Gluten Free Food Reviews

Another home-style favorite of adults and kids alike- good ‘ole mac & cheese. I found this on my last trip to Minnesota and just had to try it out and compare it to one of my frozen food favorites- Amy’s Rice Mac & Cheese. No stores in my local area carry this gluten free frozen product, and I was curious to see how the two compared. I purchased this 10.6 ounce box cost $5.29.

Fresh out of the package, this is what the gluten free mac and cheese looked like:

To be honest, it looked a pretty bad- a little freezer burn going on? I popped this product in the microwave for a total of five minutes, and this is what the mac& cheese looked like straight from the microwave:

It came out very soupy and not very appetizing. Yuck. So, I cooked it for another 40 seconds and let it cool until the sauce thickened up. The final result is the picture at the top of this review. Thank goodness it ended up looking OK.

The brown rice noodles seemed very dense and chewy, and the sauce tasted quite mild due to the fact that this product features a three cheese blend of monterey jack, cheddar and parmesan. The sauce tasted creamy and smooth, but appeared clumpy on the noodles, similar to Amy’s gluten free Rice Mac and Cheese . This Glutino Mac & Cheese tasted less homemade than Amy’s and reminded me of a gluten free version of Kraft mac and cheese flavor, minus the neon orange coloring. When I read the nutritional information on the back of the packaging, I almost fell off my chair! This product contains a whopping 20 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat. WOW!

Overall, this is a good gluten free version of macaroni and cheese, but I have to say I still prefer the strong, cheesy, homemade flavor of Amy’s.

PROS: easy prep, mild flavor for those that aren’t sharp cheddar cheese fans

CONS: soupy at first, pricey, high in fat

RATING: 3 1/2 stars

Please click HERE to view the packaging, ingredients and nutritional information.

Do you have some extra time and want to whip up a batch of homemade gluten free mac & cheese? Check out Shauna’s recipe at Crazy Orange Turtle’s Gluten Free Kitchen- it looks like a winner!

Since I enjoy Amy’s frozen version of gluten free macaroni and cheese, I was curious to see what this packaged product would taste like. I purchased the 9.1 ounce bag for $4.59 at my local natural food store. After tasting it myself and researching this gluten free macaroni and cheese online, I have found that you will either love the Heartland Finest white cheddar macaroni & cheese, or you will hate it. Unfortunately, I did not love it.

This gluten free macaroni and cheese is fairly easy and quick to prepare. Just boil the noodles for a mere four minutes, then mix in butter, milk, and the cheese pouch, just like most boxed or prepared macaroni products. This mac and cheese was ready and on the table within 10 minutes! That was impressive! What was also impressive was the fact that each serving provides a whopping 14 grams of protein and six grams of fiber. Very nice. It’s too bad I didn’t like the flavor.

The noodles seemed dense and chewy with a heavy bean flavor and a hint of corn. To me, they just didn’t taste that good, but that may be because I am not a huge fan of bean flour used in noodles and baked goods. The sauce was thick and creamy, but had a slightly sour aftertaste that did not compliment the flavor of the noodles. To me, it isn’t as good as some of the other gluten free macaroni and cheese products out there. I prefer a softer, lighter pasta with a heavier cheddar flavor, and this product featured neither.

Did you try it and like it? Post your comments!

PROS: fast cooking time, high in protein and fiber

CONS: heavy bean flavor, cheese has an odd taste

Rating: 2 stars

Wanna try Heartland’s Finest White Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese for Yourself?

Click HERE to purchase from glutenfree.com.Â

Ingredients: Navy Bean Flour, Yellow Corn Flour, Cheddar Cheese (milk, salt, cheese cultures, enzymes), whey, buttermilk, salt, disodium phosphate.

