Creamy Dairy Free Mashed Potatoes

Whether it is the holidays or everyday, these dairy free mashed potatoes hit the spot.  So creamy and full of flavor, you would never guess they are dairy free and vegan!  They are also low iodine diet friendly.

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What You’ll Need

To make these potatoes, you’ll need:

  • Potatoes
  • Bay leaf
  • Garlic
  • Vegan margarine or extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt (non iodized)
  • Black pepper

How to Make

Mashed potatoes are not the most complicated dish, but can be a little tricky.  Here are few tips:

  • Wash the potatoes well, before and after peeling.  You don’t want dirt in your food.
  • Start the potatoes in cold water.  This ensures they cook evenly.
  • Put flavor in the water.  Potatoes can absorb flavor from the cooking water.  We add garlic and bay leaf in this recipe.  You could cook in broth as well.
  • Don’t overcook the potatoes.  You want them tender enough to mash, but if you overcook them, they will get too starchy and gluey.
  • Drain the cooked potatoes well.  Then return to the hot pot to let excess water evaporate before adding other ingredients.
  • Season the potatoes well. Potatoes themselves are very bland. Taste test to see if you need to up your salt and pepper.
  • I find these are much creamier if you use an electric mixer to “mash” or whip them. You can use a potato masher as well, but it may take longer to get to a really creamy texture if that is what you are after.

Mashed Potato Variations

Depending on what you want to use the potatoes for, you could easily switch up the seasonings.  

  • You could substitute coconut milk for half of the vegan margarine or oil, but it will add it’s distinctive flavor. Avoid almond or oat milk. They turn the texture gluey.
  • You can reserve some of the starchy cooking water for blending.
  • You could add a cheese replacement, like nutritional yeast, for a more savory flavor.
  • The garlic infused oil variation listed in the recipe is my favorite.  It adds a great burst of flavor but is not overpowering.
  • You could make the mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot.  Same ingredients.  Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes, release the pressure manually, drain, and then mash.  

FAQ

What is the best kind of potato to use for mashed potatoes?

The short answer is whatever potato(es) you prefer.

Potatoes are generally categorized as “starchy”, “waxy”, or “all-purpose”. Starchy potatoes tend to be better for mashing.  These include russet, white, and yellow potatoes.

Red, purple, and fingerling potatoes are more waxy.  While you can still make mashed potatoes with them, it will more likely be chunky and less smooth and creamy.

Bon Appetit recommends you use half of each kind, starchy and waxy.  

If following the low iodine diet, I recommend using russet potatoes, as they are the easiest to peel.  Potato flesh is fine on the low iodine diet but not the peels. Read more about the low iodine diet here.

Should I cook the potatoes in broth or water?

Either.  Broth will add more flavor to the potatoes.  It just depends on how you will be serving the potatoes and how strong a flavor you want them to have.

I used water in this recipe flavored with garlic cloves and bay leaf.  Broth is difficult for the low iodine diet unless using homemade (which is a chore), so I steered clear.

What is vegan margarine and is it low iodine?

Vegan margarine is margarine that contains no animal products. While all margarines are spreads made from vegetable oils, many still contain milk as whey added to them.

Some vegan margarine is low iodine. It depends on the salt added. Earth Balance has vegan margarines that do no use sea salt. According to an email from Conagra (the manufacturer) from 2018 posted on LID Life, they do not use iodized salt.

If this is concerning for you, olive oil is a safe, low iodine choice as well.

Earth Balance Non-GMO Vegan Soy Free Buttery Spread

Tips for Storage and Reheating

The good news is that since these potatoes don’t have butter, they won’t get hard in the fridge.  

Cool cooked potatoes uncovered, then cover once cooled.  They will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days.  Reheat in the microwave, or bake, covered at 350 for 20-30 minutes.

Let me know how you enjoy these creamy dairy free mashed potatoes!

Mashed Potatoes with chives in a gray bowl with a fork on top of a harvest napkin
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Creamy Dairy Free Mashed Potatoes

Delicious, smooth mashed potatoes packed with flavor without any dairy.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: dairy free, garlic, vegan, vegetarian
Servings: 10
Calories: 210kcal

Equipment

  • electric mixer

Ingredients

  • 5 lbs potatoes peeled and chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic peeled
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ¼ cup vegan margarine or extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt non-iodized
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic minced, optional

Instructions

  • Place potatoes, garlic, and bay leaf in large pot. Cover with cold water.
  • Place pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, keeping at low boil. Boil for 20-25 minutes, until potatoes are very tender.
  • Optional step if using olive oil and optional garlic: While potatoes are cooking, heat oil and garlic in a small skillet over medium low heat. Cook until garlic just begins to be fragrant and lightly brown. Remove from heat.
  • When potatoes are tender, drain and remove bay leaf. Return to warm pot and let sit for 1-2 minutes for extra water to evaporate.
  • Add margarine (or olive oil), salt, and pepper. Mash (or whip) with electric mixer to desired smoothness. Add more margarine, salt, or pepper as desired for taste.

Notes

I recommend Earth Balance Soy Free Vegetable Buttery Spread.  According to LIDLife Community site, Conagra Foods (who manufactures Earth Balance) does not use iodized salt without specifying on the label (email communication from 2018).  If you feel uncomfortable with that, use olive oil.  The spread is more neutral in flavor.  You can taste the olive oil a bit more, but it isn’t off putting.   
The optional warmed olive oil with the garlic adds a great garlicky punch to the potatoes.  If serving plain, I highly recommend it.  If eating with gravy or serving to a larger crowd, I might skip it.  

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 210kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 283mg | Potassium: 963mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 221IU | Vitamin C: 45mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg
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Low Iodine Diet Basics – Including Low Iodine Foods List

Have you been diagnosed with papillary or follicular thyroid cancer?  Have you been told to follow a low iodine diet before your radioactive iodine treatment?  Are you confused?  Why wasn’t surgery enough?

I know I was confused after my diagnosis.  And then when they told me about the low iodine diet, I quickly got more confused.  I was getting a master’s degree in nutrition at the time of my treatment, but I still wasn’t sure about the next steps.

How do you know how much iodine is in your food?  What can you look for on the label?  What can you eat?

Have no fear.  This article will walk you through all the steps so you understand more about iodine, the low iodine diet and its relationship to radioactive iodine treatment, and sources of iodine in the diet.

What is Iodine?

Iodine is a trace element you may remember from the periodic table.  It can be used as a disinfectant; your skin turns yellow when you use it.

