Living with coeliac disease can be a challenge at times. If you’ve been recently diagnosed, it can be hard to find your feet, understanding what and where you can safely eat.

Even if you’ve been living with coeliac disease for a while, it can still feel tough at times. It’s easy to slip into a dull routine, with the same old gluten free foods and what feels like the same old limited lifestyle. But it doesn’t have to be that way, and New Year is a great time to try new things, make new friends and break free from the boredom.

Coeliac disease doesn’t have to spoil your fun. You can still eat out and entertain at home, with specially made foods such as gluten free pasta. You can even make some new friends at your local coeliac support group and through the Glutafin community. So let’s take a look at some of the ways you can make 2024 more tasty, more fun and more exciting.

Eating out with coeliac disease

Finding somewhere to eat out safely with coeliac disease might seem like more hassle than it’s worth, but it’s actually very easy. Coeliac UK have a restaurant finder page where you can look for local restaurants. You can search by food type, from Asian to vegan, Indian to Italian, to find exactly what you’re looking for. You can also filter by features such as disabled access, children’s menu and even Wi-Fi availability.

There’s no need to sit at home when you can simply pop in your postcode to get a range of gluten free options from over 8000 restaurants listed in the guide.

Entertaining at home

These days, many gluten free foods, such as gluten free pasta or gluten free pizza bases, are so tasty that it’s hard to tell the difference. Which means you can entertain at home in style, without drawing attention to your condition by having to make separate dishes just for you.

No one does family dining quite like the Italians, so get the gang round for a Bolognese with gluten free pasta, and add some garlic bread made with Glutafin’s gluten free rolls. Remember, a glass or two of red wine to go with it is gluten free too!

Mix up your menu

Everyone can get stuck in a rut eating the same meals, week in and week out. And when your diet is restricted, it can feel even harder to mix up your menu. That’s why Glutafin have a dedicated recipe section, packed with delicious gluten free meals and snacks.

You’ll find loads of ideas and inspiration here, from light bites to delicious dinners, from kids’ teas to formal meal ideas. Try our chicken katsu curry with gluten free onion bhajis and naan bread. Go Mexican with our gluten free tacos. Or try a traditional family favourite with our gluten free toad in the hole. With five pages of gluten free dinner ideas alone – including a whole page of gluten free pasta recipes – there’s no excuse for getting stuck with the same old meals every week.

Make some new friends

For some people, coeliac disease can feel quite isolating, as you struggle to take part in work meals out and you don’t want to put your friends out when they invite you for dinner. But it’s important to remember that you’re not alone. Coeliac disease affects as many as one in a hundred people in the UK, and there’s a whole community of coeliac support just waiting to welcome you.

Coeliac UK has over 30 local groups right across the country, from Scotland to the South West. If there isn’t one near you, why not start your own? Coeliac UK will help you set it up, just contact their volunteering team for more details. You’ll also find lots more support as part of the Glutafin Community, sharing stories, lifestyle tips and more to help you live life to the fullest.

Happy New Year from everyone here at Glutafin. May it bring you more variety, more fun and more meals to enjoy with your friends and family.

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