Saying Goodbye to Gluten / Gluten-Free Living, Celiac Disease, Gluten-Free Support

Are you stressed about giving up all of your favorite foods to be gluten-free?

 

When I was told I had to be gluten-free, I immediately spiralled out, thinking about chocolate and never eating it again. WHAT?

 

Maybe you miss your favorite pizza, your mom's cookies, or your grandmother's recipe.

 

And maybe you've tried gluten-free substitutions, only to think, “This isn't the same.”

 

So you start wondering:

Will I ever enjoy food the way I used to?

 

Will I be deprived for the rest of my life?
If you've ever felt this way, you're not being dramatic! I sure felt this at the beginning of my GF journey. And just about everyone I’ve talked to about going gluten-free has shared the same feelings.

 

So you are in the right place!

 

In this episode, we're talking about the hidden grief that comes with losing your favorite foods and why this part of going gluten-free can feel so much heavier than simply changing the ingredients on your plate.

 

I'll share some of the foods I thought I'd never enjoy again, the mindset of deprivation that kept me stuck, and what changed when I stopped looking at gluten-free living as a life of loss.

 

Favorite foods can hold so much more than flavor
 

Our favorites can hold memories, comfort, celebrations, and even a feeling of home.

 

The good news? You can begin creating a gluten-free life where you don't have to miss out on all of that.

 

Listen in to learn how!

 

And know that this is exactly what I help you do when we work together!

 

If you've been gluten-free for months or even years and you're still grieving the foods you used to love, I especially want you to listen to this episode.

 

And if you've been following this Gluten-Free Grief series, thank you for being here.

 

We've talked about the loss of travel freedom, convenience, family traditions, and now favorite foods.

 

Just remember:

Going gluten-free isn't just about replacing ingredients. It's about learning how to create a life where you can still participate, celebrate, enjoy, connect, and feel like yourself.

 

You don't have to stay stuck in the grief. You can move forward.

 

Continue to grow your gluten-free lifestyle:

***Join the Gluten-Free Secrets Challenge to discover the 4 MUST-KNOW Secrets about living gluten-free that may be holding you back and the steps to take now to regain your energy, stamina, and health. Start the Challenge right here:https://bit.ly/GFSecrets

**Grab the GF Starter Guide to discover the 5 simple steps you can take now to start building your gluten-free life with more confidence and less overwhelm.  https://bit.ly/podGFGuide

**Grab the GF Holiday Recipe Guide for the fabulously delicious, safe GF recipes we serve our family and friends every holiday season. Fill your Thanksgiving / Christmas Table with all of your favorites! No more deprivation or missing out for you! Grab the recipes here:  https://bit.ly/PodHolidayRecipes

Check out our website for more inspiration, resources, and amazing recipes: https://glutenfreemarcksthespot.com/

 

Connect with Jennifer: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or at jennifer@glutenfreemarcksthespot.com

Now that you're gluten-free, do you feel that you have to say goodbye to your family traditions?

 

There are traditions you've repeated year after year without ever having to think twice about them.

 

And now you're wondering…

“How am I supposed to do this?”

 

In this episode of Saying Goodbye to Gluten, we're talking about the often-overlooked emotional side of living gluten-free: the loss of family traditions.

 

Family traditions aren't just about food.

 

They're connected to memories, family history, connection, identity, and belonging.

 

So when you go gluten-free, you may find yourself grieving more than a favorite recipe. You may be grieving the way your family has always gathered.

 

You may worry about:

Not being able to participate without constantly thinking about food

Sitting at the holiday table while everyone else eats foods you can't have

Having to change traditions that have existed for generations

Disappointing your family

Feeling guilty about needing a safe environment

Wondering if celebrations will ever feel “normal” again

 

I know that feeling because I experienced it myself.

 

Sitting at my first gluten-free holiday meal, glancing around the table, I realized I couldn't eat most of the dishes that had always been part of one of my favorite meals of the year.

 

That feeling of deprivation was real.

