Category Archives: Food

ALLERGEN & GLUTEN FREE EXPO–ALBANY, NEW YORK

 

Allergen & Gluten Free Expo Albany_Pin

ALLERGEN & GLUTEN FREE EXPO–ALBANY, NEW YORK 2018

This post contains affiliate links.  If you order through one of these links I’ll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you!  My full disclosure isn’t that interesting, but you can find it here. 

On Saturday, I decided to journey into Albany, New York to check out the Allergen & Gluten Free Expo held at Crossgates Mall.  Expos are a great way to try some free samples and learn about some new products—and this expo did not disappoint!  I got SO many freebies—it was a good thing they gave me a bag to carry them all in.

The Gluten Free Expo had a large number of brand representatives, local restaurants & bakeries, and even informational stations where gluten-free and food allergy authorities like doctors and school nurses were available to answer questions about gluten-free living.  Plus, there were a couple cooking demonstrations by local chefs and bakers.

Here is just a glimpse into some of the fun things we saw and tried at the Allergen & Gluten Free Expo in Albany!

Want some freebies of your own?  Get FREE instant access to my online library of free printables designed to make your gluten-free lifestyle totally easy!


 

Sherry Lynn’s Bakery

sherry lynns bread_gluten free expo
Sherry Lynn’s Sandwich Rolls
Sherry Lynn's Samples_gluten free expo
Sherry Lynn’s Samples, a bite of donut and sandwich roll

Sherry Lynn’s Bakery is one of the (if not THE) first 100% gluten-free establishments.  My husband, Tyler, has been eating their baked goods for years.  I was super excited to stop by their booth at the Allergen & Gluten Free Expo, eat some samples of their bread and glazed donuts, and even purchase some apple fritters and donuts!

Sherry Lynn’s is located in Schenectady, New York.

O’Malley’s Oven

O'Malley's_gluten free expo
O’Malley’s baked goods for sale

This is a local restaurant I’d never heard of before—but I’m happy I stopped by their booth at the Allergen & Gluten Free Expo.

In addition to directly selling their pies and other baked goods they also frequent the Troy Waterfront Farmer’s Market, which my family goes to often.  This is also a 100% gluten-free establishment.

 

 

 

 

The Vermont Spatzle Company

spatzle1_gluten free expo
Our sample of Spatzle!

The Allergen & Gluten Free Expo is the first time I’ve ever tried spatzle (or honestly…ever heard of it).  It’s a German potato noodle, and it’s yummy!  One of the downfalls of gluten-free pasta is that it’s prone to mushiness—especially when overcooked.  Spatzle is a noodle that is pan-fried, and is ready to eat in 90 seconds!  Yay for fast dinners!  My 5 year old daughter devoured her sample, which was cooked in butter, in less than 90 seconds.

You can purchase The Vermont Spatzle Company’s products at retailers across New York and Vermont, or order it direct.

 

Saratoga Gluten Free Goods Bakery

saratoga bakery_gluten free expo
The baked goods for sale were totally drool-worthy!

I’ve tried a couple items from this bakery in the past (dinner rolls, cookies, and pies), but it was fun to see them represented at the Allergen & Gluten Free Expo.  All of their products are mouthwateringly-delicious.  Plus, I enjoyed my sample of pumpkin bread. yummm

The Saratoga Gluten Free Goods Bakery is located in Schuylerville, New York.

 

 

 

Bread Empire’s Buddha Bread

buddah bread 2_gluten free expo

buddah bread1_gluten free expo
Free Samples of fresh-baked bread!

This is a new product I learned about at the Allergen & Gluten Free Expo.  This cheese bread is super easy to make and it tastes GOOD!  Definitely a great option!

You can purchase goods from Bread Emprie online or at assorted stores across the United States.

Pamela’s Gluten-Free

pamelas samples_gluten free expoI got a lot of free samples of Pamela’s gluten-free snacks and flour blend at the Allergen & Gluten Free Expo.  I’m familiar with Pamela’s pancake mix (that’s what we use at home!), so I enjoyed the chance to try some other products!  I really loved the Whenever Bars and the Big Fig bar.  These will definitely be on my shopping list soon.

