May of last year was when I officially became a vegetarian. While I had mostly stopped eating meat in April, I really officially became a vegetarian in May. I haven’t really talked about being a vegetarian on my blog, not because it’s super personal or anything, but I just honestly haven’t gotten around to it. I became a vegetarian for moral reasons – animals are treated horribly today and I don’t think how they are thought of simply as products is right at all, and it makes me so sad to think about the cruelty they face in meat factories. On the flip side, I definitely don’t judge others for eating meat. I know it’s a hard decision to make and just generally a difficult thing to commit to for some people who love meat. My family was really concerned when I became a vegetarian because they wanted to make sure I got all of the necessary nutrients, so my parents made me do a lot of research about any supplements I would need to take, or certain fruits and veggies I should eat more of.
Becoming a vegetarian was really easy for me because I’ve never been a huge meat eater. The only meats I really liked were turkey and chicken, but even then they definitely weren’t my favorite food. Actually, the most difficult part of being a vegetarian so far has been when I’m at other people’s house and they fix meat and something with wheat in it – my choices are then super limited to say the least. I usually just try to give people a heads up, and being in college now, it really doesn’t come up a whole lot. Now that all of my family is used to me being a vegetarian, it’s not difficult to have other things to eat besides meat at family gatherings and holidays.
Another difficulty I’ve faced about being a vegetarian is actually not from my own doing, but questions and criticism from other people. My family especially was confused and concerned about whether or not I would be able to get the proper nutrients from fruits and vegetables alone. My dad really loves meat, so he didn’t get why I would voluntarily remove it from my diet. My mom was just worried that I wouldn’t get enough nutrients, but in time they both accepted the fact that this was a permanent change for me. Some people I’ve met have also been surprisingly critical of being a vegetarian and simply don’t understand why I became one. It’s sometimes frustrating when people do this because I never ask them why they eat meat and choose to do so. I’ve never been critical of anyone who eats meat; I believe it’s a personal choice, and neither is more right. It’s just how I choose to live my life and it really doesn’t affect anyone but myself.
So far, I’ve only missed eating meat during Thanksgiving. I have always loved turkey, so it was hard watching everyone else eat it, but I just took some extra mashed potatoes 😉 There are actually so many meat-free dishes you can make during the holidays, and they have tofurkey! I have never tried it but I definitely will next year. Other than Thanksgiving, I haven’t felt like I’m missing out on anything. There are substitutes for virtually every meat nowadays, so if I ever have a dire craving for a cheeseburger I can easily eat a veggie burger. Honestly, I like veggie burgers way more than I ever liked regular cheeseburgers! I think it just comes back to the whole non-meat fan growing up, but veggie burgers taste so much better to me.
Becoming a vegetarian has been such a good decision for me – I have so much more energy because I have to eat fruits and vegetables literally all of the time and I don’t miss meat at all. I have also always loved animals, so I feel like I’m making a difference – even though it’s a small one – and helping them. If you’re on the fence about becoming a vegetarian, I say definitely go for it because you won’t regret it. You may have a rocky start, but just start cutting meat out gradually and soon you won’t even miss it. I know it can be a lot harder to become a vegetarian for people who love meat, but it’s definitely worth it in the long run. I think the meat industry really needs to change, and I’m not even going to get started about the fishing industry. I’ve always been a bit of a tree hugger, so for me these issues are near and dear to my heart and I could probably talk about them for hours…
Well, anyway, I don’t want this post to rattle on and on about the woes of the world and environment, so I’ll leave it at that! It’s just important to myself that I kind of recognize that it’s been a year without meat. I’m so glad I decided to make the switch to vegetarianism and I think I’m going to start posting more about things like vegetarian recipes, tips, etc.!
Is there anything you’ve dedicated yourself to?
Thank you so much for reading and have a wonderful day! 🙂
Clear skin is something that we all can relate to in our struggles. Especially when you are a young person, it can sometimes feel like you can never catch a break with your skin between hormones, school, stress – the list goes on and on. I have found a skin routine that really works for me, so I thought I would talk about it a little bit since it really makes my skin happy!
