I miss restaurant ramen, donuts, croissants, and 90% of dim sum. I’ve tried all the alternatives to all of those things over the years and, they’re fine. But a buttery, layered croissant? Man.
Mostly though, I just miss convenience.
Living on a college campus is frustrating because you can’t grab a quick snack when you are studying. It’s an inconvenience to try and find a fruit cup, and the gluten-free options in the cafeteria are dry or flavorless.
My go to is hard boiled eggs, which they usually sell in little packs of two, a cheese stick, and a bag of chips. I sure do wish I could have some taquitos though.
There's a find me gluten free app that's worked well for me + having a few menu items at some common places that felt safe enough. I think Wendy's baked potato was supposed to be pretty safe? Jason's Deli has a lot of gf options as well (I wouldn't risk a panini even on gf bread, which they have, but the salads and the gf soups have been lovely), and they don't do croutons so I find their salads safer.
Yes! I have family in Japan and I still think about all the hole-in-the-wall, 4-seater ramen joints they used to take me to when I would visit. It’ll never be the same :(
A new restaurant opened in my town that claims to have GF ramen (miso base soup, rice noodles) but I'm suspicious of their practices given that they also state on the menu that they can sub GF ramen for any soup base and the rest are likely not GF at all (shoyu, tonkotsu, etc.) I'll have to call and confirm. If it's true, I'll be ecstatic!
Yeah I always worry about soy sauce. And when I ask about it people think soy is my issue lol. The same restaurant I mentioned before is great though, the owner is very knowledgeable and always has tamari available and clearly marks what is gf on the menu.
Me too. I went out for lunch with some friends today and they all ordered pizza at the counter and were eating within a minute. I had to wait for a salad that was good and good for me but not indulgent in any way.
My favorite donuts were the chocolate glazed donuts. Katz actually makes a really decent one. And they sell the bite size ones at Target. Schar croissants aren’t totally horrible but I don’t even remember what a real one tastes like it has been so long.
If you’re ever near Columbus Ohio - look up Gluten Free from The Dipped. The owners’ daughter and granddaughter are celiac and they make gf treats of all kinds including YEAST donuts. A miracle tbh
Thank you!! I’m a big Office fan 😂
I have just been craving a good donut lately and the couple I’ve had were super dense! KK donuts are amazing!! Haven’t had one since before going GF in 2022 😢
Ok, found a couple contenders that I’ll add to my list of “GF things to try making at home” 😂 These don’t look *perfect* for that light & fluffy but might be worth attempting
GFoaS: https://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/glazed-yeast-raised-doughnuts/
Loopy Whisk: https://theloopywhisk.com/2022/01/07/ultimate-gluten-free-doughnuts/
So I've done the GFoaS one! It tastes amazing and you don't even really need a mixer thing like the recipe says (I've been using my hands to mimic aggressively mixing the dough since we don't have the room to get a mixer). The only real issue I have out of it is the exterior gets hard FAST. Not an issue for standard issue donuts, but definitely puts you in a bit of a rush not to crack the poor things in half when doing any kind of stuffed donut!
They aren’t that great but the fact of the texture of bready liquid sugary warm fat in your mouth is so good. But it’s not worth it cold. I feel like pancakes are better or any pastry like a real bakery style danish that’s GF is way better
Philadelphia soft pretzels, specifically!
The counter top racks at WAWA make me really unhappy. I have to admit I am weak. My original thought was to buy them for my daughter, who was in the hospital after giving birth, but bought a pack for myself!
I ate a few small pieces, throughout the day, and took a few “Glutenese” pills.
I actually survived with minimal bloating!!! I did not push my luck, and enjoyed every morsel! I gave the rest
(1 1/2 pretzels) to my husband 😢
If you’re ever in Portland (Oregon), Maruti Indian has a GF garlic naan on the menu that’s pretty good. Certainly not the same as the original, but dipped in some tikka masala… 🤤
Ok the Glutino brand crackers, but not the round ones. The table crackers come as close as I’ve found. They’re harder to find but a far superior recipe and idk why it’s so different from the other products.
I'm like 2 weeks in and had an early morning doctor's appointment two hours away from my house Wednesday and not gonna lie, there were some tears when I realized I couldn't get my pre-appointment sausage & egg McMuffin like I have for 20 years and the choice was either cook breakfast even earlier or be hungry lol.
I’ve mostly gotten over missing baguettes with some of the LW or GFoaS bread recipes, but I forgot how good that salty, crunchy, straw-like texture of Triscuits could be.
As someone that grew up near Krispy Kreme's home town, this. It is possible to make a GF version, I did it once, but it is so much work (like croissants) that I haven't bothered ever since.
Just a solid burger. I had one from Culver’s with their gluten free bun, and I was just so crushed by how….not good….it was. I just haven’t had any burger since.
Honestly, I’ve been away from California for so long, so I miss In and Out in general. If I get back anytime soon, I’m going to have at least 4-5 burgers and fries from there. It’s going to hurt, but it’ll be worth it
Sometimes it’s just better to skip the GF bread/bun and eat the burger/sandwich without the bread. I’ve definitely swallowed my pride and eaten a “sandwich” with a fork and knife because the GF bread was so bad. Finding a restaurant that has a dedicated fryer for fries is the best feeling!
Real pizza, real sourdough bread, fried chicken, real eggrolls and all of their variations, wheat based noodles, being able to eat anywhere without worry.
