When I set out to write this post, I had a long list of the blogs, sites, apps and books I wanted to recommend. On reflection, I realised a number of these are geared more towards low FODMAP than gluten-free, so I’ve decided to keep them separate and focus this post solely on gluten-free resources.
While there’s often overlap between the two, what works for a gluten-free diet isn’t always applicable to low FODMAP – so here I’ll focus on the resources that really helped me get to grips with a gluten-free diet. I’ll save the low FODMAP recommendations for a future post.
Live Well Gluten Free
The perfect starting point for a gluten-free diet is to equip yourself with all the information needed to safely stock your kitchen. What better companion for your weekly shop than the Coeliac UK app, Live Well Gluten Free? While the app isn’t free, a Coeliac UK membership at £14.99 a year includes a regular email with product updates (such as new gluten-free products, and updated recipes for existing products), exclusive discounts, and unlimited use of the app. This is especially useful if you’re new to navigating gluten-free life for yourself or a family member.
The app is great for familiarising yourself with what you can buy and for navigating restaurant menus. As you’d expect from a ‘Coeliac UK’ app, this is primarily focused on supermarkets and restaurants in the UK, but it’s still a useful resource in Gibraltar as the majority of my shopping comes from UK brands.
In the ‘Account’ area of the app, you can set your dietary requirements – allowing you to not only filter for gluten free food items, but enabling you to avoid any of the top allergens such as dairy, nuts, and soya. When you search for an item, the app shows (with a a little smiley face) whether the food is suitable for you, based on your preferences.
I’ve found the barcode scanner a bit buggy (for example I scanned Nairn rosemary and sea salt flatbreads and it showed me Nairn chocolate chip cookies), but the search functionality is handy for double-checking if a food is suitable.
Once you’re familiar with your gluten-free diet, you might find yourself using the app less frequently (unless you’re unsure about trying a new product or restaurant), but you might find that the annual membership is worth it for the discounts and updates. For a gluten-free newbie, I think it’s absolutely worth the investment, but when you’re confident navigating gluten-free life, you might decide it’s time to go it alone.
The Loopy Whisk
I first came across Kat’s allergy-friendly recipes on Instagram and quickly became a fan of her blog, The Loopy Whisk. She doesn’t just develop ‘gluten free’ or ‘dairy free’ recipes but creates ones that can be adapted for a whole host of ‘free from’ diets. Even better, she makes it easy to recreate them at home.
From what I’ve tried so far, I’d suggest her recipes are a little more complex than those I’ve tried from the Gluten Free Cuppa Tea blog, but they’ve all turned out beautifully.
My absolute favourites were the lemon crinkle cookies and the lemon drizzle cake (can you tell I’m really into lemony desserts?). It makes sense they’d be a little more complicated given Kat’s science-based background.
Throughout the blog, Kat explains everything clearly, and includes lots of recipes for staples like bread, wraps, and pitas. She has a friendly and helpful tone that makes even the scientific aspects of baking interesting and fun, helping followers to understand the hows and whys of free-from baking.
With her book, The Elements of Baking coming out in October, I’m really looking forward to getting my hands on it, both for the recipes and the science behind the baking. The timing of the new book is perfect for me as I’m navigating a new low-FODMAP diet, and I’m excited to learn how I can adapt some of my old favourite recipes to suit my own dietary requirements.
The Art of Eating Well
When I first went gluten-free, I scoured second-hand sites for cookbooks with recipes I could enjoy. At the time, I was also advised to avoid dairy, eggs, certain nuts, and even certain vegetables—it was a long list.
The first book to arrive on my doorstep was the Hemsley sisters’ The Art of Eating Well. This was their debut cookbook, featuring many gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free recipes. The book takes a holistic approach to health, emphasizing a balanced diet of protein, fats, and vegetables.
It’s a beautifully designed book that makes healthy eating feel like an act of self-care. Some of the recipes are a bit time-consuming, and I often lack the energy or patience to tackle them on a weeknight.