 

But here's what I learned about my gluten-free life . . .

Adjusting the tradition doesn't mean losing the tradition.

 

You Can Rebuild the Traditions You Love without being left out
 

Ask yourself:

What traditions could you adapt?

What traditions could you recreate?

And what new traditions could you begin?

 

The recipe might change, or the way you celebrate might change, but the love, connection, memories, and people can still be there.

 

And that's what matters.

 

You can even grab my GF Holiday Recipe Book so that you don't miss out on family recipes on your holiday table. Sit, relax, and enjoy all the food, along with everyone else this holiday season. Grab your copy right here.

 

If you missed any of the Hidden Grief of Living Gluten-Free Series, go back and check out episodes #122 and #123.

 

**Hit that follow button on the podcast so that you don't miss next week's episode as we wrap up this series on the hidden grief of living gluten-free.

 

Continue to grow your gluten-free lifestyle:

***Join the Gluten-Free Secrets Challenge to discover the 4 MUST-KNOW Secrets about living gluten-free that may be holding you back and the steps to take now to regain your energy, stamina, and health. Start the Challenge right here:https://bit.ly/GFSecrets

**Grab the GF Starter Guide to discover the 5 simple steps you can take now to start building your gluten-free life with more confidence and less overwhelm.  https://bit.ly/podGFGuide

**Grab the GF Holiday Recipe Guide for the fabulously delicious, safe GF recipes we serve our family and friends every holiday season. Fill your Thanksgiving / Christmas Table with all of your favorites! No more deprivation or missing out for you! Grab the recipes here:  https://bit.ly/PodHolidayRecipes

Check out our website for more inspiration, resources, and amazing recipes: https://glutenfreemarcksthespot.com/

 

Connect with Jennifer: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or at jennifer@glutenfreemarcksthespot.com

Do you wonder why everything feels harder now that you’re gluten-free?

 

It takes more energy to grab food wherever you are, go grocery shopping, and even make a quick family dinner, especially if you just went gluten-free.

 

Yet, sometimes that feeling of grief or loss isn't the food itself.

 

You're grieving how easy life used to feel.

 

In this episode of Saying Goodbye to Gluten, we're continuing our series on the hidden grief of living gluten-free by talking about the loss of convenience.

 

Are you grieving the convenience of your old life?
 

Maybe you can relate to…

Not being able to grab food when running errands easily 

Feeling like every meal requires planning

Spending forever reading ingredient labels at the grocery store

Not knowing which restaurants or stores are safe

Feeling overwhelmed by the mental energy required to stay gluten-free

Feeling like you're a short-order cook because your family needs different meals

Wondering how you're ever going to make family meals easy again

Getting an invitation and immediately thinking about what you'll need to bring or prepare

Staying home because figuring out the food feels like too much work

 

I know this feeling because I've lived it too.

 

Early in my gluten-free journey, I remember running errands and getting incredibly hungry, then realizing I didn't know where I could safely eat. I ended up stopping my errands to hunt for food. Finally, I ate potato chips because that was the only safe option I could identify at the time.

 

That was a very real loss of convenience.

 

But what I want you to know is that . . .

You don't have to stay stuck forever.
 

Your gluten-free life may require more thought at first, but that doesn't mean it will always feel this hard.

 

Once you understand gluten and build systems and habits, your gluten-free life becomes easier.

 

Eventually, what once felt overwhelming can become routine.

 

That's exactly what happened in my family, and what I share in today’s episode.

 

You don't need to spend the rest of your life grieving the convenience you lost.

 

You can create a gluten-free life that feels manageable, predictable, delicious, and eventually… second nature.

 

If you missed the previous episode exploring gluten-free grief, go back to episode #122. And don't forget to come back for the next episode as we continue exploring the hidden grief that can come with living gluten-free, and how we can keep moving forward.

