7 Gluten-Free Meal Planning Tips for Beginners

Whether you’ve been diagnosed with celiac disease or suspect you have a gluten intolerance, removing gluten from your diet may make life a little more comfortable. That said, overhauling your eating habits is never easy – especially when it involves cutting out a major food group. 

While there are plenty of gluten-free alternatives to wheat, barley, and rye, it takes practice to be able to quickly identify and replace the foods that contain these ingredients. Many people who switch to a gluten-free diet find that planning their meals ahead of time simplifies things on a day-to-day basis.

Here’s what you need to know in order to get started with meal planning on a gluten-free diet.

Tips for Planning and Shopping 

Have you ever walked into a grocery store on an empty stomach and walked out with twice as many groceries as you intended buying? A similar thing happens when you start a gluten-free diet and you don’t plan your meals – you shop on impulse and end up with a pantry full of food but no idea what to actually do with it. 

Planning your meals ahead of time not only ensures that your shopping trips will go smoothly, but you’ll save yourself the headache of figuring out what to make for dinner when you’re already exhausted at the end of a long day. Don’t worry, meal planning is less work than you may think. 

Here are a few tips to get started with meal planning: 

1. Make a list of your family’s favorite meals, whether they’re simple solutions like a breakfast smoothie or recipes for main entrees that require a little more prep and planning. 
2. Write the recipes down on notecards or print them out. Arrange and rearrange the cards in a 7-day plan that covers all the meals your family typically eats. 
3. When making your weekly plan, don’t forget to factor in leftovers. If you make a roast chicken one night, use the leftovers the next day in a salad or on a sandwich. Simplicity is key.
4. After you’ve tightened up your meal plan, use the recipes to create a detailed shopping list so you can walk into the grocery store with a plan. 
5. Implement your meal plan and make mental notes of how you can improve upon the plan. Maybe you forgot to account for leftovers or planned for breakfasts you didn’t end up preparing. 
6. Rotate your favorite recipes through your weekly meal plans to keep things fresh, adding new recipes as you see fit. It won’t take long to get the hang of planning and shopping for 7 days’ worth of meals all at once. 
7. Look for opportunities to make a little extra of your favorite dishes so you can pop it in the freezer to use as a last-minute meal at another time. You can even freeze extra ingredients for use the next week – this works well with chopped veggies.

As you’re making your first meal plan, don’t forget to include gluten-free staples on your grocery list. You’ll want to keep your pantry stocked with gluten-free grains like rice and quinoa as well as convenience foods like boxed pasta, canned soup, and more. And be sure to stock up on a few gluten-free snacks for when hunger strikes between meals!

Simple Gluten-Free Meal Ideas

When you first get started with meal planning, don’t feel like you need to go all out with new recipes. There’s nothing wrong with sticking to the basics like cereal for breakfast or a salad for lunch. The important thing is to find meals that fit your lifestyle, your preferences, and your budget. 

Before you spend hours sifting through gluten-free recipe blogs, poring over cookbooks, or consider a gluten-free meal delivery service, come up with a list of simple gluten-free meals that require minimal prep. Intersperse these hassle-free meals with recipes that take a little more time to prepare when making your weekly plan, so you don’t burn out.

1. Easy Breakfast Ideas

• Smoothies – Buy frozen fruit (or freeze your own) and combine it with spinach, avocado, protein powder, nut butter, or whatever else you like for a quick, on-the-go breakfast.
• Muffins – With a good gluten-free all-purpose baking mix, muffins are quick and easy to prepare. Here are some of our favorite muffin recipes. 
• Greek Yogurt – Start your morning with a dose of protein and top it with fresh fruit, nuts, or just a drizzle of honey. 
• Omelets – It only takes a few minutes to whip up an omelet and you can customize it to your taste with chopped veggies, ham, and cheese. 
• Chia Pudding – Chia seeds are packed with fiber and, when combined with liquid like almond milk, they swell to create a creamy pudding. Sweeten with maple syrup and top with fresh fruit or chopped nuts. 
• Breakfast Burritos – Load up warm corn tortillas with scrambled eggs, cheese, and bacon for a hearty breakfast or turn it into a sandwich with slices of toasted gluten-free bread. 
• Egg Cups – They’re like a cross between a muffin and an omelet. Simply throw together some chopped veggies, cheese, and beaten eggs in a greased muffin pan and bake until set. 

2. Quick and Simple Lunch Ideas

• Salads – Top fresh greens with leftover protein from last night’s dinner. Leftover chicken is perfect for chicken salad and salads are a great way to use cooked fish that you don’t want to reheat.
• Sandwiches – From cold cuts to egg salad, sandwiches are a breeze to whip up. Just make sure you have plenty of gluten-free buns and rolls on hand. 
• Soups – It’s easy to make a big batch of soup on the weekend (or for a weekday dinner) and enjoy the leftovers all week for lunch. Soup also tends to freeze well. 
• Dips – If you don’t have much of an appetite at midday, a hearty dip like hummus or bean dip served with sliced veggies or gluten-free crackers might be all you need. 

3. No-Hassle Dinner Ideas

• Build a Bowl – Start with a hearty base of steamed rice or quinoa and serve a variety of sides like seared steak, sliced tomatoes, chopped avocado, and more, so everyone can build their own bowl.
• One-Pan Meals – Simplify dinnertime by cooking your protein and veggies all in one pan. This works particularly well for chicken and fish with hearty veggies like broccoli or cauliflower. 
• Individual Pizzas – Start with a Schar gluten-free crust and let everyone in the family add their own toppings. They take just a few minutes to bake and everyone will be satisfied. 
• Roast Chicken – Making a whole roast chicken is easier than you think and you’re almost certain to have leftovers for use in other recipes. 
• Pasta Night – Stock up on your favorite canned or jarred sauces and gluten-free pasta. Serve it with salad for a nutrient boost and top with plenty of freshly grated parmesan. 
• Slow Cooker Meals – Many slow cooker recipes require nothing more than throwing the ingredients together and turning on the slow cooker. 

Though it takes some effort, gluten-free meal planning is by no means difficult, and it doesn’t even have to be very time-consuming. In fact, once you get the hang of it, gluten-free meal planning can become second nature. By following these tips and being mindful of ingredient labels, anyone can successfully navigate a gluten-free diet and enjoy delicious, healthy meals.

Shop the collection of Schar gluten-free to round out your meal plan today!