Iodine is also found in food.  In some foods, it is naturally there from the soil the plant was grown from.  This could also include plant foods an animal eats and then YOU eat the animal.  Iodine can also be added to food as a supplement or via residues from disinfectants on equipment. (1)

How Does My Body Use Iodine?

The thyroid gland uses iodine to make thyroid hormones.  Thyroid hormones have MANY functions in your body and can influence every cell in your body.  These include:

  • Effects your metabolism, including how your body burns calories – this affects your weight as well as your energy levels
  • Regulating your heartbeat
  • Regulating body temperature
  • Can affect digestion speed – meaning too much can cause diarrhea, too little constipation
  • Can affect menstrual cycles in women
  • Regulates bone health and muscle movement
  • Important for brain development and brain functioning

Iodine is also crucial in brain development for fetuses and small children.  Iodine deficiency is the leading cause of brain damage and intellectual impairment worldwide. (2)

Goiter is the physical manifestation of a diet with not enough iodine. The thyroid gland gets bigger – trying to absorb more iodine from the blood – and sticks out of the neck. Goiter is not common in most developed countries today.

Hopefully that list shows you how important iodine is for your body.  However, most of us in developed countries don’t think about iodine intake.  Why?  Because our diet is fortified.

Why do I Need a Low Iodine Diet?

A low iodine diet (LID) is used before radioactive iodine therapy to make the body “iodine hungry”. (1) The basic idea is if you deprive your body of iodine, any remaining thyroid cells (specifically thyroid cancer cells) will be very hungry and aggressively take up the radioactive iodine during treatment.  This might make the treatment more effective.

What if My Doctor Did NOT Tell Me to Follow a LID?

The American Thyroid Association does recommend a LID for 1 to 2 weeks before radioactive iodine treatment.  However, there is conflicting evidence. (3)

Some studies have shown people to have less iodine in their urine and greater uptake of the radioactive iodine when they consumed a LID before treatment.  However, there is no evidence showing if this changes the rates of cancer recurring later or death.  

Since there is not strong evidence, some doctors do not require patients to follow a LID prior to radioactive iodine treatment.  You should discuss this with your doctor and feel comfortable with his or her recommendations.

How do I know if Iodine is in a Food?

That is the question of the year.  There is not really a great way to know the iodine content of food.  Iodine is not required on nutrition labels and is not regularly measured in foods.

Most processed foods in the United States do NOT contain iodized salt.  However, current laws do not require manufacturers to state on the label if they use iodized salt or not.  As such, they could change what they use at any time.  With the supply chain issues beginning in 2020, the FDA gave permission for substitutions without changing labeling. (1) 

Natural Sources of Iodine in Food.

Iodine is found in the ocean and in the soil in some parts of the world.  So seafood, sea salt, and any other food from the ocean will naturally be high in iodine.  

Plant products, such as vegetables and grains, grown in iodine rich soil are higher in iodine than plants not.  Areas near oceans or with clay-rich alkaline soils have iodine rich soil. (4)  This is only useful if you are buying local produce.  Most people do not know the origin of their plant foods and the iodine level of the soil.

Iodine is also often added to products used in caring for animals, so may be in animal proteins that you consume.  

Added Iodine

Iodized salt is probably the most familiar food with iodine added.  But there are other ways iodine can be added to a food, and sometimes not intentionally.

Iodine is a food safe disinfectant and can be used in food processing.  Dairy processors frequently use iodine disinfectants  Dairy products are one of the highest sources of iodine in the American diet according to a Total Food Study. (5)

Dough conditioners added to many bread products have iodine.  These are another significant source of unintentionally adding iodine to our diet. 

Why is Iodine in Salt?

Natural, unprocessed foods are not incredibly rich in iodine.  Iodine in food can vary by the iodine content of the soil where the food came from.  Historically, iodine was often lacking in people’s diets, leading to goiter in adults and brain damage in children.

In order to increase iodine intake, salt was fortified with iodine starting in the 1920’s. (5)  Policy makers chose saltbecause it was inexpensive, consumed by everyone, and intakes don’t generally vary by season.

After iodized salt became prevalent, rates of goiter and iodine deficiency decreased in the United States.  Many countries worldwide mandate the iodization of salt.  The United States does not.

Beyond Iodine

While you need to avoid foods high in iodine, you also need to avoid foods that could interfere with your body’s ability to take up the radioactive iodine.  Soy protein based foods and cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and cabbage, may have this effect. (6, 1)

Low Iodine Foods List

Here is an outline of foods to enjoy, foods to eat a moderate amount, and foods to avoid.  I have compiled this list from resources from Thyca, the American Thyroid Association, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.  I hope this can be a “one stop shop” for you.  

Final Thoughts

Iodine is a necessary nutrient in a normal, healthy diet. It helps form thyroid hormones, which effect every cell of the body.

When prepping for radioactive iodine treatment, you may have to follow a low iodine diet. Your body becomes iodine hungry and may absorb more radioactive iodine.

Iodine is not routinely measured as a nutrient in foods nor are manufacturers required to label their products that contain iodine.  This can make following a low iodine diet tricky.

I’ve listed above foods low in iodine to enjoy, foods high in iodine to limit, and foods to avoid on the low iodine diet.  If you’d like a streamlined PDF of this list along with some tips for label reading, enter your email address below and it will come to your inbox.

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Vegan Zucchini Muffins

Vegan zucchini muffins are a delicious, healthy snack or breakfast. These muffins are moist while still being low in fat. If you have extra zucchini from your garden or the farmer’s market to use up, these muffins are a crowd pleaser with lots of variations to suit your tastes. Vegan substitutions also make these low iodine if you are following the low iodine diet.

Some links on this site are affiliate links, meaning I may receive a commission at no cost to you if you click on them. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

What You’ll Need

For these vegan zucchini muffins, you will need shredded zucchini, brown sugar, vegetable oil, chia seeds, vanilla, all-purpose and white whole wheat flour, iodine free salt, baking powder and soda, nutmeg, cardamom, and cinnamon. You’ll also need any mix-ins you want to add (see below).

Where do I find that?