I also just want to preface this with the fact that my skin is very dry and sensitive, so I have to use products that are very gentle, and I always try and use more natural products. My skin seems to react a lot better to natural products, so I always stick with that route!
1. Always take off your makeup at night.
It is so important to take off your makeup at night! If you don’t, your pores are just plugged the whole night, which leads to breakouts! So make sure to steer clear of those by taking off your makeup before you sleep.
I use this eye makeup remover from Fresh, and I absolutely love it! It is so gentle on my eyes, and it leaves them feeling really hydrated, which doesn’t always happen with other eye makeup removers I’ve tried. This product also takes off all of my eye makeup, even the most stubborn mascara! I could go on and on about it, and if you have yet to find an eye makeup remover that you like, you should definitely try this one!
After I take off my eye makeup, I use these makeup remover wipes for my whole face. They are made especially for sensitive skin, so they work really well for me! I also really love Burt’s Bees because they’re products are always so gentle on my skin.
2. Wash your face at least once a day.
I know this one is a given, but for me I only wash my face once a day. Anything more than that really irritates my skin since it’s already dry and sensitive. In the mornings I just wake up and put lotion on, and I skip the face wash. If your skin is really dry and unhappy, try doing this! I know it’s necessary for people with oily skin to wash their face twice a day, but dryer skinned people can get away with just once.
3. Exfoliate at least once a week.
I usually exfoliate on Wednesday’s and Sunday’s, so twice a week, but it’s important to exfoliate at least once a week! It helps to remove the dead skin cells that can clog your pores up, and just keeps your skin happy and healthy!
4. Use a face mask.
I use the Clear Improvement mask from Origins once a week to clarify my skin, but you can use any type of mask you want! There are some really great moisturizing face masks if your skin is particularly dry (I usually do this in the winter), or masks to help reduce oiliness. I really love this mask, though, and it works really well with my skin! I’ve always had really good experiences with Origins products.
5. Use a good moisturizer.
I use the Daily Face Cream from First Aid Beauty in the mornings and night, and I really love it! It’s super important to make sure your face is properly hydrated day and night, so I suggest using lotion at least twice a day. Sometimes I even like to pop on some lotion in the middle of the day when my skin is really dry!
6. Always use sunscreen!
Sunscreen is so important to use even on days that are cloudy! I don’t put sunscreen on all over my body every single day, but I always put sunscreen on my face! It’s in my BB cream, so I’m covered for everyday use, but if I’m going to be in the sun all day (like at the beach or pool) I put on an actual sunscreen for more coverage. Your skin will thank you later in life for consistent sunscreen use!!
I also made a video where I talked a little bit more in depth about all of these points, so you can give it a watch if you want! 🙂
What are your skincare tips?
Thank you so much for reading and have a wonderful day! 🙂
I have always been a perfectionist. Ever since I can remember, everything that I’ve done has had to better than just “good enough” which has always pushed me to try my hardest. Because I had to do everything perfectly, I’ve often held myself to those very same standards and have found it difficult to accept imperfections.
Imperfections are very tricky things; we all have them, yet try our hardest to deny them. Society today makes it seem as though you have to be perfect in order to be successful, and the person with the least amount of imperfections is automatically thought of as the best. We reject these parts of ourselves because we believe they make us weak and not good enough, when often times they are the very things that set us apart and make all of us unique. If we were all perfect human beings, the world would be an extremely boring place because everyone you meet would be the same.
I have many imperfections – I’m extremely stubborn, indecisive, self-conscious and I worry way too much. It’s hard sometimes to accept these things because I hate to feel weak, but they’re also the things that make up who I am. As humans we’re of course way more than our imperfections, but they are fundamental to who we are. The people who love us have to accept our imperfections, and even come to love those too. I think it’s really important to accept them ourselves as well. When you love every part of yourself, life gets a lot easier to handle. And when you accept every part of yourself, it’s a lot easier to be comfortable with yourself in every situation.