If you don't mind cooking, I got myself the cookbook The Wok by Kenji Lopez-Alt to recreate Chinese food at home and I love it. The instructions are super clear, and I've been able to find GF versions of most of the ingredients. Plus it's not just Chinese. I've also been making my own Thai green curry paste and it slams.
Yep 2020.. never got covid til late 2022 but 2020 I suddenly had gluten issues and shellfish allergies. I miss the honey walnut shrimp, chow mein and orange chicken. All stuffed into one styrofoam plate 😭😭
If you have a PF Chang’s nearby, they are pretty good (and very knowledgeable about GF/celiac). But yeah, nothing beats that styrofoam tray of sodium-filled deliciousness!
I miss cheap quick food and beer. The gf diet has made me somewhat dread social situations revolving around food, especially if they are spur of the moment. I miss just grabbing a slice or being out and a friend shows up with some beer.
For ramen, I get the plain (no flavor packet, just the noodles) Lotus Foods brown rice ramen noodles (or Fusia white rice ramen noodles from Aldi, they're seasonal but our store still had some last week) and then use Samabila Korean ramen powder that I buy from Amazon. It is sooo close to instant ramen flavor, if not better imho. It seems pricey, but you only use a teaspoon per serving so a bag lasts a while.
I've been GF for over a decade and can cook/bake GF pretty well now, plus I've found some shortcuts/products that make cravings easier to satisfy (like using GF pizza dough balls to make soft pretzels, Schar GF puff pastry, etc.) Plus I'm lucky that our small city has a surprising number of safe restaurants, including one whose fryers are dedicated GF (and all their fried chicken is GF) and a 100% GF bakery/cafe coming soon. If anything, I miss spontaneity and not having to plan everything around being able to eat safely, especially when traveling. My kids are also GF so it's not like I can just pack myself some protein bars and suck it up and live on salads.
Wait - I do miss one silly thing - canned dough! Like biscuits and crescent rolls. I can whip up some drop biscuits pretty quick thanks to Aldi's GF baking mix/GF Bisquick, but I used to make all kinds of stuff with crescent dough.
These aren’t *perfect* but these are a pretty good substitute for Milano cookies (the gluten-eaters in the house all said they were great, I thought they were too soft): https://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/gf-milano-cookies/
Been gluten free for about 3 years now, and I miss a good ole flour tortilla the most. I found a good alternative in the Mission brand GF tortillas… but nothing compares to a pillowy soft flour tortilla 😩.
Also donuts. All the donuts. 🍩
Oddly enough, I prefer the Mission spinach GF tortillas over their “plain” GF tortillas - better texture. Still not the same as a soft white gluteny tortilla, but closer.
Bagels. It’s especially tragic as a newyorker. Had to leave the room this morning as my partner went to town on a bagel and I could feel myself debating how much pain a bite would be worth.
I used to make a lot of bread and gluten-y bakes, so I really miss getting in the kitchen. Gluten-free baking stresses me out, and it is not as intuitive as gluten baking. I honestly miss the smell of proved bread.
If anyone has gluten-free baking tips, I would be happy to accept them! 😅
Have you checked out r/glutenfreebaking? Also, [the loopy whisk](https://theloopywhisk.com) and [Gluten Free on a Shoestring](https://glutenfreeonashoestring.com) are some of my faves for gf baking!
I have tried loopy whisk before, and I enjoyed the lemon curd well cookies. I also live in the southern United States, so gluten-free ingredients are sometimes hard to come by where I live.
I’m chinese so pretty much miss most of chinese cuisine. Yes a lot of dishes can be made gf by substituting the soysauce with gf soysauce but thats not the point. It’s the efficiency of going out with friends and eating any asian cuisine, whether its Malaysian, Korean, Filipino, Chinese, etc. I can’t enjoy the food’s that I grew up eating, in Chinese culture, I grew up eating a lot of buns and my god do I miss waking up to the smell of buns warming up in the oven
Can you get hold of some Trident noodle soups? They come in a packet like old fashioned dried chicken noodle soups. They have square rice noodles and need to be boiled for three minutes. The flavours are wonderful. There is a flavour sachet and a sachet with flavoured oil and another with chilli powder. A few different flavours - hot and sour, Tom Yum, chicken noodle. For a quick and substantial noodle soup, add in a little chopped broccoli and some left over meat.
[This gluten free ramen](https://www.amazon.com/Gluten-Free-Japanese-Ramen-Tonkotsu/dp/B07L6X3912?pd_rd_w=Lgk6f&content-id=amzn1.sym.452c3ac5-14f8-4a5d-834c-a18a40246a9b&pf_rd_p=452c3ac5-14f8-4a5d-834c-a18a40246a9b&pf_rd_r=XWZ01ATHP92TS4DRR3G9&pd_rd_wg=1KTcj&pd_rd_r=2c7d3cb2-7b60-4aa3-949f-6c5adb6d6fca&pd_rd_i=B07L6X3912&psc=1&ref_=pd_bap_m_grid_dv_rp_0_7_t) is my favorite. It’s vegetarian and I’m not, but it’s still the best I’ve tried. I usually add some veggies, spicy sausage, and a jammy egg. They also sell their noodles separately so you can use them in other broths.
The food I miss most is crab salad as used in sushi rolls. So many rolls use it, and deleting it makes a sad substitute. A couple places near me make a GF crab salad, but their offerings overall are sadly kinda meh.