  • Chia seeds: I have been able to find chia sees at my regular grocery stores and Wal-Mart. It can often be in the gluten free or specialty baking area. A health food store would also be a good place to look.
  • White whole wheat flour: I have found this a little bit harder to find since COVID-19 and the resulting food shortages. I like buying it from King Arthur online or have found generic brand at my local Kroger store.
  • Ground cardamom: Ground cardamom should be with all the other spices at your local grocery store. If you don’t want to buy it, you could substitute ground allspice or ground cloves.
  • HOW MUCH ZUCCHINI? This recipe calls for 1 ½ pounds of shredded zucchini. If you do not own a kitchen scale, this would be 3 small zucchini, 2 medium zucchini. The zucchini I have pictured were from my garden and more on the medium size.
 How to Make
  • Make chia “eggs” by mixing chia seeds with water and letting gel.
  • Shred zucchini and squeeze out excess water.
  • Mix sugar, chia eggs, and wet ingredients.
  • Fold in zucchini and dry ingredients. Mix until half combined.
  • Add in mix-ins if using. Mix until just combined.
  • Bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan to cool completely.

Tips for Success

  • Start your chia eggs first. The chia and water need to “gel” for 5-30 minutes before using them. This picture shows what they should look like.
  • Use a machine to help you shred the zucchini. The shredding blade on a food processor is much faster than using a box grater. You could also use your spiralizer if you have one and then chop up the spirals.
  • Really squeeze out the water from the zucchini. Zucchini helps make our muffins moist, but we don’t want them soggy. We put a lot of zucchini in these muffins, so we want to make sure we do a good job squeezing out the excess water. Wrap your shreds in a clean, fluff free kitchen towel. Squeeze over the sink.
  • Don’t overmix! To keep your muffins light and fluffy, mix until just combined. There should not be any dry streaks of flour in the batter, but it may still be lumpy. Do not beat or whisk it smooth.

Variations

There are so many ways you can make these zucchini muffins your own. In general, I would recommend ¾ cup to 1 cup total of mix-ins. I have pictured here regular sized muffins with chocolate chips and mini lemon zucchini muffins with blueberries.

Citrus zest can add great flavor as well. I use the zest from a whole lemon or whole orange if I am using it.

Ideas for mix-ins:

  • Orange zest and chopped pistachios
  • chopped walnuts and chocolate chips
  • lemon zest and blueberries
  • pumpkin seeds
  • raisins
  • coconut flakes

You can also make this recipe as one large loaf of zucchini bread or into twice as many mini muffins. Adjustments for baking times are in the recipe below.

FAQ

Why bake with zucchini?

Zucchini is great for lowering the fat in baked goods while adding moisture and fiber. It also is very mild so it generally does not add any flavor.

What makes these “healthy”?

These muffins are low in fat, thanks to the added zucchini. They are packed with vegetables, thanks to 1 ½ pounds of zucchini – which provides vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber. They also have whole grain flour.

Are there other egg substitutes I could use?

For a low iodine diet, you could substitute 4 egg whites for the chia “eggs” in this recipe. It would no longer be vegan.

Ground flax seeds could be substituted for the chia seeds – same amount of ground flax to water as chia seeds to water.

For more on vegan egg substitutes, check out The Kitchn or Minimalist Baker.

What is white whole wheat flour?

This is whole wheat flour made from soft white wheat, rather than hard red wheat. The traditional whole wheat flour you are used to that is very brown is from hard red wheat.

White whole wheat flour is still a whole grain and full of fiber and nutrients. It just comes from a different type of wheat plant.

Why vegan recipes for low iodine diet?

A low iodine diet is not necessarily a vegan diet. But vegan recipes can be a good place to look for low iodine recipes since they will not contain dairy or egg yolk.

However, not all vegan recipes will be low iodine friendly. They may contain soy products, sea salt, and milk alternatives that do not work.

Can I make these gluten free?

These could easily be made gluten free by subbing a gluten free all-purpose flour mix that has gums in it.

Could I use other flours?

If you can not find the white whole wheat flour, you could use regular whole wheat flour or only all-purpose flour. I have not experimented with oat or spelt flours.

Storage and Reheating

These muffins can be stored at room temperature for about 5 days.

I like to freeze muffins to last longer. They generally last about 3 months. I either let the muffins thaw at room temperature or microwave them for 20-30 seconds, wrapped in a paper towel or napkin.

Serving Suggestions

These vegan zucchini muffins make a great breakfast, snack, or add them to lunch or dinner as a side to soup or salad.

 

Like these vegan zucchini muffins? You might also like these:

Eggless Chocolate Pudding

Gingerbread Banana Bread from LID Life

Regular and mini zucchini muffins on a wooden table with a zucchini behind them
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5 from 2 votes

Vegan Zucchini Muffins

Easy, moist, and delicious muffins perfect for end of summer when zucchini is plentiful. Easy to change the mix-ins or switch to a loaf or mini muffins.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Bread
Cuisine: American
Keyword: quick, summer
Servings: 24 muffins
Calories: 101kcal
Author: Kimberly Marsh, MS, RD

Ingredients

Muffins

  • 2 tbsp chia seeds
  • 5 tbsp water
  • 1 ½ lbs zucchini shredded
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 1 ½ tsp no iodine salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ½ tsp ground cardamom
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon

Optional Mix-Ins (choose up to 1 zest and 1 cup of mix-ins)

  • 1 lemon zested
  • 1 orange zested
  • chocolate chips
  • chopped nuts almonds, walnut, or pistachios
  • wild blueberries
  • coconut flakes or shredded coconut
  • raisins

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin pan with paper liners or spray with cooking spray.
  • Combine chia seeds and water in a small bowl. Let sit for at least 5 minutes, up to 30 minutes. The chia "eggs" are ready to use when the water has been absorbed, and it has formed a gloopy gel.
  • Shred zucchini on a box grater, using a food processor grater attachment, or a spiralizer.
  • Wrap shredded zucchini in a clean, fluff free kitchen towel. Over sink or extra bowl, wring out excess water from zucchini.
  • Whisk together brown sugar, oil, chia eggs, vanilla, and zest (if using) in a medium bowl. Stir in shredded zucchini.
  • Add remaining ingredients except mix-ins. Fold into zucchini mixture until about half mixed. Add in mix-ins (if using). Mix until just combined - no streaks of flour but will still be lumpy.
  • Pour into prepared muffin pan, filling each cup ¾ full. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove muffins to wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

If making a lemon blueberry muffin, I would omit nutmeg, cardamom, and cinnamon.  
Nutrition facts do not include any mix-ins.
To make a 9x5 in loaf, bake at 325 for 60-75 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool in pan for 20-30 minutes, then remove loaf to wire rack to cool.
To make 48 mini muffins, bake at 350 for 15-17 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove muffins to a wire rack to cool.
Recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 101kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 214mg | Potassium: 102mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 57IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg
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7 Tips for Radioactive Iodine Treatment Isolation

Radioactive iodine treatment isolation is hard. You don’t feel well, are tired, and are lonely. The low iodine diet makes eating challenging. The world is still reeling from your surgery and cancer diagnosis in the first place. The treatment itself can have unpleasant side effects.