I was tagged on YouTube for the Imperfections tag, and I’m so glad I was! It was so cool to think about my own imperfections and how they make us all so human. I think it’s a really good idea to think about our imperfections and accept that they are a part of us. It helps so much to accept them because once you accept the “worst” things about yourself, the good things are so much easier to notice! One of my New Years “resolutions” was to start loving myself, so this was such a cool thing to think about. So let’s spread around some much needed self love!
What are your imperfections?
Thank you so much for reading, you are all beautiful, and have a wonderful day! 🙂
This past week has been absolutely crazy. Because it was Mother’s Day weekend, I was planning on going home for the weekend on Friday, but ended up getting sick Wednesday and going home Thursday night so I could be sick at home. Once I got home, my parents told me we were getting a puppy from California, and that that they would be going to get her on Monday night! I was super excited because one of our dogs passed away a couple of months ago, and ever since then our other two dogs have been really sad and mopey. We all thought a puppy would be a great way to cheer them up, and who doesn’t want a puppy?!
My parents asked if I wanted to go with them on Monday, but I wouldn’t be able to because those are my busiest days with classes, and I didn’t want to miss that much school with midterms coming up. Because of that, we decided to leave Friday night to get her! It took us 12 hours to drive to California from our house, and then another 12 hours to drive back. Needless to say, 30 hours later (we had to stop a lot to let our dogs out of the car to stretch their legs, bathroom and food breaks, etc., which added up to an extra 4 hours) we were all very ready to get home and out of the car.
And this is Willow! The 30 hour road trip was so worth it to get her. She is such a sweetheart and fits right in with our family, which consists of two other dogs and four cats. It took our other two dogs, TJ and Miki, a day or so to get used to her, but they are playing like best friends now.
Here are some photos from the trip:
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| She was kind of nervous at first in the car. |
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| This is TJ, my dog. |
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| She became more brave and started trying to cuddle with him! |
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| And then TJ didn’t really like that so he came up and sat on my lap. Not even kidding. |
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| Typical puppy chewing on everything. |
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| We stopped at Lake Shasta real quick which was really pretty! |
After 30 hours in the car, home didn’t even seem real, and we all slept for a good 12 hours.
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| TJ was so happy to be home and able to run around. |
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| This is Miki, and she was super happy to be home as well. |
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| Miki was really unsure of Willow at first, but she warmed up to her. She loves to “mother” her! |
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| Willow just adores Miki – and TJ – and loves to do everything that they do. |
Overall, the trip was actually fun and definitely worth it to get a puppy! I didn’t end up doing hardly any homework which I’m paying for now, but again, so worth it! Willow is the perfect little addition to our family and I will definitely cherish these memories. It’s hard being away at college sometimes when you miss your family, so this weekend was really exactly what I needed! And summer is only a couple of weeks away, so I’ll be able to spend lots of time with all of my puppies.
What did you do this weekend?
Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day! 🙂
I went and saw the Cinderella movie about a month ago and it was so amazing! Dare I say it’s even better than the original animated one?! All of the costumes, hair, makeup, and everything else was so gorgeous! I seriously fell in love within the first five minutes. I also love the message of “have courage and be kind” that they drive to the audience throughout the whole movie.
Since I loved the movie so much, I did a makeup look for prom inspired by it! I had so much fun doing this, and what girl doesn’t want to look like Cinderella for prom?!
I used the colors in my Naked 1 and 3 palette for this look since they both have really pretty soft pinks! I wanted this whole look to be really glowy and soft since Cinderella really doesn’t wear a lot of harsh makeup in the movie, even during the ball.
I also used the “skintuitive” lipgloss from Tarte for this look, and it changes into a different color for each person! It was so cool watching the color change.
Here is my YouTube video where you can watch how I got this look! 🙂
Well I just wanted to do a quick post showing this look! I’m a freshman in college so I of course am not going to prom, but I thought this might be helpful for those of you going to prom! I know I always had the hardest time deciding what makeup to wear for prom.