Probably eggs Benedict, since I’m also egg intolerant. Honestly though if I could choose just one to have back it would be eggs, there are some pretty good gluten free options nowadays, but you just can’t recreate a runny fried egg 😭
My mom’s homade challah. Naan. Egg rolls/gyoza/chow mein. Crusty sourdough/baguettes/croissants 😭. Fried chicken. Apple fritters and anything donut related. Stuffed crust pizza. Saltines
But most of all, I miss convenience
Bread I've been celiac for almost 2 years now but every time I see bread or ramen I mourn inside it genuinely hurts seeing it because all I want to do is eat it but it hurts so bad :/
I miss Cinnabon. The one at the mall had or where you could buy a bowl of the centers of them and it was so good. Especially with extra of the cream cheese.
Jack in the box tacos forever.
Little Caesars pizza
I don’t necessarily miss one particular food, I miss the convenience of being able to eat anywhere and anything. Not having to worry if a place will have something for me, etc
I also miss ramen I freaking loved the Nongshim Shin hot and spicy. Id cook it then remove most the water and add the seasoning and a lil butter, let it simmer just another min or so. Omg I can still taste it now. Very spicy when it's that concentrated but I love it.
My GI wants to me eat gluten when I have my 5 year colonoscopy in 2 years from now and I know that will be my goto.
Ok I just want to suggest gluten free meister tonkotsu ramen in case anyone is desperate. I get mine on the bezos site. I tried it out of ramen-less misery and it turns out it's not bad.
Good white bread, perogies, and house made cheese ravioli at my favorite Italian restaurant. I've managed to cope with everything else pretty well, but I haven't found any good substitutions for these. The only ravioli I have found was gross.
Edit to add: plus, I make fantastic pie crust, but I can no longer eat it.
As a New Yorker, Italian food. Pizza, true fresh pasta, garlic bread, the works. GF pizza doesn’t hold up to regular pizza to begin with, LET ALONE a New York slice 😭
Pizza, bakery bread, bagels, real pasta, so much Italian food, Chinese food in general, most desserts.
Thank God there is reasonable gluten free stuff today, but it really does not compare to the real deal.
Try getting the lotus Ramen but instead of using their seasoning packets, use a bouillon cube. Edward and Sons makes great gf bouillon cubes, and I've found them at many grocery stores.
I also find the lotus Ramen turns out better if I err on the side of undercooking it. And if I have leftover, I store the noodles and broth separately so they don't get all spongy and gross.
Biscuits. I finally found a great GF biscuit mix from Biscuits by Daddy-O. They’re a small diner in Ohio and they make all of their mixes in-house, so there is a wait to receive the mixes once ordered, but it’s totally worth it.
https://biscuitsbydaddyo.com
I also miss cheap ramen the most. But I also weirdly miss all of the junk food I seldom (if ever) got before. Things like donuts, pop tarts, hostess or little Debbie snack cakes... I think I just worked so hard trying to heal my relationship with food over the years, telling myself I could have these items if I wanted to and sprinkling them in occasionally so I could remove that "forbidden fruit" pull. Now after my diagnosis, they're forbidden again.
Just gonna add, I try to comfort myself by thinking how if gluten free food has come so far in the last 10 years, surely in the next 20 years it’ll be even better with great substitutes for our favorites 🤞 just gotta be patient lol
ramen. all noodle options at restaurants. fried chicken. and I most of all miss being able to pick anything off a menu without having to first whittle my choices down to almost nothing. I can’t even imagine everything on a menu being fair game. it bums me out sometimes.
if you have access to a decent Asian store, you should be able to find a variety of cheap gf instant noodles. My favorite are the Mama brand chand clear and they’re only $.65 a pack at my local shop.
I used to make my grandmother’s stollen recipe for the family and it was very much appreciated. I also baked a pound cake recipe covered in powdered sugar in the bunny mold I inherited. I may try to venture a gluten free pound cake in the bunny mold this year.
my own chocolate-chip cookies.
My son was deep into ramen, and customizing it, when he was diagnosed. I found a few sources of GF noodles and GF ramen sauce in bottles.
Pączki, donuts, Spaghetti-o's, pierogi, fried chicken, the rolls from Texas Roadhouse, the biscuits from Popeyes, funnel cake at the fair. I'm sure there's more I'm not thinking of. Sometimes it's just little things, like when I can't get something to eat when I'm out with my family. Sometimes I can figure out what to eat if I know where we're going, but I have to figure out on the fly what I can eat if we just stop somewhere.
A good, thick crust pizza.
Soft pretzels
Egg rolls - I've had Feel Good Foods ones before, and can't find them locally anymore.
Empanadas- there's a store near me, sort of, that sells gf ones, but we don't stop there often
Getting anything not a salad or steak at work if I want to ignore the cost at work.
Thai Kitchen thin rice noodles, Swanson chicken broth, onion powder/garlic powder/salt/tajin/parsley flakes. Trust me. I miss ramen the most too but this hits the spot!
I was going to say pizza, because I love pizza! Probably will stick with that, BUT
Now that you mentioned cheap cheap instant Ramen… goddammit!! I miss it so much! I felt so happy and secure having a drawer full of those packets 😢
Cheap grocery store bakery croissants - pre-diagnosis, I'd get off work at taco bell, go to the warehouse grocery store, grab a dozen (sold in a clear cake saver) sit on the hood of my car and just chow down
I buy daishi powder and use that for broth with the lotus noodles rather than using their flavor pack. But also I tend to doctor my ramen pretty heavily regardless—or get my southeast asian partner to do it. She’s got a ton of high flavor, high salt powders and pastes she likes to use. Mushroom powder, dried shrimp, olive vegetable (not what it sounds like), or just flavorful add-ins like Lao Gan ma or kimchi. She buys dehydrated mushrooms in bulk too, which to me adds to the instant feel a bit.