However, it’s all in how you look at it. Radioactive iodine treatment isolation does not have to be the worst 5-8 days of your life.

Today, I’m sharing 7 tips that helped me get through my radioactive iodine treatment isolation periods.

Focus on the Positive

Mindset is at least half the battle with isolation. There are plenty of negatives in your life going into isolation. I’ve listed just a few above.

But if you focus on all the negatives, it could be the most depressing time. Try to find things to be positive about. Like what? Here are some examples:

  • Are you an introvert? Hello alone time.
  • You have an excuse to work on time consuming projects.
  • Catch up on sleep.
  • You only have to do one radiation treatment, not multiple treatments like other cancers.
  • Thyroid cancer has a high survival rate.

Each individual person can find something positive for their situation. When I had my radioactive iodine treatment, I was in grad school. My thesis committee had decided I needed to re-do the entire data set for my project. That was hours of just sitting at my computer re-coding a giant excel spreadsheet. Wouldn’t you know, during my isolation, I had all those hours to sit and do it, with nothing else pressing on my time and attention. That doesn’t mean it was “fun”, but definitely not as stressful if my regular life was also happening right then.

Be a Little Selfish

Other than being careful not to expose others to radiation, you do not need to put others first during this time. What to do I mean?

Choose a room with a comfy bed or couch. Choose a room with a TV. Take over the passwords for the video streaming services. Found a low iodine treat you love? Don’t share it with others. You are the most important thing right now. Focus on you.

Indulge

It can be hard to indulge on the low iodine diet, but you can do it. I got a giant bag of gummy bears and ate the whole thing. I binge watched Jane Austen movies.

Craving a fountain diet Coke? Order a DoorDash.

Bored? Sign up for a new video streaming service for a few days.

Do some online shopping.

Watch cat videos on youtube.

Do whatever makes you feel good. Even if it seems frivolous.

Set a Fun Goal

Focus on something you want to do but never have time to do. Be creative!

  • Watch all of a TV series or movie series.
  • Read all the Harry Potter books, War and Peace, you get the idea.
  • Do 10 push ups everyday. (Or increase your push ups every day).
  • Try new kinds of gummy candies.
  • Learn a language. (or a bit at least)
  • Complete a house project or craft project.
  • Learn a new skill, like knitting, painting, etc. YouTube is full of how-to videos.

Reach Out

Radioactive iodine treatment isolation is…well…isolating. Even introverts get lonely after awhile. Your friends and family are likely looking for ways they can help but don’t know what to do. Reach out. Connection will help the time go by and help you feel less alone.

Set up phone or zoom calls to catch up with people. Ask someone to bring lunch to your door. Eat on your porch and chat while they sit in the front yard. Ask a friend to pick up some supplies you may need. Don’t think you have to do this on your own.

Hygiene

You are strongly encouraged to have good hygiene post radioactive iodine. The iodine comes out in your bodily secretions – saliva, sweat, urine. Showering daily and frequent tooth brushing are included in thyca.org’s list of recommendations.

However, I mean a step beyond this. Put on some comfortable but decent clothes. Do your hair. Maybe put on make-up. The more “normal” you feel, the better you will feel. If you are sitting around in pjs, you will feel tired and down all the time. Perk yourself up a bit.

Get Out

Just because you have to be in isolation, does not mean you have to stay inside 4 walls. Go for a walk. Get some sunshine. Breathe fresh air. Be cautious in staying away from people, obviously. But going outdoors can be a real boost.

Get creative in where you go. Walk in a park or different area than you normally do. Once I was clear to leave my apartment but still needed to be cautious, I went to a movie in the middle of the day. I got there right as the movie started to ensure I could pick a seat a distance from others. It was fun.

There are plenty of ways that radioactive iodine treatment isolation is hard. Focus on being creative, helping yourself, and having fun as best you can. The time will go much quicker!

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Low Iodine Diet and Fast Food: 11 Menus Reviewed

Eating out at a sit down restaurant or fast food is tricky when on the low iodine diet. Fast food is incredibly convenient and popular. However, you have limited abilities to customize your order for the low iodine diet at fast food restaurants, making it even more tricky. Check out my previous post for general tips on eating out and low iodine diet (especially fast food).

I have reviewed the online menus available from 11 of the top fast food restaurants in the United States. Below is my list of what you could probably eat. Please note that menus and ingredients change all of the time. This was accurate at the time of writing. Please double check menus yourself and read labels when available.

Also, there might be more you could eat. However, most online ingredient lists often list “salt” with no further specification. In those instances, I erred on the side of not being able to eat it. You could dig deeper and find more information if it is very important to you.

McDonalds and Low Iodine

McDonald’s is the #1 fast food restaurant in the United States. But their low iodine diet friendly menu items are very minimal. However, their menu only lists “salt” as an ingredient. If you could find more specific information, that might open up options.

  1. Fresh fries with no salt. You can ask for fresh fries anytime you go to McDonald’s. Ask for some fresh fries that are dumped onto your tray rather than the regular bin where they are salted. Bring your own non-iodized salt from home, otherwise it is just plain potatoes.
  2. Beverages – all of the sodas, lemonade slushes, iced tea, juice, and black coffee are low iodine friendly. Stay away from smoothies, shakes, and coffee drinks that have added milk.

Starbucks and Low Iodine

As a non-coffee drinker, I was surprised to learn that Starbucks is #2 on many lists of top fast food restaurants. Their menu was also quite limited in options. The big catch to Starbucks menu was they specifically list “sea salt” on most items. You could monitor if that changes over time. They also sell a variety of pre-bottled drinks that you can check the labels based on availability.

