Top Three Worst Gf Products

[Salem]

wow, great thread!

I must admit, when I first went gluten free, I picked up a loaf of EnerG and squeezed it. It didn't give at all! I knew it was going to be bad, I put it down with a thud. Reading all the comments, I'm sooo glad that I didn't try it.

Chia Goodness. Grey congealed salty muck. My friend thought it looked like alien guts.

Rice pasta. Eeew, although it was one of the first things I tried in the beginning. I've found that my tastes have changed (or maybe my memory of real food is going). I might try it again.

The good:

Kinikinnick honey brown rice bread and their baking mix

Nature's Path honey'd corn flakes

Nature's Path frozen waffles

Corn pasta

[Guhlia]

This made me laugh so hard I slobbered all over the keyboard!

3.)I have not found a pre-made cookie that actually tasted like a cookie. Includes; Nana's, Pamela's, and Trader Joe's Ginger Snaps.

2.)Corn pasta-that is what their gluten-free pasta is a Miaggiano's restaurant and the excelent sauce couldn't even cover it up!

1.)Dr. McDougal's split pea soup. This is a dry soup you add water to, I thought it would be good to keep in mt desk drawer at work---Yuck!!

1.) I like the Trader Joe's brand brownies-I add my own extra's to them and freeze them.

2) Big into Glutino pretzels-but they are $6 something a bag!

3.) I like the really thin rice crackers you find in the asian section of your grocery store.

Try this recipe: Open Original Shared Link

Instead of the all-purpose flour use 3 parts white rice flour, 2 parts potato starch, and 1 part tapioca starch. Add 1 teaspoon xantham gum per cup of flour used. These are by far the best cookies I've ever had, gluten free or not.

[hannahp57]

i have a deep hatred for glutino's breakfast bars! they were the first thing i bought on the gluten-free diet. my doctor said go find something small with some good calories because i was down 35 lbs from the sickness. so i went to the local health food store and found those and i thought "oh cool...like a nutrigrain bar!" i took it to my mom's work and opened one right up. took a bite. SPIT IT OUT! the nastiest thing i have ever tried. like sawdust and some bitter fruit that was supposed to have been blueberry.

i also was not a fan of ian's chicken nuggets. their pizza is very good though.

namaste pizza crust mix was pretty terrible. i didn't like envirokids plain cereal. but the peanut butter kind is very good.

i like nana's cookies except for the lemon because they messed with my tummy for some reason. no idea on that, could have been something else

[debmidge]

Don't want to mess up this thread but have a funny EnerG bread story

When my husband was first diagnosed I purchased loaf via mail & had it

delivered to my office. It was around Christmas time and we do receive

food presents from clients and vendors. The day my package came one of

the managers (not my Dept.) intercepted the box (it clearly had my name

on it). She was scurrying down the hallway to her office; the receptionist

in the meanwhile had called me to come and get my delivery. However, this

manager did not know that; and she proceeded to "steal" it . I caught up

with her as she went into her office with the box and stated that the box was

a personal purchase by me. She then told me she was "bringing it to me."

Huh??I work on first floor, she works on second floor.

Anyway in retrospect I should have let her keep the EnerG bread as it

would have served her right for stealing it.

[gfpagan]

Since this thread has been resurrected. I haven't been at this very long, but the top of my list is the Glutino chocolate breakfast bars. They taste like bitter burnt chocolate, absolutely disgusting.

[caligirl2001]

I have to add the umpteenth reporting of Ener-g Bread. Cardboard with butter would probably taste better. Glutino Corn Bread is a close second. I've read other descriptions - styrofoam insulation was also a pretty accurate.

For favorites:

Chebe as pizza crust - even my super picky 5 year old and husband ate it just fine.

Quinoa pasta - again, my picky family devoured it and asked for seconds. WAY better than rice pasta.

Van's waffles, Buckwheat. These were my salvation those first weeks of gluten free, smothered in butter and syrup. They almost made up for the loss of my beloved 7 grain bread!

I've also recently discovered Food for Life Brown Rice bread. A bit heavy, but definitely the best I've found as far as texture/ taste in the gluten free bread section.

For the most part, I prefer to do without or make my own from scratch than make due with most of the substitute products I've tried.

[latteda]

I am relatively new to living strictly gluten-free; however I have lived wheat free for the last seven years and so I have tried a fair amount of gluten-free products during that time. In my somewhat-limited experience, here are my top three's:

WORST:

1. Chebe cinnamon roll mix -- my excitement turned to disappointment with the first bite

2. Every kind of rice bread I have ever tried

3. Pizza crusts (no good experience so far; they are all "gummy," but I'm going to keep trying!)

BEST:

1. Kinnikinnick JB Brownie Squares. These are my favorite gluten-free item! They're so delicious I can eat half a tray in one sitting.

