Do You Provide a Gluten-Free Option?

While we do have some meals that are gluten-free we do not have a meal plan that is 100% gluten-free.

Our meal plans feature a 5-week rotating menu with a set menu that meets the guidelines for the American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, and Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Each meal plan has a variety of 105 meals and they vary with the type of grains that are included. We use wheat, rye, and barley (all gluten-containing grains) on each meal plan.

There is a small percentage of people that need to follow a strict gluten-free diet, we do not have the demand to accommodate for the 1% of Americans that medically need those restrictions. For someone with celiac disease, we would not recommend our program. For some individuals, the portion control and the variety of different grains work well for them. Others like to share their meals with family members or friends to work the plan around their needs.

Fiber and certain vitamins and minerals are difficult to obtain on a gluten-free diet. Many gluten-free products lack fiber, B vitamins, and folate. Whole grains are a major source of dietary fiber, which benefits our bowels, lowers cholesterol, aids weight loss, and may help improve blood sugar. Gluten-free products tend to be lower in fiber and often contain more sugar, fat, and calories to make up for the texture and flavor that is lost when gluten is not present. A study in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics which analyzed 1,700 different gluten-free products found that processed gluten-free foods had more fat, saturated fat, salt, and sugar than traditional foods. 

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