  1. Starbucks Refresher Beverages – Many of these are allowed. Avoid ones that have coconut milk – their ingredient list includes sea salt. Kiwi Starfruit, Kiwi Starfruit Lemonade, Mango Dragonfruit, Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade, Strawberry Acai, Strawberry Acai Lemonade, Very Berry Hibiscus, Very Berry Hibiscus Lemonade.
  2. Lemonade.
  3. Brewed Coffees – including Americano
  4. Hot Teas – not lattes.
  5. Steamed Apple Juice
  6. Cold Brew Coffee – plain.
  7. Iced Tea – not lattes.
  8. Whole Fruit.
  9. That’s It Fruit Bars

Chick-Fil-A and Low Iodine

I love Chick-Fil-A. Waffle fries are a weakness for me. However, sadly, they are not allowed on the low iodine diet. Other restaurants, such as McDonald’s, use cut potatoes for their fries. Waffle fries are a mashed and pressed product, so salt is added in that process. Darn. For the salads, bring your own dressing from home.

  1. Sodas, lemonade, iced tea, and coffee.
  2. Egg white from the egg white grill sandwich.
  3. Side Salad – without the cheese or crispy bell peppers
  4. Fruit Cup
  5. Market Salad – without the mean, cheese, and nuts.
  6. Spicy Southwest Salad – without the chicken, cheese, pepitas, and tortilla strips.

Taco Bell and Low Iodine

Taco Bell is a very divisive place. I feel like people either love it or hate it. I have nacho loving kids, so I love it for a quick, cheap lunch on the go. Low iodine options are limited.

  1. Sodas, lemonade, iced tea, Breeze drinks, coffee.
  2. Tostada Shell.
  3. Crispy Taco Shell.
  4. Vegetables – lettuce, tomato, onion

You could try to build a tostada with just vegetables and bring your own dressings from home.

Burger King and Low Iodine

I grew up in a divided house. My mom loved McDonald’s. My dad loved Burger King. This menu is tricky because at the time of writing, they did not list ingredients on their website. They also use whole potatoes for fries, but spray them with a mixture that includes salt to make them more crispy.

  1. Sodas, lemonade, iced tea, coffee.
  2. Garden Salad – no dressing, no nuts, no meat,
  3. Market Salad – no dressing, no nuts, no meat

Subway and Low Iodine

With the Eat Fresh logo, you would think Subway would have lots of options. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case.

  1. Sodas, lemonade, iced tea.
  2. Salad using all of the fresh vegetables, bring your own dressing.

Wendy’s and Low Iodine

I can’t go to Wendy’s without getting a Frosty, so it is pointless for me on low iodine. But there are a couple options if you can avoid the Frosty.

  1. Sodas, lemonade, iced tea, coffee.
  2. Plain Baked Potato.
  3. Apple Pecan Salad – no chicken, no cheese, no nuts
  4. Oatmeal? – they list cream as an ingredient, but I’m not sure if this is something they add in store. You could ask.
  5. Fries – ask for fresh fries poured onto your tray with no salt.

Dunkin Donuts and Low Iodine

Again, I don’t drink coffee so this was not on my radar. Dunkin’s menu was very limited. Basically you could have plain coffee or tea. None of the food options seemed viable.

Domino’s and Low Iodine

Pizza is not a low iodine friendly fast food. Domino’s salads would be fine if you remove the cheese and croutons.

Panera and Low Iodine

With so many salads on the menu, I had high hopes for Panera. For most of the salads and bowls, it seemed to me that you were taking so much off the item that it wasn’t worth it. It likely would be easier to see if they would build you a fresh vegetable salad.

  1. Frozen Strawberry Lemonade
  2. Coffee, Tea, Iced Teas, Flavored Lemonades, Prickly Pear Hibiscus Fresca.
  3. Fuji Apple Salad – no chicken or cheese
  4. Strawberry Poppyseed Salad – no chicken
  5. Green Goddess Salad – no bacon, onions, chicken, or egg yolks
  6. Fruit Cup
  7. Whole Fruit

Chipotle and Low Iodine

Chipotle happened to be listed 11th on the top fast food restaurants on the list I looked at. But if you were hoping for a best for last list, you got it. Chipotle lists right on their website that they only use KOSHER salt. Hooray for low iodine eaters! This means you can basically eat ANYTHING on the Chipotle menu minus the cheese and sour cream. Truly the best for last. And thank you, Chipotle for being clear on what ingredients you use, especially the salt.

I hope this list helps you in your low iodine journey. It can be very discouraging to look at these lists. Eating fast food on the low iodine diet is a challenge you may decide is not worth it. I know when I was on low iodine, I made a mental list of the fast foods I wanted to eat first when I was done. It was basically anything with cheese!

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Tahini Toast with Apples and Honey

Tahini toast with apples and honey is a great breakfast for a low iodine or dairy free diet. The combination of sweet and savory is delicious while the protein from tahini and fiber from the whole grain bread and apples will keep you full for hours.

Importance of Breakfast

We have all heard the saying, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” Is that true?

The word breakfast comes from “breaking the fast”. No matter when you first eat for the day, you are breaking your overnight fast. That could be when you first wake up or at 2 pm. We just traditionally think of eating breakfast in the morning.

There are some benefits of eating a morning meal. Most of these have been seen through observational studies, so are not proof, but do suggest the following.

  • More alertness. Our brain needs energy to function. Eating can help wake up our brain and help us feel more alert and happy. However, overeating can lead to grogginess and mental fog. With a full tank, you can also focus on your work rather than your growling stomach.
  • Improved insulin sensitivity. Our bodies are more insulin sensitive in the morning, meaning it can digest the carbohydrates you consume better. Also, people who eat breakfast seem to have a lower incidence of diabetes.
  • More energy. Just like your brain, your body needs energy. Fueling your body with healthy breakfast can help you get moving.

I am not saying that everyone has to eat breakfast. But I would encourage you to consider why you do not eat breakfast. Is it due to time? Do you not like traditional breakfast foods? Do you feel sick when you do? Looking at the reason may determine if there are ways you could add a healthy breakfast to your diet.

Components of a Healthy Breakfast

Any old breakfast, however, will not necessarily give you all of these benefits. You want to have a balanced meal, with good lean protein and a good source of fiber.

Why protein? Protein is essential for building and maintaining muscle. Breakfast tends to be a low protein meal for most Americans. However, if we increase our protein at breakfast and therefore distribute our intake more evenly throughout the day, we seem to retain muscle better as we age.

Another benefit of protein is it helps us feel full longer. Protein naturally takes longer for our body to digest, meaning it stays in our digestive system longer and giving us the feeling of being full.

