Over the last few years of eating gluten-free, it has been a struggle to find decent gluten-free versions of regular products. However, over that time, and through a lot of trial and error and a serious lightening of my wallet I have found some products I like. In the hopes of helping to save my gluten-free brothers and sisters a little time and a lot of money, I put a list together of my favourite Everyday Gluten-Free Products.
Before I get into this I want to make it clear that I am not sponsored by any of these brands in any way. However, the Presidents Choice brand is included in this list and I teach occasional cooking lessons for Loblaws. Of course the opinions I express in this post are mine and mine alone. And are a true and accurate representation of my experience with each of these brands.
Okay, in my opinion here are...
THE 5 BEST EVERYDAY GLUTEN-FREE PRODUCTS
1. Hotdog & Hamburger Buns - Kinnikinnick
I am a man who loves a good burger more than almost anything. For a long time trying to find a bun that didn't take away from the flavour of the burger was really hard. Then I discovered Kinnikinnick. You've absolutely heard me talk about this brand before.
If these burger buns, were not gluten-free they would fall into the category of a kind of middle of the road white bun. There would be nothing that special about them. No one at a barbecue would complain but they probably wouldn't compliment you on the buns either. But, that is exactly what makes them so incredible as a gluten-free product. When you are eating them, you don't think about them. You're mind is saying, "Hey, this is pretty good for a gluten-free bun." It is saying, "Hey, this is a really good burger." I think that is a good burger buns job, and these do it well.
The Kinnikinnick hotdog buns fall into the exact same category as the burger buns. They are actually the same thing just in a different shape.
The downside of these, like most gluten-free products, is the price compared to regular buns. Where a bag of eight regular buns might cost you $2-$3 at most. These are closer to $7 for four. But, if you have to eat gluten-free, they are worth that price and more.
2. Bread - Little Northern Bakehouse
Little Northern Bakehouse is a brand of gluten-free bread that I started eating only a few months ago. After years of trying different brands, I randomly picked this one out of the freezer at the grocery store. I'm so happy I did. Like all the products on this list, this bread stands out because it doesn't stand out. Eating this bread you won't think " This is really good gluten-free bread." You will just think you are eating good bread. In fact, the first time I bought Little Northern Bakehouse bread I took a bite of a slice and had to double-check to make sure it was actually gluten-free.
Like most gluten-free bread this falls into the $7 range per loaf. But, it is well worth the price.
3. Frozen Pizza - Oggi's
I have talked about Oggi's Gluten-Free frozen pizza a few times on the blog now. Why? Because it is that good. I said it before and I'll say it again, this is the best-frozen pizza I have ever had, period. That is really saying something since it is gluten-free. Even if you are one of the lucky ones who can chomp down on as much wheat as you can, I suggest trying this pizza at least once.
4. Best Pasta - Catelli
I'm saying that Catelli makes the best all-around gluten-free pasta. But that comes with a little caveat. I'll get to that in a second.
Catelli, which is a good Canadian brand, makes a really good quality gluten-free pasta. What's interesting is that I find every box I buy gets better and better. I think they have continued to work on and develop their recipe which is awesome. They make a variety of shapes including a no-boil lasagna noodle.
One issue I had with Catelli Gluten-Free pasta in the pasta was that I always had to undercook it by a minute or so or else it would fall apart. And, it was terrible for leftovers because it would fall apart when reheated. However, I've found that in the last six months or so these issues have largely been resolved. This is why Catelli is my number one all-around gluten-free pasta brand. Also, it is a bit more expensive than regular pasta but not outrageously so.
I said there was a caveat and this is it. Garofalo makes an incredible gluten-free pasta. Like, it is amazing. However, it is really expensive coming in around $8 for 2-3 portions. This is the pasta for a special occasion or a very specific dish, you're not going to eat this brand once a week. That's why it isn't my number one. Also, I know Garofalo makes different shaped pasta but I've only seen the casarecce which isn't a shape of pasta suited to a lot of sauces.
5. Best Gluten-Free Pancake Mix
The final item we are going to look at here is one that is difficult for me. Prior to having to cut gluten out of my diet, I would have never dreamt of using a pancake mix. Ever. Growing up my mom was adamant that cakes, pancakes, muffins, cookies, all be made from scratch. I still hold close to those values. However, it is really difficult to make a good homemade gluten-free pancake. Having said that, there are two brands that really stand out in the gluten-free pancake mix arena.
The two brands of gluten-free pancake mix that I like are Kinnikinnick and Presidents Choice. As close as the race is I have to give it to Kinnikinnick. I find the colour, texture, and flavour of Kinnikinnick pancakes ever so slightly beats out PC. But again, either one will do well. And they are about the same price which I think falls into that $7 range.
Conclusion
Even just a few years ago, if you were told you had to stop eating gluten it meant you had to give up everything you loved. Luckily, today there are a lot of really great products out there that will help you maintain a sense of normalcy.
Is there a gluten-free product you love that I didn't mention? I'd love to hear about it in the comments or on social media. Thank you as always for reading and check out this post all about gluten-free snacks.
Leave a Reply