Remember back in the days of the COVID pandemic (yes, that was six years ago!) when we told ourselves this was the “new normal”? What is normal anyway? Most of the time, normal is just our SOP: standard operating procedure. And those of us with dietary restrictions, whether by choice or not, eventually have to find a new SOP.
Mine currently means gluten-free. Maybe not forever, but for now. And a lot of my favorite foods contain gluten.
Take tonight, for example. We had Greek chicken with tzatziki. Not all that long ago, I couldn’t even eat this meal because dairy and garlic were off the table too. So I’m trying to look at this as a challenge I’ve already proven I can adapt to.
I set out pillowy Greek pitas for my family to fold around perfectly spiced chicken, topped with a generous dollop of tzatziki. (Or, in our house, we smear the sauce right onto the pita and build the gyro on top of that.) For me, I tried a gluten-free tortilla.
The first couple of bites had me questioning my purchase. Then again, the first couple of bites of any wrap are mostly tortilla. Once I got to the chicken, tzatziki, cucumbers, and tomatoes, it was perfectly acceptable. Not exactly a pillowy Greek pita, but good enough. Maybe the tortilla was just the awkward side character in an otherwise great meal.
I know this is a first-world problem. The world will keep spinning whether I eat a pita or a rice bowl. But when you’re already adjusting to dietary changes, sometimes it’s the little things—like a warm, fluffy pita or paying extra for a gluten-free tortilla—that make you sigh and say, “Really? This too?”
So I pivoted. I started with the idea of a rice bowl, drifted into salad territory, and ultimately just ate all the components however they worked together.
And honestly, rice has become one of my best allies in this season. Some favorite combinations:
- Mexican-style protein with taco seasoning, black or kidney beans, and all the toppings.
- Asian-inspired bowls with our new family favorite, Peanut Butter Pork Noodles, plus stir-fried veggies.
- Chicken sausage with sautéed vegetables.
- Tomorrow’s lunch: cold Greek chicken over lettuce and rice with extra tzatziki, lemony Greek dressing, diced cucumbers, red onion, and tomatoes.
Here I am, more than two months into this gluten-free adventure, and it has quietly become my new normal. I don’t spend nearly as much time thinking about all the things I can’t eat. Instead, I find myself planning meals around what I can.
Maybe that’s what finding a new normal really is. It’s not about discovering the perfect substitute for everything you’ve lost. It’s about learning when to pivot. Sometimes that means a rice bowl instead of a pita. Sometimes it means a gluten-free tortilla that’s good enough, even if it costs more than the regular one. Dinner still happens. We still gather around the table. And after a while, what once felt like a huge adjustment simply becomes… dinner.
Real food. Real kitchens. Real love. —The Food Civilian