 

Continue to grow your gluten-free lifestyle:

***Join the Gluten-Free Secrets Challenge to discover the 4 MUST-KNOW Secrets about living gluten-free that may be holding you back and the steps to take now to regain your energy, stamina, and health. Start the Challenge right here:https://bit.ly/GFSecrets

**Grab the GF Starter Guide to discover the 5 simple steps you can take now to start building your gluten-free life with more confidence and less overwhelm.  https://bit.ly/podGFGuide

**Grab the GF Holiday Recipe Guide for the fabulously delicious, safe GF recipes we serve our family and friends every holiday season. Fill your Thanksgiving / Christmas Table with all of your favorites! No more deprivation or missing out for you! Grab the recipes here:  https://bit.ly/PodHolidayRecipes

 

Check out our website for more inspiration, resources, and amazing recipes: https://glutenfreemarcksthespot.com/

 

Connect with Jennifer: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or at jennifer@glutenfreemarcksthespot.com

Has living gluten-free changed the way you travel?

 

Do you love spontaneous road trips, vacations, exploring new cities, or trying local foods . . . and now feel that travel is out of reach due to living gluten-free?

 

Maybe you have even thought:

“Traveling just isn’t worth it anymore.”

 

That was my thought at the beginning of my journey, and I've heard the same complaint from many clients.

 

When most people go gluten-free, they worry about the food.

 

But nobody talks about the grief, the losses we experience... the grief of our favorite foods, convenience, family traditions, and, yes, feeling different when you travel.

 

 

Since losing my dad, grief has taken on a whole new perspective in my life. The more I think about it, the more it correlates to living gluten-free - giving up gluten is a huge change and loss we feel.

 

Over the last years taking care of my dad, there were many days I felt grief - the loss of traveling (he would never come to my home again!), the loss of eating (he had a hard time using utensils), the loss of communication (we had a hard time having a simple conversation). I was never going to ask him questions about gardening or cooking again. Watching someone decline with Alzheimer’s is a series of saying goodbye.

 

I’ve thought a lot about this in relation to gluten.

 

I see it again and again in clients - not wanting to say goodbye to gluten for good, not accepting it and moving on, staying in the feeling of loss instead of creating a new reality. 

 

 

This week on the podcast, I am starting a new series about the hidden grief of living gluten-free. We’ll study losses that can be easy to overlook, yet have a huge impact on how we feel about our gluten-free lives.

 

This is definitely something to think about when going gluten-free.

 

Today, we’re starting with travel freedom:

The hidden grief of traveling gluten-free
 

Going gluten-free changes how you experience vacations, family trips, restaurants, spontaneity, adventure, and even how you see yourself as a traveler.

 

You may be grieving:

The freedom to take a last-minute trip

The spontaneity of jumping in the car and going

The excitement of trying local foods without worry

The confidence that you’ll be able to find safe food wherever you go

The ease of traveling with family and friends

The feeling that you’re an easy, uncomplicated travel companion

The identity of being carefree and adventurous

 

Have you thought about, or realized your thoughts on the above situations?

 

In this episode, I’m sharing some of my family’s experiences, including what it is like traveling with my children and seeing firsthand how much research and planning goes into something that once felt so simple.

 

Also important are the stories from my clients who were afraid that being gluten-free meant they had to stay home, miss out, or become a burden to the people they were traveling with.

 
But here’s the important part…
 

We don't have to pretend those losses aren't real. We can acknowledge them and feel the loss.

 

Then we can create a new version of travel, which may look different but can still be safe, joyful, meaningful, and full of adventure.

 

Living gluten-free does not mean your life stops. You can still travel, explore, go out with friends and family, and experience new places.

 

You simply need strategies and plans to make it work (which is exactly what I help you do!)

 

Next week: we’re talking about another loss that catches so many of us off guard…

The loss of convenience.

 

And trust me . . . I’ve felt this one too.

 

You don't have to stay home and sit on the couch; you just need to make plans with some new habits to get there safely.

 

Has living gluten-free changed the way you travel?

 

Make sure you hit the follow button on the Saying Goodbye to Gluten Podcast because this is only the beginning of our Hidden Grief of Gluten-Free series.