Have you seen the new Cinderella?
Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day! 🙂
One of the things that undeniably, and to put quite simply, sucks about the human experience is rejection. Everyone can relate to it and has been through it; be it through a job you didn’t get, a dream role given to someone else, or in your love life. Rejection cuts right to the core and makes you question exactly who you are, and more often than not your self-esteem takes a huge blow. While it does indeed suck, what sucks even more is letting it keep you down and doubt what kind of a person you are. I’m someone who has always struggled with rejection – my self-esteem has never been the greatest, and I often let other’s opinions of myself bother me way more than they should. It has taken me a long time to realize that the only opinion about me that matters is my own. It really doesn’t matter how others see you – it matters how you see you.
Since I’ve faced a lot of rejection in my life (who hasn’t?) I thought I would share with you guys some tips on how I get over rejection.
1. Give yourself time to simply cry it out.
Crying is such a great therapy sometimes. I actually hate crying in front of others (I was a huge crybaby when I was younger), but it can actually be very therapeutic. I think it’s important to accept your hurt feelings after rejection, and simply give yourself time to say “You know what, this isn’t what I was hoping for, and I’m really sad about it.” The important thing, however, is to not get stuck in this stage. Just give yourself a couple of hours to do this, a day if you need it, and move on.
2. Do not let the rejection define you – it does not have anything to do with who you are.
It took me a long time to realize this. My first instinct after rejection is to start questioning and blaming myself. I was rejected because I’m not pretty enough, smart enough, strong enough. Those thoughts pass through my mind over and over and I have to literally tell myself that it has nothing to do with the person I am. The way you deal with rejection defines who you are. If you let it knock you down and stay there, you are only doing more harm to yourself.
3. Don’t be afraid to reach out to friends.
If you’re having a hard time with the rejection, don’t hesitate to reach out to friends for advice, or simply just a shoulder to cry on. There is no shame in asking for help, and your friends will be more than happy to do so. Talking and having someone listen can be really helpful and make you feel less alone. You’ll probably be feeling really insecure after rejection, so having someone there for you can help you feel a lot more secure about yourself.
4. Get your mind off of it.
Go out and take a walk, read a good book, or watch a movie. There are literally hundreds of things you could be doing instead of dwelling on the rejection. It’s not at all healthy to sit at home and think about the hurt all day because you’ll never get over it. Getting your mind off of it helps you realize there are other important things in your life, and that you eventually will get over it.
5. Don’t let it make you afraid.
Sometimes when we face rejection, it’s easy to say “Well I’m never trying that again!” It’s important, though, to get right back on the horse. Don’t let one rejection – or twenty – make you afraid to try your hardest at something, or be too afraid to try it again. So what you didn’t get that one job? You’ll find another one! That guy doesn’t like you back? You will find someone even better. Rejection isn’t the end of the world, but something to learn from and apply the lesson next time.
It’s so important to learn how to deal with rejection, because you’ll probably face it a lot in your life. A bleak point, I know, but if you realize it doesn’t make you a bad person, you’ll be able to handle it a lot better. It’s a part of life, and something that everyone has to go through before they get a simple “yes.” You will hear “no” more, but once you get that “yes,” it’ll all be worth it.
How do you deal with rejection?
Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day 🙂
It’s no secret how excited I have been for spring and warmer weather, and I have definitely been taking advantage of that by wearing all of my spring dresses! Here is (yet another) outfit I wore the other day when it was a little cloudy out, but still nice!
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| I haven’t told you guys, but I’m a secret duck whisperer. |
Dress: Urban Outfitters
Cardigan: Aeropostal
Booties: Nordstrom
I really love wearing this long cardigan with dresses on days where it’s not quite warm enough to only wear a dress! It’s also a great neutral that goes with pretty much everything! The crochet is so pretty, too, and I love the pattern of it.