2. 1-2-3 Gluten-Free Sugar Cookie Mix

3. Gluten-free waffles -- these are waffles I make myself. I actually like them better than regular waffles. When I make them, my family always asks me to make extra for them!

I am also a big fan of Quinoa pasta.

[ItsaDollThang]

3 Worst

1. Gluten Free Pantry Bread Mixes. They actually looked great in the oven, but to actually bite into them was like eating cardboard. Complete waste of money.

2. Bob's Mill Pancake mix. The texture isn't too bad, and they are edible with banana, lots of vanilla and blueberries in but the garbanzo bean after taste thing completely kills this one for me. I can enjoy them while I am eating them but for hours after I am wishing I'd just skipped it.

3. Nut Thins. Thought I'd love these, but never again.

3 Best

1. Chebe mixes. So far I've tried the pizza, the garlic and onion breadsticks and the all purpose mix and I just can't rave enough about them. I want to try the foccaccia, not too sure about the cinnamon rolls given what I have read here, but maybe down the road.

Note: I'm now trying to make the Brazilian dough sans the Chebe mixes. But I have a feeling that I'll still be buying the Chebe mixes in bulk. I'm a decent baker but I'm not sure I can duplicate this one.

2. Gillian's french rolls. Had my first one today with some roast beef and mayo. Not bad, a bit dry. I think next time I may toast this with some garlic butter and reserve it for hamburgers, but not bad.

3. Betty Crocker gluten-free mixes. So far I've done brownie and vanilla cake. Both were pretty excellent almost as good as the real thing.

My local health food store is apparently going to stock some Udi's items soon. They have the Kinnekinik and Bread For Life as well as the Gillian's in the freezer. I have also suggested they carry the Chebe mixes and they said they will look into it. That would be nice. Their gluten free items are really expanding. I was quite impressed today with their selection as compared to just a couple of months ago when I began this gluten-free diet.

[mbrookes]

Worst:

Most bread, especially rice based

Amy's pizza... We could use the crust to torture prisoners, but I think It's against the Geneva Convention.

Either Pacific or Imagine corn soup... Did the cat get sick?

Good, bordering on great:

Udi's everything (My local health store just picked it up, so no more shipping charges!)

Grainless Baker French baguettes (divine garlic toast) and hamburger buns. Imagine a hamburger bun like you used to eat... does not turn to glue when you put on mayo and doesn't fall apart leaving mustard stains on my too ample bosom.

Amy's frozen mac & cheese. Add some ham chunks or bacon and it's a meal.

[GarAndTeed]

Ok, I'm still a relative newbie, but in the worst category, I feel compelled to add:

Glutino frozen Mac & Cheese-- looked like Stouffer's; I would probably be banned if I said what it seemed to taste like! One small bite; whole container outside in the garbage. Blech!

And BIG ditto on the brown rice pasta; mushy, nasty tasting stuff - I hope I never experience anything even similar again.

On the plus side, Glutino chocolate truffle brownies; my non-celiac friends had no idea they were gluten-free! I always keep a couple small bags of Ener-g pretzels around. Also, Edy's real fruit bars-- they are frozen, like popsicles, but all fruit; the lemon, lime, & tangerine are AMAZING (and fat-free, too). Oh, and Sunkist Fruit Gems are delicious (you'll find them w/ Jelly-Bellys).

I'm sure I'll think of more soon...

[RideAllWays]

Lara Bars and Glutino Breakfast bars...EWWWW. My horse who loves everything spit them out after a nibble too haha.

Kinnickinnick and Pamela's are my favorite brands!

[lovegrov]

Virtually any pre-made bread.

richard

[larry mac]

Mary's Gone Crackers. I renamed them Larry's Gone Crackers, 'cause one bite, or rather one almost broken tooth, and I'm gone. They make Nut Thins seem positively delicate.

best regards, lm

[celiackitcat]

Hmm, I have quite a few of my least fave:

~Rice Pasta: It was everywhere at the food co-op by me so I had to try it. It turned into a big giant lump of mush and tasted just as good . I could try it again and maybe my tastes have changed but it was horrible and I was sure I was never going to make it.

~ Glutino Breakfast Bars: Trying to gain some weight back and found these. Thought, yummy Nutrigrain bar type snack. Not a chance. I got the apple ones. Bitter, sour and it had the worst aftertaste ever.

