What Must-Have Products Would You Want In A New Store Offering Gluten-Free Foods?

[evannatta]

Hi everyone, I am new here and new to Celiac disease (and do not have it either). I will be assisting a friend in the opening of her store this Fall which will feature some gluten-free products. I know taste is a very individual thing, but since the store will have limited shelf space, can you offer some advice on some really tasty and great gluten-free products?

Thanks!

[mushroom]

Tell your friend to keep all her gluten free products together so that we don't have to walk the whole store to find these few items. I am not a great shopper of gluten free goods because most of them contain soy. But two products she cannot do without are Udi's bread and Tinkyada pasta. She will need a selection of gluten free flours, Pamela's baking mix, gluten free baking powder and confectioner's sugar, gluten free mayonnaise and mustard, ice cream, cookies and crackers, pretzels and potato and corn chips. There, that's a start.

[Rissmeek]

I agree gotta have Udi's bread. Frozen pizza crusts (Udi's is wonderful), some canned soups, and a few frozen dinners.

[mushroom]

Also gluten free chicken and beef stock (powder or liquid). Most gluten free shoppers also require a choice of non-dairy products like soy/almond milk, dairy free and/or soy free spread (Earth Balance), gluten free yogurt (Yoplait has some, but not all are; also Nancy's and Mountain High). And don't forget cookies

[GlutenFreeManna]

Xanthan Gum is a must for gluten free baking

She also may want to stock a variety of gluten-free flours:

Almond Flour

Buckwheat flour

Coconut Flour

Tapioca Flour

Garfava bean flour

Potato flour

Rice flour(s) (there are multiple types)

etc.

And, please tell her if things are spread out throughout the store do not put the gluten-free flours on the same shelves as the wheat flours. I have seen this set-up in many regular grocery stores where a box of gluten-free flour was right in the middle of a bunch of bags of regualr flours. Yes the box was sealed but the outside contained a coating of flour from the bags surrounding it. There's so much risk of cross contamination from me even picking up the box to put it in my cart I cringed when picking it up. Please make a separate gluten free section far away from the wheat flours if there are going to be any wheat flours in the store.

[Skylark]

Stuff I buy -

Bread and bagels - Udi's or Glutino

Udi's muffins

Kinnikinick donuts (yum!)

Rice crackers. Any naturally gluten-free brand of little rice thins is fine. I don't have a favorite brand but I eat a lot of rice crackers.

Lundberg rice cakes

Blue Diamond Almond Thins

Mary's Gone Crackers

Tinkyada pasta

Betty Crocker gluten-free baking mixes

Bob's Red Mill flours and their gluten-free oats

Glutino cookies

Amy's frozen entrees (I'm afraid of the pizza nowadays)

Progresso soups - quite a few are gluten-free now

[ravenwoodglass]

Kinnickkinnick pizza shells, Gluten free pantry French Bread Mix (makes great pizza crust as well as bread, Gluten Free Pantry Cake Mixes, Tom Sawyer flour mix, this make really good stuff like scallop potatoes, Glutino crackers, Pocono Buckwheat in cream of buckwheat and kasha form, in the frozen dept Glutenfreeda makes some pretty good Burritos, I like the bean and cheese and the chicken and cheese.

[summerteeth]

Some repeats but:

Udis white & whole grain bread

(I also like Katz bread)

EnviroKidz cereal/Glutino cereal/Nature's Path cereal

Tinkyada

Larabars

Earth Balance spread

Kitchen Basics broths (best gluten-free broth, IMO)

Bob's Red Mill Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal

Mary's Gone Crackers

Pirate's Booty/Michael Seasons/Food Should Taste Good chips

Maple Grove Farms/Newman's Own dressings

[evannatta]

Wow! Thank you, thank you everyone! Super information, and I see some repeat brands, so this is really helpful. I see recommendations for flours and so forth; do you find yourselves baking from scratch to save money and get better flavor/results? I hadn't considered that, but adding flours is a great idea. Thanks again everyone!

[sa1937]

do you find yourselves baking from scratch to save money and get better flavor/results?

Both for me. But living in a small market area, the breads around here are almost always frozen, which usually means that they have a shelf life that won't quit. I can't say that my breads always turn out well but I usually end up with something edible. No Whole Foods or Wegman's in sight.

I haven't bought any other baked goods but I figure I have half a shot at least to make something every bit as good as anything prepared. Although I have occasionally doctored up a Betty Crocker mix.

[GlutenFreeManna]

Wow! Thank you, thank you everyone! Super information, and I see some repeat brands, so this is really helpful. I see recommendations for flours and so forth; do you find yourselves baking from scratch to save money and get better flavor/results? I hadn't considered that, but adding flours is a great idea. Thanks again everyone!

It really depends on the person. I have only been gluten free for 10 months. In the begining I tried more ready made products and mixes for the convinence factor. Now I am finding I can get a better or just as good of a result for less money using gluten-free flours and baking from scratch. Some people though may never be adventourous enough to try scratch baking. Other experienced bakers wouldn't dare use the mixes. Many celiacs have other intolerances that make it hard to find a pre-made mix they can use. For example I cannot tolerate soy, but many gluten-free product have soy flour in them. There are three or four gluten-free pretzels in my local stores but only one of them is soy free. So variety of product is important as well. If your friend's store really wants to cater to the gluten free community they will carry as many products as they can with not only gluten free ooptions, but gluten free, soy free, dairy free, etc as options as well.

I also wanted to suggest a thread I saw on here somewhere with the worst gluten-free products people have tried. Many people also listed their favorites in that thread. It would probably be really helpful for your friend to know what NOT to stock the store with as well. I'll see if I can find that thread for you and post it.

