Top Three Worst Gf Products

[Jnkmnky]

Jimbo-

You can soak the ener-g bread in a mixture of eggs/vanilla/cinnamon/sugar. I mean, really let those bread slices soak. Then make french toast with them. I'd imagine you could soak those shingles for a few hours in the fridge. I'm sure they wouldn't fall apart! Anyway, hate to hear someone's wasting expensive food...even if it is that crappy bread.

[lisawil]

Excellent thread! Has helped narrow down my online shopping list for my trip to California! Was wondering how to work out which products to order I know here in Australia there are products out there that I also wouldnt feed my dog - dont know who buys them but they keep making them (or maybe they are the same ones still sitting on the shelves for months on end?).

Any recomendations on preferred online shop? Have looked at gluten free mall, gluten free pantry so far. just found another post (from Bean i think) with links to shop by diet and allergy grocery search. They look good and will also allow me to get dairy free as well as gluten free.

Lisa

[celiac3270]

Hey, the ENER-G pretzels are good.  Give them a try.

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Yea...they taste like regular pretzels. I was never a big pretzel person, but if you like pretzels in general, you'll like these.

[BabySnooks]

Hee Hee - I've had a brick of ener-g bread in the cabinet since I've been diagnosed (a month or so) - I was always afriad to open it...  I figured any bread that will last over a year can't bee too tasty...  Now I think you've convinced me to just toss it!

I didn't care for the Pamela's Pecan cookies - kind of a cardboardy aftertaste and dry as the Sahara.

I'm going to try making up a pizza with gluten-free dough (forget the brand) tonite for the first time...  Wish me luck...

JIm

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Jim, try Mi-Del pecan cookies, they are quite good. I think all the breads suck, though, even the most expensive ones that others rave about. I no longer look forward to breakfast except for the coffee.

[nurse diesel]

Greetings..

Ditto again on the ener-g bread. I no longer waste my $ or expectations on gluten-free breads.

Potato pasta....looked, smelled, and tasted like I cooked the box instead. Even my garbage disposal flinched!

Bad luck with cookies except for Kinikinnick...the others are either bland/dry or chewy but taste like play-dough. Don't need 'em anyway!

My staple....reece cups, sangria and chips and salsa (gee, and I wonder how I gained 60# )

Hang in there, everyone...we've got eachother!!

Tammy

[elonwy]

Hey - lisawil - where in Cali are you going to be?

We have Whole Foods stores all over here and Trader Joe's also has some good stuff. Thier gluten-free sausage is tasty! The Bay area and San Diego also have alot of health food stores that carry good gluten-free stuff. I wouldn't worry about finding food in California. I don't know about online stores yet, I'm still working my way through local chains, but the Kinnikinnick donuts I got at Whole Foods were AWESOME. I do have a case of Bart'sBeer on its way too. MMMMMMM....Beer.

Elonwy

[Guest BERNESES]

This is a riot! I have to add mine.

All time worst:

1.EnerG harvest loaf- my brillo pad tastes better (not that I've been chewing on it, but when faced with a choice, I'd eat a sponge with pbj over this poop)

2. EnerG brownies- chocolate sponge at the low low price of 7. 00 (there seems to be a theme here).

3. My first experiment at making chocolate chip cookies with gluten-free flour. They didn't taste too bad but in no way resembled cookies. I have since stuck to peanut butter cookies.

Top three gluten free:

1. Chebe pizza crust- OMG. Heaven!

2. Tinkyada penne pasta - another OMG!

3. Glutino cinnamon raisin bread- Wow!

4. OK so beer isn't food but bard's tale Dragon sorghum lager. Those guys take the cake!

Top three foods that have no gluten anyway:

1. Snickers ice cream bars (yesss!)

2. Starbucks Frappucinos (I am not a big fan of supporting big corporations but mt local coffe shop's similar beverage has gluten in the mix)

3. Peanut butter!

[Guest imsohungry]

I was sitting here eating dinner...ate a cookie for dessert...and just about barfed.

Seriously, I can't get the taste of this dam* cookie out of my mouth.

It's Enjoy Life "soft baked chewy chocolate chip cookies"...OMG, yuck!

-Julie (I'll be back on later...I gotta go brush my teeth!)

[liz0324]

Ha ha, this is great.

What are those lemon flavored cookies that come in the black rectangular box? Yum....they taste like lemon Rolaids.

Oh well, at least I have my Breyers Ice Cream....

[Lauren M]

Worst:

(1) Ener-G Tapioca Bread - just plain non-edible

(2) Hol Grain Rice Crackers - looks and tastes like corrugated cardboard

(3) Notta Pasta - slimy

Favorites:

(1) Amy's gluten-free meals - they are all so good, esp. the lasagna and the mexican meals!

(2) Hol Grain brownies - the company redeemed themselves when I tried these!

(3) Arrowhead Mills pancake mix - cinnamony - my family likes it better than regular pancakes

(4) Trader Joes toaster waffles

(5) Puffins Honey Rice Cereal

(6) Mi-Del Arrowroot cookies (just like animal crackers, I swear!)

