Her eyes were wide, forehead wrinkled in stress. She quieted her husband with a quick wave of her hand as he stood behind her, hands shoved deep in his pockets, clearly ready to leave. Hoping her children didn't lose their faith, she smiled brightly and said, "here!" "This one." "This looks good." She opened to freezer and picked up a loaf of gluten-free bread. Not just any bread, but the absolute worst, cardboard-tasting, crumbles into sand, would-rather-go-to-the-dentist-and-get-teeth-pulled bread. One quick look to their buggy (that's right, I called it a buggy) and it was clear that for whatever reason this family was going gluten-free, this was obviously their first shopping adventure and it was about to go terribly wrong. I could see the dinner fiasco play out in mind; kids crying, dad angry, mom trying to be positive but really wanting to cry a bit herself. Not an ideal first impression.
Gluten-free living can be fantastic in so many ways and can be relatively simple, but you never want to begin your journey by picking up a random brand assuming it can't be that bad. Trust me, it can. BUT a lot of it isn't; you just need to know what to get. Once you re-wire you Americanized "I didn't know there were flours other than white and wheat," brain, and walk into the reality of great possibility, it becomes natural and most will vouch, preferred.
When I nosed into this family's shopping trip, I was relieved to find that they actually did need help and found great joy in watching the mom's stress melt away as we stood and talked about which brands to get and which brands to run from. So, I've decided to create a small booklet that can be handed out in similar situations.
We'll begin with the basics: flour.
*Please know that I am in no way begin compensated by any of these companies. This is purely documentation of mine and my husband's personal gluten-free favorites.
For all your general baking needs (cakes, waffles, biscuits, etc) Pamela's is fantastic.
Other flours we use most often: rice flour, potato, sorghum, tapioca, garbanzo bean, xanthan gum, guar gum, millet, and potato starch and corn starch.
We use one of three brands, preferably in this order:
1. Arrowhead Mills
2. Barry Farm
A family-run farm in Wapakoneta, Ohio
http://www.barryfarm.com/
3. Bob's
Side note with Bob's. We only use Bob's baking powder. The mixes that we have used are not good. I have also heard several rumors that Bob's manufactures gluten-free and gluten-filled products on the same machinery. Friends have warned me (begin someone who is severely allergic) to tread lightly with Bob's. Not claiming this to be fact, rather simply what I've been told by friends.
That's it for us. Any other gluten-free followers out there with other opinions please leave a comment!
