Does Kroger Offer Affordable Gluten-Free Options?

[louissthephin]

Gluten-free can be expensive. Is Kroger a budget-friendly choice, or should I look elsewhere for better prices? 💸🥖

[Wheatwacked]

Hi @louissthephin, welcome to the forum.

      Your best bet is to shop the outer edges of the store.  Fresh meats, dairy, seafood, vegetables, fruits.  In other words, real food.   Even better for pricing, go to a farmers market.  Processed gluten free foods have additives to give it the gluten look that even though gluten free, may not sit well with your gut while you are healing.

     Processed gluten foods are fortified with vitamins and minerals to replace those stripped out in processing.  Gluten free foods are typically not.

     Celiac Disease causes Malabsorption, some of your symptoms may be a result of vitamin and mineral deficiency caused by damage to the small intestine over the long term.  

[trents]

I second what Wheatwacked is saying. You can eat gluten-free and more healthily in many cases without paying the premium prices of food that is labeled and sold as "gluten-free" if you use discernment in shopping for mainline products. They key is being willing to cook for yourself and to choose things that are simple and fresh. Fresh meats, eggs, fruit, veggies, etc. rather than prepackaged stuff. And there are even snack foods that are gluten free. Plenty of chip products are gluten free by the nature of what they are. For instance, plain potato chips and Fritos. Reese's Original Buttercups are gluten free. Many ice creams are gluten free. Where you will get into problems mostly is with baked goods that use wheat flour. The only time you will need to buy specifically more expensive gluten-free stuff is if you do your own baking and have to purchase gluten-free flours. Again, it's mostly the gluten-free pre-packaged stuff that hits you in the wallet hard, say gluten-free frozen pizza's, for instance. One thing that you pretty much have to buy premade is gluten free is bread and it is expensive. It's really hard to make decent gluten free bread yourself.

Edited August 7 by trents

[Scott Adams]

The best overall deals I've found for specialty gluten-free products like prepared sliced bread, frozen pizzas, etc., is Costco. We don't have Kroger near where I live so I can't speak for their prices.

[louissthephin]

Thank You for the reply. You’re absolutely right about the cost of gluten-free pre-packaged foods, especially baked goods like bread and frozen pizzas. The convenience often comes with a premium price tag. It’s helpful to hear your perspective on gluten-free baking and the challenges of making bread at home.