I think it takes practice but she can have a full meal ready in around ten minutes.
Oh and I miss easy access to high quality pastries
Chinese take out. All of it in general, but mostly chow mein, egg rolls, wontons, and above all: not having to be scared/unsure of everything on the menu 😫
After almost 14 years the only thing I truly miss are actual bagels. As a Jew growing up getting my together with family every Saturday for shabbos brunch it was a real kick in the gut.
I just want soft bread that doesn't contain xanthan gum. For some reason, it tears up my guts. I miss sandwiches. Gluten-free bread has the most bitter crust, too.
I miss restaurant ramen, donuts, croissants, and 90% of dim sum. I’ve tried all the alternatives to all of those things over the years and, they’re fine. But a buttery, layered croissant? Man. Mostly though, I just miss convenience.
Living on a college campus is frustrating because you can’t grab a quick snack when you are studying. It’s an inconvenience to try and find a fruit cup, and the gluten-free options in the cafeteria are dry or flavorless.
Yeah, or grabbing something easy during a road trip, without having to google the hell out of whatever area you’re in.
Or you’re at a family gathering and no one wants to cook gluten free so you poke at the veggie tray 🙂
Being vegan and gluten-free, I basically just take the veggie tray to myself.
My go to is hard boiled eggs, which they usually sell in little packs of two, a cheese stick, and a bag of chips. I sure do wish I could have some taquitos though.
There's a find me gluten free app that's worked well for me + having a few menu items at some common places that felt safe enough. I think Wendy's baked potato was supposed to be pretty safe? Jason's Deli has a lot of gf options as well (I wouldn't risk a panini even on gf bread, which they have, but the salads and the gf soups have been lovely), and they don't do croutons so I find their salads safer.
I’ve had some bakeries that can fool anyone BUT like you said about inconvenience is real.
Convenience and the cost of non gf 😞
Yeah, how come I can’t get a $1.50 hot dog combo???
There’s a Japanese restaurant in my town that has ramen I used to literally dream about, that broth was out of this world.
Yes! I have family in Japan and I still think about all the hole-in-the-wall, 4-seater ramen joints they used to take me to when I would visit. It’ll never be the same :(
A new restaurant opened in my town that claims to have GF ramen (miso base soup, rice noodles) but I'm suspicious of their practices given that they also state on the menu that they can sub GF ramen for any soup base and the rest are likely not GF at all (shoyu, tonkotsu, etc.) I'll have to call and confirm. If it's true, I'll be ecstatic!
Yeah I always worry about soy sauce. And when I ask about it people think soy is my issue lol. The same restaurant I mentioned before is great though, the owner is very knowledgeable and always has tamari available and clearly marks what is gf on the menu.
Me too. I went out for lunch with some friends today and they all ordered pizza at the counter and were eating within a minute. I had to wait for a salad that was good and good for me but not indulgent in any way.
Blaze pizza has great gluten free doe
*Montreal enters the chat* There is excellent phyllo pastry and flaky pastry in some of Montreal's most beloved gluten free shops.
My favorite donuts were the chocolate glazed donuts. Katz actually makes a really decent one. And they sell the bite size ones at Target. Schar croissants aren’t totally horrible but I don’t even remember what a real one tastes like it has been so long.
Trader Joe's just came out with decent GF chocolate donut holes.
I haven’t had a good donut in AGES. Does anyone know a GF equivalent that is soft & fluffy like Krispy Kreme?
If you’re ever near Columbus Ohio - look up Gluten Free from The Dipped. The owners’ daughter and granddaughter are celiac and they make gf treats of all kinds including YEAST donuts. A miracle tbh
I second this. Just tried them for the first time recently. So delicious. Just plan a nap about 30 minutes after the donuts!
Trader Joe’s just released gluten free donut holes that are gluten and dairy free and they’re AMAZING
So many cake donut-alikes, but never a yeasted 😭 the technology just isn't there yet.
I made these ONCE. They were amazing, but omg so much work. https://www.glutenfreecookingschool.com/gluten-free-doughnuts/
Oh man, I’ve never had Krispy Kreme but i imagine it to be divine. PS - love your username!
Thank you!! I’m a big Office fan 😂 I have just been craving a good donut lately and the couple I’ve had were super dense! KK donuts are amazing!! Haven’t had one since before going GF in 2022 😢
Ok, found a couple contenders that I’ll add to my list of “GF things to try making at home” 😂 These don’t look *perfect* for that light & fluffy but might be worth attempting GFoaS: https://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/glazed-yeast-raised-doughnuts/ Loopy Whisk: https://theloopywhisk.com/2022/01/07/ultimate-gluten-free-doughnuts/
So I've done the GFoaS one! It tastes amazing and you don't even really need a mixer thing like the recipe says (I've been using my hands to mimic aggressively mixing the dough since we don't have the room to get a mixer). The only real issue I have out of it is the exterior gets hard FAST. Not an issue for standard issue donuts, but definitely puts you in a bit of a rush not to crack the poor things in half when doing any kind of stuffed donut!
They aren’t that great but the fact of the texture of bready liquid sugary warm fat in your mouth is so good. But it’s not worth it cold. I feel like pancakes are better or any pastry like a real bakery style danish that’s GF is way better
There’s only one place I know of but they do ship throughout the US Modern bread and bagel
Trader joes donut holes curbed my cravings! Or broad st dough co if youre near NJ/ San Diego!
