Gluten Free Snack Ideas for Beginners

Giving up standard American food isn't easy when you're first coming to grips with a gluten free diet. Once you finally figure out what's wrong, the next thing becomes giving up oodles of foods that you've been used to eating for decades. I know how difficult that is, so I thought I'd compile a summary of some of the gluten free snack ideas that you already have in your pantry or fridge for those times when you're feeling like sneaking in a piece of cake or pretzel. Then promptly getting ill.

Popcorn

A good hot bowl or bag of popcorn is a great gluten free way to crunch your way to satisfying your salty snack urge. I found a tasty way to make popcorn the old fashioned way with oil in a saucepan. Just generously pour some extra virgin olive oil into a saucepan and heat up nice and hot, just before it's ready to smoke, pour your popcorn kernels in the pan and then let it pop. Add salt and you've got something good there!

Tortilla Chips and Salsa

Here's another salty snack that hits the spot when you're feeling like nothing but crunchy and salty will do. I ate a lot of this combination when first becoming gluten free. If you're a gluten free person that can have dairy products, go ahead and get some cheese on there for a nachos snack. If you like spicy, cut up some jalapenos to add to that and hey, you're livin' large.

Nuts and Seeds

As a person that eats primarily raw food, I eat mostly raw nuts and seeds, however whether they're roasted and salted or raw, the important thing for someone with gluten sensitivity is that it's gluten free. Nuts and seeds are gluten free, satisfying for crunchy and salty food cravings and they do a good job filling you up too.

Homemade Fries

Cut up some potatoes and preheat the oven for some satisfying home fries that fill you and your salt craving all in one sitting. Add some of your favorite spices to them to further the taste quotient, and all that's left to do is eat and enjoy. These are my personal favorite for a gluten free snack. I think because their filling, salty and the oil in them satisfies my need for fat. Making them with extra virgin olive oil seems to create a unique flavor, further enhancing their taste appeal.