Why Coeliac Life Made Me Raise My Gluten Free Food Standards

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Ben Haggerty

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Claymation bearded man with a sceptical expression stands in a kitchen between a plate of dry gluten free bread and a plate of colourful pasta, arms folded.

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Good food. Proper food.
The kind that makes you do that slow nod of approval and maybe a weird little happy dance in the kitchen.

But because I’m coeliac, it also has to be gluten free—which means I’ve accidentally turned into a bit of a food snob. Not in a Michelin-starred, truffle-oil-everything kind of way. More like: I’ve eaten enough dry, crumbly, soul-crushing gluten free bread to know better.

I think the moment I realised things had changed was when I caught myself reviewing a restaurant’s gluten free chips in my head like a MasterChef judge. “Nice crunch, decent salt balance, could use a touch more paprika.” That’s when it hit me—this wasn’t just survival anymore. I had opinions. I had standards. I had become That Guy.

When you have to scrutinise every label, ask awkward questions at restaurants, and risk being “glutened” by one careless breadcrumb, you start to develop… preferences. And let’s be honest—high ones. If I’m going to the effort of eating safely, I want it to taste great too.

I’m passionate about finding (and sometimes creating) gluten free food that actually tastes good. Food that feels like a treat, not a compromise. And if I can help other people avoid the cardboard bread phase, even better.

If you’re coeliac too, you’ll get it. We don’t get to be casual about food. So when we find something that’s genuinely good, it feels like a small victory. And we deserve those.

Honestly, I just want to eat well, feel well, and make a few people laugh along the way. Preferably over a really decent lasagne.

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2 responses to “Why Coeliac Life Made Me Raise My Gluten Free Food Standards”

  1. Avatar
    Anonymous

    I get it. Spending most of my working life in food and farming, and a trained taster, I cannot help but analyse everything that goes in my mouth. It’s a bit of a pain really. At a family event last week, I was catered for separately (and generously). Potato wedges and chicken skewers were brilliant, GF pizzas with vegan cheese (why?) not so much. People around the table were wondering what the strange smell was. However, no symptoms so all good.

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  2. patc44 Avatar
    patc44

    We should all be critics for good food, especially if it avoids health problems. Glad you making people more aware of better quality Gluten Free food.

    Liked by 1 person

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, , , , , , , , , , ,

Hello,

I’m Ben

A bearded man with slicked-back dark hair and a maroon polo shirt smiling warmly while holding a grey mug of coffee towards the camera.

Having been diagnosed with Coeliac Disease over 8 years ago but also suffering from symptoms for about 30 years, I decided to take action. A few years back, I launched a Facebook group to help fellow gluten-free diners in Milton Keynes find the best places to eat. The group quickly became a little sensation. Encouraged by this success, I created another group for the Northampton area a couple of years later. Both groups have become a useful resource for people searching for gluten-free dining options in their respective areas.

Recently, I took a bold step to expand even further and launched The GF Table UK. My mission? To share my journey, experiences, and insights on living a gluten-free lifestyle and to help others navigate their own paths with ease. Here’s to many more gluten-free adventures ahead!

You can catch me on all your favourite social sites, just hit the buttons below. Let’s connect and make the gluten-free community even stronger!

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