[GlutenFreeManna]

Here's the thread I was thinking of, although keep in mind one person's worst product could be another's favorite. There are, however, a few repeating worst products throughout the thread and many people post their favorites to balance it out.

[sa1937]

I would also suggest not stocking something that's readily available in local grocery stores (or course, that depends on where her store would be located). For example, I can buy Betty Crocker mixes, gluten free Bisquick, etc. just fine while it's almost impossible to find certain other items.

[Skylark]

Wow! Thank you, thank you everyone! Super information, and I see some repeat brands, so this is really helpful. I see recommendations for flours and so forth; do you find yourselves baking from scratch to save money and get better flavor/results? I hadn't considered that, but adding flours is a great idea. Thanks again everyone!

I make my own cornbread because I've worked out a recipe I really like. I use a little Bob's gluten-free baking mix with the cornmeal to make it lighter. I also keep some starches and flours around for thickening gravies and sauces. I use the Bob's bread machine mixes too. Also, you can't buy gluten-free pie crust (or at least I haven't found one), so if you don't want to do a crumb crust from gluten-free cookies, you have to make your own.

I would also suggest not stocking something that's readily available in local grocery stores (or course, that depends on where her store would be located). For example, I can buy Betty Crocker mixes, gluten free Bisquick, etc. just fine while it's almost impossible to find certain other items.

If I went somewhere to get Tinkyada, Udi's, and other specialty gluten-free foods I would save a separate trip and grab the Betty Crocker mixes there too. That's assuming the prices were competitive. I really prefer not having to go to a bunch of different stores. I see your point if shelf space is extremely limited, though.

[sa1937]

If I went somewhere to get Tinkyada, Udi's, and other specialty gluten-free foods I would save a separate trip and grab the Betty Crocker mixes there too. That's assuming the prices were competitive. I really prefer not having to go to a bunch of different stores. I see your point if shelf space is extremely limited, though.

I've paid quite a bit more at my local health food store for certain items, too, just to save a trip but have generally found better prices at a larger grocery store for many of the same items. And their products don't completely overlap. My local health food store is so crammed that I don't think they have room for more products. Of course, I live in a small town so that makes a difference.

[mushroom]

I buy the individual flours because I have to make my own flour mixes. Most commercial products contain either soy flour or potato starch (or both!) and I cannot eat either.

[scarlett77]

Wow! Thank you, thank you everyone! Super information, and I see some repeat brands, so this is really helpful. I see recommendations for flours and so forth; do you find yourselves baking from scratch to save money and get better flavor/results? I hadn't considered that, but adding flours is a great idea. Thanks again everyone!

Since I have limited time I usually reach for convenience of mix instead of individual flours, but I do have some on hand. The most used of my stash is Millet, Brown Rice, Cornstarch, Tapioca starch, and potato starch.

Here is my list of things I absolutely cannot live without:

Tinkyada Pasta

Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix

Pamela's Bread Mix

Chebe Mix (original or All Purpose)

San-J Tamari (wheat-free soy sauce)

Glutino Pretzels

Udi's bread (I've heard that Katz & Rudi's are also very good)

Box Mac & Cheese (either Annie's or DeBoles)

Betty Crocker Cake mix

No one has posted about the San J soy sauce which for some of us is critical if you like asian food. Chebe is a recent discovery of mine and it is the most useful dough mix I've come across. I've made pizza, rolls, breadsticks, empanadas, tortillas, flat bread, and "bagel" dogs with it. So good and there are recipes on it to make things like hot dog & hamburger buns too.

[MelindaLee]

Also gluten free chicken and beef stock (powder or liquid). Most gluten free shoppers also require a choice of non-dairy products like soy/almond milk, dairy free and/or soy free spread (Earth Balance), gluten free yogurt (Yoplait has some, but not all are; also Nancy's and Mountain High). And don't forget cookies

(I haven't found a Yoplait that isnt gluten free yet, and they say it right on the package)

I think snack items too, like Kind bars (Some prefer Lara...but I can't get enough of the Kind) I love Van's Free waffles and gluten free granola (Udi's).

I agree, keep all the gluten free together. I hate when organic is mixed with gluten-free, too. It takes too much time to check it out!

I don't think you will be able to listen to all of us...we just prove there is lots of good food out there for us!

[evannatta]

Here's the thread I was thinking of, although keep in mind one person's worst product could be another's favorite. There are, however, a few repeating worst products throughout the thread and many people post their favorites to balance it out.

Thank you for that - GREAT idea to also know what may be not-so-great products.

[RDR]

Both Shabtai Gourmet pastries and Aleia's cookies are not only gluten-free but free of soy, corn and rice as well...and taste great!!!! They're good options to have for those customers with multiple allergies.

[gefen]

Since I have limited time I usually reach for convenience of mix instead of individual flours, but I do have some on hand. The most used of my stash is Millet, Brown Rice, Cornstarch, Tapioca starch, and potato starch.

Here is my list of things I absolutely cannot live without:

Tinkyada Pasta

Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix

Pamela's Bread Mix

Chebe Mix (original or All Purpose)

San-J Tamari (wheat-free soy sauce)

Glutino Pretzels

Udi's bread (I've heard that Katz & Rudi's are also very good)

Box Mac & Cheese (either Annie's or DeBoles)

Betty Crocker Cake mix

No one has posted about the San J soy sauce which for some of us is critical if you like asian food. Chebe is a recent discovery of mine and it is the most useful dough mix I've come across. I've made pizza, rolls, breadsticks, empanadas, tortillas, flat bread, and "bagel" dogs with it. So good and there are recipes on it to make things like hot dog & hamburger buns too.

The 2 most haves is the Katz Challah bread or roll and Katz Cinnamon Rugelech just amazing