You can order a variety of Pamela’s products here!

Luna Bars

luna bars_gluten free expoListen—I love my snacks.  Luna Bars are a trusted staple for me already, and I love some free samples!  While the samples were mini, they sure were yummy.

You can order Luna Bars in a variety of flavors here!

 

 

 

WowButter

wowbutter_gluten free expoFor kids (or adults!) with nut allergies, Wowbutter is a cool substitute to peanut butter.  It’s made of soy, and it tastes great.  You can even choose between creamy and crunchy styles.  My toddlers dipped apple slices in our free samples of the creamy WowButter and they didn’t even notice it wasn’t peanut butter!  It’s a great nut-free option and I’m so happy we got to try it at the Allergen & Gluten Free Expo!

Curious about WowButter?  Try it here!

 

Like I mentioned before, there were SO many vendors there’s no way I could cover them all.  Have you been to this, or another Allergen & Gluten Free Expo?  What was your favorite part?  Comment below and let us know.  My favorite thing were all the freebies!  Plus, I’ve designed some fun freebies just for you.

Get FREE instant access to my online library of free printables designed to make your gluten-free lifestyle totally easy!

 

Gluten-Free Snack Roundup: Episode 1

A Roundup of Gluten Free Snacks and Reviews

Gluten-Free Snack Roundup: Episode 1

This post contains affiliate links for Amazon.com.   These links help me to earn enough money to refill my coffee so I can keep up with life!  My full disclosure isn’t that interesting, but you can find it here.

My #1 tip when traveling gluten-free is to BRING YOUR OWN SNACKS!  Actually, that might just be one of my life tips in general. Married to a diabetic? Bring a snack. Have toddlers? Bring a snack. Gonna be stuck in a car for a while? Bring a snack. You get the idea: before any big trip I stock up on snacks. I always end up with a happy mix of some trusted favorites, some new finds, some healthy choices, and some… less than healthy! Keep on reading for a review of my latest gluten-free snack haul.

note: my followers on Instagram and Facebook got this sneak peek at these snacks as I was packing them. Click here to follow me on Instagram and here to follow me on Facebook so you don’t miss out!

Instagram post on gluten-free snacks from @thehelpfulgf

Are you ready to do gluten-free living totally STRESS-FREE? Get FREE instant access to my online library of free printables designed to make your gluten-free lifestyle totally easy!

Chobani Yogurt Tubes—Strawberry

gluten-free chobani yogurt tubes
from chobani.com

Chobani is one of my favorite brands of yogurt. I love how thick and creamy it is (my favorite flavor is the key lime!).  Although I’ve mostly cut out dairy (and been making my own coconut milk yogurt instead), I’m still buying yogurt for Tyler and the kids. And when your kids are young, these yogurt tubes are where it’s at!  My girls love that the tubes have super heroes on them, and I love Chobani for having less sugar and more than twice the protein of other yogurt tube brands.  Plus, Chobani is non-gmo with no artificial flavors, and their yogurt is gluten-free (but read the labels—the yogurt snack packs like the Flip are not all gluten-free).

Disney Frozen gluten-free string cheese
from Walmart.com

Disney’s Frozen String Cheese

Does string cheese need much explanation?  It’s a naturally gluten-free snack, toddlers love it, and it is protein-filled with no added sugar.

 

Glutino—Strawberry Toaster Pastries and Vanilla Crème Cookies

Glutino is one of those trusted gluten-free brands who has been around since I first started shopping gluten-free.  They are one of the few brands to offer gluten-free toaster pastries in the grocery stores and on Amazon.com.  They are also certified gluten-free which gives us an extra level of confidence in their product.  Click here to learn more about gluten-free certification and labeling.

