Illinois Is The Home For Many Gluten-Free Dining Options

If you have to eat Gluten-Free, Illinois is a good place to be.

What Is Eating Gluten-Free

Unless you or someone you know has to eat Gluten-Free, it might not be familiar with that kind of diet. Some people eat that way because of allergies and others for a healthier way of eating.

According to mayoclinic.com,

"A gluten-free diet is an eating plan that excludes foods containing gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and triticale (a cross between wheat and rye)."

 

Gluten-Free Allergy

My wife has to eat Gluten-Free because of allergies. That scenario is a lot harder than doing it as a diet to lose weight. For her, if she accidentally eats Gluten, she will get sick and sometimes will have to use her EpiPen, which is not fun. They are not cheap. Also, the medication has an expiration date and has to be replaced after so long.

Finding Gluten-Free Options

My wife's Gluten allergy has been around for years, so she has learned to deal with it. For years, it was difficult for her to find things to eat when we went to restaurants. Usually, ending up with a salad or burger with no bun.

She has to also be careful that her plate is not contaminated with Gluten items. For example, if her salad ends up with croutons, then she can not eat it. The items can not just be removed, a whole new one is required because it was exposed.

Gluten-Free items like bread, crackers, pancakes, and etc she would buy in the store were really bad. They tasted horrible. It got to the point where she was not a big fan of food. The number of available choices was very limited.

Gluten-Free Foods Much Better Now

For people with Gluten allergies, eating has gotten a lot better. Quite a few restaurants now have Gluten-Free menus with designated food preparation areas. The grocery stores carry so many more items too. Many times, you can not tell the difference between regular and Gluten-Free foods.

Gluten-Free Dining Out Opportunities In Illinois

If you or someone you know requires a Gluten-Free Diet, I thought I would share some places that my wife enjoys. Give them a try and see what you think.

• Stockholm Inn in Rockford - Gluten-Free pancakes, Swedish pancakes, and waffles.

• Lino's in Rockford - Gluten-Free pizza and pasta.

• Buddy's Burgers in Rockford - Gluten-Free burger buns.

• Sugar Jones in Rockford - Gluten-Free cupcakes.

• Mary's Market in Rockford - Gluten-Free cookies.

• Prairie Street Brewing Company - Gluten-Free BBQ nachos.

Hope that helps. Do a little research on the great Google machine and you can usually find some good stuff.