However, the tabbouleh and meatballs have become staples in our meal rotation. It’s easy to make extra meatballs over the weekend and freeze them for quick dinners later, and the tabbouleh is as simple as chopping a salad.
It’s a filling meal that never leaves me feeling overly full or bloated, and the best part? There are always leftovers for lunch the next day.
Gluten Free Cuppa Tea
What would this guide be without the queen of gluten-free?! Since my earliest days of going gluten-free, Becky Excell has been my go-to inspiration. She’s active on Instagram and Threads, and almost every week I dive into her blog to discover new recipes to try.
Her easygoing nature and genuine love of gluten-free food make her recipes accessible. Proving that not every meal needs to be ambitious or elaborate (despite what social media might suggest), Becky shows how to create quick and simple gluten-free meals across her blog, books, and social media.
Just a glance at her social media feeds shows her wide appeal. From kids dressing up as her for World Book Day to her appearances at food events, Becky makes gluten-free cooking inclusive and exciting to a whole new generation.
Her ‘Gluten Free Cuppa Tea’ blog convinced me that those of us who follow a gluten-free diet don’t have to settle for disappointing shop-bought treats like biscuits and cakes (why are they so disappointing?!). With her recipes, you can bake them better yourself—quickly and easily.
Almost every recipe of hers that I’ve tried has turned out deliciously (if not picture-perfect – but that’s on me!) The only exception so far has been scones (I’m definitely going to try again, and I’ll admit it might have been user error!).
A standout over the past few months was the gin & tonic loaf I made for my mum’s birthday (she’s not gluten-free, but she was very happy that I could share the cake with her).
Becky’s brownie recipe will fool even the most gluten-loving muggle, and just last week I baked a chocolate loaf cake that was a huge hit. Her 3-ingredient shortbread recipe is my go-to when I’m craving biscuits or cookies — I even add chocolate chips to make them extra indulgent!
The first Becky Excell book I picked up was Quick & Easy Gluten Free—I recognized her trademark pink hair on the cover at Waterstones and couldn’t wait to dive in. Like her blog, the book offers gluten-free recipes with easy adaptations for lactose-free, vegan, and low-FODMAP diets. Some of these recipes have become staples in our house, making midweek meals much more exciting.
Last year, I received her Gluten Free Christmas cookbook as a birthday gift. It arrived a little too late to test many recipes ahead of the festive season, but now that September has rolled around, I’m gearing up to start trialing them for this year’s Christmas feast – watch this space!
Becky’s Gluten Free Cuppa Tea blog has also been invaluable for finding places to eat while traveling. Luckily for me, she’s spent plenty of time in Italy, and her recommendations greatly influenced our food choices on holiday there last year. It’s now my go-to resource when traveling, and it even helped us find a fantastic meal at Mowgli in Manchester city centre last December.
When searching for gluten-free options in a specific location, you’ll often come across a few different food blogs like Gluten Free Cuppa Tea, as well as various travel blogs. As you explore these, you’ll almost definitely notice the same few venues mentioned repeatedly. I find this approach helpful when making choices—if multiple people who share your dietary requirements are recommending a place, it’s likely a safe bet.
This brings me to…
Find Me Gluten Free
This app makes it easy to find gluten-friendly or gluten-free cafes and restaurants in various locations, which is especially helpful when you’re away from home and need a quick bite.
Venues are reviewed based on users’ personal experiences, including a ‘safety rating’ that lets you decide if you’d feel comfortable eating there. Since not everyone on a gluten-free diet needs to avoid cross-contamination, it’s incredibly useful to know if this might be a concern at your chosen venue.
Reviewers often comment on how knowledgeable and helpful the staff were, which can be reassuring when deciding whether to try a new place.
There are so many resources out there just waiting to be discovered. I know from experience how overwhelming it can feel when you have to suddenly adapt your diet and cut out a whole group of foods—especially when gluten sneaks into everything, from bread and pasta to cornflakes, gravy powder, and seasonings. These are the resources I found most helpful in those early days, and they’re the ones I still turn to when I need inspiration or a fresh recipe. I hope you find them as helpful as I do.
My Gluten-Free Kitchen 
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