Glutino toaster pastries and vanilla cookies
images from amazon.com

The whole family loves the toaster pastries (in fact, Tyler often hides them from the kids so they can be just his).  They compare well to regular toaster pastries.  They are a bit crunchier—more like a cracker.  But the flavor is great.  The Glutino Vanilla Crème cookies are good too.  While they are a bit too sweet for me (I find pretty much all vanilla crème filled cookies to be too sweet—gluten-free or not), the texture of both the cookie and the filling are pretty similar to an Oreo. As you can see, these cookies didn’t even make it one night before our tip—my sweet Celiac husband and little princesses got into it while I was packing. haha

Glutino makes other snacks we like too such as bagel chips, chocolate chip cookies, pretzels, and cereal bars.

GoGo Squeeze—Applesauce Pouches

gogo squeez applesauce pouches assorted flavors image from amazon
from amazon.com

Another healthy gluten-free snack for toddlers—applesauce pouches!  There are countless brands of applesauce pouches, but I look for applesauce with no added sugar (like these!).  Plus, the kids like the tops on this brand because they take them on/off by themselves.  GoGo Squeeze is not only gluten-free but also 100% fruit, non-GMO, nut free, and dairy free.  They even make organic pouches and fruit & veggie blend pouches if you wanna sneak in some veggies!

Popcorn Indiana—Black & White Drizzlecorn 

Popcorn Indiana Black & White Drizzlecorn gluten-free
from amazon.com

Tyler and I first discovered Popcorn Indiana’s Drizzlecorn flavors over six years ago—and we buy it a lot.  Whenever it’s on sale we snatch up a couple bags, but buying in bulk from Amazon is always an option too.  Tyler’s not a huge fan of kettlecorn, but this decadent dessert-like popcorn is for sure a winner in his book! How could you not like something covered in both white and dark chocolate? This is the first snack we finished off on our trip.  While it’s not really healthy—it is both kocher and certified gluten-free.  Plus, living gluten-free can be restrictive enough, you have to branch out and enjoy life every now and then.

Ripple Foods—Vanilla Half & Half

from ripplefoods.com

Since I am restricted in the amount of dairy I can eat, I dragged along my Vanilla Creamer by Ripple.  I knew we’d be drinking coffee all week, and since this trip we were staying in the middle of the Adirondacks, I assumed that specialty coffee creamer would be a difficult find.  So I brought it with me!  Click here to see my more in-depth review of Ripple Half & Half. 

 

Simple Mills Crackers—Fine Ground Sea Salt & Jalapeño

Simple Mills is another brand I’ve mentioned before on my blog.  We’ve had the fine ground sea salt crackers frequently, but the Jalapeño sprouted seed crackers were an impulse buy!

Simple Mills gluten-free crackers; sea salt and jalapeno
from amazon.com

The fine ground sea salt crackers are not only certified gluten-free, but grain free as well.  They are crunchy, mildly salty, and actually taste a LOT like Wheat Thins. The kids love them too!  I pack them in their lunches with pepperoni slices a lot.  One of the things I love about Simple Mills products is they only contain a few ingredients (these crackers have 8 ingredients). These crackers are more than just a gluten-free snack, they are also non-GMO, free of corn & soy, vegan, and Paleo-friendly.

The jalapeño sprouted seed crackers were a new try for us.  The ingredients lists are similar, but I wasn’t as big of a fan of this kind.  I expected them to be spicy (of course jalapeño flavored would have spice) but the actual flavor of the jalapeño didn’t seem to come through as much as the heat.  Tyler also thought these were just ok.  The sprouted seed crackers come in other flavors too like everything and garlic & herb.  I will try those in the future to see if I like them more.

Wholesome Surf Sweets—Gummy Bears

surf sweet by wholesome organic fruity gummy bears gluten-free
from amazon.com

There has to be candy on the gluten-free snack list, amiright?  These gummy bears are certified gluten-free, top 10 allergen free, vegan, organic, and non-GMO.  They were pretty good!  Not as soft as some gummy bears—a bit chewier.  The flavors were definitely fruity.

