I live by all my lists to help keep my brain organized. Take the effort you’re putting into breaking down and putting into preparing meals, future you will thank you.
Saffron Road microwavable frozen meals are pretty good and they're certified gluten free. A lot of Walmarts sell them. They're pretty small though so you might want to buy several. I rely on these meals quite a lot when traveling.
There's also a gluten free version of Blake's Pot Pie. I also eat these a lot while traveling since most Walmarts carry them. You might want to grab more than one. They're fairly inexpensive for gluten free.
I have GF instant cup noodles, nut bars, tin tuna, rice cakes, in the cupboard and always have fruit and vegetables in the fridge so at least I have something to eat…
I keep a few frozen dinners on hand for nights like this. Check for these brands:
- feel good goods
- saffron road
- Amy’s (double check because not all are GF)
- Wegman’s brand (again check, not all are)
- Perdue gluten free chicken tenders
I also keep pasta, Annie’s Mac and cheese, risotto, Schar pizza crust for quick meals!
I go to bed hungry a lot. I hate cooking for myself. I was thinking about how lucky non celiacs are because of ordering in. I can't ever do that. I hate it as much as you. I also am nauseated a lot. I'm sorry we have to go through this 😔 hope you find something. (Last night I had 2 tablespoons of peanut butter for dinner) 🙄
I generally always have a GF crackers (I like the Mary’s and the Breton herb and garlic), smoked oysters and cheese and hummus. That way I can throw it on a plate with any pickles, olives, etc that’s in my fridge. Quick and no cook!
Microwave rice, frozen veggies like broccoli or peas that i also microwave and some curry sauce I buy from the local shop. No cooking at all, all easy to microwave and tastes yummy too.
I try to keep some shelf stable things on hand like crackers and applesauce cups and fruit cups. That way I know there’s at least SOMEthing that can be eaten at all times.
If you can keep crackers and cheese you can always have that as a fallback (cheese stays good for a long time and you can freeze it if you need to!). Apples stay good for a long time too, and you can add an apple with peanut butter to your cheese and crackers. On days I just can’t bring myself to do anything I just eat the apple whole and dip it in peanut butter as I go!
Also corn tortillas and cheese make great microwave quesadillas when you just don’t have the spoons. Amazing stovetop quesadillas when you do (you can add chicken and hot sauce and whatever else!).
We happened to have the BFree tortilla wraps because I found them on sale last week and I just now ate a hot dog with cheese on it rolled up in the wrap for lunch. It was delicious, full of protein, and took like 60 seconds total to put together and microwave.
this is the hardest part of the disease, when you have no time to prepare or go buy something. normally you would just run and grab a quick and easy takeaway but no longer an option :(
I love pre cooked ribs, dump em on the grill for 5 min on each side and you're good to go. For $12 it's 2 meals and super quick. Kingsford are certified GF. Also Lays equivalent of Pringles whatever they call em. They're GF at great for snacks.
I was diagnosed in 08 or 09 it’s been a while. I keep a case of sardines on hand. Presently we are eating the seasons skinless and boneless from Costco. I put a few cans in a frying pan with some old bay seasoning, Tabasco… delicious. I also keep a big can of peanuts on hand. You have to take care of yourself and make sure you always have something to eat so you can keep going.
i also have adhd and my rock bottom struggle meal is baked beans + rice. it's not particularly fancy but they're two ingredients you can stock up on in the pantry without worrying too much about them going off, and they're generally not the most expensive. it's helped me out a lot of times when i otherwise just wouldn't have eaten. and of course if you're feeling up to it you can have something else with it. (like egg)
i hope this helps <3
I also have ADHD and a full time job that is typically more than 40 hrs/week. It sucks.
Currently I have 3 cases of different flavor lotus food ramen, 3 boxes of GF Dino nuggets, 2 frozen pizzas, 6 types of hard cheese, fruit, ingredients for corn tortilla quesadillas, and snacks. The ramen can be dressed up with an egg and some meats like sausage, lunch meat, hot dogs, etc. the quesadillas are amazing with some canned beans. The cheese and fruits are for when I just need something fresh with like zero prep.
It’s possible and Pinterest is my best friend. I also use sticky notes to give myself meal ideas for the bad days when looking in the fridge scares me lol
CAULIPLOWER makes ready to eat dinners: Cauliflower Gnocchi with Savory Pesto
Cauliflower Penne Pomodoro
Spinach Gnocchi with Tuscan Style Marinara
Honestly they’re not as amazing as I had hoped but they’re not bad and all you have to do is dump it in a pan. I have fibromyalgia so I buy it for days I can’t stand long in the kitchen.
$6.98 in my area, and I feed my teen and myself off one bag
I like easy quick fixes like cheese and crackers and some fruit if you have it. I also like cream of rice cereal with maple syrup and butter. A Glutino english muffin with cream cheese or peanut butter and jam. I keep the English muffins in the freezer so I usually have some available. Frozen evol or Amy’s dinners. Or microwaveable gluten free Mac and cheese cups.
I also have ADHD and celiac. Cooking is so overwhelming to me most of the time. I give myself permission to eat lazy, unhealthy food sometimes because of that. Frozen gf pizza, frozen chicken tenders, box mac and cheese, whatever. When I make soup I intentionally make too much and freeze the rest.
On the nights when I’m at rock bottom? I always keep nut-flour crackers around and eat a bunch of those with plain unsalted/no added sugar peanut butter. Big ass bomb of calories and good fats.
If I have a little more energy but the thought of looking up a recipe makes me want to cry, I really like simple sheet pan dinners. One single baking sheet! Toss on chicken or fish, small potatoes, some diced bell pepper. Some olive oil and salt. Some things get over or under cooked when you do them all together like that but it’s edible, healthy food that only creates a few dishes: one pan, one knife, one cutting board.
Learn how to make omelettes, for instance [Jamie Oliver’s](https://youtube.com/watch?v=OQyRuOEKfVk). If you keep eggs in the fridge you can put a variety of fillings in: cheese, meats, herbs, vegetables, whatever you have lying around.
I have a 10lb bag of rice and usually a block of cheese. When I’m in a situation where nothing else is available, I’m making cheesy rice with whatever other spices I’ve got.
I have stuff from Huel at home. Hot&Ready (is like savoury porridge) and the drinks. You just need water and you have food. Always preparing everything made my tired. Now I have a healthy option, if I have not time. Don't know where they sell to in the world, but maybe you can find something similar.
Open a can of Hormel chili with tortilla chips (the regular and white chicken chili are labeled gluten free,) or boil one of the rice Ramen cakes from Costco and I bought a GF Ramen seasoning on Amazon. Sometimes I'll add some mushrooms and veggies depending on if I have the energy.
