We’ve all heard the saying “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”. Breakfast foods are so important (popular*) that people eat it mid-morning with mimosas and even have it for dinner. I mean, breakfast foods are pretty yummy no matter what time of the day it is.
What about when you have dietary restrictions? Do you replace it with food that tastes like cardboard? “No eggs?! That’s a breakfast staple!” Chill out and don’t lose hope. Here are the top 5 breakfast foods to eat when you have dietary restrictions.
[bctt tweet=”Breakfast food is perfect any time of day” username=”gfspirit”]
Eggs & Livermush
See, you don’t have to give up eggs. There is a great alternative: egg replacer. While there are several egg replacers, some only work with baking. VeganEgg from Follow Your Heart allows you to make scrambled eggs. And yes, you can use it when baking cakes, cookies, and muffins. It’s vegan, gluten-, dairy-, and GMO-free.
*Note: While looking up information about VeganEggs, I discovered that Follow Your Heart will no longer be making VeganEgg with Algal flour. The new version DOES contain soy. I have reached out to Follow Your Heart to find out if they’ll have a version available without soy.
Livermush can be described as something you love or hate. I fall in the latter category. Livermush is very popular in the South, especially in North Carolina. There is a Livermush Festival held annually in Shelby, NC. According to Eater, the dish is traced back to Rhineland, Germany and it was brought to Pennsylvania using pork scraps, buckwheat, and spices. As Germans made their way to North Carolina, people started using cornmeal in place of buckwheat.
Waffles
Waffles are another popular breakfast staple. Kashi’s Gluten-Free Waffles come in Original, Blueberry, and Cinnamon. Nikki enjoys the Cinnamon waffles. They are vegan, gluten- & soy-free. They also do not contain GMOs, made with flax seed and whole grains.
Since Nikki can’t use honey and most syrups as it causes stomach upset, she uses maple syrup. Her go to is Nature’s Place Organic Maple Syrup. It’s available at Food Lion or purchased online. The Highland Sugarworks pictured below is the first brand she tried. While she liked it, she prefers the Nature’s Place.
Pancakes
There tends to be a frequent debate on social media about which is the better breakfast food: pancakes or waffles. I like waffles, but have to go with pancakes. Nikki says she likes them both.
King Arthur Flour has a gluten-free pancake mix that is certified Gluten-Free by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO), which is part of the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG). The mix is also kosher and contains no GMOs.
Learn how to make your own fluffy pancakes.
Grits
Another popular Southern dish is grits. Unlike most Southerners, I’m not a fan. Nikki on the other hand, loves it. Grits are a porridge made from either corn or hominy (corn treated with an alkali where the cereal germ is removed). They can be made on the stove top or instantly in the microwave. Grits are sometimes used as a main dish with shrimp, but it’s generally a side dish. Nikki can only eat the plain grits, but sometimes spices it up with crumbled bacon, butter, and/or melted Follow Your Heart cheese.
**Update: Glutino has discontinued their Toaster Pastries**
Toaster Pastries
In a hurry and need breakfast on the go? Toaster pastries can be a good option. Glutino’s has several flavors including strawberry (frosted and non-frosted), blueberry, and apple cinnamon. Unfortunately, apples aren’t FODMAP friendly, so Nikki can’t eat that flavor. The toaster pastries are also great for road trips, especially when the hotel doesn’t have any options for guests with dietary restrictions.
Bonus Breakfast Options:
Bacon & Cheese sandwich
Nikki used Goodman’s White Bread, Follow Your Heart American cheese, and Just Mayo to make this sandwich.
Ian’s Cinnamon French Toast Sticks
While strolling the frozen foods aisle at Whole Foods, Nikki came across Ian’s Cinnamon French Toast Sticks.
Note: they’re oven only; not meant for microwave or toaster oven.
What’s your favorite breakfast foods? Do you prefer pancakes or waffles?
If you’d like even more food suggestions, here are guides for snacks, cookies, and yogurt alternatives. When you join my mailing list (no spam ever), you will receive a Beginners Guide to Dietary Restriction Friendly Essentials.
As always, sharing is caring. Stay in the know by following Gluten-Free Spirited on social media. Handy dandy buttons below will make it easy for you to do so right now.
[bctt tweet=”Pancakes or Waffles? ” username=”gfspirit”]
I love the Kashi cinnamon waffles so much! I eat them with sugar free syrup and they are nice and guilt-free.
It really is a great meal option!
Mmmmmmm, I think I’ll go with pancakes for breakfast, and lunch and dinner 😀 And then again waffles are a pretty close second. We have this little restaurant down at the South Coast that just serves waffles in every imaginable flavor. There are even a curry waffle that is sooooo yummy. Not sure if they’re gluten free though.
Haha that’s how I feel about pancakes too! I do like waffles, I just prefer pancakes. Oohh, that restaurant sounds lovely!
Those looks yummy, Come to think of how much I miss breakfast? Am just too busy rushing out to life everyday
Easy meals or prepping the night before might help! 🙂
Well now I want some grits!! I don’t know if I’ve had livermush…I know I’ve heard of it (I live in SC) but I can’t exactly place it. It definitely doesn’t sound appetizing!!
I think I’m one of the only ones in my family that doesn’t like it. lol
I only have gluten free waffles and pancakes as I don’t tolerate gluten either. However, I tend to have gluten free oats for breakfast. This is less calorifc.
We have rolled oats that we’ve bought for recipes, but haven’t used it as a breakfast yet.
I enjoy any food with cinnamon in it. It makes it taste better and it’s good for you. The waffles with bananas look amazing and it all seems so easy to make. I don’t have gluten sensitivities but I believe that we all need to reduce as much of it from our diet as possible.
I really like cinnamon too. We’re all about healthy & easy meals! 🙂
Ooh these sound so lovely. I do like cinnamon, and waffles so they sounds so delicious indeed.
It’s one of my sister’s favorite breakfast meals!
All these breakfast options are amazing! I love learning there are so many alternatives for people with dietary restrictions.
There are still great options and we wanted to share with others (especially those that think they no longer have options) that there are yummy options out there. 🙂
I’m neither pancakes nor waffle person, but if I have to pick one, I will probably go for waffles. I’ve never seen or tasted grits before so I’m actually quite curious how it taste like!
Grits are a version of porridge. Nikki says they’re savory, rather than sweet. It’s common for people to add things like butter, cheese, or bacon. A popular dish in the South is shrimp & grits.