Why Do Gluten Free Breads, Bagels Etc Have To Be Frozen?

[123glldd]

Hello! I'm new to the forum Me and my husband have been trying to get gluten free now for a while. We visited a Whole Foods for the first time the other day. My husband use to LOVE Dunkin Donuts Everything Bagels....to our shock Whole Foods had gluten free everything bagels. So we brought it home and when my husband went to make it he noticed that they are still doughy and not even cooked. Between this and the fact that gluten free bread seems to need to be frozen...we're confused. Is there something in gluten that allows bread to not be frozen? Is there a particular reason all bread products are frozen? Aside from this we're even more confused as we just bought gluten free hamburger and hotdog buns...but they were not frozen at Whole Foods. It's just something we wanted to understand.

[IrishHeart]

They do not have a lot of preservatives in them and so they spoil quickly. Also, many brands come frozen so they can be shipped to places where gluten-free products are not readily available.

They appear "doughy" because gluten-free baked goods have no gluten in them and so xantham gum or guar gum is used to re-create that elasticity and binds it together, helping it rise.

Once you get past that "gummy" thing, you do not notice it anymore.

http://glutenfreecooking.about.com/od/glutenfreecookingbasics/a/xanthanguargums.htm

Toasting the bagel helps.

It's just the way it is with some gluten-free products. We have to substitute for the loss of gluten in wheat flour and gums provide that. If you overdo it, it can be very gummy indeed.

[Darn210]

The typical shelf life of gluten free foods is not as long as the gluten-filled foods. Plus, not as many people buy gluten free and the turnover at the grocery store can be unpredictable. In order to keep items in stock from going bad, they are often frozen.

As far as the nonfrozen buns that you just bought, I would say that was because the store got them out of the freezer and let them come up to room temperature before stocking them . . . that's just my guess, as I have bought really cold (must be thawing) Udi's bread at my local Krogers.

In my experience, the Udi's buns (and bagels) do seem to start molding fairly quickly, so I would use immediately or put in your freezer.

Throw in the fact that you just paid an arm and a leg for these bread products and you'll want to make sure you actually get to use them and not have to throw them out because of mold.

[kareng]

The whole foods by me, brings the gluten-free breads, etc out of thier freezer and thaws them on the shelf. They are shipped frozen. Most gluten-free bread isn't made locally, so it's frozen for traveling and storage by the store. Canyon Bakehouse told me this. A lot of the regular bread in the grocery is made nearby and shipped & on the shelf within a few hours to a day of baking. It's shipped straight from the bakery by company trucks, in large amounts. gluten-free bread is needed in small quantities so shipping would be different.

There are a few products that are partially cooked with directions to finish them in your oven.

[TiaMichi2]

In my area, it depends where I go, at Ralphs, it is the freezer. At Wholefoods, it on the shelf. Either way when I bring it home, it goes straight to the freezer, till it is time to use and then i thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.

When I am ready to eat it, it is always toasted, or zapped in the Micro for 10 sec. which makes it soft like freshly baked......yummmm!

I am a bread lover, so gluten-free bread took me a while to get used to, but I did. So far the best bread to me is Udis's.

Hope this helps

-Miriam

[killernj13]

trader joes does not freeze their Udi's breads and rolls where most other stores I have bought them in do.

[123glldd]

Thanks so much for helping me understand this. I was kinda confused. I love Rudi's bread and my husband had a gluten free everything bagel and he LIKES IT! Yay!! lol

[julissa]

I found this thread while searching for an answer to a question I have. hope someone can help me. I am going away this weekend and want to bring a package of udis bagels I just got. I don't know if there will be a fridge in my hotel room. how long do you think they could stay out for?

 

thanks in advance

[shadowicewolf]

Eh, if you had just bought them, i'd think they'd be fine.

[julissa]

thanks, I just bought them today, are still frozen. I figured I would take them with me. I just called the hotel, no fridges in the room. so they'd be out till Sunday.

[Takala]

Some hotels will mysteriously make a room fridge appear if you have a medical necessity. 

 

Otherwise, keep them frozen until you leave, then you can slow down the thaw with packing a little ice chest with you, then refilling it there with hotel ice - be sure to bring extra plastic bags to keep the food dry.  

Don't forget to keep your warming or toasting gluten-free bagel away from other surfaces that have had regular bagels on them, so use your own toaster or some sort of covering appropriate for whatever heating device you end up with.  

[julissa]

thanks all!

[Lesmich]

This may sound like a stupid question, but I just don't know. My 11 yr old just got diagnosed with celiac. Can you make grilled sandwiches with gluten free bread? Or will it break down?

[kareng]

1 hour ago, Lesmich said:

This may sound like a stupid question, but I just don't know. My 11 yr old just got diagnosed with celiac. Can you make grilled sandwiches with gluten free bread? Or will it break down?

Depends on the bread.  I always toast mine a little first so it doesn’t get mushy

[tessa25]

When I was trying out gluten free foods I made a couple of grilled cheese sandwiches with Dr Schar white bread. They came out just like a regular grilled cheese. Since then my favorite whitebread is Canyon Bakehouse, but I have not made a grilled cheese with it yet.

[Ennis-TX]

2 hours ago, Lesmich said:

This may sound like a stupid question, but I just don't know. My 11 yr old just got diagnosed with celiac. Can you make grilled sandwiches with gluten free bread? Or will it break down?

I heard it works with Canyon House bread fine, I know my coconut bread can get a bit mushy break from my bakery if you try to butter it plain melted vegan cheese melted over it after toasting it then using the broiler to melt the cheese on it works. I have used Julian Bakery Seed melody and almond bread better for open topped cheesy bread. I would try a open topped version if I was you, toast the bread a bit, put the cheese on top and finish it open faced on a wire rack in the oven/broiler to melt the cheese on it (put foil under it to catch anything).

OH BTW you should read the newbie 101 section to avoid cross contaminating anything. You have to use new toasters, new condiment jars (no crumbs), etc. any time crumb or gluten residue can make celiacs sick.
https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/91878-newbie-info-101/

PS most celiacs have to remove dairy for a few months, our damaged villi will inhibit dairy breakdown efficiency and can cause discomfort, gas, bloating, and lactose intolerance.

[ravenwoodglass]

22 minutes ago, tessa25 said:

When I was trying out gluten free foods I made a couple of grilled cheese sandwiches with Dr Schar white bread. They came out just like a regular grilled cheese. Since then my favorite whitebread is Canyon Bakehouse, but I have not made a grilled cheese with it yet.

After Udi's changed their bread I tryed Canyon Bakehouse. It makes great grilled cheese. I just take the slices out of the freezer a half hour or so and let them thaw in my toaster oven.  I find their bread seperates easily and even take it untoasted in my daily PB&J for work.  Their rye bread is fantastic in my opinion and I always try to keep some on hand.  I find their bread also keeps well thawed my my bread box. I do make sure if there are any ice crystals that I brush them off before thawing if not keeping it thawed.

[Lesmich]

Thanks for the responses. I appreciate it.