You might also notice that I got a whole new look for my blog! I’m so happy with it, and it was definitely time for a change! I have gotten really serious about my blog this past year, so I wanted a template that was more clean and simple, but still had some nice color to it. Let me know what you think! I am in love with it 🙂
Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day!
I can’t explain how stressful this week has been. I have had multiple midterms and a mountain of homework to conquer – I guess I didn’t fully realize just how stressful college can get, since I haven’t been this overwhelmed yet. On Wednesday, I had to just sit down and force myself to take a break from homework and studying because I was driving myself insane. I know that I push myself too hard sometimes, and it’s so difficult for me to take a moment and realize that it’s okay if I need to take a break in order to continue doing my best. I am a perfectionist to the core, so doing something with only half of my effort is never an option. While that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it can be unhealthy when I literally force myself to power through homework and studying to the point where I am in tears.
I have never dealt with anxiety and stress well, and being at college, it is only intensified. I worry about the littlest things, and when I’m stressed I am just a ball of nerves that gets worse and worse until I inevitably break down. I envy people who don’t have anxiety; to go a day without worrying about every little thing would be a dream. Sometimes it’s difficult for my friends to understand how I fixate on little things and have trouble making decisions because I worry about every single outcome possible. What if I make the wrong decision? Or what if this happens, or that, or even something I didn’t even account for? I think about it all, and it makes me so angry with myself because I wish I could just easily make a decision and just be done with it.
All my life, my dad has always told me “It ain’t nothin’ but a thing” when I’m really worried about something, which helps put everything into perspective. Like the quote above, the way you deal with stress and anxiety is more important than the actual thing that is stressful. I know that I don’t deal with stress and anxiety in the best way; I just try and focus on other people and never talk about my own stress with others because I don’t want to be a bother to anyone. I love helping people and listening to their problems, but I just don’t like to draw attention to myself since I’m a very shy person. I’ve slowly been realizing, though, that it’s really important to talk about your troubles. Loved ones are the people you should be able to talk about anything with, and for me, that is my parents most of the time. It helps me when I get other opinions and advice, and to also put things into perspective. A big thing to me could be something small to others, which helps me realize that my worry just might be magnified in my eyes, or that I’m making something way bigger than it needs to be
I don’t want this post to be just totally depressing, haha. Writing this is just a sort of therapy for myself after the week I’ve had. My blog is a creative outlet in which I can write about anything, and that sometimes includes things that are troubling me, or struggling with. I want the majority of my blog to be about all of the things that make me happy, but sometimes I need to talk about the hard things in life. I don’t think it would be fair to myself or anyone else if I didn’t share my own struggles, because we all have them and need to talk about them sometimes. So while I had a brutal week, I also know that it’s finally the weekend and I can do nothing and just wind down from all of this stress!
How was your week?
Thank you so much for reading, and as always have a wonderful day 🙂
I love changing up my room for the different seasons, and since spring is probably my favorite (I feel like I say that about all seasons once they come around…), I was super excited to do some DIY projects to spruce up my dorm room for spring!
All of these projects were so fun to make, and pretty easy and inexpensive! I had a lot of the items lying around the house and you probably will too!
Distressed Mason Jars
What You Will Need:
-Mason Jars
-Acrylic Craft Paint
-Paint Brush
-Rubbing Alcohol
-Cotton Rounds
-Sand Paper (not pictured)
1. Start off by cleaning the Mason Jars with Rubbing alcohol to make sure all of the oils are off of the glass and the paint will stick.
2. Begin painting the Mason Jars with a thin first coat. Let the first coat dry completely before you put on a second!!
3. Paint on a second coat once the first is completely dry.
4. If using a lighter color, paint on a third coat once the second coat is completely dry. I had to do this with the pink since it was so pale.
5. Let all of the coats dry over night. This is very important!
6. Once they have all dried completely over night, you can start to sand them to create a distressed look. I had a 120 grit sandpaper, which I found to work great! Just go around and sand wherever you want the paint to look old and distressed, and make sure to especially sand the words so they stand out.