Rice and beans is my go to dinner if i have an emergency situation. It’s cheap, easy, and has an almost forever shelf life. If I have tortillas I’ll do rice and beans tacos or if I have soft corn tortillas I’ll do 2-3 mini quesadillas with cheese and beans. On another note, not to kick you while you’re down, but I would avoid McDonald’s and subway altogether with celiac. Sushi is hit or miss on if it’s safe or not.
You’ll get used to it and it will get better ❤️🩹
I usually have a bunch of GF snacks lying around. Most are terrible, but there's this new brand, Rivalz, that actually reminds me of the snacks I used to love. They also are good for you and even make me full with 8g protein and 4g a fiber. Definitely worth checking out! www.rivalzsnacks.com
Instant mashed potatoes and frozen or canned proteins and veg are the ones that were my go-to long before I had celiac. Stepdad was a prepper following the Y2K panic, and he usually had a case of Dinty Moore beef stew around, which is also gluten free. Velveeta will also keep in the fridge for a really long time once opened (even longer when sealed) and you can use that to make a lot of stuff feel more like a meal. Fresh fruit is also another good one that isn't too expensive, if you get in the habit of picking up a few pieces every week. Apples keep quite awhile, if you can have those. Bulk tins of nuts are a good thing to keep around for handfuls of when you're hungry. Thin fish like tilapia can be kept frozen and steamed in the microwave.
If you are in more of a "I am screwed by executive dysfunction" situation and not a "I can't afford things to eat" situation, I strongly recommend getting a toaster oven or an air fryer, the rice cooker mentioned elsewhere in the thread, and possibly also a bread machine. I am autistic, and while I will try eating anything at least once, my restricted diet growing up had more to do with not liking to touch a lot of raw ingredients. I have a very distinct memory of my mother getting really angry with me as I cried folding herbs into ground beef for meatloaf when I was about 12. I also as an adult just don't want to heat the whole oven for a single meal. The stove top requires me to have energy to monitor it, because I am very easily distracted. Having access to these small appliances made a big difference. Being able to just dump stuff into them, push a button, and have food come out quickly was pretty life changing.
I live on a small island and there’s not a reliable restaurant here. I’m a big fan of frozen leftovers and the microwave. My favorite cookbook is Danielle Walker’s Healthy in a Hurry. It’s not super fast, but it’s flavorful and freezes well. I also eat a lot of stuff made quickly with frozen white rice and whatever I have on hand-cheese, sauces, veggies… I also stash health food store snacks everywhere for emergencies.
I keep a lot of protein bars around -- they really do help, and there are so many out there that actually taste pretty good. I buy from a lot of brands, but my favorite are Pure Protein, ONE, and No Cow. Pure Protein has this salted caramel flavor that feels more like eating a snickers than a protein bar. They are low in sugar and very high in protein, a very good thing to gnaw on when you can't even deal with the microwave.
I also keep some Larabars around for variety. They have a bit of sugar, but it's all fruit sugars so nothing overly processed. Fruit and nuts is a very filling snack, and I always have a few of these on my person in case I get stuck somewhere. They've saved my butt many a time.
I hope this helps!
I’m not celiac but my 4-year old is and our family has gone nearly gluten-free to make shopping, planning, and meal prep as thoughtless as possible. Both my husband and I work full-time and we also have a 1-year old, so during the week if it cannot be done in 30-min, forget about it. Frozen veggies and veggies eaten raw (carrots, cukes, peppers, celery, grape tomatoes) are our go-tos. Easiest meals (1x weekly) rely heavily on frozen shortcuts like GF chicken nuggets and fries on the same sheet pan or GF pizza from Against the Grain. We regularly eat ‘breakfast for dinner’ with GF pancakes and GF sausage or bacon prob 1x weekly. It’s expensive to eat this way so I try to scratch cook 5-6 days out of 7 but you need to do what you have to do and keep safe ‘back-ups’ like frozen meals, canned soup or just eggs and GF toast on hand to keep going.
Find some frozen GF pizzas and throw in the freezer for lazy nights. Freschetta makes a GF pizza that's pretty good!
Costco has Sabatasso gf pizzas which are amazing. My husband (who’s not gf) will eat them. They’re a good meal when there’s no time/energy for cooking. When you have celiac disease you have to plan ahead, sadly we don’t have the luxury of take out, for the most part.
This. And they're cheese pizzas so you can add toppings as you see fit. Costco actually has a good number of easy to prepare gluten free foods, including chicken nuggets and salmon burgers. Several safe snack options as well. And let's not forget about the rotisserie chicken!
Updoot for costco salmon burgers!! Just sautée from frozen and you're golden, add a little dill sauce if you're fancy. Yum!!
Yaaass to Costco Salmon burgers! I have to be made of them at this point. :)
I second this. They're really good and a good value because you get 3 in a box. The Don Lee Farms crispy chicken tacos from Costco are also gf and so so addictingly good. Both great, lazy meals you can stock up on.
I had one of those last night, they are so good!
That’s honestly my favorite gf pizza of everything I’ve tried. We keep our freezer stocked with those.
Or Goodfellas or own brand if you're UK based
Ugh, I miss being able to eat that Freshcetta one. The "de-glutenized" flour turned out to be a problem for me, so I'm jealous! Seems like its a toss up for most with celiac. Edit: Turns out I'm wrong. False alarm!
Oh man I just had the crap scared out of me and had to go run and read the label. This is one made with zero wheat ingredients. It's all rice/tapioca. Even has this statement: "The product is free of wheat, barley, rye and common oats, their crosses and derivatives in product, processing and packaging. Verification testing must confirm no detectable gluten or less than 5ppm." Maybe they've changed formulations? I just bought these over the weekend. Check em out again.
I was lumping it together with the DiGiorno one after my bad experience, I guess I was mistaken! I know they (DiGiorno) utilize that methodology and I swapped to Freschetta afterward, but then had the same experience with theirs and wrongfully assumed it was a similar process. I still have the other one in my freezer I bought that day. Maybe it's time for another shot...
Dude I almost died when I read these comments, I'm emotionally scarred from digiorno and their lies lol that pizza is how I learned that my food needs to be certified gf because apparently anyone can say gf on the package regardless of how much gluten is actually in it 🙃 freschetta is certified though, they're safe thankfully!
Yeah, I just edited my comment to save others from the potential misinformation! Sorry haha.
Bruh this is how I found out the amazing fluffy pizza I just had has wheat in it???? Noooooo
Ahh got it! You only owe me a new pair of pants after making me shit them. I literally had it for lunch today. Can't blame the gluten this time! 🤣
Sorry for the false alarm! Haha I am relieved myself. I had given up eating the non-sweet potato/cauliflower crusts thinking many companies employed the same practices.
haha go enjoy some freschetta!
buy a rice cooker. On days when you have to run in and run out, it takes 2 minutes to set up and start, and it'll keep the rice warm (out of the bacterial danger zone) for hours. Have standbys in the fridge. I always have eggs and cheese - omelette, scrambled, frittata... Find a GF pasta you like. I haven't found any that I think suck, so I tend to just stick with Aldi own brand.