 

 

Continue to grow your gluten-free lifestyle:

***Join the Gluten-Free Secrets Challenge to discover the 4 MUST-KNOW Secrets about living gluten-free that may be holding you back and the steps to take now to regain your energy, stamina, and health. Start the Challenge right here:https://bit.ly/GFSecrets

**Grab the GF Starter Guide to discover the 5 simple steps you can take now to start building your gluten-free life with more confidence and less overwhelm.  https://bit.ly/podGFGuide

**Set up a FREE 15-minute GF Growth Strategy Call to learn your best steps to move forward and work through your losses in your GF health. Choose a date here for a free chat: https://bit.ly/here2schedule

Check out our website for more inspiration, resources, and amazing recipes: https://glutenfreemarcksthespot.com/

 

Connect with Jennifer: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or at jennifer@glutenfreemarcksthespot.com

Do you miss baking since going gluten-free?

 

Maybe you’ve stared at all those gluten-free flours in the grocery store and wondered, “Where do I even start?”

 

Or maybe you’ve tried gluten-free baking and ended up with crumbly cookies, hockey-puck bread, or treats that just didn’t turn out the way you hoped.

 

I get it. Gluten-free baking can feel overwhelming at first. But your gluten-free baking days are NOT over!

 

In this episode of Saying Goodbye to Gluten, I’m sharing my 10 favorite gluten-free baking tips to help you feel more comfortable, confident, and excited to get back into the kitchen.

 

With the holidays approaching, this is the perfect time to start experimenting so you can create delicious gluten-free treats to enjoy and share.

In this episode, you'll learn:

How to best use different gluten-free flours

Why the binder you use matters in gluten-free baking

Why it’s important to think about all of the ingredients you are using

How to continue baking even if you're allergic or intolerant to other ingredients

 

Most importantly . . . it's time to stop being afraid of gluten-free baking and experiment!

 

I also share some of the lessons I've learned through years of gluten-free baking, including the importance of paying attention to how your body responds to different ingredients and finding the combinations that work for YOU.

You don't have to miss out on holiday baking.
 

Going gluten-free doesn't mean you have to watch everyone else enjoy dessert while you sit on the sidelines.

 

You can learn how to make delicious gluten-free treats that you’re excited to eat, share, and bring to holiday celebrations.

 

So grab your whisk, get into the kitchen, and let's take the fear out of gluten-free baking . . . one recipe at a time!

 
Listen to the episode
Then come back and tell me: Which tip are you going to try first?

 
Ready to go beyond the tips?
If you’re ready to stop guessing your way through gluten-free baking and actually understand flours, substitutions, binders, baking techniques, and how to set up your kitchen for gluten-free success, I invite you to check out my Gluten-Free Baking for Beginners Program.

 

It’s designed to help you move beyond baking confusion, crumbling cookies, and disappointing results so you can start creating gluten-free treats you’re genuinely excited to share.

 

You’ll get my gluten-free baking tips and strategies plus three bonus baking classes right from Jenn’s own kitchen to help you build your skills.

 

Ready to become a more confident gluten-free baker? Grab the link in the show notes and let's get baking!

 

Also mentioned:

Episode #78 - Gluten-Free Baking: Choosing the Right Flours for Delicious Results

Episode #36 - E36 Living Gluten-Free: Navigating Health, Safety, and Smart Choices 

 

Continue to grow your gluten-free lifestyle:

**Grab Jenn’s GF Baking Tips Cheat Sheet right here: https://www.subscribepage.com/s6m3d5

 

**Join the GF Baking for Beginners Program - Step away from confusion and build confidence to start baking gluten-free treats everyone will love. Get instant access and delicious bonuses right here: https://glutenfreemarcksthespot.com/glutenfree-baking-for-beginners/

 

Check out our website for more inspiration, resources, and amazing recipes: https://glutenfreemarcksthespot.com/

 

Connect with Jennifer: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or at jennifer@glutenfreemarcksthespot.com