What are good sources of protein for breakfast? Eggs, egg whites, milk, yogurt, cheese, and nut butters are common sources of breakfast protein. But you can be creative, adding beans, chicken breast, or lean beef or pork. Just avoid high sodium traditional breakfast meats too regularly, such as bacon or sausage.

Why fiber? Fiber is important for digestive and heart health. Our body cannot actually digest fiber plus fiber absorbs water and expands in our stomachs. These two combined help us feel full longer when eating high fiber foods.

Good spruces of fiber at breakfast are fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Fruit juices are not good sources of fiber, so I would suggest whole fruit over juice.

Low Iodine Breakfast

Getting protein on a low iodine diet at breakfast can be tricky. Most of the traditional breakfast protein foods are eliminated. Egg whites and nut butters are good choices still. You could also add lean meat, just being cautious to stay within the recommended 6 ounces per day.

Fiber is easy on the low iodine diet. However, oatmeal can get monotonous quickly. You can mix up the fruits you mix in, but it will still get repetitive.

Different toast combinations are a great way to add variety as well as fruits and vegetables to your morning routine anytime, but especially on the low iodine diet. Avocado toast is particularly famous in recent years. But there are plenty of options beyond avocado.

Tahini Toast

In today’s recipe, I suggest using tahini as a spread. Not only because the taste is great, but for some variety as nut butters are consumed frequently on the low iodine diet.

Tahini is a paste made from sesame seeds, similar to peanut butter coming from peanuts. It is frequently used in Mediterranean cooking, such as recipes for hummus. It is the consistency of creamy peanut butter, but does have the oil separation seen in natural nut and seed butters. Another great plus of tahini is most brands I have ever found are unsalted, so safe for the low iodine diet.

You could switch around the toppings on your tahini toast as you prefer. Bananas and pears come to mind as good fruit substitutes. You could continue a more Mediterranean theme with tomatoes, cucumbers, and unsalted garbanzo beans.

Allergen warning: While people with peanut allergies are often also allergic to sesame seeds, tahini and other sesame seed products are usually safe for those with tree nut allergies. Please proceed with caution and discuss it with your physician/allergist.

tahini toast with apples and honey
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Tahini Toast with Apples and Honey

Tahini toast with apples and honey is a great blend of sweet and savory that will keep you full and energized all morning long.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time2 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Servings: 1 serving
Calories: 271kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 slice whole grain bread homemade
  • 1 1/2 tbsp tahini
  • 1/2 apple, sliced
  • 1 tsp honey

Instructions

  • Toast bread to desired doneness.
  • Spread tahini in even layer over all of bread. Lay sliced apples over the top.
  • Drizzle with honey. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 271kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 121mg | Potassium: 274mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 65IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 2mg
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5 Tips for Eating out on a Restricted Diet

When you are on a restricted diet for an allergy, diagnosis, or medical procedure, eating out can be tricky. But life doesn’t stop around you. There will be times you will need or want to eat out.

No problem. Today I’m sharing 5 tips for dining out on any restricted diet, including the low iodine diet for radioactive iodine treatment.

Look at Menus Before You Go

Most restaurants have a website with their menu listed. If it is a large chain restaurant, the nutrition information will be available online. Any restaurant with more than 20 locations is required to provide nutrition information, such as calories, etc. Since food allergies are quite common, most of those restaurants also provide the ingredient information as well. (Look for ingredients or allergen information).

By looking at the menu, you can see what you can eat a specific restaurant. Generally, this will still require some planning, which I’ll discuss more later. But maybe you don’t find anything. Then you can look for a different place to eat before you get there and everyone is hungry.

This isn’t fool proof but is a step. You can check if there are menu items you could customize – such as a salad with no cheese. Or maybe leave condiments off of a sandwich.

For the low iodine diet, it is tricky. Often the menu will just list “salt” as an ingredient, and you have no idea what kind of salt they use. Maybe you will get lucky and the site is like Chipotle, which states they only use kosher salt. But most do not. This leads us to our next tip.

Call Ahead

If the menu online isn’t clear, you can try calling the restaurant. Most sit-down restaurants will be able to tell you what ingredients they use. Fast food restaurants, may or may not provide you more information. Here are two conflicting examples.

Example 1: Chik-Fil-A lists “salt” as an ingredient for the chicken on their market salad. However, this chicken is not seasoned and prepared at the individual restaurant – it comes ready for them to heat. So your local Chik-Fil-A will not have more information than what is online.

Example 2: Five Guys lists “salt” as an ingredient for their french fries. That is something they add on location – they fresh cut the potatoes and season them in house. When I was on the low iodine diet in 2011, I called my local Five Guys. . When I asked at that time, they said, “We use regular iodized salt.” (Don’t take this as definitive for right now or your location.)

It never hurts to call ahead. Some restaurants may be able to make changes for a medically necessary diet and do no list it on their website. Especially if you need to go somewhere for an event, they will likely be able to work with you if you call ahead but may not be able to make something special on the fly.

Ask the Restaurant for a Special Order

This is a bit trickier with fast food. Many things come prepackaged or preseasoned for them. But you can always ask. Here are some examples:

  • salad with no cheese or meat
  • fries with no salt added
  • burger with only veggies, no bun

They may or may not be able to accommodate you. But it never hurts to ask.

This tip works even better at a sit down restaurant. They will be much more able and willing to accommodate your needs. But you should probably follow the previous two tips first.

My example for this happened in 2010. I was in graduate school, and my thesis advisor took all of her students out for a nice dinner at Christmas time. I had brought my own bread and salad dressing and planned to order a plain salad. However, our server was very nice and talked with the chef. They were able to cook me some pasta (they used kosher salt in the cooking water) and toss it with olive oil, fresh tomatoes, and some basil. It may not sound super delicious, but at the time, it was heavenly to me.

BYO…lots of things

It may seem weird to bring your own food to a restaurant, but it will likely be necessary when on the low iodine diet or other restrictive diets. I never had a problem with any restaurants since I was a paying customer and explained my dietary restrictions. If you are nervous, you can call ahead.

What should you bring? For the low iodine diet, homemade bread, salad dressing, and plastic silverware were the most common items for me.

Again, I was a paying customer. I would buy a salad from the menu (with high iodine ingredients removed), then use my own dressing and eat my own bread if I brought it to supplement the salad.

Eat Before, Drink and Snack There

If you need to dine out for work or social reasons but can’t control the location, you may not find much on the menu. Maybe the restaurant won’t work with you. Never fear.

