Okay, if you are looking at this site I am assuming you already know something about what GFCFSF (gluten free, casein free, soy free). There are hundreds of great websites that explain the hows and whys so at least for now I am not going to do that here. If you want more information here are a few sites I have found to be helpful.
This page is currently a work in progess so keep checking back as I add to it!
Before you freak out thinking, "wheat, casein (dairy) and soy are in everything! What am I going to eat?" Stop. Take a deep breath. Calm down, and for a moment forget about labels. Learning to read and understand them will come with time. Right now, you maybe just need to figure out the answer to "What am I going to eat today?" So, start simple. There are a lot of foods that are naturally gluten free. Fresh fruits, vegetables, potatoes, beans, rice, meat if you eat it (fresh, without added seasonings- you can add your own salt, pepper, spices- just be sure there are no wheat fillers- just spices). So think about the way people ate before we had all this grab something quick and eat while I am running to the next place mentality. Okay? A little better now that you know you will not starve to death before you figure out what you can have to eat! A few simple things that can work well- homemade soup (use a brand such as Pacific that is gluten free if you are using a store bought broth for your base), and crock pot meals are 2 things we do a lot here. For more ideas, I will have another page up that will list the kinds of things we eat in our house.
If you have the option to remove gluten, casein, or soy one at a time that is your best bet- it is a little less overwhelming and you are less likely to go through a big withdrawal. But, if you are doing this you may also want to be finding/looking for favorites that are already free of the things you know you will be eliminating- that way you don't find something you love only to learn that you can't have it anymore.
For starters, go here: http://gfcf-diet.talkaboutcuringautism.org/index.htm TACA (Talk About Curing Autism) has a ton of great info, including how to get started, how to do GFCF on a budget and a list of some products you should be able to find in a regular grocery store. Not to mention they have tons of other resources and links on their site.
Books:
I confess, I am a cookbook addict. I have a lot of books I like. Here are a few though that I just might rescue from my house if it were burning down.
"Go Dairy Free" by Alisa Marie Fleming. I got this after my kids had been dairy free for over 2 years, thinking I would just use the recipes. Um, no- I've learned a ton from this book and I love the recipes she has in it as well! This would be in my top 10 list. She's also got a fantastic website: http://www.godairyfree.org/