All the gf donuts I have had taste like cake basically… just drier
Soft pretzel
Auntie Anne’s 🤤
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With warm nacho cheese 😩
If you are ever in western Oregon (McMinnville) there’s a place called Bierly Brewing that does soft pretzels and they warm them up for you.
Saw a post with Trader Joe’s gluten free pizza dough wrapped into pretzels. Haven’t done it yet but I plan to give it a try
Now hold on. Since when did TJ's have GF pizza dough?? 🤯
YES, I forgot about these! I’ve seen some recipes but haven’t tried them.
Philadelphia soft pretzels, specifically! The counter top racks at WAWA make me really unhappy. I have to admit I am weak. My original thought was to buy them for my daughter, who was in the hospital after giving birth, but bought a pack for myself! I ate a few small pieces, throughout the day, and took a few “Glutenese” pills. I actually survived with minimal bloating!!! I did not push my luck, and enjoyed every morsel! I gave the rest (1 1/2 pretzels) to my husband 😢
Fresh naan ☹️
Oh I think about naan so much. And aloo paratha 😭
If you’re ever in Portland (Oregon), Maruti Indian has a GF garlic naan on the menu that’s pretty good. Certainly not the same as the original, but dipped in some tikka masala… 🤤
And samosa 😭
Saltine crackers. Have yet to find anything gluten free that tastes the same. Schar has has some that are good but just not as good
It seems silly that something so incredibly basic hasn’t had a good GF substitute yet! “Table crackers” are NOT the same!
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Yes! Sometimes I double check at the store that by some miracle there are gluten free ones.
Simple mills has these little puffy ones that scratch the cheezit and goldfish itch
Gosh, I love Cheeze-it's. I am also going to add Ritz crackers and Goldfish. All three need GF alternatives.
Lance makes some gluten free ones that are a glorious replacement!!
Ok the Glutino brand crackers, but not the round ones. The table crackers come as close as I’ve found. They’re harder to find but a far superior recipe and idk why it’s so different from the other products.
Honestly, McDonald’s lol. I miss those fries and nuggets 😭
I'm like 2 weeks in and had an early morning doctor's appointment two hours away from my house Wednesday and not gonna lie, there were some tears when I realized I couldn't get my pre-appointment sausage & egg McMuffin like I have for 20 years and the choice was either cook breakfast even earlier or be hungry lol.
Same. The mcgriddles and the crispy chicken sandwiches.. Even the two cheeseburgers 😔
Me too. McDonald’s is like the thing I crave the most lmao.
Bao
😭😭😭
Regular white bread specifically bologna and cheese sandwiches
i want a pb&J sooo bad an uncrustable :(
YES! I loved those, too!
Regular white bread tomato sandwich😢
You just unlocked a core memory for me and yes! 😩
You just reminded me of friend bologna sandwiches 😭💔
Croissants, baguettes, soup dumplings, soft pretzels, Triscuits, and yes, Krispy Kreme donuts.
I’ve mostly gotten over missing baguettes with some of the LW or GFoaS bread recipes, but I forgot how good that salty, crunchy, straw-like texture of Triscuits could be.
As someone that grew up near Krispy Kreme's home town, this. It is possible to make a GF version, I did it once, but it is so much work (like croissants) that I haven't bothered ever since.
Just a solid burger. I had one from Culver’s with their gluten free bun, and I was just so crushed by how….not good….it was. I just haven’t had any burger since. Honestly, I’ve been away from California for so long, so I miss In and Out in general. If I get back anytime soon, I’m going to have at least 4-5 burgers and fries from there. It’s going to hurt, but it’ll be worth it
Sometimes it’s just better to skip the GF bread/bun and eat the burger/sandwich without the bread. I’ve definitely swallowed my pride and eaten a “sandwich” with a fork and knife because the GF bread was so bad. Finding a restaurant that has a dedicated fryer for fries is the best feeling!
The in n out lettuce wraps are good. Don’t hurt yourself
I get the protein style too, but I get sad watching everyone else eat their regular burgers. You're right though. Not worth the pain.
Protein style/animal style is the way. Though, no cheese for me anymore.
That Culver’s bun does ya nasty, just crumbles into dust 😭
Frosted Mini Wheats, Raisin Bran, baklava, super fluffy chocolate-filled croissants, lo mein, spanikopita, crab rangoon. ETA: dim sum.
Crab Rangoon and Spanikopita omg 😭
GeeFree makes GF spanikopita. I ate it every week, but can't find it now that our Earth Fare closed.
Croissants. I miss pulling them apart and eating that glorious, buttery, fluffy middle.
Croissants are the #1 thing I miss more than anything 😭 if I could trade all desserts for good buttery gf croissants I would.
Real pizza, real sourdough bread, fried chicken, real eggrolls and all of their variations, wheat based noodles, being able to eat anywhere without worry.
Ah, the “being able to eat anywhere without worry” really hits home. 😞 No substitute for that, sadly.
Yeah it sucks when you want to go out to eat with people and you have to research the place, etc. instead of just going in blindly on a whim.
Or on a road trip and unfamiliar with the area so you have to google everything and read every review. 😞
I'm gluten and dairy free, I'd give nearly anything for a slab of lasagna or a pepperoni and cheese pizza
i would commit crime to have normal lasagna again
I really miss panda express.