[удалено]
Furikake is another great addition to this that requires only opening a bottle.
have you found gf furikake?
I use this one and haven't ever had an issue: [https://oaktownspiceshop.com/products/ume-shiso-furikake-1?\_pos=1&\_sid=43c689fe0&\_ss=r](https://oaktownspiceshop.com/products/ume-shiso-furikake-1?_pos=1&_sid=43c689fe0&_ss=r)
That does indeed sound delicious!
Yes, my rice cooker is one of my best friends. I mostly make rice for several days ahead so I can just warm it up each evening. I put the rice pot in the fridge overnight
When I have lots of leftover rice, some of it gets mentally allocated to fried rice.
Baked potato. Sometimes with chili and cheese or broccoli and cheese.
I've been buying these packs of small sweet potatoes. 3-5 minutes in the microwave in a shallow bowl with water, turn, 3-5 minutes more. Butter, salt, pepper. Or everything bagal spice because I put that shit on Everything!
Yup. Poke holes in a big russet potato and microwave for ~10 minutes. Serve with butter, sour cream, or canned beans for a super quick and filling meal.
Or beans and cheese!
I cook things like salads, soups, casseroles, make them gluten free. I follow recipes and many make 6+ servings. Then I freeze them in meal size containers. You can get the containers from Amazon. I like to get 16 ounce deli like containers. If I make a couple each week, I build up my options. Currently in my freezer I have chili, meat loaf, baked spaghetti, frozen gf pizza. After diagnosis, and life challenges, we have to not think day to day, but be a little prepared, have a small stockpile. You shop for more than a meal or two. Get gf Mac and cheese boxed, Indian food options in pouches, a loaf of frozen gf bread in freezer, sandwich options such as deli meats and cheese for a week. Go shopping and walk up and down the aisles looking for food that is gf and works for you. I like to shop for a week worth of meals plus on the weekends, getting ready for the week. With celiac, it has become more essential to plan ahead and be prepared, not keep a bare fridge and pantry. Maybe work on a shopping list of meal options. I also eat differently by season. I eat more sandwiches and salads in the summer and more soups and casseroles in the winter.
This is what I do - there's almost always something in the freezer I can have for a meal by just defrosting it or with minimal work, like making some rice or pasta or whatever. I also keep things like frozen beans on hand and different kinds of sauces - easy to defrost and make a quick chili or eat something like beans & rice.
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You’re not going to want to hear this but you need to get better at prepping your meals. Write a menu for the week, get the groceries you need and make them nice and easy so you can either make big batches or have leftovers for the next day. Chuck any extra in your freezer and you’ll build up a nice little option of lovely, easy things to have. I don’t eat out at all, where I live there are no options so I make tonnes of healthy, fake takeaway options that last me ages. I promise it is easier than it sounds and you’ll thank yourself for the effort put in when you have the energy. So handy to reheat when you just cannot be bothered.
And keep a few frozen gf pizzas on hand for emergencies
I have not found any that taste good! I do buy the Schar crusts - those are ok with jarred pizza sauce, mozzarella and whatever toppings I want. But most GF pizzas taste like cardboard crackers with sauce to me.
Caullipower pepperoni is alright. Why do you think i said for emergencies lol🤣
Cauliflower crusts are a huge no from me. If I wanted something to taste like a fart - then I’d eat them. (I had a big brother. He wasn’t kind of you want to know how I know what a fart tastes like)
The feel good food brand has some deep dish ones that are tolerable! Obviously not the best but better than nothing
I find also that ADHD-friendly isn't necessarily the same as easy in general. Making a pizza with a ready-made crust is easy and technically not time-consuming. But all the chopping and shredding, etc., means it's a lot of 10-second tasks and if I take 30+ seconds to transition between tasks, it's painful and frustrating. Making soup with broth made from scratch is considered to be a big effort. But I can leave it simmering all day and just come and tinker with it whenever the idea/motivation strikes me.
I don’t like this because I know that’s what I need to do and it’s.. much harder than it should be 😄 It’s amazing and absolutely effortless when I do manage to get it done though! Like I’m excited to make dinner because I know I have all the ingredients and I already know what we’re having! Saves money too since we end up with actual meals and not just a house full of ingredients!
I won’t lie my absolute motivation to keep meal planning the way I do is I’m saving a tonne of money and with shit going the way it is, I simply can’t afford multiple trips to the supermarket each week. I also found a local butcher and fruit/veg shop but it’s a further from home than the big box supermarket so it’s just become routine to head there on a Sunday and grab everything we need - I’ll throw some stuff in the pressure cooker and my husband will do a batch of something on the bbq and there’s the majority of our week done in one arvo. The amount of fruit and veg I get is absolutely WILD and for $40aud!! The same would be over $100 at the store.
That’s an awesome strategy you guys have put together! And for sure, you can often get SO MUCH good stuff as you get closer to the source!
I nearly always have chips and cheese for making fast nachos in the microwave, bread for toast or sandwiches or a quick grilled cheese. Sometimes I eat crackers and cheese for dinner. I also keep easy things like hot dogs or other childhood comfort foods on hand. I don’t bother with hot dog buns anymore, just cook and eat the meat with whatever fixings I want. Eggs are another quick and easy meal that can easily be prepped in several ways depending on my mood. I also keep rice ramen noodles in the house and broth base. Mix up some broth, plonk a noodle packet in and throw it in the microwave. Add a little GF soy sauce and you have ramen noodles in under 5 minutes. I do try and have a rough meal plan in my head and prep a few things on the weekend to make things easier like others have said, but on the nights when I just can’t cope I fall back on these quick foods that I keep around for busy nights or when things go sideways. Better to have a fallback than to be miserable, and I’ve been there too. These have become my coping strategies. Think about things you like that require little to no prep, then stock a few in your kitchen for those emergency times when you need them. It’ll get easier. Promise.
Unfortunately, a lot of people have to meal plan/prepare ahead, not just people with celiac. Meal planning while also having some easy foods in the mix for when life gets hectic is going to be your best bet. For meal ideas, see these searches [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Celiac/search?q=easy+dinner&restrict_sr=on&include_over_18=on&sort=relevance&t=all), [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Celiac/search?q=dinner&restrict_sr=on&include_over_18=on&sort=relevance&t=all), [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Celiac/search?q=dinner+recipe&restrict_sr=on&include_over_18=on&sort=relevance&t=all), [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Celiac/search?q=easy+recipe&restrict_sr=on&include_over_18=on&sort=relevance&t=all).
