For the newly diagnosed, the big question is: “What can I eat?” After you refresh your memory about what exactly characterizes a mammal, and remove all traces of them from your diet, it can still be hard to decide what to get at the store instead of your old go-tos.

The good news is there’s actually a wide variety of foods we can eat. You may actually find yourself eating a greater variety of foods than you did before, as many of us get stuck in patterns of eating the same things over and over again.

So let’s answer this question—what can we eat?

Fish and Fowl

I get it. You’re a carnivore. You need meat. The drop in protein in your diet is leaving you hangry. Here’s a list of fish and fowl (a.k.a. wings and fins) that we can eat. This list is by no means comprehensive, but it’ll get you thinking about your options.

Eggs Whole Chicken or Pieces Ground Chicken Cornish Hen Whole Turkey or Pieces Ground Turkey Turkey Bacon Turkey Sausage Patties Turkey Burgers Duck Duck Bacon Quail Pheasant Dove Emu Ostrich

Tilapia Mani-Mahi Flounder Salmon Haddock Cod Sardines Tuna Trout Catfish Mackerel Grouper Halibut Shrimp Crab Mussels

Vegetables

I live in the South, and boy do people like their fat back and pork seasonings. I can’t blame them. It’s good stuff! But that’s a no-go for those of us with AG. Instead, flavor your veggies with chicken stock, soy sauce (I prefer Tamari), and experiment with spices. Eat veggies raw or steamed, roasted in olive oil and salt, or fry them in coconut oil. I’m sure you know what constitutes a vegetable, but for a list to get you thinking, here you go:

Broccoli Collard Greens Kale Romaine Lettuce Spinach Artichokes Asparagus Beets Brussels Sprouts Cabbage Cauliflower Celery Cucumbers

Mushrooms Okra Onions Zucchini Acorn Squash Butternut Squash Carrots Peppers Potatoes Beans Bok Choy Snow Peas Eggplant

Nuts and Seeds

When I’m out and about, I know I’m not going to be able to eat the same foods as everyone else, so I always keep nut-based bars on hand wherever I go. Nuts and seeds can add substance to a sparse restaurant salad or tide you over until you can get something more suitable for you to eat. Again, here’s a list to get you thinking–and maybe considering something new.

Almond Brazil Nut Cashew Chestnuts Walnut Hazelnut Macadamia Pecan Pine Nut Pistachios

Walnut Peanuts Chia seeds Flaxseed Hemp seeds Poppy seed Pumpkin seeds Sesame seed Safflower Sunflower

Fruit

Most fruits travel pretty well, so they make good snacks and add flavor to salads, cereals,  smoothies, and the like. Consider picking up one or more of these the next time you’re at the store, and don’t forget many of the come in the “dried” variety.

Apple Apricot Avacado Banana Blueberries Cherries Grapefruit Grape Honeydew Kiwifruit Lemon Lime

Mango Nectarine Oranges Passionfruit Peach Pear Pineapple Plums Raspberries Rockmelon Strawberries Watermelon

Simple Grains

Processed grains (ie. bread) can have added sugar or dairy, which can be troublesome for a subset of people with AG. If you’re going to eat grains, read labels carefully and stick to simple things like oatmeal, rice, and quinoa.

Dairy and Alternatives

If dairy doesn’t cause a problem for you, then great. Eat your yogurt and drink your milk. But if it’s in the “no” category for you, then look for soy yogurt (doesn’t taste the same, but I like it in smoothies) and try nut milks, like almond or cashew. There are non-dairy ice creams made from coconut milk that are pretty good, too—just make sure you get an AG-free flavor.

Select Sweets

Some people with AG have no problem with refined sugar, but others have issues with the bone char used to process it. If you’ve got to play it safe, sweeten your foods with honey, pure maple syrup, stevia, or cane sugar. For something sweet, I’m a fan of Enjoy Life chocolate chips (dairy free). 🙂

The Hard Part

I know. Some of these excellent foods are not always convenient—but stopping at McDonald’s on the way home for a burger and fries just isn’t going to cut it anymore. Nowadays, I’m in the habit of packing my own meals and snacks wherever I go. (Check out these tips for eating out.)

Also, for those with minimal culinary skills, learning to cook some of these foods may be an added challenge. If so, I encourage you to find a friend or family member who enjoys cooking, and instead of going out to eat, have him or her teach you to cook some of these items.

It’s natural to miss your old favorites, and maybe one day, if you stay away from AG foods for a while, you’ll be able to eat them again, as some people have successfully recovered from this allergy. In the meantime, however, you’re going to feel so much better not only staying away from AG foods, but eating nutrient-rich whole foods instead.

To help you out with this transition, I created a resources page. On it are links for a number of the staple items I keep on hand. Let me know what you think. Is there anything you would add? Which ones are your favorite?