I suggest you eat a more sustaining meal before hand. Then order a drink and a small item on the menu that you can eat – most places have fresh fruit or a side salad. You can still be present and participating in the “activity” of dining out, with less stress on actually finding food to eat to fill you up.

I hope these tips and tricks help you feel more confident about eating fast food on the low iodine diet or any restricted diet. Eating out is part of our everyday lives, so you have to find the best way to make it work for you.

Check out my review of fast food menus for specific items at 11 different fast food restaurants.

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Eggless Chocolate Pudding

Eggless chocolate pudding is thick, creamy, and delicious. Also dairy and gluten free, this is a great treat for those with food allergies as well as on the low iodine diet.

I will admit that I am a chocolate lover. One of the hardest parts of the low iodine diet was many of my normal chocolate treats were not allowed. Cocoa powder is ok on the low iodine diet, but most forms of “solid” chocolate have dairy products added.

Some links on this site are affiliate links, meaning I may receive a commission at no cost to you if you click on them. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Types of Chocolate

There are dairy free chocolate chips if you look. Here are a few brands available online. Please note buying online often means buying in bulk. Check your local grocery or health food stores for individual packages. *This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

 

This eggless chocolate pudding has cocoa powder and melted chocolate chips, giving it a double chocolate punch. If you are following the low iodine diet, be sure to use dairy free chocolate chips. If not, use whatever chips you like.

Eggs and Nutrition

Egg yolks thicken traditional puddings. Since egg yolks are high in iodine, this recipe substitutes avocados. They provide a rich creamy texture without the iodine. And the mild taste of avocado is hidden behind the two forms of chocolate.

Previously, I mentioned pudding as a great option to eat after thyroid surgery. It’s soft, creamy texture and chilled state make it a soothing food. Most puddings are generally a good source of protein due to the eggs and milk in them. This pudding is free of both, but it is a good source of calories and monounsaturated fats. So even though you don’t have to follow the low iodine diet immediately after surgery, this eggless chocolate pudding is a great snack to try no matter your dietary restrictions.

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Eggless Chocolate Pudding

Creamy, delicious pudding with two forms of chocolate and thickened by avocados.
Prep Time10 minutes
Chill Time2 hours
Course: Dessert
Servings: 4
Calories: 365kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 tbsp vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp peppermint extract optional
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 avocados large
  • 3 1/2 ounces dark chocolate chips

Instructions

  • Combine water, sugar, cocoa, vanilla, peppermint (if using), and salt in a small pan. Cook over medium heat until it simmers and sugar and cocoa dissolve. Cook for 2 minutes after it begins to simmer. Remove from heat and cover pan.
  • Put flesh of avocado into a food processor. Process for 2 minutes, until it is very smooth. With processor running, slowly add chocolate water mixture. Process until smooth and completely incorporated, about 2 minutes more.
  • Microwave dark chocolate chips until melted, stirring at 30 second intervals. Add to avocado mixture and process until smooth.
  • Transfer pudding to 4 serving cups, cover, and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Notes

If low iodine, use iodine free salt and dairy free chocolate chips.
Adapted slightly from America's Test Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 365kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 183mg | Potassium: 732mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 149IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 2mg
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5 Tips for What to Eat After Thyroid Surgery

What to eat after thyroid surgery? Is a special diet required? How will I feel? Can food help me recover more quickly?

These are common questions leading up to thyroid surgery. You do not need the low iodine diet immediately after surgery, only for radioactive iodine treatment weeks to months after surgery. But you want to be prepared. What can you eat to help with post-surgery side effects and with a smooth recovery. Here are 5 tips for what to eat after thyroid surgery, along with lots of meal and snack ideas.

Soft Foods

Thyroid surgery requires anesthesia and being put on a ventilator.  After the surgery, people often have a sore, dry, or scratchy throat as a side effect from the breathing tube.  This is normal and will heal rather quickly.  Fatigue sets in as the anesthesia wears off and from the stress on your body of surgery.  Eating soft foods can help with both of these.  Soft foods will not irritate an already sore throat and require less energy for chewing. 

Examples of Soft Foods to Eat After Thyroid Surgery

  • scrambled eggs
  • peanut butter and jelly sandwich
  • grilled cheese sandwich
  • yogurt
  • oatmeal
  • ice cream
  • smoothies
  • shakes
  • mashed potatoes with gravy
  • pasta with smooth marinara sauce or alfredo
  • soup – tomato, chicken noodle, vegetable, minestrone, etc
  • pudding

Cold Foods

Many people often experience a low-grade fever after surgery. If this is a low grade fever in the first three days after surgery, it is likely related to the stress on the body, inflammation from the surgery, and exposure to the body of outside materials during the surgery. Also, some medications can also have a side effect of fever you receive may also have a side effect of fever. Eating something cold can help you feel less uncomfortable if you do have a non-serious post operative fever.

Please note: You should always contact your doctor if you experience any fever after surgery. They will be the best judge if this is a normal post-operative response or a sign of infection or other issues.

While I did not have a fever, I felt very warm after both of my surgeries. The compression socks they place on your legs after surgery can make you feel hot. Hospitals are often kept on the warm end of the temperature spectrum as well.

Cold foods can often soothe an irritated throat, as described above.

Examples of Cold Foods to Eat After Thyroid Surgery

  • yogurt
  • ice cream
  • popsicles
  • smoothies
  • shakes
  • thawed frozen fruit
  • jello

Protein Rich Foods

Your body needs protein to heal after surgery. Remember, protein is the building block of all tissues in the body, so you need it to heal, form new skin/scar tissue, etc. Generally, most of us eat more than enough protein in our regular lives. However, with the fatigue and decreased appetite experienced after surgery, you should focus on protein rich foods to ensure you are getting the nutrition you need.

Examples of Protein Rich Foods to Eat After Thyroid Surgery

  • meatballs
  • peanut butter sandwich
  • cheese sticks
  • yogurt
  • smoothies
  • chocolate milk
  • tuna salad
  • chicken salad
  • scrambled eggs
  • refried beans

Snacks

Managing pain is key for a smooth recovery. Staying on top of pain medication is key. However, many pain medications can irritate the stomach and need to be taken with food. You don’t want to eat a full meal every 4-6 hours with your medication, so having snacks ready is incredibly helpful.

Frequent snacking also helps with fatigue. It can feel less exhausting to eat a small snack. Also, people often feel a boost of energy after eating small snacks versus sleepiness after a large meal.

A good snack will balance some protein for fullness and carbohydrates for quick energy.