See, there are a lot more good ones than bad ones! Really I haven't found most of the gluten-free products I've tried to be THAT bad, I just miss my old favorites

[misskris]

Thanks for the warnings guys! I was about to try some of these products, but I will save my money and stick to what I know...veggies and meat! Mmmm.

My top 3 worst pics:

1. Bobs Red Mill flours - Garbanzo bean BARF!

2. These chicken nuggets I tried from whole foods, don't know the name, but I don't even think there was chicken in there. Just some mushy corn filling?! SO gross!

3. LaChoy soy sauce - ok for cooking but OMG disgusting for sushi!

My faves:

Quinoa spaghetti with my chunky vegetable sauce! Just gotta watch those noodles - no overcooking or it's mush.

Tinkyada penne - oh how I love thee! Makes the best cold pasta salads - I made one today with mayo, green onions and cracked pepper. Even hubby liked it!

PAMELA'S BROWNIE MIX!!!!! I used this mix for my wedding cake! LOL! When I make brownies, I throw in chocolate and peanut butter chips or walnuts - whatever I have. Always SO good. Hubby begs me to make these - and he's not gluten-free.

Also Pamela's Baking Mix - makes great biscuits and pie crusts. Even worked for dumpings in chicken broth. A little pricey tho. It's a once-in-awhile thing since we're on a budget.

Other naturally gluten-free things that I love:

Soups and stir frys - I make a lot (We're big veggie people)

Dried beans (lotsa protein - works well on a budget)

Squash "pasta" - I bought a spiral slicer and it makes the squash, zucchini, etc come out in "noodles" I steam for about a minute and toss with butter and fresh grated parmesan cheese. YUM!

[jimbo]

I did that!! It was actually really good - now at least I have something to use it for besides a doorstop! (I tried toasting it with lots of buitter & jelly & was still horrible.

BTW, my gluten-free-pizza crust ended up in the garbage! (after I picked off the topings, of course)

Jimbo-

You can soak the ener-g bread in a mixture of eggs/vanilla/cinnamon/sugar.  I mean, really let those bread slices soak.  Then make french toast with them.  I'd imagine you could soak those shingles for a few hours in the fridge.  I'm sure they wouldn't fall apart!  Anyway, hate to hear someone's wasting expensive food...even if it is that crappy bread.

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[gabrielle]

Well going gluten-free was pretty hard and I've only found a few things that I really like.

Here are the ones I can not choke down:

1. I know many people disagree but I do not like any of AMY's things. They all seemed mushy and tasteless.

2. Nana's cookies are disgusting!

3. I am not a big fan of Mrs. Leepers mixes- all of the gluten-free boxed mixes I have tried have been awful.

I love Tinkyada pastas, and Kinninnick breads and Envirokids products.

Also, natural peanut butter (chunky) MMMM.

[lisawil]

Hey - lisawil - where in Cali are you going to be?

We have Whole Foods stores all over here and Trader Joe's also has some good stuff. Thier gluten-free sausage is tasty! The Bay area and San Diego also have alot of health food stores that carry good gluten-free stuff. I wouldn't worry about finding food in California. I don't know about online stores yet, I'm still working my way through local chains, but the Kinnikinnick donuts I got at Whole Foods were AWESOME. I do have a case of Bart'sBeer on its way too. MMMMMMM....Beer.

Elonwy

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Which whole foods did you get the kinnik stuff? My first stop will be whole foods and trader joes in san francisco and pleasanton. Later in the trip i know of whole foods in san diego, wild oats and henrys marketplace in fullerton, la and las vegas. After reading the recomendations of the kinnik bread and donuts i want to get some but am wondering if online is the best way (i can have it delivered to my cousin in Livermore at the beginning of our trip) however with travelling around for 4 weeks, i will need more during the trip and wont be able to keep it frozen. Any further suggestions would be great. Many thanks

Lisa

[Pegster]

I think all Whole Foods have some Kinnickinnick products. They are in a frozen food section. You can also order from Kinnickinnick.com, but shipping is $10 so I order lots at one time. There are many WHole Foods stores in California, but we don't have the fresh bakery stuff that they have on the East Coast, yet.

[pixiegirl]

Our Whole Foods in Hingham, MA has all the fresh baked goods, so do the ones in the Boston area and they have had them for months. However they are often sold out or close to sold out but if you ask at the bakery they will go in the back and get them (they usually have extra in back).

Susan

[jkmunchkin]

Am I the only moron that tried what Whole Foods considered bread. The praire bread is by far the most disgusting thing I've ever eaten in my life.

And then ofcourse there was the Amy's frozen mac n' cheese. YUCK!! (however I agree the cheese enchiladas are pretty good).

I've tried several bars and have yet to find one I like, but the Larabar by far was the worst. I couldn't even swallow the one bite I took.

[ruddabega]

I haven't ventured far into the gluten-free packaged foods world... I'm scared! I mostly cook at home for myself.

