Since going gluten free five years ago, I often get calls/emails/texts from family and friends asking for advice because someone they known was just diagnosed with Celiacs or gluten intolerance. I love love love helping new gluten free friends. Below is a compilation of some of my favorite products and stores. Feel free to comment with any specific questions or additions to the list!
Stores
- Trader Joes
- Outpost Natural Foods
- Costco Whole Foods
- Walmart (Have great prices on staples)
- Target
- ALDI (Great job of marking Gluten Free for staples)
- Big Lots (often have surplus of Bob’s Red Mill Mixes, Sam Mills pasta and granola bars, and other gf finds)
Products
- Quick Frozen Fixes: Perdue Gluten free frozen chicken tenders (Target, Walmart), EVOL Burrito Bowls
- Bread/Bagels: Udi’s, Canyon Bakehouse,
- Cereal: CHEX, CHEX, CHEX (did I mention Chex?!), also Gluten Free Rice Krispies, Udi’s Granola
- Trader Joes: personal frozen pizza, penne & spaghetti noodles ($1.39 a pack, corn or brown rice), frozen pancakes and waffles, boxed & frozen mac n cheese, gluten free “oreos”, good selection of non-frozen Udi’s, dairy free cream cheese
- Costco: Large bags of Quinoa, Large loaves of frozen Udi’s, gluten free baking mix and flour blends, Crunchmaster Crackers
Adult Beverages
(I love wine, but sometimes… I am in the mood for a good gluten free beer or cider)
- Best Beer: Estrella Damm Daura – hands down, the best gluten free brew. I always do a double take after my first sip that I am drinking the right beer!**
- Runner Up: Lakefront Brewery New Grist – a hometown brew. I highly recommend their brewery tour, for $7 you get a few gf brews
- Hard to find, but oh so good: Glutenberg Beers – they have blonde ales, red lagers, etc. etc. Great stuff, but impossible to find!
- Best Cider: Crispin Browns Lane (tall green can) – my favorite cider, so crisp & dry
- Runners Up: Other Crispins, Stella Cidre, Angry Orchard Johnny Appleseed, Smith & Forge
- My Least Favorite: Woodchuck Cider, Strong Bow and Cider Boys – *too* sweet for this gal
**This is a gluten removed beer, so there is some controversy about whether it is safe for celiacs. However, it is less than 3 ppm for gluten and I have never reacted poorly to it. If you are concerned, talk with your doctor or just drink Lakefront 🙂
A resource that has been so so helpful to me is Sarah @ Celiac in the City (also a Milwaukee gal!)
celiacinthecity.wordpress.com