Following a gluten-free diet can be a challenge. Planning your meals can help make it easier. Use this sample meal plan to give you ideas on how you can enjoy healthy gluten-free eating.
Sample meal plan
Here is a sample gluten-free meal plan. The amount of food you need depends on your age and sex. You can tailor this menu plan to meet your needs.
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Breakfast
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175mL (3/4 cup) warm cooked millet, amaranth, quinoa or pure, uncontaminated oatmeal 15mL (1 Tbsp) ground flax seed 125mL (1/2 cup) fresh fruit (like apple, pear, banana or blueberries) 250mL (1 cup) tea with lemon
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Morning snack
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125mL (1/2 cup) vanilla flavoured low-fat yogurt* 2 mandarin oranges Water
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Lunch
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Noodle and vegetable salad - 250mL (1 cup) soba noodles (100% buckwheat) - 250mL (1 cup) of mixed shelled edammame, shredded carrots and shredded cabbage - 75g (1/3 cup) canned chickpeas, lentils or mixed beans, rinsed and drained - ½ avocado, sliced - 15mL (1 Tbsp) sesame seeds - 15mL (1 Tbsp) gluten-free salad dressing* - 125mL (1/2 cup) fruit (like strawberries, mango or peaches) Water
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Afternoon snack
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30g (1/4 cup) almonds 1 small apple or 6 dried apricots 30g (1/4 cup) cheese, cubed (like mozzarella, cheddar, gouda or Swiss) Tea
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Dinner
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Stir-fry - 75g (2 1/2oz) chicken, firm tofu or shrimp - 250 mL (1 cup) mixed vegetables, such as red pepper, broccoli, carrots and snap peas - 250mL (1 cup) brown rice - 15mL (1 Tbsp) oil - Gluten-free sauce or seasoning* Water
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Evening snack
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1 homemade small whole grain muffin made with gluten-free flour or 2 gluten-free* cookies 250mL (1 cup) low-fat milk
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*Look for products that say “gluten-free” on the label. If a product doesn’t say “gluten-free”, read the ingredient list. Stricter Canadian guidelines require that gluten-containing products be clearly labelled. The ingredient list will say “contains: wheat/gluten” if it contains this ingredient so you can avoid it. If you are unsure about an ingredient, call the company and ask.
Tips for gluten-free eating
Use Canada’s Food Guide to help you plan healthy meals
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Foods in the Vegetables and Fruit, Milk and Alternatives, and Meat and Alternatives food groups are naturally gluten-free.
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For a list of grain products that you can eat, read Eating Well with Celiac Disease.
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Choose high-fibre, gluten-free grains more often, like soba noodles (100% buckwheat), quinoa or brown rice.
Cook and bake gluten-free
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Make your own bread and baked goods using gluten-free flour. This can help save money and be more nutritious.
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When preparing foods from scratch, choose ingredients that are naturally gluten-free that are inexpensive – try rice, potatoes or sweet potatoes, corn, beans, peas and lentils.
Look for the following gluten-free cookbooks in your local bookstore or library:
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Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide, 5th Edition. Shelley Case RD. 2014. https://shelleycase.com/
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Complete Gluten-Free Diet and Nutrition Guide. Alexandra Anca RD and Theresa Santandrea-Cull. 2010.
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1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes. Carol Fenster PhD. 2008.
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The Gluten-Free Cookbook for Kids: 101 Exciting and Delicious Recipes. Adriana Rabinovich. 2009.
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Pulses and the Gluten-Free Diet: Cooking with Beans, Peas, Lentils and Chickpeas. Shelley Case RD and Carol Fenster PhD. Available free from: www.pulsecanada.com/media/gluten-free-booklet.pdf.
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Wheat-Free Gluten-Free Cookbook for Kids and Busy Adults. 2nd edition. Connie Sarros. 2009.
Get more ideas for making gluten-free substitutions in the kitchen.
Read food labels when grocery shopping
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Look for products that say “gluten-free” on the label.
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If a product doesn’t say “gluten-free”, read the ingredient list. Stricter Canadian guidelines require that gluten-containing products be clearly labelled. The ingredient list will say “contains: wheat/gluten” if it contains this ingredient so you can avoid it. If you are unsure about an ingredient, call the company and ask.
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Avoid buying foods from bulk food stores. Even if the ingredient or food is gluten-free, it may have come in contact with gluten-containing foods.
Find out more about hidden sources of gluten.
Bottom line
Eating healthy while living gluten-free means choosing a variety of naturally gluten-free foods and substituting with gluten-free alternatives. Follow Canada’s Food Guide when planning your healthy gluten-free meals.
You may also be interested in:
Eating Well with Celiac Disease
Can People with Celiac Disease Eat Oats?
Fibre and the Gluten-Free Diet
The Canadian Celiac Association’s Pocket Dictionary of Ingredients
Last Update – May 15, 2018