It sounds like Ener-G bread is horrid, but I like my rice bread... it's sweet! Maybe that's just me. I eat "Food For Life" bread. Brown Rice, Almond and Fruit, and Pecan and Fruit are all excellent (I think.)

Worst thing I've had so far.... That's easy!

I was diagnosed a month before my 17th birthday. My mom decided to cook me a nice gluten-free chocolate birthday cake, our first venture into the gluten-free baked-goods world. It tasted like a just-cleaned hospital room! It was horrid!!!!! I ate the frosting though.

[elonwy]

I had my second major YUCK today. The first was trying to make Buscuits from Arrowhead Mills gluten-free Baking mix. It was like eating sand.

Today I tried to make DeBoles Rice Shells & Cheddar. It started out well, I've been having good luck with Rice pasta, but then I noticed some of the shells would NOT come off my stirring spoon. I drained , then returned and tried to open the cheese packet. This chunky block of white stuff thunked out. I figure its been on the shelf for a while. So I start stirring. And stirring. And stirring. And then I start smooshing and whacking. Nothings making the chunks go away. Then I think : before I put any more effort into it, I should taste it and see if its edible. bleeeech.

I don't know what they put in the sauce, but its not cheese.

I dump it and the pasta won't come off my pot!

I had to use a sponge to get it off my sponge!

The wierd thing is - I like thier Rice spaghetti - it came out yummy.

Anyway, I'm going to eat some Amy's enchiladas now, cause I love Amy's stuff. Especially the brown rice teriyaki bowl. Yum

I also like PAmelas Pecan shortbread from Whole foods, but i like crumbly cookies, so they work for me.

The rice bread I bought ( it in ziploc now I forget the name) freaked me out at first but if its toasted its really yummy, so I just toast all my bread now.

Kinnikinick donuts, mmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Elonwy

[emeraldskies]

I have more than three:

1. Low Carb Flour Wraps by Don Pancho - eating these tortillas was like chewing up tasteless cardboard.

2. Plain Bagels from Sterk's - they tasted like flattened, stale crackers.

3. Anything by Ener-G Foods - aspartame causes more intestinal cramps.

4. Any pretzels I've encountered - always sweet rather than salty, and they have a strange texture

5. Lushus Lemon Bumble Bar Organic Snack Bar - crispy dirt

6. Original Sponge Cake from Sterk's - this was both soggy and rubbery.

Anytime I try bread products, I always seem to be disappointed. Baked sweets often turn out well, though.

[Guest BellyTimber]

I prefer Ener-G tapioca bread to white rice bread (they have brown also which I haven't tried) & I can't get the tapioca any more.

It's easy to liven up bland products but it can be a shock at first how bland they are, or gritty, or whatever,

My life was changed by a sandwich toaster I bought from a colleague for 4 pounds.

I like what I cook and bake, I lost confidence but hopefully shall regain it once the OT has helped me set up a usable 'kitchen'.

To my mind a 'duff' product is the new Vogel's breakfast cereal being heavily plugged in the UK, it has about 30 different ingrdeinets including mostly soya, is shapeless, colourless and tasteless (...)

I love puffed buckwheat (from Big Oz).

[terri]

Okay, my three worst:

Hol-grain rice crackers - UGH!!!!!!!!

Namaste Pizza crust - YECH!!!!! GROSS!!!! GAG!!!!

Ener G Tapioca Bread - even the dog wouldn't touch it!!

My favorites:

Mr. Ritts ryeless rye bread

Kinninnick Pancake mix - better than Aunt Jemima's!

Kinninnick cookies - ginger ones and the lemon cranberry ones

Boomi bars - carry one with me at all times!

Marys Gone Crackers - caraway flavor

There are a lot of yummy options for us that are naturally gluten-free like UTZ potato chips and Skippy crunchy peanut butter and Bumble Bee's new prime tuna that is not packed in soy or vegetable broth.

[Evonneda]

CHEBE????            

AHHHHH...well, never tried it as a bread--only as pizza, which is the best I've tried thus far.

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Hi !

This afternoon I went shopping and spied a new brand of gluten free beer. I almost danced in the aisle at this discovery and could hardly wait to get home, stick it in the fridge and enjoy after my tasty gluten-free dinner. Much to my disgust it was really really really nasty and it cost a fortune. Will stick to red wine in future !

Evonne

[Guest BERNESES]

Evonne- What brand was it? I tried Bard's tale and loved it! Beverly

[Billygoat]

Hi everyone,

Newbie here. I live in Dallas, TX and we have Whole Foods here. They have several breads and desserts that I think are the best gluten-free things I've ever tasted. They have blueberry muffins, chocolate chip walnut cookies, and peanut butter cookies to die for. Prairie Bread and Tomato Basil bread are good, but only if toasted. Cornbread is good too, if a little crumbly. Another one that's good is Mi-Del's Arrowroot Cookies - they do taste just like animal crackers. I crush them up in a food processor and use them to make "graham cracker" crusts.

Billygoat