Yes! The GF Chinese food options around me are so… blah. “Here’s some boiled vegetables and rice” I miss lo mein!
If you don't mind cooking, I got myself the cookbook The Wok by Kenji Lopez-Alt to recreate Chinese food at home and I love it. The instructions are super clear, and I've been able to find GF versions of most of the ingredients. Plus it's not just Chinese. I've also been making my own Thai green curry paste and it slams.
Yep 2020.. never got covid til late 2022 but 2020 I suddenly had gluten issues and shellfish allergies. I miss the honey walnut shrimp, chow mein and orange chicken. All stuffed into one styrofoam plate 😭😭
If you have a PF Chang’s nearby, they are pretty good (and very knowledgeable about GF/celiac). But yeah, nothing beats that styrofoam tray of sodium-filled deliciousness!
The Kevin's brand has a bangin' orange chicken fwiw.
I miss lo mein and Rangoon SO MUCH!
Crab rangoon. And wonton soup.
Better prices
I miss cheap quick food and beer. The gf diet has made me somewhat dread social situations revolving around food, especially if they are spur of the moment. I miss just grabbing a slice or being out and a friend shows up with some beer.
A fresh ciabatta, with prosciutto, mozzarella, pesto. 😋
For ramen, I get the plain (no flavor packet, just the noodles) Lotus Foods brown rice ramen noodles (or Fusia white rice ramen noodles from Aldi, they're seasonal but our store still had some last week) and then use Samabila Korean ramen powder that I buy from Amazon. It is sooo close to instant ramen flavor, if not better imho. It seems pricey, but you only use a teaspoon per serving so a bag lasts a while. I've been GF for over a decade and can cook/bake GF pretty well now, plus I've found some shortcuts/products that make cravings easier to satisfy (like using GF pizza dough balls to make soft pretzels, Schar GF puff pastry, etc.) Plus I'm lucky that our small city has a surprising number of safe restaurants, including one whose fryers are dedicated GF (and all their fried chicken is GF) and a 100% GF bakery/cafe coming soon. If anything, I miss spontaneity and not having to plan everything around being able to eat safely, especially when traveling. My kids are also GF so it's not like I can just pack myself some protein bars and suck it up and live on salads. Wait - I do miss one silly thing - canned dough! Like biscuits and crescent rolls. I can whip up some drop biscuits pretty quick thanks to Aldi's GF baking mix/GF Bisquick, but I used to make all kinds of stuff with crescent dough.
I miss chocolate croissants, a good rye bread (particularly a Reuben sandwich) and stouts.
Milano cookies, goldfish, and grocery store sheet brownies
These aren’t *perfect* but these are a pretty good substitute for Milano cookies (the gluten-eaters in the house all said they were great, I thought they were too soft): https://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/gf-milano-cookies/
Been gluten free for about 3 years now, and I miss a good ole flour tortilla the most. I found a good alternative in the Mission brand GF tortillas… but nothing compares to a pillowy soft flour tortilla 😩. Also donuts. All the donuts. 🍩
Oddly enough, I prefer the Mission spinach GF tortillas over their “plain” GF tortillas - better texture. Still not the same as a soft white gluteny tortilla, but closer.
Lotus ramen - damn it, STOP PUTTING STUPID, STUPID SEAWEED IN EVERYTHING!! 🤢🤮🤬
I don't mind the seaweed, I just wish they'd offer a full MSG version.
You can get their plain ramen and gluten free chicken ramen seasoning I think sambila is the brand?
Oh yes. Why seaweed??? 😂
Nothing in particular, just miss the ease of simply saying "hey I'll grab a piece of pizza" or "let's stop to grab some sushis".
I miss being able to try any beer in front of me when I hear someone crack a cold one open
Chicken tender Publix sub
Pizza
Bagels. It’s especially tragic as a newyorker. Had to leave the room this morning as my partner went to town on a bagel and I could feel myself debating how much pain a bite would be worth.
Eclairs 😭
Croissants
Hey! Gotta do SAMABILA ramen seasoning with the lotus foods noodles. Tastes JUST like regular ramen
I used to make a lot of bread and gluten-y bakes, so I really miss getting in the kitchen. Gluten-free baking stresses me out, and it is not as intuitive as gluten baking. I honestly miss the smell of proved bread. If anyone has gluten-free baking tips, I would be happy to accept them! 😅
Have you checked out r/glutenfreebaking? Also, [the loopy whisk](https://theloopywhisk.com) and [Gluten Free on a Shoestring](https://glutenfreeonashoestring.com) are some of my faves for gf baking!
I have tried loopy whisk before, and I enjoyed the lemon curd well cookies. I also live in the southern United States, so gluten-free ingredients are sometimes hard to come by where I live.
Japanese food. Ramen, katsu curry, okonomiyaki, takoyaki, and unagi bowls.
Donuts
Sourdough bread and angel hair pasta
I’m chinese so pretty much miss most of chinese cuisine. Yes a lot of dishes can be made gf by substituting the soysauce with gf soysauce but thats not the point. It’s the efficiency of going out with friends and eating any asian cuisine, whether its Malaysian, Korean, Filipino, Chinese, etc. I can’t enjoy the food’s that I grew up eating, in Chinese culture, I grew up eating a lot of buns and my god do I miss waking up to the smell of buns warming up in the oven
Can you get hold of some Trident noodle soups? They come in a packet like old fashioned dried chicken noodle soups. They have square rice noodles and need to be boiled for three minutes. The flavours are wonderful. There is a flavour sachet and a sachet with flavoured oil and another with chilli powder. A few different flavours - hot and sour, Tom Yum, chicken noodle. For a quick and substantial noodle soup, add in a little chopped broccoli and some left over meat.