I really like making my own chicken tenders and nuggets. IÂ use gluten free corn flake crumbles, a bit of egg and cooking and oil, and sha-zam! A chicken dish that my kids inhale in a matter of seconds. When I saw the Ians gluten free chicken nuggets in my local grocery store, I was really curious. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a quick version of my kids favorite snack right in my freezer? My children are not gluten free and are huge fans of Tysons nuggets, but I try to feed them gluten free whenever I can. With our family history of allergies, the less major allergens the better. It can’t hurt, right?

This eight ounce box contains two servings of nuggets. I actually use the term “nugget” loosely here. These Ian’s gluten free chicken nuggets are more like balls. They may be prepared in the microwave or in the oven. True to form, I tried to microwave first, then the oven. The oven produces a crisper nugget, but I didn’t notive that much of a difference in the overall flavor. The coating on the nuggets is made of corn flake crumbles, cornmeal and corn flower, and definately has a strong cornmeal flavor and texture. The corn coating appears cracked as well after cooking.

The inside of this chicken nugget is interesting at best. It is fairly dry and peculiar. I wasn’t sure it it was actually chicken! After examining the box I realized the filling for these nuggets isn’t just chicken- it is chicken mixed with more cornmeal as a filler. Yuck. The overall flavor and texture of the nuggets was very poor and I will not buy them again. Ever. This might be Ok for a kid who doesn’t know any better ( it is low in sugar and the chicken is made with no added antibiotics and hormones, all natural) but even my kids wouldn’t touch it after seeing the inside. Their reaction? ” No Mom, we want the *real* homemade chicken nuggets- those look gross!”

Enough Said.

PROS: All natural, free from many major allergens, nartural hormone/antibiotic free chicken ingredients

CONS: flavor, taste appearance, interior texture. Yuck!!!

Rating: 1 star

Click HERE for package photo and nutrition information. Ian’s Chicken nuggets is about half way down the page.

Interested in trying these chicken nuggets for yourself? Check out the WellnessGrocer.comÂ

Read what Suzanne at TimesUnion.com/blogs says about these chicken nuggets!

If you are one of those newly gluten free people that miss your Van de Kamps or Mrs. Paul’s frozen fish fillets, you are in luck my friend. The Dr. Praeger’s Potato Crusted Fish Fillets just might be what you are looking for. I purchased this product from the frozen food section of my local grocery store for $3.69. It contains six all natural medium sized pollack fish fillets.

These fish fillets may be baked in the oven or pan fried in a bit of vegetable oil. Since I am not a fan of oily fried food, I opted for the oven version. I baked these gluten free fish fillets in the oven for the full 15 minutes until the exterior was really golden and crunchy.

The exterior of the fillet is a crispy crunchy shell that somewhat separates from the fish fillets, but not so much that it takes away from the flavor or texture. The potato crust is very mild with the slightest touch of sweetness from the brown sugar and is definitely not salty like other commercial fish products can be. I loved that! The fish inside appeared flaky and moist with a mild flavor that paired well with the potato crust. I am not a huge fish fan, but these fillets were mild enough for both my children and me to enjoy with fresh steamed veggies and homemade baked french fries. Overall, it’s a great product I would consider buying again.

PROS: perfectly crispy exterior, mild flavor, not at all salty, great for kids and adults, all natural ingredients

CONS: Flavor is on the bland side; Fish fillets aren’t for everyone- if you liked Van de Kamps and Mrs. Paul’s products before going gluten free, then you will like Dr. Praeger’s fish fillets as well.

Rating: 4 stars

Where can I buy these frozen fish fillets?

Dr. Praeger’s Potato Crusted Gluten-Free Fish Fillets (Frozen - 0.50 Units)- from the Gluten Free Mall

Ingredients: Pollack Fillets, Potato Flakes, Potato Starch, Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Egg Whites, Salt, Brown Sugar

Today I have a house of sick and grouchy kids, and a husband that is out of town on business ( not a good combination). After coaxing saltines and sips of Sprite and Pedialite, I needed something quick, filling, comforting, and naturally, gluten free for myself. The box of Amy’s Macaroni & Cheese in my freezer seemed to fit the bill perfectly. I believe I purchased this boxed and frozen product for $3.09 at my local grocery store.

