15 signs you’ve been gluten free for way too long

How long have you been gluten free? I’m not far off having been gluten free for almost 10 years. But how long is too long? I think it’s about time we defined the 15 signs you’ve been gluten free for way too long…

I’ve seen the free from world progress leaps and bounds in 10 years. But some of my followers have been gluten free a hell of a lot longer than that – 30+ years isn’t that uncommon! So I thought I’d create a dedicated list of the 15 signs you’ve been gluten free for way too long. Here they are…

You know you’ve been gluten free too long when you enjoy posing with signs just because they say ‘gluten free’ on them. Hold on, the list hasn’t even started yet!

1. You actually remember when the first ever free from aisle appeared in a supermarket.

It was waaaay back in 2002 in case you were wondering (a bit before my time!) I’m guessing the free from aisle didn’t have a gluten free Carl the Caterpillar cake back then?

If you remember that, you’re clearly a seasoned gluten free veteran. But before the free from aisle existed, there was only one way to get your hands on gluten free products…

2. You remember a time when you could only get gluten free food one way – via prescription.

Wait – you’re telling me I had to go get a prescription when I was out of bread?

I’m not even a diagnosed Coeliac, so I guess I’d just have to starve.

3. You bought several loaves of Genius bread when it used to look like this:

This was my first ever loaf of gluten free bread. It was nothing like the Genius loaves in the supermarket today!

4. Or perhaps you remember their TV advert?

(No, I don’t remember it either.)

5. You still remember when Schar products were sold under the brand ‘DS’.

Yep, that was quite a few years back now too. I always remember thinking that gluten free products used to look so ‘medical’ back then. Anyone else agree?

6. And Tesco Free From products used to look like this…

This was what Tesco’s products used to look like when I first became gluten free! For some reason this brings back happy memories. How sad!

7. Or what about Sainsbury’s free from?

I do remember early free from aisles being something like 15% bread and 85% cake/biscuits and I think this proves it. I actually don’t remember Sainsbury’s free from products looking like that though, this is how I remember them…

I quite liked the green! It was easy to spot and nothing else really looked confusingly similar. #BringBackTheGreen

8. You might remember a time when 90% of gluten free bread was still fun-size and full of holes.

Wait.. what do you mean it’s still like that today?!

Ok, but it was even worse back then. Trust me!

9. But hopefully you won’t remember when gluten free bread used to come in a bloody tin can. How did you guys cope back then? Unbelievable!

Let me just get this straight… bread in a can? Is that even allowed? Who would do such a thing?

I’ll never complain about my crumbly gluten free bread rolls ever again.

If you ever had gluten free bread in a tin can, let me know how many years ago it must have been by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post, please!

10. The thought of a ‘gluten free menu’ in a restaurant was once your wildest dream.

Ok fine – your average gluten free menu probably has less than the kid’s menu these days, but it’s something!

One of the things I used to hate about eating out back then was that most people didn’t understand what ‘gluten free’ even meant. If you were lucky, instead of being handed a menu, you’d be listed all the things you can eat at your table.

A great time for a spontaneous test of your memory – ‘what was the first option again, please?’

11. But if you were extra lucky, you’d be handed an enormous encyclopaedia of every ingredient in every dish in the entire restaurant.

Ok thanks. Please pass me my magnifying glass and reading light and come back in 3 hours time to take my order.

I was handed the allergy encyclopaedia in Morrison’s cafe earlier this year actually and it brought me waaaaay back. That hasn’t happened in a while!

12. You’ve witnessed many friends/coworkers who have ‘gone gluten free’ and given it up.

‘Sheila from HR went gluten free in 2015 for 4 days, but she gave it up when someone brought a birthday cake in.’

‘She still talks about it as ‘the toughest thing she ever did’.’

You know you’ve been gluten free too long when you’ve lived through more than one of those examples.

13. You still remember your favourite Udi’s product.

Udi’s products just randomly disappeared from the UK quite a few years ago now. I really miss the Bagel chips.

Can anyone send me some, please?

Also, you get bonus points if you actually pronounced Udi’s as ‘Oo-dees’ (the correct way) not ‘Yoo’dees’ like I used to (and still do).

14. You still remember a time when gluten free brownies weren’t available at literally every place ever.

‘Yes kids, before there were gluten free brownies, there was nothing.’ So, I guess we should be grateful that they’re everywhere now?

I just still don’t understand why it always has to be a brownie!!!

(A Mrs. Crimble’s macaroon comes in at a close second)

15. But obviously, the biggest sign you’ve been gluten free way too long is that… you’re just so painfully used to it.

I used to pine for fresh bread at least seven times a day – now it’s only three or four times a day. I used to cry when I walked past Greggs, but now I just whimper instead.

All joking aside, I feel like after 10 years of being gluten free, I know exactly what to expect and nothing surprises me anymore. It’s just so painfully normal!

The real moral of the story here is that being gluten free for any amount of time is too long! Who agrees?

Thanks for checking out the 15 signs you’ve been gluten free for way too long! Did I miss anything out? What other things do you remember about your time without gluten over the years?

Let me know by leaving a comment below or you can message me on Facebook / Twitter / Instagram! If you enjoyed this post you’ll probably enjoy this one and this one (or any of the ones below) too.

Thanks for reading,

Becky xxx

Liked this post? Check these out…

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• 19 things that will annoy you if you’re gluten free

• 16 things that happen when you’re gluten free

• 16 problems that happen when you have IBS

• 17 struggles of being the only gluten free person in your house