Being gluten-free isn't really that hard, especially when eating something makes you feel sick. But, in college, everything is against you when it comes to eating.
1. Drinking
Beer, some vodka, whiskey and more all contain gluten. Going to a frat is almost a sure way to make yourself sick. Beer is a no, and no one really knows what is in Jungle Juice, so unless you want to end up slowly dying throughout the night, the best bet is to pregame. But even then, the cheap vodka (Smirnoff, Rubinoff, even Svedka) are all wheat based vodkas. Being gluten-free basically makes you a wino, tequila drinker or rum drinker and makes Tito's your best friend.
2. Drunk snacks
Everyone knows that pizza is one of the best drunk snacks that's out there. But gluten-free pizza is expensive and actually not too easy to find. Ramen, Cheez-Its, Oreos and Chips Ahoy are all full of gluten too. So while my friends are eating pizza on the floor of my dorm, I'm sitting in the corner eating popcorn.
3. "Is this gluten-free?"
Before coming to college, I never really had to explain what I could eat and couldn't eat to people, my friends just knew. But here, every meal, I'm asked if I can eat things. So, I've come up with a simple rhyme to help my friends remember what gluten really is, "All wheat is grain but not all grain is wheat" putting it simply that I can eat certain grains but not wheat.
4. Eating without getting sauces on your clothes
Gluten-free buns for hamburgers can either be great or disgusting. This being said, most of the time I order burgers bun-less, which makes a great challenge when it comes to actually eating it. Fork and knife? But then what do you do with the ketchup? Dip it in? Thank god for restaurants that give the option of lettuce buns (BurgerFi being my favorite) for saving me the embarrassment of eating a hamburger with a fork and knife.
5. Birthdays and cake
Gluten-free cake is the same as gluten free bread, it can taste great or like you're chewing cardboard. My mom made me cupcakes for my birthday from Bob's RedMill and my friends couldn't even tell they were gluten-free. But, going out for your birthday for a nice meal can sometimes be a struggle. We usually go for sushi (my go to meal for going out) because rice is a staple in gluten-free diets!
6. But, it's worth it
Eating gluten-free has drastically improved my health, starting with my stomach aches diminishing to the improvement in my energy and help with weight-loss. Yes, it is a struggle but it's really worth it.