The prep for this gluten free propduct couldn’t be easier. I popped it in the microwave for a total of six minutes, pausing after four minutes for a brief stir. I was also pleased to discover this product did not splatter and mess up my clean microwave. There’s nothing I hate more than food splatters that stink up the microwave! I admit, initially the mac and cheese looked pretty scary fresh from the box:

But the final product looked a bit more appetizing!

This product actually tasted pretty yummy! The noodles were great- soft, but firm enough to hold their shape with no mushiness. The sauce was fairly thick, and stuck to the noodles in little clumps here and there. However, the texure of the sauce was smooth, it just looked a bit clumpy because it was so thick. The flavor of the sauce was also quite satisfying- it tastes like a homemade cheese sauce- no artificial or processed flavors here! If you are looking for the thin, kraft-style sauce, this isn’t for you.

Overall, this Amy’s Macaroni & Cheese frozen product is a yummy product that has a nice homemade flavor. The ingredients are high quality and the portion size is perfect for one person. Add a salad or fruit and you have yourself a nice, satisfying meal in a matter of minutes. This product really fit my needs tonight- fast, tasty and filling. I must note, though, that part of the reason it was so filling was probaly due to the high fat/saturated fat content - 16 total grams of fat per serving- yikes! However for ocasional use, I will definately buy this product again.

PROS: Great flavor and texture

CONS: sauce is really thick; high saturated fat content ( 10 grams!)

Rating: 4 stars

Amy’s Rice Mac & Cheese may be purchased at most local grocery stores in the frozen foods section ( Wegmans, Walmart, Giant, Weis etc).

Ingredients: organic rice macaroni ( organic rice flour, water), organic lowfat milk, cheddar cheese, butter, rice flour, sea salt, annato. No trans fat, added MSG, no preservatives

Ok, so I had to find out what all the fuss was about. I have a few GF online friends that have raved about these cookies. However, I was hesitant. At $5.39 for an 8 ounce package of cookies, I thought the price was a bit steep. My friends assured me it was worth every penny, so I bowed to peer pressure and picked them up at my local natural foods store. I lucked out and purchased their last package of these cookies. The cashier, who also happens to be the owner, assured me these cookies were one of their best sellers in the gluten free section. I felt a little more confident in my purchase, and headed home just in time for my kiddos snack time. I figured they would be the ultimate test to see if these cookies are, in fact, the best gluten free Oreo alternative.

Well, my kiddos and I were not disappointed. These cookies are simply yummy. The chocolate cookies are crunchy, but not hard, and the cream center was smooth, creamy and perfectly sweet. I was amazed! These cookies are really really good, and if you are one that missed your Oreo dunk tradition, look no further. This is your cookie. The chocolate cookie part is not perfect- kind of light and sugary- but that was what I was expecting with this gluten free cookie after looking at the ingredients.

My my gripe with these cookies are with the cream filling. First, there isn’t enough cream in the middle- just a touch more would make them perfect. Also, the cream is applied in a donut shape:

This results in gaps and spaces in the cookie- a little disappointing considering the price.

Pros: Decent flavor, texture, perfectly crunchy, best GF oreo substitute out there so far!

Cons: skimped on the cream filling, a bit pricey, sugary sweet chocolate cookie may be too much for some

Overall Rating: 4 stars

Where Can I Buy These Yummy Cookies?

