Gluten free breakfast ideas to start the day

Breakfast cereals are a popular way to start the day but varieties like Shredded Wheat and Weetabix are definitely not allowed on a gluten free diet! Sadly, even those that are not made from wheat tend to include malt flavourings, which are also a no-no. So what can a celiac eat for breakfast?

If you really want to stick with cereal, today's supermarkets often offer their own brand of "free from" foods which may include a boxed gluten free cereal.

Here in the UK I have bought Dove's Farm corn flakes and Nature's Path Mesa Sunrise Flakes from the supermarket and ordered Enjoy Life Foods Cranapple Crunch Granola Gluten-Free Cereal and Perky's Apple Cinnamon O's Gluten-Free Cereal online.

However I like to ring the changes with the following gluten free breakfast recipes and ideas. If you have favourites that I haven't included why not submit your ideas to the site by using the form at the bottom of the page. Its easy and you will help other people with celiac disease by building this site bigger and better.

Kedgeree
Potato bread
Almond flour pancakes

Why do we need breakfast

• For celiac children it helps with their concentration during the school day.
• It will also help you to lose weight, an issue many celiac's have problems with once their gluten free diet is stabilised as alternative flours can be higher in calories than wheat flour
• It can help provide a portion of your five a day fruit and vegetable requirements
• The protein component can keep you feeling full until lunchtime, preventing snacking on unhealthy foods

A little planning goes a long way

But if you plan ahead by doing some of the preparation and cooking at weekends, or the evening before, it can really help. Simple things like cooking extra potatoes or rice with the evening meal can cut the time required the next morning. You could also do some baking at the weekend and freeze the results.

Simple, quick gluten free breakfast ideas

• If you really don't have time to sit and eat breakfast why not make a fruit smoothie and drink it while you get ready for work? Whiz up a banana and some strawberries with some milk, or milk substitute such as soya, rice or almond milk, and add a couple of ice cubes for a quick, healthy summer breakfast
• Bake some eggs. Wipe a small dish with butter or margarine, grate some cheese into the base, crack an egg on top and add a little more cheese on top of that, season with salt and pepper and pop it into the oven for 10 minutes. Gorgeous!
• Gluten free Toast and marmalade can be made in a dedicated toaster (don't let the non-celiac's use it!) or under the grill (wash it first to make sure its safe)
• Go to work on a boiled egg. Soft boil a couple of eggs per person and serve with a slice of defrosted gluten free bread (taken out of the freezer the night before) or crispbreads
• Add some grated cheese to your scrambled eggs and serve with toasted GF bread
• Fill up with a bowl of muesli. You can buy gluten free muesli or make your own in advance. Serve with milk, or milk substitute, and top with fresh fruit (I like bananas or mixed berries on top of mine)
• A similar idea is a gluten free breakfast health bar, again either bought or homemade, a solution that you can take with you if you run out of time!
• Peel and slice an apple, pop it into the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, then sprinkle with chopped almonds and serve with a dollop of gluten free youghurt. Tasty and quick.
• Make an adult sized portion of the babies ground rice with apple, for yourself, while cooking theirs

Got a little more time?

Especially in the winter months, a cooked gluten free breakfast can make a great start to your day.

How about a good, old fashioned full English breakfast? Of course you would want to either miss out the sausages or ensure they are gluten free. By grilling/broilling, rather than frying, your bacon and mushrooms you can reduce the fat content of the meal. Check the ingredients carefully if you want to include potato waffles or hash browns, some are not gluten free. I also like to serve tinned baked beans in tomato sauce with my meal (again check the ingredients first).

Although oats are generally not advised on a gluten free diet there are many other grains that can be used to make porridge. Be adventurous and try buckwheat, quinoa or millet.

In the Orient a popular breakfast dish is made from rice. Congee is a savoury soup containing rice, that has been cooked in lots of boiling water until it is really soft and fluffy, and meat or fish.

My favourite Potato bread recipe, or Fadge, is a traditional Irish dish that can make use of those extra potatoes leftover from the night before.

An omelette is always a popular breakfast dish, filled with cheese, mushrooms or bacon.

To make a sort of Spanish omelette If you have leftover boiled potoatoes you can also cut them up into small chunks and add them along with cooked peas or sweetcorn kernels. You could also throw in chopped ham and make your gluten free breakfast into a brunch that will keep you going until dinner time.

What do you enjoy for breakfast?

Share your gluten free breakfast ideas and find out what other people enjoy. If you use a recipe out of a book can you please give credit to the author and tell us which book it is in.

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List of gluten free breakfast cereals

BARKAT
Organic Breakfast Pops
Organic Chocolate Cornflakes
Organic Chocolate Rice Crunchies
Organic Cornflakes
Organic Rice Crunchies

DOVE FARM FOODS
Organic Chocolate Stars
Organic Cornflakes

KALLO FOODS Organic Honey Puffed Rice Cereal
Organic Natural Puffed Rice Cereal

NATURE'S PATH
Crispy Rice
Gorilla Munch
Koala Crisp
Mesa Sunrise

ORGRAN
Muesli Gluten Free Rice Porridge with Apricots Gluten Free

WHOLE EARTH
Organic Cornflakes
Organic Maple Frosted Flakes

British "Own Brand" Cereals

CO-OP
Choco Snaps - 375g
Cornflakes - 500g & 750g
Frosted flakes - 500g
Golden Nut Cornflakes - 500g

SAINSBURYS
Choco Snaps - 600g
Corn Flakes - 500g
Frosted Flakes - 500g & 750g
Honey Nut Cornflakes - 500g & 750g
Honey Nut Cornflakes and Cranberries - 425g
Rice Pops440g & 600g

SOMERFIELD
Choco Rice
Cornflakes - 500g & 750g
Crisp Rice - 440g
Frosted Flakes 500g
Honey Nut Cornflakes 500g

TESCO
Cornflakes
Frosted flakes
Honey Nut Cornflakes

Waitrose
Choco Rice Pops - 375g
Corn Flakes - 500g & 750g
Frosted Flakes - 500g
Honey Nut and Cranberries - 425g
Honey Nut Cornflakes 0 500g
Rice Pops - 440g