The finished products!
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| I used them as vases when my friend got me flowers! |
This project isn’t difficult, you just have to make sure to wipe the jars down with rubbing alcohol or else the paint won’t stick well, and you have to let the coats dry really well!
Sea Glass Jars
What You Will Need:
-Cheap plastic cup
-Milk bottles (I got mine from Michael’s)
-Elmer’s glue
-Dawn Dish Soap (any dish soap will work just fine)
-Blue and green food coloring
-Paint brush
1. Add 2 tablespoons of Elmer’s glue to the cup, and 1 tablespoon of water (it’s a 2:1 ratio if you want to change up the amount). Mix until water is incorporated.
2. Add 3 drops of blue food coloring and 1 drop of green, as well as 1 drop of Dawn dish soap. Mix until the “paint” is a nice sea-foam green color.
3. Begin painting one, thin layer onto each milk bottle.
4. Once each milk bottle has a thin layer, you are done! Just let them dry overnight and they will look like the picture below! Don’t worry if they look streaky while drying, they will dry to be a nice opaque color! I was skeptical while I was watching mine dry but they turned out just fine.
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| The finished bottles! I put some fake peonies in them because I thought it looked so adorable. |
This project seems like it would be difficult, but it was actually really easy! I love how they turned out, and I’m so excited to change up the flowers in them!
Mini Flower Wreath
What You Will Need:
-Small grapevine wreath
-Little fake flowers on a “vine”
1. This project is really simple and self-explanatory; just take the “vines” of flowers and weave them through the wreath! Keep doing this until you are satisfied with how the wreath looks, at which point you are done.
I think it turned out so cute, and it’s the perfect way to add some color to your room!
Alright, well those are all of the projects! I basically went on a DIY frenzy over spring break which was so much fun. I think I’m going to do a lot over the summer when I have more time! So expect a lot more hehe. You can also check out the video I did on all of these projects to see a more in-depth explanation for each one!
Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day! 🙂
I’m not sure if I’ve ever mentioned that I have to eat gluten free because of an allergy, but lately I’ve really been wanting to spread the word about living gluten free! I found out I was allergic to wheat about three years ago, and man was it rough cutting out all gluten! Just think of the best foods (bread, pasta, and for me, my mom’s dumplings), and imagine never eating them again! Okay, okay, it isn’t that bleak, but it was definitely a challenge! Today, there are so many gluten free options available so it really isn’t even that hard, you really just have to readjust your taste buds! I thought it would be cool, though, to start sharing my gluten free tips with you guys, and just break down exactly what gluten and gluten free eating is!
So, what is gluten anyway?
Funny you ask! Many people have heard the term “gluten” or “gluten free,” but have never actually looked it up before. The more science-y definition is a mixture of two proteins that are present in wheat, rye, and barley that can cause anywhere from mild allergic reactions (things like skin rashes), to more severe ones (like Celiacs disease, in which a person can’t even have food that is processed in the same factory as wheat). Basically, gluten is in wheat flour, so anything with flour in it is a no-go. Personally, gluten gives me really bad headaches, stomachaches, and oftentimes a very unhappy tummy. Gluten allergies can be determined with a simple allergy test from your doctor, so make sure to get one done if you are having any food allergy like symptoms (skin rashes, upset stomach, itching in the mouth or throat, etc.).
I found out I have to go gluten free…now what?
So begins your journey with rice flours, coconut flours, xanthan gum, and all of the other flour alternatives! The most difficult part of eating gluten free is starting out. You have to find substitutes for all of your favorite gluten filled foods, and learn how to cook and bake with gluten free ingredients (trust me, it can be difficult at times!). Rice will become your best friend (it’s one of my favorite foods!), as will veggies and fruit!
