Gluten free Kettle foods

[katilea]

You know the kettle boxes they make up at foodbanks for people who can only afford to boil a kettle? ... pasta meals etc or pot noodles you add water to..has anyone found any Gluten free alternatives? I'm looking for a few standby's for a camping stove for powercuts over winter and if my benefits are reduced when I change over to PIP and I can't afford much food, but all the cheapest things seem to contain wheat gluten. And specifically GF 'ready meals' seem to be quite expensive too or are designed to go in an oven or microwave.

Thanks

[featherstick]

I think you are going to have to experiment a little.

Quinoa cooks quickly and would probably cook in a few minutes if you put it into a vacuum flask and poured hot water on it. Buckwheat (it's not wheat) is another possibity. THat would give you two options for carbs, then add proteins eg tins of sardines, and veggies dried, frozen or fresh.

Sachets of Uncle Bens warm up super-quick and with a suitable stock cube and bits and pieces could provide the basis for a "kettle meal".

I might have a play with a few things this evening or over the weekend.

[katilea]

what about that 'smash' (do they still call it that?) powdered mash potato ..I've never tried to make it before, but would you just add water to that? cos I could maybe make some of that up in a bowl then use the stove to warm though some tinned mince to make a little shepherds pie or something?

I'll have to see if those 'Big Soups' with chunks of potato, veg and meat in are gluten free. Only other thing I can think of is like what my mum used to do when we went camping with tins of stewed steak (or mince) tinned potato's and tinned peas and carrots all in a pan together to make a stew.

But was thinking of something a bit lighter ... maybe rice noodles? would they cook in a tupperware storage tubs with boiling water poured over and sealed?

[diamond lil]

Katielea are you glucose intolerant or coeliac? If you have a diagnosis then you get so many items free on prescription. I'm intolerant and I stick to a paleo type diet- for me, buying GF foods is far too expensive and they taste like sawdust. What about hearty thick soups and stews, you can heat them quickly or keep in a flask.

[katilea]

I have Gluten Ataxia ..and if I eat alot like in bread/cereals daily I get really bad 'brain fog', headaches, fatigue and my speech and balance is worse and people think I'm drunk! We didn't know I had it for years so was in wheelchair by time it was relaised. It does eventually cause long term damage so I'll always have Ataxia to some degree but if I stay off gluten it does eliminate some symptoms and reduce others.

I think you can only get GF food free if you have CD diagnosed? ..my results came back negative for CD despite all the neuro symptoms.

[diamond lil]

Yes you need a diagnosis. For me, I just avoid that kind of food now and eat paleo.

[featherstick]

what about that 'smash' (do they still call it that?) powdered mash potato ..I've never tried to make it before, but would you just add water to that? cos I could maybe make some of that up in a bowl then use the stove to warm though some tinned mince to make a little shepherds pie or something?

I'll have to see if those 'Big Soups' with chunks of potato, veg and meat in are gluten free. Only other thing I can think of is like what my mum used to do when we went camping with tins of stewed steak (or mince) tinned potato's and tinned peas and carrots all in a pan together to make a stew.

But was thinking of something a bit lighter ... maybe rice noodles? would they cook in a tupperware storage tubs with boiling water poured over and sealed?

There's a powdered mashed potato that you get in African shops which is pretty cheap and filling, but not to everyone's taste. Worth trying.

Rice noodles might cook like that, wheat noodles do.

Have a play with "hay-box" cooking too - basically insulating a pot of hot food so that it cooks slowly without needing extra heat. I use an old bean bag for soups and stews especially if we are leaving the house for the day - you can do it in the morning and have dinner on the table in 10 minutes when you come back. Pressure cookers are also very useful for reducing energy use, if you can find one.

[Hamradioop]

Morrisons own brand Instant mash is excellent stuff, even my SWIMBO cant tell the difference and she is very fussy about prepack foods.
and regarding PIP here is a useful link http://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/perso ... ayment-pip and this one too http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/person ... -self-test

[ForgeCorvus]

Morrisons own brand Instant mash is excellent stuff, even my SWIMBO cant tell the difference and she is very fussy about prepack foods......

I was just about to mention these, they come in a range of flavours (I have Onion and Cheese & Onion here with me now).
A Portion (1/2 a pack made-up) is about 170 Calories.

ETA Having read the packaging it seems the flavourings may contain barley and/or wheat, I don't know if its only mentioned because of Allergies rather then as a source of Gluten

[katilea]

what about that 'smash' (do they still call it that?) powdered mash potato ..I've never tried to make it before, but would you just add water to that? cos I could maybe make some of that up in a bowl then use the stove to warm though some tinned mince to make a little shepherds pie or something?

I'll have to see if those 'Big Soups' with chunks of potato, veg and meat in are gluten free. Only other thing I can think of is like what my mum used to do when we went camping with tins of stewed steak (or mince) tinned potato's and tinned peas and carrots all in a pan together to make a stew.

But was thinking of something a bit lighter ... maybe rice noodles? would they cook in a tupperware storage tubs with boiling water poured over and sealed?

There's a powdered mashed potato that you get in African shops which is pretty cheap and filling, but not to everyone's taste. Worth trying.

Rice noodles might cook like that, wheat noodles do.

Have a play with "hay-box" cooking too - basically insulating a pot of hot food so that it cooks slowly without needing extra heat. I use an old bean bag for soups and stews especially if we are leaving the house for the day - you can do it in the morning and have dinner on the table in 10 minutes when you come back. Pressure cookers are also very useful for reducing energy use, if you can find one.

How do you cook your dinner in a bean bag??? Don't you get polystyrene balls everywhere??? I'd like to know more about this "hay box" cooking please?