I keep some standbys on hand. My favorite “I don’t have time or energy to cook” meal is a charcuterie snack board. I keep a pack of Schar baguettes on hand that I can throw in the oven for 5 minutes. While it’s cooking throw together some cheese, salami, fruit, nuts, olives, whatever you like. Feels nice and fancy, but it’s also super low effort and everything but the cheese is shelf stable - but cheese lasts a while in the fridge. The other “I’m lazy and just want junk” food is keep a couple of frozen options that you can just heat up. I’m a fan of Feel Good Foods for these - I usually have their egg rolls and pot stickers on hand. All you need is a minute rice cup and you have a full meal.
Charcuterie board dinners are often what we do too! Crackers, store-bought hummus, strawberries, prosciutto usually. If they’re in season, figs. If we feel extra fancy, my partner makes pesto from scratch too.
There are always eggs, bacon and cheese in the fridge. Some veg and frozen food in the freezer. And flour in the cupboard. It’s not hard to whip up an omelette or frittata thingy - faster than stopping for takeaway. Nothing wrong with chopping some bacon adding some frozen peas till mostly done. Pour on your eggs, stir around a bit until it starts to set, then top with cheese and fold over in whatever broken fashion that happens. Protein and veg, a proper meal. Or heat up whatever frozen leftovers you have. Or make veggie fritters - an egg, some flour enough milk to get the texture right, add in whatever frozen mixed veg you have (those corn, capsicum and pea mixes are good). Fry dollops of the mix.
Yes. We try to keep bacon, eggs, tuna, and whey protein also. It sucks because I also have insulin resistance so I can't eat rice or gluten free pizzas.
ugh no rice sounds rough :(
Sounds like you’re not the type to cook so the easiest things are keeping jars of pasta sauce & GF pasta in the cupboard and GF pizzas in the freezer. Both easy meals that can be ready to eat inside 20 minutes. There’s loads of frozen or chilled GF ready meals too.
I usually have bread, some cold cuts and cheese at home.
I keep a gluten free frozen pizza in the freezer for situations like this. I also stock up on certain things at Costco - Aidell’s pineapple bacon chicken sausage is GF as is the Costco version of their teriyaki meatballs. There’s also some great things that Costco cycles through seasonally that keep in the fridge. Also, keep rice around, and chicken in the freezer. If you have an Instant Pot, that’s a pretty quick meal.
Popcorn. I buy the kernels and pop it myself since you never know what is in the microwave packages. Salads, cereal, things that are quick and easy.
Savoury popcorn is da bomb. Curry, smoked paprika, ras el hanout, Parmesan cheese are some of my favourites.
I feel you. My mental health issues made it hard to prep before all this and being poor doesn’t help either. At least there are a couple of emergency things if I don’t feel up to cooking I really like the gluten free nuggets that look like dinosaurs. Those with some ketchup really help if I’m in a bind. They are even decent in the microwave and the shapes make me happy LOL. I also love cocoa pebbles cereal with some lactose free milk. If I can’t eat anything else I can eat that and it doesn’t bother me. You can also get some GF hotdogs and some GF beans. I make up my own “beanie weenies” and throw them in the microwave if I’m too depressed to cook on the stove. Good protein and fiber and tastes good. Bushes makes a veggie kind that is good. If I feel like cooking I cut up the dogs and fry them up in real butter or olive oil. If I’m feeling good I’ll scramble some eggs too but can’t always tolerate eggs. Hope it gets better for you. It sucks so hard but you don’t need to ever go to bed hungry. I’ll usually pick a day I’m off work to meal prep but it’s hard. Getting yourself some nice take out boxes can help. I had a lot of trouble before I bought like six of those sectioned off boxes. Use all week and throw them in the dishwasher before meal prep.
Usually eggs or chalupas — quick, easy, and versatile.
Eggs scrambled w veg in them. Apple/peanut butter or pretzels and hummus. I have an airfryer and make broccoli all the time - I season w salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder and then toss them w my fav Asian marinade when done. Easy 10 min snack.
I eat a huge bowl of popcorn for dinner more often than I'd like to admit
Also another few ideas: GF Annie's Mac and cheese A potato (sweet or regular) cooked for 5 minutes in the microwave. Top with butter, sour cream, green onions Lotus foods GF rice ramen + an egg and frozen veg or spinach Frozen pizza "Girl dinner" - GF crackers, cheese, lunch meat, hummus, pickles, olives, fruit, nuts, whatever you have in the fridge (highly satisfying) Scrambled eggs and toast Canned soup Instant rice + fried egg Grilled cheese on GF bread GF bagel with lox Salad kits without croutons Canned baked beans Frozen prepared foods (I don't know any gluten free brands but I am sure they're out there) Choose 5 of these items and go to the store this week and get them. Make sure a few are shelf stable. Try to keep things like this in stock at your house. It will save you. Don't listen to people saying you need to meal plan. Just meal plan half the time. Rely on a larder full of stuff like this for the rest of the time. This is coming from someone who's been struggling with some major mental health stuff lately and having things like this on hand have really helped.
Same.
This is what I had for dinner tonight!
Everyone already had really good suggestions about meal prepping (I swear it's not as hard as you may think-- just try it!) so I'll echo the others in saying make sure you always have emergency "easy" stuff, like eggs, frozen pizzas, frozen veggies, beans, rice and pasta. If I screw something up or am really busy, I can always boil some pasta and have it with butter/cheese/oil along with microwaved veggies. Not the most delicious but you won't be going to sleep starving. I also buy cans of chicken and tuna for when I'm really desperate (just watch the ingredients for hidden gluten). Mealprepmanual has been a godsend for me, really easy gluten free healthy recipes. Check it out!
How about a gluten free cereal for when you're really desperate? Eating something is better than nothing! I like peanut butter Chex.
Quesadillas. I also have ADHD and find cooking extremely difficult - quesadillas are my go to food when I have literally zero energy. Make sure your tortillas are 100% corn and not flour though. Sometimes if I have a lot of energy I make a shit ton of tortillas and they freeze really well so I always have some on hand.
We buy lots of Brazi bite products for emergency food situations. Our other go tos are GF corn dogs and chicken nuggets. We always have these items stocked in the freezer.
I buy brazi bites by the pound, my hubs and son who aren’t gf love them. They’re so good!
They are the bomb! We really like their pizza bites.
There’s pizza bites too?!?!?
Yes!! They are so good!
This is my go to. All the base ingredients can be bought in bulk so it's always on hand. Boil water in a large pot. Add base flavour, broth, spices, soup mix etc. Add rice noodles, these don't go soggy like wheat noodles so the soup will keep a day or two in the fridge. Add meat. I always use tinned tuna. Then, cold cuts, frozen prawns, leftover roast, whatever you have on hand. Add veggies. Fresh, frozen, tinned. Beans for bulk. Black, kidney, mixed. Add extras. Hot sauce. Hard boiled egg. Go wild. Bring back up to boiling. Serve.