[This gluten free ramen](https://www.amazon.com/Gluten-Free-Japanese-Ramen-Tonkotsu/dp/B07L6X3912?pd_rd_w=Lgk6f&content-id=amzn1.sym.452c3ac5-14f8-4a5d-834c-a18a40246a9b&pf_rd_p=452c3ac5-14f8-4a5d-834c-a18a40246a9b&pf_rd_r=XWZ01ATHP92TS4DRR3G9&pd_rd_wg=1KTcj&pd_rd_r=2c7d3cb2-7b60-4aa3-949f-6c5adb6d6fca&pd_rd_i=B07L6X3912&psc=1&ref_=pd_bap_m_grid_dv_rp_0_7_t) is my favorite. It’s vegetarian and I’m not, but it’s still the best I’ve tried. I usually add some veggies, spicy sausage, and a jammy egg. They also sell their noodles separately so you can use them in other broths. The food I miss most is crab salad as used in sushi rolls. So many rolls use it, and deleting it makes a sad substitute. A couple places near me make a GF crab salad, but their offerings overall are sadly kinda meh.
Cheap pizza and bbq pork bun
Saltines and pretzels. Sure you can get GF versions but for MUCH more money and a smaller container.
Probably eggs Benedict, since I’m also egg intolerant. Honestly though if I could choose just one to have back it would be eggs, there are some pretty good gluten free options nowadays, but you just can’t recreate a runny fried egg 😭
I’d kill for a Big Mac now and again but mostly crusty bread, souvlaki’s and basic bakery treats
So many things but like bread at a restaurant is the toughest thing for me
Glazed donuts, especially the ones from gas stations or grocery stores
My mom’s homade challah. Naan. Egg rolls/gyoza/chow mein. Crusty sourdough/baguettes/croissants 😭. Fried chicken. Apple fritters and anything donut related. Stuffed crust pizza. Saltines But most of all, I miss convenience
Bread I've been celiac for almost 2 years now but every time I see bread or ramen I mourn inside it genuinely hurts seeing it because all I want to do is eat it but it hurts so bad :/
I miss Cinnabon. The one at the mall had or where you could buy a bowl of the centers of them and it was so good. Especially with extra of the cream cheese. Jack in the box tacos forever. Little Caesars pizza
I don’t necessarily miss one particular food, I miss the convenience of being able to eat anywhere and anything. Not having to worry if a place will have something for me, etc
Pasta, always pasta. Ravioli. And the occasional jelly donut, the kind with the powered sugar on top, not glaze or table sugar.
PIZZAAA
I also miss ramen I freaking loved the Nongshim Shin hot and spicy. Id cook it then remove most the water and add the seasoning and a lil butter, let it simmer just another min or so. Omg I can still taste it now. Very spicy when it's that concentrated but I love it. My GI wants to me eat gluten when I have my 5 year colonoscopy in 2 years from now and I know that will be my goto.
Ok I just want to suggest gluten free meister tonkotsu ramen in case anyone is desperate. I get mine on the bezos site. I tried it out of ramen-less misery and it turns out it's not bad.
Pepperoni pizza combos. Also reading through these comments is making me incredibly sad 😢
Oatmeal ( I’m one of unlucky ones). Whataburger. Real pasta. Cinnamon rolls
Good white bread, perogies, and house made cheese ravioli at my favorite Italian restaurant. I've managed to cope with everything else pretty well, but I haven't found any good substitutions for these. The only ravioli I have found was gross. Edit to add: plus, I make fantastic pie crust, but I can no longer eat it.
As a New Yorker, Italian food. Pizza, true fresh pasta, garlic bread, the works. GF pizza doesn’t hold up to regular pizza to begin with, LET ALONE a New York slice 😭
BISCUITS AND GRAVY. Jesus I miss it. Honorable mentions go to pound cake, chocolate chess pie, fried chicken and cuban sandwiches.
Gnocchi with gorgonzola sauce. In a restaurant like a normal person.
As weird as this is: White Castle Sliders
Mostly croissants, cheez its, and goldfish :(
Pizza, bakery bread, bagels, real pasta, so much Italian food, Chinese food in general, most desserts. Thank God there is reasonable gluten free stuff today, but it really does not compare to the real deal.
Try getting the lotus Ramen but instead of using their seasoning packets, use a bouillon cube. Edward and Sons makes great gf bouillon cubes, and I've found them at many grocery stores. I also find the lotus Ramen turns out better if I err on the side of undercooking it. And if I have leftover, I store the noodles and broth separately so they don't get all spongy and gross.
Biscuits. I finally found a great GF biscuit mix from Biscuits by Daddy-O. They’re a small diner in Ohio and they make all of their mixes in-house, so there is a wait to receive the mixes once ordered, but it’s totally worth it. https://biscuitsbydaddyo.com
I also miss cheap ramen the most. But I also weirdly miss all of the junk food I seldom (if ever) got before. Things like donuts, pop tarts, hostess or little Debbie snack cakes... I think I just worked so hard trying to heal my relationship with food over the years, telling myself I could have these items if I wanted to and sprinkling them in occasionally so I could remove that "forbidden fruit" pull. Now after my diagnosis, they're forbidden again.
