IBS - Where can I buy affordable Gluten free products?

Helen224488

Hi,

I have IBS and through an elimination diet I have found out that by eliminating gluten from my diet I do not get any attacks. I have been Gluten free now for 4 weeks and I have not been ill/had an attack in all this time. Previously I was ill 2-3 times per week.

Although this is great, buying Gluten free is making our shopping bill very expensive and adding £10 per week to our bill. We shop in Asda and I try to buy natural foods as I find that once they are labelled Gluten free they hike the price up. So I eat alot of chicken, Salmon, rice, gluten free pasta and quorn mince, bananas etc. The price of gluten free bread is ridiculous and I have tried making my own but without a bread maker it didn't taste too nice. You can buy 6 normal fluffy white rolls for £1 yet 2 gluten free rolls that are hard as nails cost £1.20!

Previously I could buy a pack of 5 or 6 cereal bars for £1 like Jordans but now I have to buy Eat Natural or Nakd which costs more £. Gluten free Jaffa cakes are nice cost £1.50 a box, X3 times price of normal Jaffa cakes. Gluten free veg stock cubes are a ridiculous price (needed for my soup). Pataks curry sauce in jar is gluten free and usually £1 which is great so we have chicken curry twice a week.

I eat breakfast (porridge) made with water/skimmed milk, cereal bar and banana at 11am at work, soup for lunch at work, cott cheese on 3 rice cakes around 4.30pm and eve meal around 7pm. There are 3 of us, 2 adults and one 12 year old.

I am happy that my health is improving but just finding it a nightmare to check every label. I make a huge batch of soup from a butternut squash, carrots and sweet potatoe with spicies and veg stock cubes and this makes 7 lunches for work which I freeze. I have rice cakes and cottage cheese for after work snacks. I am also trying to loose the weight I put back on. I lost 7 stone and have put back 3.5 stones.

Can anyone suggest any gluten free suppliers or recipes/foods that don't cost the earth? Budget of £60 per week for all food including cleaning products.

JAG

Helen224488 wrote: »

Gluten free veg stock cubes are a ridiculous price (needed for my soup).

Sainsbury's Vegetable Stock Cubes, Basics 10x10g 25p

Salt, Maize Starch, Yeast Extract, Palm Oil, Sugar, Flavourings (Celery), Tomato Powder (1.5%), Onion Powder (1.5%), Carrot Powder (1%), Leek Powder (0.8%), Celery Powder (0.6%), Colouring: Plain Caramel, Cabbage Powder (0.2%), Parsley, Antioxidant: Rosemary Extracts.

Also ASDA and Sainsbury's own brand Corn Flakes, although they contain Barley Malt Extract the levels are low enough to qualify Gluten Free.

Udi's Gluten Free Strawberry Flavoured Toaster Pastries although listed at £2.95 on the website they have been only £1.00 shelf price and scanned at for months. Would need to check in case they have increased the price. The Apple Cinnamon Toaster Pastries are still full price £2.95.
http://groceries.asda.com/product/free-from/udis-gluten-free-strawberry-flavoured-toaster-pastries/910001246875

GwylimT

I have coeliacs disease, the only gluten free product I buy is flour to make pasta etc. Everything else I buy is naturally gluten free.

Why don't you make stock and cereal bars?

PasturesNew

There is a food programme on the telly - that Jamie Oliver's pig-keeping mate goes round and asks questions. One week he asked why gluten free is so expensive and it turns out that the ingredients are very expensive .... rather than just that they're milking people.

Just found it, on 4OD, but you have to log in., 34 minutes in they talk about gluten free and coeliac etc http://www.channel4.com/programmes/food-unwrapped/on-demand/

8 days left to watch that episode... if it's the right one (I haven't logged on so can't check)

ilovemygarden

GwylimT wrote: »

I have coeliacs disease, the only gluten free product I buy is flour to make pasta etc. Everything else I buy is naturally gluten free.

Why don't you make stock and cereal bars?

I'm sure my friend gets her flour on prescription for coeliac disease.

haycorns

Try visiting the supermarket when they reduce their bread items. I often get Gf wraps for 15p, gf sandwich thins, bread etc. If you can bake then the GF doves farm flour makes lovely cakes. The cheapest way to eat GF is to find things that are naturally GF - i.e. rice instead of pasta.


Were you tested for coeliacs? With a diagmosis you get items on prescription - depends where you live as to what you get. IBS is often diagnosed instead of coelaics, but you have to be eating gluten for the blood test to show positive.

Helen224488

haycorns wrote: »

Try visiting the supermarket when they reduce their bread items. I often get Gf wraps for 15p, gf sandwich thins, bread etc. If you can bake then the GF doves farm flour makes lovely cakes. The cheapest way to eat GF is to find things that are naturally GF - i.e. rice instead of pasta.


Were you tested for coeliacs? With a diagmosis you get items on prescription - depends where you live as to what you get. IBS is often diagnosed instead of coelaics, but you have to be eating gluten for the blood test to show positive.

Asda had reduced price yellow sticker Genius bread from £2.50 reduced to £1.78 (I thought that was still expensive and not a great saving).

I was never tested for coeliacs but don't want to start eating gluten so I can be tested as I have been free from illness for 4 weeks. The pain of my attacks up all night in loo for 5 hours then having to go to work in morning was horrendous. 4 weeks ago I had an attack 2 nights running and I literally nearly topped myself with oramorph.

I may try and cook/bake rolls with the doves gf flour during summer hols when I am off work and have more time. Too exhausted after work as had coccyx removed and suffering on-going pain from surgery.

maman

Aldi and Lidl sell gluten free bread. Don't know how it compares for price though..