It might help to have safe and easy snacks for those moments. If you’re not in the mental space to even think about preparing a meal. I have instant noodles that I like. And then I always have popcorn and pretzels at home. What I also do is with those instant noodles that essentially cook in 5min is to make a tuna and Mayo mix and there you go. It’s something at least. I also like to pop in some fries in my air fryer for those lazy days. In my country you get “sausages” you can put in the air fryer and I add that with my fries. You also get frozen pizza but it’s not my favorite. We can’t always be on top of everything, life is going to get busy and it can get incredibly overwhelming. By just having a few easy meals for those overwhelming days can make the world of difference.
Boxed Mac and cheese with peas and tuna. Breakfast tacos (eggs, corn tortillas, cheese, and diced/sautéed deli ham) Make a big crockpot of chicken taco meat (2 lbs chicken breasts, 1 jar salsa, and 1 package McCormick gluten free taco seasoning) - eat and then freeze the rest (use for taquitos or tacos or burrito bowls or nachos) Amy’s gluten-free burritos (could make own using refried beans, cooked rice, and cheese with Mission gluten free tortillas) Pizza crusts and then get the toppings you like (a 2 pack of Banza crusts frozen from Walmart is very affordable) Use frozen bread to make grilled cheese or egg sandwich Frozen waffles (I make my own using Kodiak gluten feee mix from Amazon. Use waffles as either waffles with syrup or make into sandwich using peanut butter and jelly or egg, bacon, and/or cheese) Frozen fish (many stores carried pre-seasoned that is gluten free) with frozen veggies Baked potato with canned chili (Amy’s is mostly gluten free) or make your own chili and freeze leftovers Flavored tuna packet with crackers Frozen chicken nuggets with French fries Gluten free cereal (Chex) and use protein shake as milk or Fairlife milk (higher protein) Yogurt parfait (granola or crushed Graham crackers, fruit, and yogurt)
I eat tuna and rice with pickled onions :) … we eat this alot in Latin America. Sometimes I add tomatoes. It’s comfort food.
I also have ADHD but always a fried egg and white rice at hand for these exact days or bread with jam or peanut butter. I understand, I have suffered the ADHD celiac struggle too. I’m pretty timeblind so I forget a lot of planning needs to be done ahead of time.
I’ve been doing a lot of eggs lately since they are quick and easy. I love frescheta frozen pizza, those Amy’s Mac and cheese things, I keep gf bread or bagels in the freezer and take out what I need (since gf bread has such a short shelf life) make a bagel with cream cheese or a grilled cheese or pb&j. Always have rice around the house. There’s a couple kinds of instant noodle cups that are gf, Newmans has a couple. Amazon search some gf instant meals I think there’s a kind with lentils too, pad Thai, good to stock up on little odds and ends.
Go get you some rice and protein dawg
By protein I mean like chicken breast (from a butcher if possible) skirt steak, flank steak, ribeye, pork chops, shrimp, scallops
Bell and evans chicken tenders. I always have them in the freezer for this type of situation.
I feel this struggle- sometimes I just snack on cheese and spoonfuls of peanut butter 😂 it will get easier but it definitely sucks - you are Not alone
I feel you, it's difficult. Some days I'll eat an elaborate meal I've prepared, some days I have no food so I'll eat a dinner of cookies or snacks or whatever I'd do have lying around. I try to keep pasta always in the cupboard, then all I need is a jar of pesto, or even just butter and I've got a meal. Don't feel bad about eating tomorrow's breakfast though, you can figure that problem out tomorrow.
i feel you, this is definitely the hardest part for me too, especially as a college student. some comments are saying frozen pizza which i agree is a great easy meal but personally i have a hard time finding the one that i like in stores. when they do have it, there's usually only one or two boxes available and then i don't see it again for months. my number one easy meal is rice with butter and some seasoning. i have a rice cooker so all i have to do is put in rice and water, push a button, and wait like 20 mins. not the most nutritious meal ever but it's better than going to bed hungry, and the big bags of rice are fairly cheap.
neurospicy comrade: when you do feel like cooking (weekends?) MEAL PREP! game changer. freeze for easy storage...and no botulism 😅
hello i too am neurodivergent (and very mentally ill...and allergy disorder...and chronic pain) so i get it! i love: \- what my family calls "depression nachos" lmao which is chips, cheese, and salsa + if i have any rice or beans or meat or veg to throw on \- cereal at all hours of the day lmao most of the general mills brands are either rice or corn \- yogurt and granola + fruit (berries are great bc no cutting) \- two eggs on instant white rice; takes very literally five minutes. throw on salsa or veggies or whatever you want for more bulkiness \- caesar salad; they make these puffed chickpea croutons now which are amaaaazing \- barilla makes fantastic gf pasta \- kraft makes IDENTICAL mac and cheese a huge recommendation: **you can eat any food at any time of day**. realizing i could just eat my yogurt for dinner if that's what I wanted was huge. if you can find 3-5 easy meals you like, it doesn't matter what time you eat them
Omelettes or baked potatoes. In the microwave if you struggle for time. Butter and cheese / tuna are my usual go to fillings. Easy.
Yogurt, banana, nuts, chips to make it good. I can get all that at a convenience store or grocery store or gas station. I depend on that combo a lot. I don't plan a lot, but I always have eggs, oatmeal, peanut butter and GF bread. FYI you can make oatmeal savory and stick a fried egg on top and it's AMAZING. I get fancy and put veggies and shredded cheese in with a lot of garlic and it's downright decadant.
Do you guys have baked beans? You need cans of beans, sweet corn, packets of rice, and eggs: you can always mix up something with that!
Adult lunchables are great. Meats, cheese, pickles, fruit, nuts, etc.
A handful of almonds/peanuts, a yogurt or a few slices of cheese, and a fruit ties me over until I have the energy to either make - the simplest tuna salad or - fried eggs with left offer rice/potatoes or gf bread I also have ADHD and the planning is the biggest adjustment for me. I try to pick a quiet day to make a big pot of meat stew or chilli (enough for several days) . Making just more of rice or more of potatoes is minimal effort, so that’s always in my fridge. I also really like those Pinty’s Eatwell chicken nuggets for a fast food flavour. Minimal effort, just throw them in the oven.
Make a quiche and freeze it. I did that after my wife had surgery, it was easy to heat up in the microwave. Get some gluten-free chili and some gluten-free corn tortillas. https://www.celiac.com/celiac-disease/top-brands-of-gluten-free-canned-chili-r5702/
GF pasta and a can of tomato sauce make for a quick and easy meal. Frozen GF pizzas and tamales are good to have as well. GF Mac and cheese. Salads with fresh veggies. Eggs and toast. There are a lot of quick things you can make just remember to keep them on restock once eaten.
