Gluten Free Economically

As fast as celiac disease, gluten intolerance, and gluten sensitivity are hitting the mass media channels - gluten free foods are coming onto the consumer market of food manufacturers and restaurants offering new choices with a blinding rate to match it. But just as fast as it hits the mainstream media channels, the risk of misinformation or the interpretation of sound bytes as lacking in substance cause alarm for those who have violent reactions when exposed. Or worse yet, an anaphylactic reaction can happen ending in a hospital trip or asthma attack.

And as fast as those disorders are coming to the light, celebrities are making the tabloids with gluten free party cakes and goodies to enhance their gluten free diets.Chelsea Clinton had a gluten free flourless wedding cake. Madonna and her son Rocco had a gluten free birthday soiree. Multitudes of stars are claiming they lose weight on the diet while the experts correctly say you have to be careful not to gain weight on highly processed gluten free baked goods. Celebrity allergen free sweet shops like Babycakes, NYC are becoming extremely successful. However, all this paparazzi isn't helping to make our grocery bills any lighter.

 The average gluten free shopper is still spending an average of 3 times the normal rate on foods! If they are buying all the new allergen friendly foods that line the gluten free aisle and the fresh veggies they may be paying even more. But there ARE ways to cut your bill although you may have to add some more planning on to your schedule...

This summer our family:

• Grew a garden,
• Took vegetables offered by friends who had gardens,
• Froze veggies for future use,
• Checked internet deals by restaurants directly,
• And bought from local farmers directly. 
• We stopped baking as many goodies and bought our meat and veggies on sale when at all possible and shopped the few specials we could find at local grocery stores - Lowe's Foods and Bloom offers them often. 

The results were that we did save a whole lot - It works!

 Here are some places you can buy direct from local farmers in the Charlotte area:

Barbee Farms - Concord, N.C. & local markets
Wild Turkey Farms - China Grove, N.C. & local markets
Big Oak Farm - Denver, N.C. & local markets
Gilchrist Natural Farms - Iron Station, N.C. & local markets
Grateful Growers - Lincoln County, N.C. & local markets
Poplar Ridge Farms - Union County, N.C. & local markets/ CSA

And the best resource for grass fed meat is here: Eat Wild N.C.

In some of the coming posts we will explore ways to be gluten free which won't break your pocket, nor add undue amounts of sugar and processed foods into your dietary changes. That way when you splurge on the GF treat you are craving, you won't break the scale.