Everyday Product Reviews Part 1

Kayleigh here. When Jason was first forced into the gluten-free lifestyle, it was easy enough to just give up breads and pastas- after all, who wants to eat something they associate with two weeks of stomach twisting pain? But as time went on, and symptoms became a fuzzy memory, those cravings start to edge in.

Part 2- Snacks 
Part 3- Baking Mixes and misc.

Jason here. What I wouldn’t give to be able to just buy a random candy bar that strikes my fancy. Or eat that cookie that my co-workers have baked. Overall though, with some effort you can cook just about anything. Kayleigh often will surprise me with something home cooked, which I have been mentioning missing. My favorite so far was the homemade Twix bars she made.

While our baking and cooking repertoire was rapidly expanding through trial and error, it still took months before we were able to make a basic loaf of bread into something semi-edible. While we tried to avoid resorting to purchasing goods from the pricy pre-made section of the supermarket, it sometimes became necessary when our culinary efforts resorted in a BIG flop. So the following list is accumulated from our occasional splurges, or friendly/concerned relatives making sure we were still getting a balanced diet. I am not saying that these are absolutely the best of each category in the market- you will have to judge that for yourself. But I can guarantee that these products are at least quite enjoyably edible!

Sandwich Bread – Scharr’s Deli-style Bread- Now, we have tried quite a few gluten free breads from the supermarket. Most of the national brands are…okay. A bit dry, very small slices, but at least the taste is usually fine. But when we first got our hands on the Scharr deli bread, we thought it must be mislabeled. Moist, chewy, and full-sized- this was everything we had yet to find on the shelves! Just a plain, versatile sandwich bread. The only downside is the package size of five slices. You’ll just have to use the last one for toast. Or buy another package.

Jason here. The Scharr’s bread is certainly delicious, but also equally hard to find. Additionally, it is fairly expensive especially since it only comes with five slices. However, if you can find this bread in your local super market, I definitely suggest picking up a bag and making sandwiches for a week.

Bagels – Glutino Bagels - These have become our go-to breakfast for weekend mornings when neither of us feel like baking or cooking, or we have to be out the door fast and just do not have the time. I’ll be the first to say that they are not quite the same as a regular New York style bagel, but they do have a very enjoyable taste/texture all their own. Very filling, and fantastic for days where you are not sure when you’ll be able to stop and get a meal later.

Jason here. Bagels used to be a staple breakfast food for me. Growing up whenever I was over my Grandmom’s house she would toast up an onion bagel and cover it tons of butter. Ever since then I have eaten my bagels the same way, and it’s a nice happy memory for me. Unfortunately, we haven’t been successful in finding gluten free onion bagels, but have found some decent gluten free plain bagels.

Muffins – Udi’s - These muffins have been a lifesaver for last minute gatherings/parties for us. With their lovely dense texture and vibrant flavor, these are surprising equals to buying muffins off the bakery shelf. In fact, we tend to recommend them to people for emergency breakfast runs, since they don’t require any advanced prep, or a trip to a specialty store. We’ve heard their cinnamon rolls are equally good- we hope to be a judge of that soon!

Jason here. Mmm, I love the double chocolate muffins. They make for absolutely great quick breakfast on the run.