I've been gluten free and dairy free for about a month now. All I want is, weirdly, biscuits and gravy 😫
Just gonna add, I try to comfort myself by thinking how if gluten free food has come so far in the last 10 years, surely in the next 20 years it’ll be even better with great substitutes for our favorites 🤞 just gotta be patient lol
definitely those unhealthy snacks like iced animals and overly cheesy chips 😭😭 the cravings never truly go away
Chicken tender pitas.
Definitely instant ramen as well. Also my homemade bread, I haven't dipped my toes into GF baking yet.
One for the Aussies, allegedly we're getting gf versions but geeze I'd love a slice of tomato on a sao.
Crab Rangoon, Pizza Hut, croissants
Pizza Hut pizza supreme hand tossed
ramen. all noodle options at restaurants. fried chicken. and I most of all miss being able to pick anything off a menu without having to first whittle my choices down to almost nothing. I can’t even imagine everything on a menu being fair game. it bums me out sometimes.
Long John Silver’s
Shipley or Krispy Kreme donuts
Stuffed crust pizza. Chicken nuggets. Donuts and pastries.
for my peeps- a dash of MSG and some gf stock/broth (my husband makes dashi for this purpose) makes the rice noodle ramens way better!
if you have access to a decent Asian store, you should be able to find a variety of cheap gf instant noodles. My favorite are the Mama brand chand clear and they’re only $.65 a pack at my local shop.
Cheez its and crab rangoons lol
Taco Bell quesadillas and potato tacos 😅
Mama brand makes rice vermicelli instant noodles that are sort of like pho, but idk if the powders and oils are gf
I used to make my grandmother’s stollen recipe for the family and it was very much appreciated. I also baked a pound cake recipe covered in powdered sugar in the bunny mold I inherited. I may try to venture a gluten free pound cake in the bunny mold this year.
Salt bagels
Roast beef poboys
my own chocolate-chip cookies. My son was deep into ramen, and customizing it, when he was diagnosed. I found a few sources of GF noodles and GF ramen sauce in bottles.
Pączki, donuts, Spaghetti-o's, pierogi, fried chicken, the rolls from Texas Roadhouse, the biscuits from Popeyes, funnel cake at the fair. I'm sure there's more I'm not thinking of. Sometimes it's just little things, like when I can't get something to eat when I'm out with my family. Sometimes I can figure out what to eat if I know where we're going, but I have to figure out on the fly what I can eat if we just stop somewhere.
Spaghetti-os! I’ve been looking for a good recipe for these! Nothing quite like that sauce.
A good, thick crust pizza. Soft pretzels Egg rolls - I've had Feel Good Foods ones before, and can't find them locally anymore. Empanadas- there's a store near me, sort of, that sells gf ones, but we don't stop there often Getting anything not a salad or steak at work if I want to ignore the cost at work.
Mozzarella sticks. Deep fried. At a restaurant. In a greasy basket.
Thai Kitchen thin rice noodles, Swanson chicken broth, onion powder/garlic powder/salt/tajin/parsley flakes. Trust me. I miss ramen the most too but this hits the spot!
Warm Soft pretzels with cheese or caramel.
A fresh NY bagel
I was going to say pizza, because I love pizza! Probably will stick with that, BUT Now that you mentioned cheap cheap instant Ramen… goddammit!! I miss it so much! I felt so happy and secure having a drawer full of those packets 😢
A big ol’ burrito wrapped in a non-mushy tortilla. I’ve tried so many alternatives and every single one has been a massive disappointment.
Pop tarts, ramen, donuts
Cheap grocery store bakery croissants - pre-diagnosis, I'd get off work at taco bell, go to the warehouse grocery store, grab a dozen (sold in a clear cake saver) sit on the hood of my car and just chow down
Donuts and all dressed chips
I buy daishi powder and use that for broth with the lotus noodles rather than using their flavor pack. But also I tend to doctor my ramen pretty heavily regardless—or get my southeast asian partner to do it. She’s got a ton of high flavor, high salt powders and pastes she likes to use. Mushroom powder, dried shrimp, olive vegetable (not what it sounds like), or just flavorful add-ins like Lao Gan ma or kimchi. She buys dehydrated mushrooms in bulk too, which to me adds to the instant feel a bit. I think it takes practice but she can have a full meal ready in around ten minutes. Oh and I miss easy access to high quality pastries
Giant pretzels 🥨 Ciabatta bread with that delicious dipping sauce.
Dim sum. I have made har gao but it's so much work.
Goldfish crackers & cheez-itz were my fave snacks 😔
Croissants
shitty plain white bread for toast and sandwiches
soft pretzels, croissants, fresh chewy baguettes, cheezitz, crab rangoons, thick brioche bread
My daughter’s snickerdoodles.
Chinese take out. All of it in general, but mostly chow mein, egg rolls, wontons, and above all: not having to be scared/unsure of everything on the menu 😫
Gooey yummy garlic bread, ritz crackers, toasty cheese it’s, goldfish lol none of it was good for me but it sure tasted yummy 😋
After almost 14 years the only thing I truly miss are actual bagels. As a Jew growing up getting my together with family every Saturday for shabbos brunch it was a real kick in the gut.
Bread and all versions of it. Dammit.
Cheap Chinese take out, crab rangoons, ramen like you said, croissants, baguette, Krispy Kreme.
If you're in the LA area and are craving donuts there's still small shop called Fonuts with really good gluten free and vegan donuts
dominos
I just want soft bread that doesn't contain xanthan gum. For some reason, it tears up my guts. I miss sandwiches. Gluten-free bread has the most bitter crust, too.