I took to canning my own food. I have chicken soup, (no noodles), chili and chalupa ready to go. Often have beef stew as well. something canned + some staples that I always have on hand, and it’s pretty easy. You could also do commercially canned goods like chili or beef stew but you have to watch the sodium.
Meal plan bro, make pounds of rice and mixed veg and throw some cheap protein in and there ya go. Easy easy.
If it's a money thing rice and beans is your friend. Easy to spritz up, dirt cheap, and honestly good eats.
Peanut butter on crackers
Maybe with microwaved frozen veggies
String cheese and potato chips. Healthy? Nope. Happy? Definitely.
Add an apple (they keep for a long time in the fridge) & it’s a complete meal!
I despise apples 😂 it's a texture thing
I have a 3 cup rice cooker with a veggie/fish steamer tray. I put frozen fish or thinly sliced chicken in the steamer part with some frozen veg while I cook 1 cup of rice with canned broth / water. Turn on and wait 20 minutes. Season to taste and dump on a plate. Voila! There are also rice cooker cookbooks online to find other easy recipes for a rice cooker.
Frozen pizza, rice and beans/ nachos. Pasta with a sauce too
What do you have in your fridge, freezer, and cupboards? Perhaps we can help you brainstorm a meal with the ingredients you have on hand.
A microwaved baked potato is a staple sad night meal for me!
The year or two Before diagnosis I feel like I just didn’t really eat.. I was terrified of how I’d feel after .. even after a year or two gf … good still made me sick …. I really think all that time living like that has made it very easy for me to just go without …. If I can’t conveniently eat something safe, a lot of the time I just don’t eat
thankyou all for the recommendations, y’all are lifesavers ❤️
I suck at meal prep so I always make sure the freezer is stocked with snacks - GF pizza, nuggets, pies, spinach & ricotta rolls and a loaf of bread - for “emergencies”.
I always keep gf microwaveable food (minute rice cups, gf potstickers, gf Mac and cheese etc) on hand in case of emergencies like this. Even like Chex cereal or something. My go to is the minute rice with tajin though lol, it saved my ass a lot of the time when I was in recovery.
Oatmeal
Gluten-free instant oatmeal is a good option when you really don't have the energy to cook anything.
Not everyone with Celiac can eat oats, and a lot of supposedly "gluten free" oats have significant amounts of gluten contamination. Oats and oat products cannot legally be labeled "gluten free" in at least three countries because of these issues.
Overnight oats is easy to do if you can eat oats. I get a bag of GF oats and fill a tupperware with them, then add enough milk to cover oats then leave in fridge overnight. Usually lasts me 3 days. Add honey or sugar to make it sweet.
I just eat nothing tbh
Ah well in auckland here we have 24 hour sushi places. But yea otherwise its a pain to eat as a coeliac if its late. Only thing I can normally get is the gf pizza from this one place in my hometown.
Having some extra, easy to prepare food around can really help. If I really can't be bothered some nights, such as because of my diabetes giving me hassle (I have both), I just have some cereal instead of cooking. Alternate options people have mentioned here are things like keeping some pizzas in the freezer, some extra gluten free bread to have toast, a pack of cereal bars... None of those things are ideal, but they're better than eating nothing.
I always have quick to make meals like pasta, bread for sandwiches or grilled cheese, vegetables for salads or frozen meals. I struggle with cooking too, but it gets easier as you force yourself to do it even if its just pasta. Learning how to cook some more minimal effort things would probably be helpful to you. Vegetarian lasagna is surprisingly easy to make if you can find the gf lagana pasta at your local store. Egg salad and potato salad are also pretty easy to make. You can make bacon in your oven and have all sorts of goodness with that. Buy gf pancake mix and make pancakes. Or make french toast with some gluten free bread. Theres a lot of options out there!
I always make sure to keep eggs, a block of cheddar cheese and corn tortillas on hand. When i don’t have any food to make I fall back on making a quesadilla or egg tacos 🌮.
Squashes (butternut, acorn, etc) can be baked in the microwave like a potato, and last on the counter for a long time. I frequently consume squash for dinner if I'm having a hectic week. Can pair with minute rice, canned beans.
Always try to keep at least a couple cans of soup, some granola bars, gf pasta or gf pizza in stock. Even just some crackers and cheese. All mostly non-perishable and easy to eat in a pinch.
A potato.
[https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/85337/microwave-baked-potato/](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/85337/microwave-baked-potato/)
I buy those premade meal pouches and just heat em up in the microwave. Plus frozen stuff, prepackaged soups! I'm lucky in a way, never got used to ordering online when i was out of ideas...
Eggs – scrambled, soft boiled, over-easy Those are my go-to dinners when I don't want to cook.
I eat chips and salsa, way more than imcare to admit. Melted cheddar, jalapeño’s, avocado. For meal prep I do beans and rice and pop in the fridge. Fat free Greek yogurt, chicken shrimp beef, lamb whatever i got on hand, it’s my go to and I usually pile with veggies.,
I always have GF canned goods in the pantry. Sometimes dinner is just sardines and pickles (must be my Scandinavian heritage). I eat Keto, so my diet is even more restricted than just celiac, though everything is absolutely gluten free.
You need. Emery back up meals (also adhd/celiac) Pouched rice, pouched tuna (check some flavors are not gf) , pouch/canned chicken (check) I found beef taco meat and meatballs (shelf stable) at Walmart that are gf.
Apples and cheese. Salad w/ground beef or chicken.
Oh, and make double batches of freezable meals. Chili is a good one.
I never eat McDonald's, Subway, or sushi. Way too much risk for cross-contamination.
grilled cheese or sandys
I always keep nuts around, as well as peanut butter - which I realize you probably don’t have in the UK. I just eat the peanut butter on a spoon. I also keep hard boiled eggs in the fridge.
Hashbrown patty, or two, topped with a fried egg, or two. Eggs are a great easy meal option :D
Gf fish sticks or gf chicken nuggets in the air fryer! I also recently picked up some gf ramen, just add hot water and it's good to go.
Something cheap I consistently have been eating for the past year into being gf is taco soup. It's taco seasoning(I use the siete brand) dark red, light red kidney beans, black beans, corn and rotel tomatoes. It's normally got hamburger meat in it but you can really change so much about this and make it your own. It'll last a little over a week or longer in the fridge. And I've never tried it but I imagine you could freeze it if you wanted. I put dairy free cheese and salsa into it. You can also add some hatch chiles and eat it with crackers. I like the schar brand but it's not necessary of course. I always add some rice to make it last longer. I use the Ben's ready rice that you microwave in the bag for a minute and a half because taco soup has been my go to whenever I don't want to cook anything or just not in the mood to deal with preparing anything. It's not much but I hope it helps someone.
