A Bit Of Market Research...

[elye]

I've got a question (or questions) to ask you all, and I'm asking it on behalf of my good friend who has a catering business and wants to branch out, go bigger, focus on baked goods and move into gluten-free products. I thought the perfect place to start my market research was here:

What gluten-free processed food item do you wish was available on the market, or if already available, was better quality? If you don't buy baked or packaged gluten-free foods, what product would it take for you to see on the store shelf that would make you try it? What factors keep you away from these products? Price? Quality? The ingredients? I appreciate any feedback!

[Guhlia]

Pre-packaged danishes that are shelf stable and would be able to be shipped. Soft pretzels that could be heated in the oven or microwave like Superpretzels (cheese filled ones would be good too). Hot dogs with buns in single serve packs for school/work lunches. New bagel flavors like cinnamon apple, poppyseed, marble, garlic and herb, etc. Whoopie pies!!! Pre-packaged shelf stable "oatmeal" pies using quinoa. TWINKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think that shelf stable items would be revolutionary for us. There are very few gluten free baked goods that are shelf stable, packaged individually, and still delicious. I generally don't buy gluten free specialty items because the things that I can bake in my own kitchen are so much better than what i can buy in the store, but some decent priced and decent tasting convenience treats would be awesome, especially for when my daughter reaches school age.

[RiceGuy]

Well, although I make all my meals from scratch, I wouldn't mind some good snack stuff now and then. Crackers are one thing that I find very little of which I can eat. Price is a factor on the few things I've found though. No refined sugars, yeast, dairy, eggs, or potato seems to put a limit on this. Corn sometimes bothers me too, but organic corn seems ok thus far. If there was a Triscuit-style cracker, I'd sure go for that as long as the price was right.

[plantime]

Danishes, popovers, and muffins, all without eggs, potato, and rice, would be awfully nice.

[Guhlia]

Well, although I make all my meals from scratch, I wouldn't mind some good snack stuff now and then. Crackers are one thing that I find very little of which I can eat. Price is a factor on the few things I've found though. No refined sugars, yeast, dairy, eggs, or potato seems to put a limit on this. Corn sometimes bothers me too, but organic corn seems ok thus far. If there was a Trisket-style cracker, I'd sure go for that as long as the price was right.

Mmmmmm..... Triscuits... Drooling uncontrollably.

[Nantzie]

Seasoned breadcrumbs.

Croutons.

Crackers.

Not really baked goods, but those are at the top of my wish list.

Nancy

[Fiddle-Faddle]

If you could come up with a gluten-free version of Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies, I would be ecstatic!!

[CarlaB]

The only thing that I have not adequately replaced arethose onions that you put in green bean casserole. Funyuns are okay, but not the same.

[Guhlia]

The only thing that I have not adequately replaced arethose onions that you put in green bean casserole. Funyuns are okay, but not the same.

Carla, a while back someone posted a recipe to make those little onion things... I think maybe it was Tiffany??? Did you see it? It looked pretty easy.

[jkmunchkin]

DOUGHNUTS!!!!!!

It's really the only thing I miss.

[tarnalberry]

I've got a question (or questions) to ask you all, and I'm asking it on behalf of my good friend who has a catering business and wants to branch out, go bigger, focus on baked goods and move into gluten-free products. I thought the perfect place to start my market research was here:

What gluten-free processed food item do you wish was available on the market, or if already available, was better quality? If you don't buy baked or packaged gluten-free foods, what product would it take for you to see on the store shelf that would make you try it? What factors keep you away from these products? Price? Quality? The ingredients? I appreciate any feedback!

Pastries would be lovely. And sourdough bread.

What makes me keep from trying things?

* Excessive use of refined flours making for products unsuitable for those without extremely stable blood sugar.

* High price, even for small sample sizes. (I'm willing to pay higher prices if I can try a sample size of something for a reasonable price.)

* Odd tastes.

[Generic]

If you could come up with a gluten-free version of Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies, I would be ecstatic!!

There is a cookie that taste very similar to those! They were a big surprise, I just bought a box to try them, I had no idea they would be so good. They are Dr. Schar's chocolate bisquits.

Anything that is gluten free snacks would be great.

-Laurie

[new to LI]

Seasoned breadcrumbs.

Croutons.

Crackers.

Not really baked goods, but those are at the top of my wish list.

Nancy

croutons premade try gluten free pantry ( same company legal seafood uses)

try the new glutino crakers awsome

breadumbs try gillians italian style

DOUGHNUTS!!!!!!

It's really the only thing I miss.

try Kinnikinnick dognuts

[mookie03]

apple crumb or blueberry crumb pie

mallomars!!

cupcakes- good ones that are moist and flavorful

good gluten-free cinnamon raisin bread - like the pepperidge farm bread- that is not really heavy and not too high in fat, sugar or calories

more light gluten-free foods- so many of the baked goods are so heavy!

[Fiddle-Faddle]

There is a cookie that taste very similar to those! They were a big surprise, I just bought a box to try them, I had no idea they would be so good. They are Dr. Schar's chocolate bisquits.

-Laurie

Thanks--I'll look for them!!!

[jkmunchkin]

try Kinnikinnick dognuts

I tried these (twice) and hated them. But thanks for trying.

[2Boys4Me]

Well, right now my 7 year old is the only gluten-free one in our family and he never wants to try crackers or cookies (other than homemade cookies). I'd say I'd like samples. I don't want to spend $5 for a teeny-tiny box of cookies that end up tasting like sawdust and going in the garbage.

Today after hockey someone was handing out doughnuts, and he very politely said, "No thanks, I can't have that." I was so impressed with how polite he was, I bought him an Oh Henry from the vending machine for his treat. I'm sure he might like the occasional gluten-free doughnut, but he's never said anything about it.

[RiceGuy]

I'd say I'd like samples. I don't want to spend $5 for a teeny-tiny box of cookies that end up tasting like sawdust and going in the garbage.

Yes, samples would be very good. It is quite rare to find a product being offered in a nice affordable sample size. I'd occasionally buy the regular size of a gluten-free specialty item (even when it costs more than the generic mass-produced garbage) if I could be certain of the taste and safety.

Let's not forget that when a food is of high quality and nutritional value, it will spoil faster than the artificial chemical filled junk. Consider how long a twinky can stay at room temperature before it spoils. A moist product contains moisture - it's that simple. If you want a nice soft bread, it either must be refrigerated, or full of preservatives. That means our all-natural, healthy gluten-free products won't keep long at room temperature, making shipping and sitting on the store shelf too costly for today's streamlined supermarkets. So a compromise of some sort is employed. The result is a pricier item with a shorter shelf life than we'd like. When we make our own with fresh ingredients and can store them immediately in the fridge or freezer, we can then get a better product because the storage requirements can be easily met. That's my take on one major reason why prepackaged gluten-free items are the way they are.