 

 

Vegan Rob’s—Dairy Free Cheddar Puffs

Vegan Rob's Gluten-Free Diary Free Cheddar Puffs
from amazon.com

These puffs were another new certified gluten-free snack for us.  Our family loves Pirates Booty and I was looking forward trying a vegan version.  The texture was great, but I was a little disappointed in the flavor.  I know it’s hard to mimic the taste of cheese (even my favorite vegan cheeses don’t come that close).  The flavor was really fine—just not that typical ‘white cheddar’ flavor you find on Pirates Booty or Smartfood.  And… my kids LOVED these.  They polished off the bag FAST.  I would say they’re worth the try.  I plan on trying some of Vegan Rob’s other flavors

Do you stock up on snacks before trips?  What are your favorites?  Comment below and let us know!

Plus: Get FREE instant access to my online library of free printables designed to make your gluten-free lifestyle totally easy!



Gluten-Free Snacks Roundup 1gluten-free snacks I bring on vacationA Roundup of 11 gluten-free snacks with reviews

IS THRIVE MARKET WORTH IT?

This post contains affiliate links.  These links help me to earn enough money to refill my coffee so I can keep up with life!  My full disclosure isn’t that interesting, but you can find it here.

Is Thrive Market worth the subscription cost? Plus, a price comparison between Thrive Market and Amazon Prime

Is Thrive Market Worth It?  A Peek into My Last Thrive Order and How It Price Compares To Amazon!

As grocery stores increasingly stock gluten-free items, is a subscription to Thrive Market worth it?  For my family, YES!  And here’s why:

First, a Little Introduction to Thrive Market:

Thrive Market is an online store full of amazing organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan, allergen-friendly (you get the idea) products.  There is a yearly cost of $59.95 to use it (similar to how you pay for Amazon Prime).

Click here to try Thrive Market completely free for 30 days and save 25% off your first order.  

Since Thrive cuts out the “middle man,” you save a decent amount of money on each product you purchase.  Plus, they stock many products that I haven’t seen elsewhere and add more all the time.

I know many of you already order specialty food from other online retailers.  Is Thrive Market worth it then?  I’m an avid Amazon Primer.  I often find great deals on gluten-free products there.

note: if you still don’t have Amazon Prime, you can start a 30-day trial for free!  Click on the image below to learn more!


 

But Thrive Market offers many products that either: aren’t available on Prime at all (hard to believe, I know!) or it’s cheaper!  Check out my most recent order below (with mini-product reviews) and you’ll see how it compared to local stores and Amazon.com.

Are you ready to do gluten-free living totally STRESS-FREE? Get FREE instant access to my online library of free printables designed to make your gluten-free lifestyle totally easy!

The 3 Main Reasons Why I Joined Thrive Market

1. The variety of products.

I joined Thrive Market last September when I first realized I needed to be dairy-free.  This meant that we began to transition from just being a gluten-free household {learn more about my why we eat gluten-free here} to needing family meals that were both gluten-free and dairy free.  Finding products locally that met both of those requirements was much more challenging.  Once I joined, I discovered so many of our favorite brands were on Thrive Market—and at great prices!  Horray!  They also sell way more than just food.  They have beauty and personal care products, nutrition products, baby products, pet supplies, and more!

Note: they recently started selling meat and sustainable seafood!  I haven’t tried it yet, but I’ll review it and let you know how it is!

2. Ease of use.

Before joining Thrive Market, I was often running to 3 grocery stores a week to grab this brand cereal, and this baking mix, and this kind of salad dressing.  And I was dragging toddlers with me.  It was exhausting!  Now I just do an order on Thrive Market once or twice a month while watching TV after my kids go to sleep.

Plus, it is so easy to use!  At the grocery store, many products we purchase were in the “gluten-free aisle,” but our favorite salad dressing was in the regular salad dressing aisle, and our favorite tortilla chips in the chips aisle, and Chex is with the normal cereal.  With Thrive Market, you can shop by value—just click the “gluten-free” value and it will only show gluten-free items in each category!  Easy peasy.  😉

note: if you find a product you’re interested in ordering, please still check the label for appropriate gluten-free labeling.  Learn more about gluten-free labeling here.