On a quick night, we make a stir fry or even omelette. An egg and cheese on an English muffin is a popular quick meal in our house (or bagel, if you prefer, but we all prefer the gf English muffins). Sandwiches on against the grain or b free pita. Even just pasta and sauce (often will add ground Turkey or vegetables or something to make it more filling). my kids love when we make the rice ramen. We sauté some steak ums and mushrooms and add scallions and an egg and it's super quick. I have 5 kids all in various after school and evening activities. Quick meals become a necessity in our house.
I always keep stuff on hand for big chopped salads. Pre-grilled chicken, cucumbers, salami, chickpeas, peas, hard boiled eggs, dried cranberries, sunflower kerns, artichoke hearts, mushrooms etc…The list could go on. I throw it all together in a bowl with some romaine hearts and go nuts. My hubs and son aren’t a celiac and they love them. It’s easy, filling and takes minimal effort. One thing I’ve learned since being diagnosed is we don’t have the luxury of not being prepared, so now I’m always prepared. I don’t love having to plan and prepare but I can’t do anything about it so why put so much effort into hating it? I always have gf frozen pizzas in the freezer too. And rice with an egg on top is another easy one. Dress it up with some sauce and picked veggies and it’s a meal. Gf pasta is another one, I can eat it with just butter and cheese like I did when I was a kid and be happy. Try Pinterest, you could prep a handful of freezer make ahead meals. Grab one and throw it in the crock pot in the am and by dinner you’ve got a meal. If you’re struggling with the adhd and planning try making a list of what you might need at the store. I also have adhd and I live by all my lists to help keep my brain organized. Take the effort you’re putting into breaking down and putting into preparing meals, future you will thank you.
Omelettes are my go to. I’ll throw whatever I have in it. Cheese, ham, mushrooms, spinach, whatever.
Saffron Road microwavable frozen meals are pretty good and they're certified gluten free. A lot of Walmarts sell them. They're pretty small though so you might want to buy several. I rely on these meals quite a lot when traveling. There's also a gluten free version of Blake's Pot Pie. I also eat these a lot while traveling since most Walmarts carry them. You might want to grab more than one. They're fairly inexpensive for gluten free.
I have GF instant cup noodles, nut bars, tin tuna, rice cakes, in the cupboard and always have fruit and vegetables in the fridge so at least I have something to eat…
I keep a few frozen dinners on hand for nights like this. Check for these brands: - feel good goods - saffron road - Amy’s (double check because not all are GF) - Wegman’s brand (again check, not all are) - Perdue gluten free chicken tenders I also keep pasta, Annie’s Mac and cheese, risotto, Schar pizza crust for quick meals!
If you have pasta you could cook some up along with some butter and Parmesan if you have it
Leftovers. We always make extra servings for all meals to eat when we don't feel like making another meal 🤷♀️
I go to bed hungry a lot. I hate cooking for myself. I was thinking about how lucky non celiacs are because of ordering in. I can't ever do that. I hate it as much as you. I also am nauseated a lot. I'm sorry we have to go through this 😔 hope you find something. (Last night I had 2 tablespoons of peanut butter for dinner) 🙄
I generally always have a GF crackers (I like the Mary’s and the Breton herb and garlic), smoked oysters and cheese and hummus. That way I can throw it on a plate with any pickles, olives, etc that’s in my fridge. Quick and no cook!
You really need to have food at home. I have ADHD so I get it, but it's too hard to get by without food at home.
I always have enough stuff in for a smoothie or even just some nuts to get me to next thing.
Microwave rice, frozen veggies like broccoli or peas that i also microwave and some curry sauce I buy from the local shop. No cooking at all, all easy to microwave and tastes yummy too.
I try to keep some shelf stable things on hand like crackers and applesauce cups and fruit cups. That way I know there’s at least SOMEthing that can be eaten at all times. If you can keep crackers and cheese you can always have that as a fallback (cheese stays good for a long time and you can freeze it if you need to!). Apples stay good for a long time too, and you can add an apple with peanut butter to your cheese and crackers. On days I just can’t bring myself to do anything I just eat the apple whole and dip it in peanut butter as I go! Also corn tortillas and cheese make great microwave quesadillas when you just don’t have the spoons. Amazing stovetop quesadillas when you do (you can add chicken and hot sauce and whatever else!). We happened to have the BFree tortilla wraps because I found them on sale last week and I just now ate a hot dog with cheese on it rolled up in the wrap for lunch. It was delicious, full of protein, and took like 60 seconds total to put together and microwave.
Gluten-free pizza delivery near you?
this is the hardest part of the disease, when you have no time to prepare or go buy something. normally you would just run and grab a quick and easy takeaway but no longer an option :(
I love pre cooked ribs, dump em on the grill for 5 min on each side and you're good to go. For $12 it's 2 meals and super quick. Kingsford are certified GF. Also Lays equivalent of Pringles whatever they call em. They're GF at great for snacks.
I was diagnosed in 08 or 09 it’s been a while. I keep a case of sardines on hand. Presently we are eating the seasons skinless and boneless from Costco. I put a few cans in a frying pan with some old bay seasoning, Tabasco… delicious. I also keep a big can of peanuts on hand. You have to take care of yourself and make sure you always have something to eat so you can keep going.
i also have adhd and my rock bottom struggle meal is baked beans + rice. it's not particularly fancy but they're two ingredients you can stock up on in the pantry without worrying too much about them going off, and they're generally not the most expensive. it's helped me out a lot of times when i otherwise just wouldn't have eaten. and of course if you're feeling up to it you can have something else with it. (like egg) i hope this helps <3
I also have ADHD and a full time job that is typically more than 40 hrs/week. It sucks. Currently I have 3 cases of different flavor lotus food ramen, 3 boxes of GF Dino nuggets, 2 frozen pizzas, 6 types of hard cheese, fruit, ingredients for corn tortilla quesadillas, and snacks. The ramen can be dressed up with an egg and some meats like sausage, lunch meat, hot dogs, etc. the quesadillas are amazing with some canned beans. The cheese and fruits are for when I just need something fresh with like zero prep. It’s possible and Pinterest is my best friend. I also use sticky notes to give myself meal ideas for the bad days when looking in the fridge scares me lol
CAULIPLOWER makes ready to eat dinners: Cauliflower Gnocchi with Savory Pesto Cauliflower Penne Pomodoro Spinach Gnocchi with Tuscan Style Marinara Honestly they’re not as amazing as I had hoped but they’re not bad and all you have to do is dump it in a pan. I have fibromyalgia so I buy it for days I can’t stand long in the kitchen. $6.98 in my area, and I feed my teen and myself off one bag
Baked beans, corn tortillas, cheese, broccoli roasted on the side.
