Go with me to last week. It’s 6pm on Wednesday night and nothing that we usually have for dinner sounds good. I need new ideas that are gluten free, that are cheap, and that my kid is actually going to eat. Enter these 11 gluten free dinners. I literally made one of these dinners last week because nothing else sounded good. We all go through nights like this juggling health goals, allergies, and the chaos of daily life. We just want to feed our families quick affordable and delicious meals. We should never have to sacrifice eating something delicious and healthy because we have allergies and tight budgets. You are going to love these gluten free dinners for your busy weeknights all year long.
- Why Gluten Free Dinners Don’t Have to Be Complicated
- Tips for Building Budget-Friendly, Allergy-Safe Meals
- 11 Easy Gluten Free Dinner Ideas
- Crispy Tofu (20 min skillet)
- Chicken Salad + Butternut Squash Soup
- Sheet Pan Chicken & Veggies
- Garlic Butter Steak & Brussels Sprouts
- Pizza Zoodles
- Vegetable Lasagna (GF noodles)
- Ground Turkey Burrito Bowls
- Baked Kale-Quinoa Bowl
- Biscuits & Sausage Gravy (2 separate recipes!)
- Gluten Free BLT Skillet Pasta
- Butternut Squash Pasta
- How to Make Gluten Free Dinners Work for You
- Embracing Our Allergies
Why Gluten Free Dinners Don’t Have to Be Complicated
Gluten free dinners definitely have a reputation of being expensive or difficult.
Whether you’re new to having allergies, used to the huge price tag attached to them or you’re feeding someone for the first time with food allergies, these recipes are for you.
These gluten free dinners don’t take more than 30 minutes to prep and they’re full of pantry staples and affordable ingredients. This is how gluten free cooking can be all the time. Check out these other easy healthy dinner recipes for more ideas. I also compiled these 10 delicious soups for winter time or all of your time if you’re a soup person that are gluten free and dairy free and cheap. Not only are these dishes going to be safe for your family to eat and cheap but they also are going to minimize dishes. I hate doing dishes as much as I hate spending too much money on groceries. So these meals fit all of those criteria.
Tips for Building Budget-Friendly, Allergy-Safe Meals
Some of these meals have swaps that you might need to make that I have specifically mentioned. I’ve made most of these meals naturally gluten free and dairy free so we don’t have to spend extra money on expensive substitutions!
You might want to buy some dairy free cheese, gluten free pasta and dairy free milk to always have on hand for these and future gluten free meals. Plus when we have these type of things on hand we can buy them on sale and store up so we can always have gluten free budget friendly meals.
Another little secret I have is that I do not buy dairy free butter. I use margarine in most cases. Margarine may not be a whole food but it is cheaper than dairy free butter and is dairy free. It’s made with vegetable oil as the base. So I like to keep some margarine on hand because I use it all the time.
Yet another hurdle that we have as families dealing with allergies is making things our kids will eat. All of these meals are kid approved and can be used to feed infants and toddlers alike.
I have a one year old that I like to break these meals up for and he eats what we eat. I tried to avoid being a short order chef, because it’s difficult it’s expensive and it doesn’t teach my kids to eat what I serve. These meals are designed for everyone to enjoy.
11 Easy Gluten Free Dinner Ideas
Crispy Tofu (20 min skillet)
Before you keep scrolling because it has the word tofu in it, give it a try! My husband is as traditional with food as you can get there’s nothing he loves more than some smoked meat and some dense potatoes. But he will eat this crispy tofu. Not to mention so will my toddler! I use this as a main course as you would some chicken or meat and pair it with a salad and maybe a carb on the side. This is perfect because a container of tofu cost under $5 you can easily serve your whole family for under $10 with this meal.
Chicken Salad + Butternut Squash Soup
Nothing says yummy more than a salad and soup pair. This gluten free dinner is full of vegetables which means it’s full of fiber making it very filling even though it’s a lighter meal. This meal can cost under $10 for a family of five.
Grilled Chicken Salad
Ingredients:
Chicken
- Garlic powder
- Olive oil
- Paprika
- Salt
- Pepper
- Chicken breast
Salad
- Spinach
- Bell pepper
- Cucumber
- Avocado
- Dressing of choice
Instructions:
- Heat a skillet with olive oil for 3 min on medium heat
- Tenderize and fillet chicken breasts so they are thinner and cook faster
- Season chicken breasts with above seasoning to taste.
- Sear in skillet on stove top for 5 min each side until cooked to 165 degrees F internal temp
- Cut up into bite size pieces and put in salad
Sheet Pan Chicken & Veggies
This Sheet pan dinner is one of the easiest and cheapest gluten free dinners that you can make. You literally cook it on one pan and it takes 10 minutes to prep and cost under $10! Not to mention it is delicious and customizable for each family’s tastes and preferences.
