With that said, let’s get into this list. Many of these items I’ve found at Walmart or Publix rather than paying the extortionist prices of my local health food store. If you’re curious about any of these items, but they aren’t available on your local store shelves, talk to the store manager and request a product. You may even be able to get a sample from the manufacturer by visiting their website.
In no particular order:
1. Bob’s Red Mill’s flour blends: I don’t know who Bob is, but this dude has cornered the market on offering every kind of flour, meal, starch, or mix you could ever want, and a lot you didn’t even know you wanted until now. Just make sure any recipe using the gluten-free all-purpose flour blend is cooked thoroughly. That stuff raw is one of the worst things I’ve ever tasted in my life. I can get the GF AP blend at Walmart super-cheap compared to any other store, and I regularly stock up when I find it there (they’re sold out a lot of the time). I also recommend their baking soda over anything found in an orange box.
2. Calbee Snapea Crisps: Better for you than potato chips, and taste just as good without nearly the amount of grease or salt. Available in most grocery stores, including Walmart. They have snapea and lentil crisps in an assortment of flavors. Personally, I like the lightly salted snapea crisps, but I’m tempted to try the tomato and basil lentil crisps soon.
3. Pamela’s Biscuit and Cake Mixes: I’m a big fan of the Pamela’s mixes I’ve tried so far. Using the Biscuit & Scone Mix as a base for my copycat cheddar bay biscuits, or as a stand-alone breakfast biscuit nearly as good as Cracker Barrel’s, you can’t go wrong (as long as you keep your fats cold). I’ve also tried the chocolate cake mix, and used the vanilla cake mix as a base for a delicious coconut rum cake. I do have to get my Pamela’s brand mixes from Publix since Walmart doesn’t carry them, but it’s still a few bucks cheaper than my local health food store.
4. Snyder’s of Hanover’s Gluten-Free Pretzels: Just this morning I had to run by Wally World for a few items, and remembered I hadn’t yet given these a try. Well I’m snacking on them as I type, and they’re amazing. They taste nearly like regular Snyder’s pretzels, close enough that most people wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. A far cry from Glutino’s pretzels. Not that Glutino’s are bad, but they don’t taste like pretzels to satisfy that pretzel craving. They actually taste like really crunchy Ritz crackers. Snyder’s got it right, though, and one 8-oz. bag cost me a mere $2.98.
5. Shea Moisture Hair & Body products: Everything from this brand I’ve ever seen is clearly labeled with all the stuff it doesn’t contain. On my current bottle of Coconut & Hibiscus Body Lotion, the label on the side reads, “no parabens, no phthalates, no paraffin, no gluten, no propylene glycol, no mineral oil, no synthetic fragrance, no synthetic color, no DEA, no sulfates, no animal testing.” I’ve seen some products at Walmart and Target, and have to say of my current lotion that a little goes a long way, it’s silky smooth and non-greasy, and it smells awesome. I haven’t tried any of their hair care or cosmetic products yet, but their lotion is great. According to their website, you can also find their products at Walgreens, CVS, and Ulta, among other retailers. As with everything, though, check the label before purchase. Ingredients may vary between products or product lines, so maybe the shampoo contains gluten when the body lotion doesn’t, or a different scented line may source vitamin E from wheat when the Coconut & Hibiscus line uses vegetable-sourced vitamin E. Please contact the company directly if you have any questions about their ingredients.
So there’s five products and product lines that I’ve incorporated into my regular life as someone who lives gluten-free. In case you’re wondering about the inclusion of gluten-free HBA products, that one’s simple: imagine you put lotion on your hands that contains gluten. Then picture touching your face, perhaps biting your nails. Boom, you’ve been glutened. Maybe your leave-in hair conditioner includes vitamin E from wheat, and you run your fingers through your hair before having lunch. There’s gluten on your hands now that you’ve just transferred to your food and utensils. Perhaps your loose face powder contains gluten. Tiny particulates are inhaled as you apply your makeup, and now there’s gluten in your system. Clear labeling of health and beauty products is essential to guaranteeing the safety of gluten-free consumers, some of whom are extremely sensitive and may react at less than 1ppm. A hidden trigger in HBA products is vitamin E, which is often sourced from wheat, but doesn’t require disclosure as a non-food product.
If you have any additional recommendations for gluten-free products, leave your thoughts in a comment below, or get in touch with me directly by filling out the form on the contact page.
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