Gluten Free Product Suggestions

Unlike my colleagues here on Gling, I was not blessed with innate baking abilities. Not to say that I am completely without culinary skills, I can Frankenstein together some fantastic meals. I do this by combining mixes, boxes and any number of dried herbs. That being said, my family eats well, but the baked goods are in limited supply.

Admittedly, my pantry looks a little different than a gluten free guru's would. It's full of mixes, cheats, and one little bag of gluten free all purpose flour that I keep on hand for emergencies. That being said, this is NOT a gluten free pantry guide.

This is more of a guide to sorting out the weeds in the gluten free garden. It seems that every day there are more and more gluten free products hitting the market. Some are great, some are far from it, and others ride the gray area in between. All are expensive and there is nothing worse than paying $10 for a loaf of bread and finding out it's actually a sponge in disguise.

There are three categories to this guide. Most of the products featured here are from my Gluten Free Product Reviews site. I compiled a list based on the ratings they received at the time the review was done to bring you the best, and worst, that the gluten free world has to offer. This list is by no means comprehensive, so watch for followups in the future.

Best Gluten Free Products

I have never been one to save the best for last. I have my feet firmly planted in the eat dessert first category, so this is where we'll start.

• Kneaded Specialties White Sandwich Bread- If I haven't pointed them out enough, let me introduce you to Kneaded Specialties Bakery. They are located in Lee's Summit, Missouri, but will ship just about anywhere. They have, hands down, the best gluten free bread I have ever tasted. It actually rivals the gluten filled stuff I used to eat.

• Nature's Path Sunrise Cereals- These really are for the kids and grown-ups alike. Both the Maple and Vanilla flavors are just sweet enough with a texture that delivers.

• Rice Works Gourmet Brown Rice Chips- Yum, yum and yum! They are earthy (in a good way) and have flavors and a texture to die for!

• Quinoa Veggie Curls Pasta- They hold shape and texture well while still tasting great.

I Hate to Say Worst....

Some products out there just do not rise to the top. Here are two that are not recommended:

• Ener-G White Rice Loaf- The flavor, texture and all around satisfaction are lacking here.

• Now Gluten Free Baking Mix- Though incredibly nutritious, the flavor leaves a lot to be desired.

Honorable Mentions

Not everything fits firmly into one category or the other. Here are a couple more tidbits for your perusal.

• Schar Gluten Free Pizza Crusts- These are really good! They are so expensive, though that they can't be an everyday thing. Definitely something you should try.

• Annie's Mac and Cheese- Unmatched as far as convenience goes. It tastes pretty good too. Unfortunately, it is made in a shared facility with wheat products. Not for the super sensitive among us!

• Glutino Anything- I am continually impressed with this company. They put out some very good products and have consistently good quality.

As usual, be sure to check the labels of anything you buy! Happy grocery store hunting!