~Also, Nana's cookies. I was so excited. They just crumbled in my hands and tasted like sawdust. Yuck!

~ I also agree with the Mary's Gone Crackers. I bought them because they actually had them at the commissary on base and I was shocked to even see a gluten free product. Horrible, my teeth hurt and I could barely get through one.

On the other hand, I have tons of faves and have found some great products in the past few years. I just bought my first loaf of Udi's and get to try it out tonight. Any suggestions? Does it need to be toasted/thawed? And do you guys prefer the white or multigrain? My store has both, as well as my favorite gluten free treat, Against the Grains French Bread (so yummy with soup or as the base for a sub).

[Coleslawcat]

Worst

-Glutino Bread Sticks (awful, just avoid them)

[jerseyangel]

Worst

-Glutino Bread Sticks (awful, just avoid them)

Thanks for the heads-up! I love their crackers and I see the breadsticks when I'm picking up a box and have thought about trying them.

[mofo]

EcoPlanet 7 grain hot breakfast cereal. Even the apple cinnamon tastes like dirt. Gross!!

I haven't found a cracker I like, nut thins and savory thins from Trader Joe's both suck.

My FAVORITE:

Trader Joe's Wheat Free toaster waffles. Yum

And the peanut butter Larabars aren't too bad.

[Glamour]

I like Mary's Gone Crackers. Good with cream cheese type of spread or with salads, they are crunchy.

Udi's bread and blueberry muffins.

Ktoos chocolate cookies are ok, the vanilla ones are gritty.

I like Amy's mac and cheese, as well as a few of the frozen dinners.

Pamelas lemon shortbread cookies are ok, as well as the little chocolate bites.

So far I like Whole Foods Cheese Biscuits and I will try other things.

Don't care for almond crackers by blue diamond. Rice tortillas are terrible, but Corn tortillas are good, sprouted corn are hearty but pretty good

[CelestialNav]

Definitely Ener-G Rice Bread! It doth taste like cardboard, indeed!

Mrs. Leepers Boxed Dinners. They have an undertaste that is YUK!

DeBoles Corn Pasta, it turns to cornmeal mush really fast.

Some Positive Notes are:

Betty Crocker Gluten Free Brownie Mix. Makes really good Brownies!

Everything Crave Bakery makes! Fantastic Products! Incredibly Delicious!

Against The Grain Gluten Free French Bread! Great for Deli-like Sandwiches and Garlic Bread! Yum!

[lovegrov]

I LOVE Mary's Gone crackers.

richard

[Wolicki]

For all those with bad cracker experiences, Crunchmaster crackers are the best I have tried. They are sold at Henry's, Sprouts, and COSTCO. I've tried the sweet onion, garlic and sesame. Quite tasty.

[jerseyangel]

I made Betty Crocker gluten-free Chocolate Chip cookies last night--they were fantastic! I used a tablespoon of vanilla instead of the teaspoon called for. I'd tried the brownies and yellow cake, but the cookies were my favorite.

Back to the topic.....I tried to like Lundberg Farms Hot Rice cereal, but it tastes like plaster.

[Michi8]

Lara Bars and Glutino Breakfast bars...EWWWW. My horse who loves everything spit them out after a nibble too haha.

Kinnickinnick and Pamela's are my favorite brands!

I love Lara Bars, and like Glutino Breakfast bars...I actually do.

I also prefer Mrs. Leepers corn pasta to Tinkyada rice pasta.

The worst product I've ever tried was Enjoy Life Cranapple Crunch granola. It was worse than eating cardboard...more like hard clumps of hay with rock hard fruit mixed in. Blech!

[celiackitcat]

The worst product I've ever tried was Enjoy Life Cranapple Crunch granola. It was worse than eating cardboard...more like hard clumps of hay with rock hard fruit mixed in. Blech!

I forgot about my attempt at eating the Enjoy Life Granola. It was so hard and impossible to enjoy. I felt like my teeth were going to fall out of my head. Ouch! Actually, the only good granola I found was made with gluten free oats, but I have to be careful how much I have because it seems to cause a slight reaction from time to time. May be CC since it's found in bulk at the local organic food shop.

[Juliebove]

I made Betty Crocker gluten-free Chocolate Chip cookies last night--they were fantastic! I used a tablespoon of vanilla instead of the teaspoon called for. I'd tried the brownies and yellow cake, but the cookies were my favorite.

Back to the topic.....I tried to like Lundberg Farms Hot Rice cereal, but it tastes like plaster.

I did the cookies in bar form then drizzled them with melted Enjoy Life chocolate chips. Yum!