Garlic Butter Steak & Brussels Sprouts
This recipe calls for steak, but I really just buy the cheapest beef which is usually carne asada. Any type of red meat will taste delicious when cooked in garlic and butter. I love this meal because I usually cook it in a cast iron pan which makes for super easy cleanup and the brussels sprouts are one of my favorites. Even though it has brussels sprouts my whole family actually loves this meal. If you aren’t a fan of brussels sprouts try this recipe because I’m a firm believer that brussels sprouts have to be cooked just right in just the right amount of garlic and olive oil to be delicious, this recipe provides just that.
Pizza Zoodles
This is the perfect healthy gluten free dinner disguised as comfort food. You might not associate zucchini noodles with comfort food but trust me this is it. This gluten free dinner has the perfect flavor and spiced paired with the zoodles that will leave you feeling good after you eat it.
Vegetable Lasagna (GF noodles)
A vegetable lasagna is just what you need if you’re looking for a family friendly gluten free meal. Kids love this meal even though there’s tons of vegetables in it because it’s disguised as a delicious pasta! A gluten free homemade lasagna might sound like a large undertaking but it really only takes 15 minutes of prep time. This recipe also calls for a vegan ricotta, but there is recipe linked in there for you to make it yourself which will decrease the cost significantly.
Ground Turkey Burrito Bowls
This is my go to for a quick easy gluten free dinner. Each family member can make it however they want, it’s filling, it’s cheap and it’s easy. The base of it is rice and you just add basically whatever toppings you would add to a burrito, mix it up and you have a delicious gluten free dinner!
Ingredients:
- Black Beans
- Avocado
- Salsa
- Ground turkey
- Taco seasoning
- Corn
- Rice
Instructions:
- Add topping of choice over rice
- Cook ground turkey and season with taco seasoning
Baked Kale-Quinoa Bowl
A quinoa bowl is always in my meal rotation. This baked kale quinoa bowl is so yummy! It’s the perfect mix between comfort and a healthy meal. Of course everything in it is naturally gluten free! Because it’s a bowl it can be broken down for toddlers to enjoy and picky kids can add or subtract anything they would like. If you’re not familiar or a fan of quinoa give this recipe a try and it might change your mind.
Biscuits & Sausage Gravy (2 separate recipes!)
Ok, seriously what gets more southern than biscuits and sausage gravy for dinner? This is such a fun option for breakfast for dinner. Not to mention it is a rare occasion you find biscuits and gravy both gluten free. Well, now you can easily find them right in your kitchen. This meal is actually really easy to make and is going to take under 20 minutes of prep for both the gravy and the biscuits. This gluten free dinner is totally kid friendly and you can pair it with lots of other breakfast dishes like scrambled eggs, fruit, or quiche. Anything your family loves!
Gluten Free BLT Skillet Pasta
When I found this recipe I knew I had to try it! Who doesn’t want a BLT in pasta form! This gluten free dinner is just so delicious and so easy. I am allergic to tomatoes so I don’t add tomato in this recipe instead I substitute it for red bell pepper and it is still delicious. So if you have a nightshade allergy this can still work for you.
Butternut Squash Pasta
This butternut squash pasta is literally the best gluten free dinner when you are in the mood for comfort food. It’s perfect for the winter season because it has winter vegetables in it it’s chock full of antioxidants making it immune boosting. This recipe does require some substitutions. Instead of heavy cream I just use 1 cup of soy milk and I omit the cheese. And of course instead of regular noodles I use gluten free noodles!
How to Make Gluten Free Dinners Work for You
It’s time to let your dinners work for you. All of these dinners can be made once and eaten three to four times. Plus you can use these 11 meals to rotate for the next two weeks! If you make dinner one night make it some extra so you have enough to meal plan for lunches a couple of the days of the week. I also find that I can freeze just about any meal as long as I only freeze it for up to a month. That’s not to say freezer specific meals can last longer but any of these dinners can be frozen for up to a month. This makes one dinner work as many quick gluten free meals.
Embracing Our Allergies
Sometimes making dinner that’s gluten free can seem like a real obstacle. Gluten free dinners usually mean substitutions that can get expensive. The “allergy free tax” is real and puts a weight on families in this economy. These meals are designed to give you the comfort, and then nutrition and, the prices you need. Give one of these emails a try and let me know what you think! Make sure to sign up for my e-mail list below to get emails with more gluten free family meals and exclusive content on living with allergies! Eating healthy gluten free dinners does not have to be hard and I’m here to prove the impossible as possible!
