Thursday, July 18, 2013

Everyday Product Review Part 2

Jason and Kayleigh here, moving on to part two of our gluten free food reviews.This part of the list is more about quick, grab and go snacks- something you can pick up in a grocery store (or convenience store, if you are lucky!) and enjoy without any muss or fuss. Food without any prep- a rare thing to find in the gluten free world!

Part 1- Baked Goods
Part 3- Baking Mixes and misc.


Pretzels – Glutino Pretzels - Really cannot think of much to say on these, since they taste just like any decent snack pretzel. Crunchy, salty, holds up well to dipping- a great addition to a snack stash for long vacations! They come in a couple different package sizes, too, so you can choose between the personal/travel size and the party bag- not something you can often say about gluten free snacks!

Jason here. I also don’t have much to say about the pretzels themselves. They taste identical to regular pretzels. I used to eat pretzel rods and dip them in Franks hot sauce, something I learned from my Dad.

Energy/protein bars – Luna Protein Bars - We’ve tried at least half of the brands out there, since these little guys are perfect for a breakfast on-the-go, and hold up pretty well in a purse/backpack. While I am hard-pressed to think of a truly bad tasting bar, the Luna Protein bars bring me back to my childhood, getting a Kudos or a granola bar for an afterschool snack. Combining a fantastic toothsome texture with a not too sweet flavor, then coating it all in rich chocolate- it almost feels like a dessert!

Energy/protein bars, second choice – Larabars - While these are not quite our top choice in flavor, Larabars win out for being the most widely available gluten free snack, found in pretty much every grocery and convenient store. The Apple pie flavor is our standout favorite (the flavor of the dried, lightly spiced apples is very prominent), but the other varieties with different dried fruits included are

Jason here. To be honest, the energy bars we’ve tried have not been super great. The flavors are okay, but the texture is just awful. The texture is something like super dense paste. They try to break it up with nuts sometimes, but it just doesn’t add enough. I won’t go too much into the flavors, because you find just about anything. My recommendation is go ahead and buy a variety and see which ones you like the most. Make sure to write those down so you don’t forget like me!

Granola bar – KIND bars - Even though you find these in the same aisle as the two above bars, they deserve a second category because of the vastly different texture, satisfying a different need. While Lunabars and Larabars are soft and chewy, KIND bars consist of whole nuts, fruits, and crispy bits with just enough honey to hold everything together. Grab these in place of a chewy granola bar next time you are on a hike- they pack a nutritional wallop, with well-balanced flavor to boot!

Jason here. These granola bars are great. Unlike the energy bars, these have a great crunchy texture. On top of that, I think they also taste better! Seriously, if you are looking for a quick snack on a trip I highly recommend these. I like to keep a few handy in the house just in case.

Crackers – Crunchmaster Gluten Free Crackers – Right up front- Jason is not a big fan of these. A bit too seedy and strong tasting for him, but Kayleigh appreciates their ability to scoop into heavy dips without breaking. They also go well as an accompaniment to soups- they just need a long while soaking for them to start softening up.

Jason here. Yeah I’m not a big fan. It’s not that they are bad crackers, it’s just I don’t like these type of seasoned crackers. Why use these with dips when I can use tortilla chips?

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