“So … what can you eat?”

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Ah, the age-old question. When someone finds out that you’re gluten intolerant and can’t eat dairy, you can almost see their brain quickly scrolling through the list of foods they love that contain those forbidden ingredients, “Error” and “Does Not Compute” messages popping up all over the place. After they shake their confusion and provide an anecdote about their third cousin, twice removed who is gluten intolerant, they inevitably ask, “So … what can you eat?”

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My answer to the question is usually “water” at first, which gets a few chuckles, but I answer that way because the question is actually difficult for me. In reality, I can eat whatever I want. If I want mac and cheese, I will find a way to make “mac and cheese.” If I am craving a Crunchwrap Supreme from Taco Bell, I will create a Crunchwrap Supreme. If I need some gooey, chocolatey brownies, I will get my dang brownies!

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Sure, these foods aren’t “the real thing” to normal people, but the gluten free+ diet is all about substitutions. Can’t eat something? Substitute it! I know, I know—the texture, aroma, and flavor will not be exactly the same as the “real” thing, but a close replica is better than no replica, right?

Below is my list of my favorite substitutions. Use this for yourself and share this with your normal friends. Nothing is worse than having a lovely, kind friend who has baked, cooked, or bought food specifically for you, only for you to have to break the news to them that you can’t eat it. They were just so excited because they saw the word “vegan” on the label; they didn’t realize that it had whole wheat flour in it.*

*Note: Just because I generally eat healthier than the average human, does not mean that I always want healthy foods that are whole grain, paleo, keto, Whole30, low glycemic index, sirtfood, fat-free, and sugar-free. Bring on the full-fat, refined sugar-filled desserts, baby!

Vegan/Dairy Free Substitutes (all are also gluten free!)

Butter	Earth Balance (this is exactly like butter—I can’t even tell the difference anymore)
Oil	Olive oil Coconut oil Sesame oil Avocado oil Vegetable oil
Milk	Coconut milk Almond milk Soy milk
Cheese/Yogurt	Daiya (cheeze shreds, blocks, or slices) Trader Joe’s Vegan Mozzarella Shreds Kite Hill ricotta Kite Hill almond cream cheese Trader Joe’s vegan cream cheese Silk coconut yogurt Kite Hill almond yogurt Forager cashew and drinkable yogurt
Heavy Cream/Half and Half	Full-fat coconut milk (from a can) Trader Joe’s Coconut Creamer Califa Dairy Free Better Half
Chocolate Chips	Whole Foods (365) Vegan Chocolate Chips Trader Joe’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips Dark chocolate (cut into chunks)
Egg	Soft tofu Banana Applesauce Flax egg Soaked chia seeds Peanut butter
Egg White	Aquafaba—the water in a can of garbanzo beans!
Honey	Agave syrup Maple syrup

Gluten Free Substitutes

Flour	AP (all purpose): Cup4Cup King Arthur Flour Krusteaz   Other mixable flours: Buckwheat flour Coconut flour Almond flour Brown rice flour White rice flour Tapioca starch/flour Potato starch Arrowroot flour Chickpea flour Corn meal Quinoa flour GF Oat flour (Be careful with this one—oats are naturally gluten free, but are often cross-contaminated. Don’t buy it unless it says gluten free. Or, better yet, make your own!)
Pasta	Barilla‘s corn and rice Ronzoni‘s white rice, brown rice, corn, and quinoa blend Trader Joe’s brown rice, lentil, or black bean Banza‘s chickpea Ancient Harvest‘s chickpea, lentil, or quinoa and corn
Bread	Lettuce (get on board with some lettuce wraps!) Corn tortillas (I suggest finding a local brand) Trader Joe’s gluten free bagels, hot dog and hamburger buns, sliced white and multigrain bread

Note: This is a working list of my favorite substitutions and brands. There are many other brands out there! As I discover more, I will add and edit!
Last updated: June 19, 2019