Examples of Snacks to Eat After Thyroid Surgery

  • yogurt with berries
  • half of a sandwich
  • cheese and soft crackers
  • graham crackers in milk
  • banana with peanut butter
  • pudding

Fluids

It can be easy to get dehydrated after surgery. You aren’t moving around as much, so you don’t think about drinking water. You are tired, so getting up to go to the bathroom feels exhausting. During your hospital stay, you often receive IV fluids. It can take you a few days to get all of that out of your system – so you may feel like you are going to the bathroom all the time even though you are not drinking fluids now.

Feeling warm or feverish, as mentioned above, can also increase your need for fluids. Additionally, fluids can help flush out medications received during surgery.

Ways to Increase Fluid Intake After Thyroid Surgery

  • Bring home the hospital water jug and set a goal for how often to drink all of it (depending on the size).
  • Have fluid focused meals or snacks – smoothies, jello, soup, watermelon.

I hope you find some helpful tips to help what to eat after thyroid surgery. As you can see from the lists above, many foods appear on several lists. Yogurt, smoothies, pudding, soft fruit, and soup are just a few. I’ll be posting some recipes in the next weeks to help. I highly suggest you plan ahead with food ready-to-eat or requiring little preparation before hand. Let me know what you find helpful after your thyroid surgery.

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Whole Wheat Honey Oat Bread

The key to following the low iodine diet for me was having a great bread recipe. If I had delicious homemade bread available, I could always find something to eat as a meal or snack. This whole wheat honey oat bread is delicious and healthy, a great combination.

Iodine in bread?

Bread and other bakery foods that you buy from the store contain iodine in a few forms.

  • Baked goods almost always contain salt. Without it, bread would be extremely bland – just flour, yeast, water, and a little sugar. In sweet foods, the salt cuts the sweetness. You don’t want salt to be eliminated. But determining the kind of salt used is difficult. The only salt that is often specified on labels is sea salt, which you definitely want to avoid on the low iodine diet.
  • Store bought bread and rolls often contain “dough conditioners”, ingredients added to improve the texture or flavor of the bread. Only some dough conditioners contain iodine. But ingredient labels generally show a long list of conditioners and say “includes one or more of the following”.
  • Many breads and baked goods contain milk, nonfat dry milk, or eggs. The low iodine diet restricts these ingredients.

I did a quick scan of 4 bread products I had in my house – two different kinds of sandwich bread, hot dog buns, and Hawaiian rolls. All 4 contained at least 1 of these ingredients.

Opt for Homemade

Homemade bread can seem really overwhelming to people. Many people opt for bread machines – I did the first two times I followed the low iodine diet. Bread machines simplify the steps of making homemade bread. But I had fairly mixed results on quality of my bread. I also could only make one loaf at a time. The large square loaves made awkward sized slices for making into sandwiches – with it being so large, it was hard to slice thinly.

Tips for Homemade Bread Success

With a bit of practice and a few tricks, homemade bread isn’t really that complicated. Here a few tricks to improve your loaves:

  1. Use good yeast. I buy yeast in bulk and store it in the freezer. Then I have a small container I keep in the fridge for using regularly. Unopened packages of yeast can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 years, according to Red Star Yeast. Once opened, use within 4 or 6 months if stored in the refrigerator or freezer, respectively. I will admit that I have yeast much older than 2 years in my deep freezer. It still works just fine for me.
  2. If you are concerned about your yeast, you can test the freshness using warm water and sugar. Details can be found on Red Star Yeast.
  3. This whole wheat honey oat bread recipe calls for instant yeast. Instant yeast is often labeled “bread machine yeast”. I prefer this because you can just mix it into your liquid then start adding the flour and mixing the bread. You can use active dry yeast. However, you would want to “proof” it in warm water with a little sugar for 10-15 minutes first.
  4. Use a thermometer. You will kill the yeast if you use water that is too hot. However, I find that most people are so worried about the water being too hot that they don’t make it warm enough. I ALWAYS take the temperature of my liquid before adding the yeast. I aim for 115-120 degrees. It will work if the water is cooler, it will likely just take longer to rise.
  5. Don’t over-flour the dough. While you want a strong dough for a bread loaf, you don’t want it stodgy. Too much flour makes for a dense loaf.
  6. If using whole wheat flour (regular or white), add some extra kneading time. Just 2-3 minutes.
  7. Practice, practice, practice. As you make bread more often, you will get better at it.

Toast with some nut butter or jam is a quick, easy snack. By using whole wheat honey oat bread, you will get more fiber, which is helpful on a low iodine diet. Nut butter and jelly sandwiches were a go-to food for me when I followed the low iodine diet. I also liked to take a slice or two of bread with me if I went out to eat. Then I could order a salad with no dressing or cheese and supplement with the bread for a more filling meal.

Enjoy!

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Whole Wheat Honey Oat Bread

Delicious loaf of whole grain bread the whole family will love. Perfect for sandwiches or just a slice of toast.
Prep Time2 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Course: Bread
Servings: 32 slices
Calories: 109kcal
Author: Kimberly Marsh, MS, RD

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups boiling water
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 4 tbsp canola oil
  • 1 tbsp salt iodine free
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon optional
  • 1 tbsp instant yeast
  • 5 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour

Instructions

  • Combine water through cinnamon in large mixing bowl. Cool to lukewarm (no more than 120 degrees F).
  • Add the yeast and flour, stirring to form a rough dough. Knead with a dough hook for 7 minutes or by hand for 10 minutes; knead until dough is smooth an satiny.
  • Remove dough ball to counter. Lightly grease bowl. Place dough in bowl. Cover with a light towel or lightly greased plastic wrap. Let rise for about 1 hour, until double in bulk.
  • Divide dough in half and shape into a loaf. Place in lightly greased 9×5 inch loaf pans. Cover pans with towel or plastic wrap as above. Allow loaves to rise until they crown 1 inch over the rim of the pan, about 1 hour.
  • Preheat oven to 350. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown. Immediately remove loaves to wire rack to completely cool.

Notes

The cinnamon flavor isn’t overpowering, but is noticeable.  For toast, that flavor is wonderful.  For savory sandwiches, that can be less desirable.  Use according to your intended use for the bread.  If you can’t find white whole wheat flour, you could do half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose or bread flour.  The bread would not then be “whole grain”, but still yummy.
Slightly adapted from King Arthur Flour

Nutrition

Calories: 109kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 219mg | Potassium: 38mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg
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