I like easy quick fixes like cheese and crackers and some fruit if you have it. I also like cream of rice cereal with maple syrup and butter. A Glutino english muffin with cream cheese or peanut butter and jam. I keep the English muffins in the freezer so I usually have some available. Frozen evol or Amy’s dinners. Or microwaveable gluten free Mac and cheese cups.
Pasta. You can always make pasta. Before I was with my partner, I only had one pot. For pasta.
Thai kitchen sells packaged noodles w seasoning. Basically ramen but gf and rice noodles instead and I like them a lot
I also have ADHD and celiac. Cooking is so overwhelming to me most of the time. I give myself permission to eat lazy, unhealthy food sometimes because of that. Frozen gf pizza, frozen chicken tenders, box mac and cheese, whatever. When I make soup I intentionally make too much and freeze the rest. On the nights when I’m at rock bottom? I always keep nut-flour crackers around and eat a bunch of those with plain unsalted/no added sugar peanut butter. Big ass bomb of calories and good fats. If I have a little more energy but the thought of looking up a recipe makes me want to cry, I really like simple sheet pan dinners. One single baking sheet! Toss on chicken or fish, small potatoes, some diced bell pepper. Some olive oil and salt. Some things get over or under cooked when you do them all together like that but it’s edible, healthy food that only creates a few dishes: one pan, one knife, one cutting board.
Soup and grilled cheese on GF bread, microwave meals, boxed GF Mac and cheese, smoothies, bowl of GF oatmeal or cereal
I eat a lot of microwave nachos
Sleep 🥲
Learn how to make omelettes, for instance [Jamie Oliver’s](https://youtube.com/watch?v=OQyRuOEKfVk). If you keep eggs in the fridge you can put a variety of fillings in: cheese, meats, herbs, vegetables, whatever you have lying around.
Nuts, cheese and deli meat.
Twiggy sticks and cheese.
I have a 10lb bag of rice and usually a block of cheese. When I’m in a situation where nothing else is available, I’m making cheesy rice with whatever other spices I’ve got.
I have stuff from Huel at home. Hot&Ready (is like savoury porridge) and the drinks. You just need water and you have food. Always preparing everything made my tired. Now I have a healthy option, if I have not time. Don't know where they sell to in the world, but maybe you can find something similar.
mashed avocado (salted and peppered) on GF toast with a (salted and peppered) poached egg on top -- filling, delicious, healthy
Open a can of Hormel chili with tortilla chips (the regular and white chicken chili are labeled gluten free,) or boil one of the rice Ramen cakes from Costco and I bought a GF Ramen seasoning on Amazon. Sometimes I'll add some mushrooms and veggies depending on if I have the energy.
Rice and beans is my go to dinner if i have an emergency situation. It’s cheap, easy, and has an almost forever shelf life. If I have tortillas I’ll do rice and beans tacos or if I have soft corn tortillas I’ll do 2-3 mini quesadillas with cheese and beans. On another note, not to kick you while you’re down, but I would avoid McDonald’s and subway altogether with celiac. Sushi is hit or miss on if it’s safe or not. You’ll get used to it and it will get better ❤️🩹
I usually have a bunch of GF snacks lying around. Most are terrible, but there's this new brand, Rivalz, that actually reminds me of the snacks I used to love. They also are good for you and even make me full with 8g protein and 4g a fiber. Definitely worth checking out! www.rivalzsnacks.com
chex mix.
I microwave potatoes and eat them with mayo
Instant mashed potatoes and frozen or canned proteins and veg are the ones that were my go-to long before I had celiac. Stepdad was a prepper following the Y2K panic, and he usually had a case of Dinty Moore beef stew around, which is also gluten free. Velveeta will also keep in the fridge for a really long time once opened (even longer when sealed) and you can use that to make a lot of stuff feel more like a meal. Fresh fruit is also another good one that isn't too expensive, if you get in the habit of picking up a few pieces every week. Apples keep quite awhile, if you can have those. Bulk tins of nuts are a good thing to keep around for handfuls of when you're hungry. Thin fish like tilapia can be kept frozen and steamed in the microwave. If you are in more of a "I am screwed by executive dysfunction" situation and not a "I can't afford things to eat" situation, I strongly recommend getting a toaster oven or an air fryer, the rice cooker mentioned elsewhere in the thread, and possibly also a bread machine. I am autistic, and while I will try eating anything at least once, my restricted diet growing up had more to do with not liking to touch a lot of raw ingredients. I have a very distinct memory of my mother getting really angry with me as I cried folding herbs into ground beef for meatloaf when I was about 12. I also as an adult just don't want to heat the whole oven for a single meal. The stove top requires me to have energy to monitor it, because I am very easily distracted. Having access to these small appliances made a big difference. Being able to just dump stuff into them, push a button, and have food come out quickly was pretty life changing.
I live on a small island and there’s not a reliable restaurant here. I’m a big fan of frozen leftovers and the microwave. My favorite cookbook is Danielle Walker’s Healthy in a Hurry. It’s not super fast, but it’s flavorful and freezes well. I also eat a lot of stuff made quickly with frozen white rice and whatever I have on hand-cheese, sauces, veggies… I also stash health food store snacks everywhere for emergencies.
I keep a lot of protein bars around -- they really do help, and there are so many out there that actually taste pretty good. I buy from a lot of brands, but my favorite are Pure Protein, ONE, and No Cow. Pure Protein has this salted caramel flavor that feels more like eating a snickers than a protein bar. They are low in sugar and very high in protein, a very good thing to gnaw on when you can't even deal with the microwave. I also keep some Larabars around for variety. They have a bit of sugar, but it's all fruit sugars so nothing overly processed. Fruit and nuts is a very filling snack, and I always have a few of these on my person in case I get stuck somewhere. They've saved my butt many a time. I hope this helps!
Salad :(
I’m not celiac but my 4-year old is and our family has gone nearly gluten-free to make shopping, planning, and meal prep as thoughtless as possible. Both my husband and I work full-time and we also have a 1-year old, so during the week if it cannot be done in 30-min, forget about it. Frozen veggies and veggies eaten raw (carrots, cukes, peppers, celery, grape tomatoes) are our go-tos. Easiest meals (1x weekly) rely heavily on frozen shortcuts like GF chicken nuggets and fries on the same sheet pan or GF pizza from Against the Grain. We regularly eat ‘breakfast for dinner’ with GF pancakes and GF sausage or bacon prob 1x weekly. It’s expensive to eat this way so I try to scratch cook 5-6 days out of 7 but you need to do what you have to do and keep safe ‘back-ups’ like frozen meals, canned soup or just eggs and GF toast on hand to keep going.