Kinnikinnick - KinniToos Choc. Cream Sandwich Cookies
From: glutenfree.com

Ingredients: Icing(Icing Sugar(may contain 2-3% corn starch), Palm Fruit Oil (Non Hydrogenated), Vanilla Flavor, Soy Lecithin, Salt), Sugar, Pea Starch, Potato Starch, Palm Fruit Oil (Non Hydrogenated), White Rice Flour, Cocoa Powder, Water, Tapioca Starch, Glucose, Pea Protein, Sodium Carboxy Methylcellulose, Salt, Pea Fibre, Vanilla Flavor, Caramel colour, Guar Gum, Inulin, Sodium Bicarbonate, Soy Lecithin, Ammonium Bicarbonate

While perusing a natural foods store in Richmond, VA, my oldest daughter discovered samples of these little cookies and just had to try them, not knowing they were gluten free ( she is infamous for hating anything that is “different” or GF). After gobbling up a handful, she proimptly placed a box in our shopping basket. Now, if she liked them that much, then I just had to try them too. However, I opted to wait unitl we got home and opened a new box- who knew what hands and crumbs lurked in that sample bowl?Ii paid $3.99 for an 8 ounce box, and because these cookies are small, a box gives you a whopping 11 servings of 8 cookies. Not bad.

Now, I must make this clear- even though these cookies are shaped like animal crackers, they are not crackers. They are, in fact, very sweet little cookies concoctions. The cookies come in 6 different animals: longhorn sheep, an elephant, a pig, a bison, a camel, and a horse. My kids liked the originality and detail of the animals. They really do look fun to eat. However, I must admit I did not like the taste as much as my daughter.

These cookies are very sweet and have a fine, shortbread-like texture. They are crunchy, but not hard, and are just a touch crumbly. I discovered that upon chewing these little cookies, they become almost pasty and sticky in my mouth; you’ll definately need something to drink and wash them down. I would also be wary of very young children eating these- I can see them being a choking hazard; much more so than with a regular animal cracker. The flavor is a mild vanilla in a sugary flour/starch concotion. They are OK, but not great.

Pros: Decent texture, looks fun to eat (kids), good value

Cons:Pasty when chewed, too sweet

Rating: 2 1/2 stars

Where Can I Buy These Cookies?

AllergyGrocery.com

Ingredients: sugar, pea starch, potato starch, palm fruit and/or canola shortening (non hydrogenated), white rice flour, tapioca starch, water, glucose, pea protein, sodium carboxy methylcellulose, vanilla, salt, pea fiber, guar gum, inulin, ammonium bicarbonate(90), sodium bicarbonate, soy lecithin

Nutrition Information:per 8 cookies:

Calories-90, Fat-1.5g, Sat Fat-1g, Trans Fat-0g, Chol-0mg, Carb-17g, Sugar-2g, Fiber-1g, Pro-1g, Sodium-25mg. Vit A-0%RDA, Vit C-0%RDA, Calc-2%RDA, Iron-2%

 

Ok, this was the first gluten-free graham cracker I have ever seen, and I just had to try it. I found it tucked away on the bottom shelf of the natural food store near my home. And for $5.59 for a 6 ounce box- it better be good!

First of all, the packaging is very deceptive. The crackers are packaged in spread out stacks in a plastic tray for a total of 12 crackers. The crackers are aprox 3 or 4 inches square and are quite thick compared to a traditional graham cracker. Upon opening the package I was treated to a wonderful cinnamon smell that actually smelled like a cinnamon graham cracker. Yum!

I found the crackers to be crispy, but not brittle. The cinnamon flavor was perfectly balanced & not too strong, just right. The crackers are slightly sweet, just enough to make the taste pleasant. The texture was also great- not too crumbly or  gritty. The first cracker I ate, I thought it was wonderful. However, the more I ate the more that the “rice flour” flavor kicked in. (Really, it wasn’t all that bad, but I thought I should mention it)

Overall, I was happy with my purchase, I think these crackers are good for an ocoasional snack or maybe used in a recipe.

Pros: Nice flavor and texture

Cons: expensive, deceptive packaging

Rating:  3  3/4 stars

Ingredients: Soy flour, tapioca flour, sugar, non-hydrogenated shortening (palm oil), brown rice flour, potato starch, white rice flour, water, cinnamon, honey, natural vanilla, baking powder, xanthan gum

Where Can I Buy These Crackers?

Locations  coming soon!