It is wonderful to make everything from scratch, but having convenient fructose free pantry staples are important to maintaining your health and your sanity on those crazy-busy days.
Here is another installment of the Fructose Free Staples that keep me Happy 🙂
Cereal
~The key to success is always learning~ Please check out the updates at the end of this post 🙂
I have been addicted to cereal for as long as I can remember. Going though each level of my dietary-needs evolution I lost more and more of my beloved breakfast options every time. Fructose malabsorption is doubly tricky in the morning because even the cereals that are organic, gluten-free, soy-free and dairy-free often times use honey, molasses, or fruit to sweeten them.
Thankfully, I already had Gluten Free Rice Krispies in my pantry after I got my Fructose Malabsorption diagnosis, and I stumbled upon the toasted oats cereal by Full Circle when I had to ditch my Rice and Corn Chex. Both are crispy, light and perfectly satisfying with milk or on their own as a late morning snack.
Hooray for Fructose Free Breakfast!
Instant Rice
Yes, a rice cooker and good ol’ fashioned long grain rice is delicious, but there are (many) days that I simply don’t have that kinda time to wait around.
In addition to their instant rice, Minute Brand now has super convenient single portion cups that only take a minute in the microwave and they come in an array of flavors. We fructose free folks are best to stick with the plain white and brown rice versions. Quick note, the Ready to Serve Cups do contain soy.
Peanut Butter
I know… PEANUTS are not PISTACHIOS (the only nut that is OK’d for people living a fructose free lifestyle), but transitioning from a vegetarian lifestyle I absolutely cannot live without peanut butter. Small steps…
This particular natural peanut butter from Skippy only uses sugar to sweeten, and it doesn’t require stirring. Easy, delicious, and affordable!
If you have access to freshly made nut butters, go for it! They are awesome and are certainly the healthiest option, but I find that this peanut butter is a “Happy (Fructose Free) Medium.”
Please remember to test your tolerance with peanuts before diving in, and always Enjoy in Moderation 🙂
~The key to success is always learning~ Updated 10/14/12
Over the past few months I realized that I don’t digest brown rice very well. Luckily I can still work with normal wheat flour. Here are a few more cereals that are free of honey, brown sugar/molasses, and dried fruits.
My new favorite cereal is Special K – Original. The first ingredient is rice, and it has lots of added vitamins and minerals (including iron which I am having a tough time getting enough of right now), plus fiber which all Fructose Malabsorbers need. ~This cereal contains wheat and milk products~
Here are a couple sweetened cereals that I have found to be safe for my tummy. *As always, please test your tolerance first and enjoy in moderation*
Craving Chocolate? Bear River Valley – All Natural Cereals makes an excellent version of Cocoa Pebbles called “Choco Chomp.” The name might be a little silly sounding, but this delightful cereal soothes my chocolate urges frequently and has earned a permanent spot in my kitchen. I love it! To keep my portions under control I often add a 1/4 cup to a bowl of Special K. Plus you still get some yummy chocolate milk afterwards a without a ton of extra sugar. Oh happiness! 🙂 ~This cereal does contain wheat~
Craving Cinnamon? Cascadian Farm Organics makes a convincing version of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, called “Cinnamon Crunch” that uses whole grain wheat and only sugar with dextrose (which is our friend) to sweeten. Amazing! I find these make perfect portable snacks, but it is sooo hard to stop eating them. I would recommend getting some snack-sized zip-top bags to avoid any self-control related sickness (Been there, done that. Totally worth it, but now I try to prevent it :)). ~This cereal contains both wheat and soy~
Happy & Fructose Free 
I have been on this fructose diet for months now and I can’t get straightened out. It was good for two weeks and I bloated again. Everything I eat gives me bad indigestion. I take stuff for that constantly. Is there another condition that goes along with fructose malabsorption?
The more broad condition for digestive issues like fructose malabsorption is IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). I would check out my blog post “what I’ve learned in my first year and a few good books.”
Best of luck!
Lindsey
I’d be shocked if you don’t still have bad stomach problems if you really have FM and are eating all of the foods you’ve listed on this site. FM doesn’t just mean you have to avoid fructose, I honestly don’t even know where to start. If I followed your advice on this site I would be too sick to even get out of bed. I have been living with FM for 4 years now and have no symptoms unless I decide to go on a binge and eat bad for a week or two.
Hi Jason. Yes, I definitely have FM, and everyone’s gut is different. I’m sorry you don’t find my information helpful and I wish you luck on your unique food journey. However, you’ll probably be surprised to learn that after 5 years being diagnosed I have listened to my body, healed my gut and have achived my ultimate goal of food freedom. I still have to be careful around fructose, but now, 5 years after my diagnosis, I can eat small amounts of anything (yes, anything) without getting sick. It’s awesome.
My goal has been, and always will be, to help people, and it’s rare I get a negative comment. This is because people find my information positive and uplifting when thier food lives have been turned upside-down and their gut is in crisis.
I say all the time that everyone’s gut is different. I wish you the very best of luck on your unique food journey. I hope that you can find your own food freedom.
Sincerely,
Lindsey