3. Constant special offers (including freebies!)

The other thing I discovered about Thrive Market (after I joined) is that they frequently give away free items with orders.  As I think of items to order, I just add them to my cart and let them sit there as I wait for an email from Thrive with a special offer.  I usually get a couple emails each week.  More information on that later, but yeah, that part’s awesome.

Thrive Market Box arriving in the mail
Bonus: Getting packages in the mail is super exciting!

So, we’re back to our original question—is buying a subscription to Thrive Market worth it?  Here’s my Thrive order from June 2018.  As I do more orders, I’ll add them here too.  This way you can learn more about other great products you can find on Thrive (and my honest review of them too).

My Thrive Market Order: June 2018

Ok, so here’s where I’m going to break it down for you.  This is everything I ordered from Thrive Market last week, a short review of the product, and how it price compares to other retailers.  The caveat is, prices on both Amazon and Thrive Market change.  To see current Amazon pricing, click the Amazon links.  This way, you can answer “Is Thrive Market worth it?” for yourself.

Barney Foods Bare Smooth Almond Butter

Barney Almond Butter

Almond butter is a staple in Keto & Paleo diets.  I tried so many brands of almond butter before I tried this one.  So many of the ones I tried were kinda… gritty?  They definitely could not replace my beloved peanut butter.  But this one?  It’s totally smooth.  And I use it daily, sometimes a couple times a day.  Hence: I ordered two jars.  It comes in multiple flavors, this Bare Smooth one that I order does not contain sugar or salt.  Barney Foods are certified gluten-free as well as non-GMO verified, certified vegan, peanut free, kosher, and the can is BPA free.

Price on Thrive: $11.99 for 16oz.   Click to see the pricing for Barney Butter on Amazon.com  (note: I’ve seen this at my local WalMart and Price Chopper ranging around $9 for only 10oz.  Definitely order this online!

Thrive Market Brand Organic Raw Cashew Butter

Thrive Market Cashew Butter

Cashew butter is pretty yummy too.  It has a very mild flavor.  I rarely eat it on its own, but I use it in a couple recipes.  You may see cashew butter listed as an ingredient in Paleo or Keto baked goods.  That’s because the flavor isn’t nutty at all!  This product is gluten-free, certified organic, kocher, and the can is GPA free and recyclable.

Price on Thrive: $10.99 for 16oz.  note: since this is a Thrive Market brand, it is not sold on Amazon, but most 16oz cashew butters on Amazon cost around $18-$20.  Big savings here!

Himalania Himalayan Fine Pink Salt

Himalania Fine Pink Salt

This is a staple in our house.  We love Himalayan pink salt for it’s high mineral content.  I love this one in particular because the salt is very fine (many Himalayan salts are coarse).

Price on Thrive: $6.99 for 10oz.  I can’t find the exact product on Amazon, but the same brand sells a but they sell other salt products by this brand that you can see here!

Coconut Secret Organic Coconut Aminos

Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos

Coconut aminos are an excellent gluten-free alternative to soy sauce!  Did you know many soy sauces contain gluten?  Plus, coconut aminos are soy-free and much lower in sodium.  In addition to being gluten and soy-free, this brand is non-GMO verified, certified organic, and certified kosher.

Price on Thrive: $4.99 for 8oz.  Click here to see this product at amazon.com.  (awesome savings!)

King Arthur Flour Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix

King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Yellow Cake MixI bought this to make for Tyler’s upcoming birthday (it’s his favorite!).  Click here for a more in-depth review of this cake mix.

Price on Thrive: $5.49.  Click here to see this product on amazon.com. (Prime Pantry)

 

Simple Mills Organic Chocolate Frosting and Vanilla Frosting

Simple Mills Frosting

We’re trying out the vanilla flavor with Tyler’s birthday cake.   The chocolate can is for my birthday!  Click here for an in-depth review of the chocolate frosting.