When you first find out you have to eat gluten free, start by making a list of all of the foods you eat that contain gluten. Now, start to look for gluten free alternatives to those foods. Breakfast can be difficult since a lot of cereals have wheat in them, as do pancakes and waffles, but with a little research, you can find some really great gluten free brands! Personally, I have the gluten free waffles from the brand Vans every morning topped with peanut butter, and honestly, I like them so much better than I ever did regular wheat waffles! Gluten Free Works is also a great website to get started with gluten free recipes and foods. Pinterest is also a wonderful resource to find all of the gluten free recipes you could ever need or want! I would also recommend simply going to the gluten free section of your local grocery store, and start trying out the alternatives they have. Annie’s has some great gluten free products (their mac ‘n cheese is the best!), as does KIND for things like granola and power bars.
Okay, I tried some gluten free food, and I think the cardboard box it came in was better. Is this how all gluten free food tastes?
No! It does take some trial and error to find your favorite gluten free brands (my family can definitely testify to this…we have tried some horrible gluten free brands in the past), but eventually you find some really great food! After a couple of months you will easily fall into a gluten free routine and find which foods work and which ones don’t. Some of my favorite gluten free brands that haven’t let me down yet are Annie’s, Bob’s Red Mill, Vans, and KIND. They have really wonderful substitutes (Bob’s Red Mill has great gluten free flour, and gluten free mixes), and recently Krusteaz has come out with a really great pancake mix; it is amazing and smells like vanilla cake!
What do I do when I go out to eat?
This can be really difficult at first, because gluten can be hidden in the craziest of places! Be weary of soy sauce, because it contains flour, and make sure to ask if they have a gluten free version! To be safe at first, always ask the waiter or waitress if the dish you would like to eat contains gluten. That way, you can be 100% sure that what you are about to eat won’t put you in the bathroom all night throwing up! Personally, I always go for rice dishes, salads, or roasted veggies! Restaurants often have gluten free menus, so make sure to ask! You can usually request that your dish be made with gluten free pasta instead, and you can’t even tell the difference. Season salt also usually contains wheat, so if you have a really bad allergy and order fries, make sure you let the waiter know to tell the chef to not put seasoning salt on them.
What about when I go over to a friend’s house?
This can be a little tricky, because you don’t want to seem rude and refuse to eat anything they cook you, but you also don’t want to end up with an allergic reaction. The safest way to avoid an awkward situation is to simply tell them ahead of time that you have a gluten allergy, and won’t be able to eat anything like pasta or bread. People are usually totally fine with the heads up, and really appreciate it so they know what to cook! I sometimes offer to bring my own food to fix if a lot of people will be there, or if it’s an event where you can bring a dish, make sure it’s gluten free, and something that you wouldn’t mind making a whole meal out of!
My tips
-When it gets really hard and all you want to do is go to the first grocery store you find and eat a giant loaf of bread, just remember what happens when you eat gluten! Also try and remember that what you’re doing is so good for your body, and it will pay off to not make yourself sick for the small satisfaction of eating gluten.
-Think ahead and always have gluten free snacks available. You don’t want to be stuck anywhere starving, with the only option being your long lost favorite lemon pound cake from Starbucks.
-Try out as many gluten free recipes as possible, and make a go-to list! That way when you have no idea what to eat, you have a whole pile waiting in the wings.
-Try and start with naturally gluten free foods. Foods like fresh veggies and fruit will be your best friends at first, because you know for a fact they are gluten free!
-Get in the habit of always reading the ingredient lists on food! There can be hidden wheat in the smallest of places, so just to be safe, always always always read the ingredients.
-If you are at a restaurant and you aren’t sure whether or not a food is gluten free, just ask. It can be tedious at times, but it will be worth it in the long run.
-Try and find other glutards (people who are allergic to gluten), and compare recipes/strategies/motivations/anything else that is helpful, because you will learn a lot from them!
That’s all I have for now, and this will get you off to a good start! Just make sure to do as much research as possible so you can find the right resources for yourself. Don’t be afraid of the phrase gluten free – it is something that can be well adjusted to with a little bit of time, and I promise it will get a lot easier! If you put in a lot of work in the beginning, it will really pay off in the long run. Good luck, fellow glutards! 🙂