My number one tip for those new to gluten-free eating is to focus on the foods that you can have and the foods that are naturally gluten-free.
The fall of 2025 marks sixteen years since I started on my gluten-free journey.
I really can’t believe it has been sixteen years. So much has changed, not only concerning my health, but many things have changed in the gluten-free world as well.
I am not someone who thinks gluten-free is for everyone. I would still be eating gluten if I could. I love gluten; gluten just doesn’t love me.
The reality is, though, that more people are eating gluten-free now than did sixteen years ago. That means that more people are new to gluten free and are trying to figure out what they can eat.
Over the next few months, I am going to share tips for eating gluten-free, delicious gluten-free recipes, and gluten-free product reviews. I hope these posts will be helpful to those new to gluten free. But I also hope it helps those who have been on this gluten-free journey for years find new recipes and products as well.
Today, we are going to talk about focusing on what you can have instead of what you can’t. There are so many foods that are naturally gluten free. When gluten-free eating is overwhelming, focus on the foods that are naturally gluten-free.
Focusing on what you can have actually applies to just about any food allergy or issue, not just gluten free. I have told my daughter, who has a tree nut, peanut allergy, the same thing. Don’t think about what you can’t have, think about what you can have.
I have found that if I keep focusing on what I can’t have, I will want it even more. The more I think about what I am not able to have, the more I seem to want it.
When this happens, I focus on what I can have. I focus on all the things that are naturally gluten free. The ones that don’t use special ingredients from specialty stores.
Foods That Are Naturally Gluten Free
- fruits
- vegetables
- milk
- cheese
- eggs
- yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese, whipping cream, buttermilk, etc.
- meat (beef, chicken, pork, etc.)
- lunch meat, pepperoni, bacon, etc (most are gluten but read labels to be sure they are gluten free)
- seafood and fish
- corn (popcorn, corn chips, corn tortillas, etc)
- rice
- beans
- plain tortilla chips and salsa
- chocolate (almost all chocolate is gluten free, but read labels to be sure)
- potatoes
- peanut butter
- nut butter
- plain peanuts
- plain nuts
- trail mix (again read labels to be sure or make your own)
- quinoa
- coconut
- dried fruit
- oils
- sugars (so this one is not healthy, but sugar, honey, etc. are naturally gluten free)
- most beverages and drinks (coffee, tea, soda, sports drinks etc.)
- chia seeds
That is just a quick list I made of foods that are naturally gluten free. I am sure I am missing some things that are gluten free, but those are the basics. And those are just the individual foods.
There are so many things you can make using those ingredients. By combining various meats, vegetables, dairy, beans, rice, etc., there are many recipes and meals that you can still make using naturally gluten-free foods.
There really is a lot you can still eat gluten-free. I encourage you to make your own list.
Write down all the foods you can still have and focus on them. Then write up a list of meals you can make using the foods on your list. When you get to missing all those things that you can’t have, read through your lists.
When gluten-free eating becomes overwhelming, focus on the positive, not the negative!
I would love to hear your #1 tip for eating gluten-free and your favorite naturally gluten-free foods.
Originally posted September 2015. Updated September 2025.
Great advice! I’ve been gluten-free for 8 years. Looking back the biggest mistake I also made was trying to recreate all my “gluten-full” dishes…cakes, cookies, breads, casseroles (especially those with Cream of Fill-in-the-Blank soup) rather than looking first at how to use fresh foods in less complicated ways. I actually had a meltdown my first Thanksgiving because almost none of my tried and true family recipes worked. Then I stepped back and began looking at what I could eat and tried to keep it as simple as possible. I think eating whole foods in their simplest forms made me realize for the first time what they really taste like. I would start with choosing my protein and experiment with herbs/spices and different cooking methods. I would then decide which veggies/starch (seasonal when possible) would accompany it. Dessert did not have to be more than fresh seasonal fruit with real whipped cream. It made me a better cook and a healthier diner. The heavy sauced foods now just feel heavy. While I would still give anything to have a light airy “real” biscuit and pie crusts that are so flaky it makes ya mama proud, I don’t feel cheated anymore. I feel healthy. Thank you Lord for sending an autoimmune disease that doesn’t require a medicine chest of drugs to live. All I need is a deliciously stocked pantry, a cookbook, and a willingness to learn something new.:)
I agree. I cook better and healthier since going gluten free. I still eat plenty of desserts etc., but way less than I used to. Focusing on more whole natural foods forces you to eat healthier. And yes on the willingness to learn something new. I have had to think outside the box and try things I never would have tried since I went gluten free and we have dealt with food allergies. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Hi Lynn!
When I learned I needed to go gluten free, I thought I took it pretty well. Throughout my life I have had some health issues I’ve had to battle, and when I learned that going gluten free might take some of those issues away, I was actually very excited!
But I have also found that as I continue in this new way of living, and watching my family eat things I can’t have, it’s gotten tough. And boy, was this article encouraging! Thank you so much, this gives me a whole new perspective on living gluten free.
Can’t wait for some new posts!
P.S. My favorite gluten free food is shrimp and cooked veggies with some sort of Asian sauce. Yum!
I am glad that you found it helpful. We all have times when we struggle with gluten free and food issues. It can be tough. I love hearing from my readers because knowing that others understand what it is like always helps encourage all of us!