Going a week without sandwiches was not at all difficult. Going a week without bread was slightly more so, but not too hard. Going a week without anything even remotely bread-like was tough, particularly for someone who snacks as much as I do. Please let me remind you at this point that not all my snacking is because I have a sweet tooth or a craving for something; it’s because my IBS is best kept under control by eating something approximately every three hours.
What was wonderful about this past week was realising how many options I have. These alternatives to sandwiches and bread don’t even need to be expensive or time-consuming to make. Yes, the shopping for this week cost a bit more than it normally would, but that’s because I had to buy things I don’t usually keep at home. You know, everything is geared towards those daily sandwiches, and when suddenly they’re off the menu and you have to get inventive, you need to buy those replacements.
Some of my favourites this week were strawberries, stuffed tomatoes and lettuce wraps, none of which took long to make, cost a lot or were particularly unhealthy. I’m also happy to report that my IBS was well under control this week, and I confess that I was a little worried about it to begin with. Many IBS patients need more fibre in their diet, and I wasn’t sure if I would get enough from fruit and vegetables alone without bread, but I had more fruit and veg than I probably normally would, and I had cereal and porridge instead. This is certainly something to remember in the future.
Come Friday morning, I had my first slices of bread in a week. It was wholegrain toast, and it was nice, but I can’t claim to have missed it in the seven days I was off bread. While I’m not going to swear off bread, biscuits and pizza completely in the future, I feel I am much better equipped in my battle against sandwiches.