Price on Thrive: $4.39 each.  This frosting just came in stock on Amazon (it wasn’t 2 weeks ago when I ordered from Thrive).  However, it is only available in 3 packs. You can check it out here at amazon.com

Note: Thrive Market tries really hard to be as Green of a company as possible.  Check out this packaging the frosting cans came in!  These need to be stored at room temperature, so they came in this crazy insulated pack.  To dispose of this packaging, you cut out the insulation (which is biodegradable—recycled denim) and recycle the bag.  You then cut open the ice pack inside and dump its contents down the drain (it’s a safe, water-based solution) and recycle the bag.  I thought that was pretty cool!

Thrive Market Green Packaging

Simple Mills Vanilla Cake Almond Flour Mix

Simple Mills Vanilla Cupcake & Cake MixI haven’t tried this product yet (I will update this post when I do!), but I’m excited to bake this.  I ordered two mixes (one’s for my mom–haha).  When I eat Simple Mills products, I actually kinda feel healthy.  These cake mixes only have 6 ingredients [Almond Flour, Organic Coconut Sugar, Arrowroot Powder, Organic Coconut Flour, Baking Soda, Sea Salt].  This has no fillers or preservatives.  In addition to being certified gluten free, this mix is certified kosher, non-GMO project verified, and made in the USA!

Price on Thrive: $5.99 each.  Check out 3 packs at amazon.com.

One With Nature Dead Sea Mineral Soap, Lavender Scent by One With Nature

In addition to food, Thrive Market is a great place to find personal care products.  I also order cleaning products and some baby products!  This soap is cruelty-free, sustainably farmed & sourced, gluten-free, and vegan.  Plus, it smells ah-mazing!  I am a huge fan of this product (and will probably order an unscented bar for Tyler on my next order).

Price on Thrive: $3.19 for a 7oz bar (the bar’s huge!).  Amazon itself doesn’t sell this bar individually, but you can buy a these in 3 packs on amazon.com.  Way cheaper on Thrive Market!

Dead Sea Spa Soap and Thrive Market Lip Balm

Thrive Market Organic Vanilla Mint Lip Balm, 4 pack

I ordered these kinda on a whim.  It’s difficult to find gluten-free chapstick, and I was totally enticed by the vanilla-mint scent.  O.M.G. these are wonderful.  So smooth, and the scent is heavenly.  It even feels kinda minty on your lips.  I think I’ll give some away as gifts, no joke.  In addition to gluten-free, these lip balms are also cruelty free, certified organic, non-toxic, sustainably farmed, paraben-free, and made in the USA.

Price on Thrive: $6.99 for the 4pk (less than $2 per lip balm).  Since this is Thrive brand, Amazon does not have the same product.  But I did a quick search for organic 4pk lip balm and discovered they range from $8-$15.  However, I’m not sure which ones (if any) are gluten-free.

Thrive Market Organic Ghee & Virgin Coconut Oil

Thrive Market Brand Organic Ghee & Coconut OilRemember when I said I’d get back to the free product with purchase thing?  Well, this was my free product for placing a $59 order.  I honestly just fill up my Thrive cart and wait for an email about a free product with that day’s purchase and order away!  I’ve gotten free products with each order ranging in values from $8-$25!  In my first few orders I made back my subscription cost in free bonus products alone.

Price on Thrive: $10.99 for a 13.5oz jar.  Click here to see similar products at amazon.com.

It’s hard to see how much I really saved shopping on Thrive (since many products on Amazon only came in 3 or 6 pks instead of individually), but I’m estimating I saved around $15 not including the free product I received worth $10.99.  Two orders like this would recoup the subscription cost.  Plus, I didn’t have to drive anywhere or push two toddlers demanding fruit snacks through the store.  Is Thrive Market worth the subscription?  YES!

Update: Watch me opening my most recent order here:

Thrive Market Order: August 2018

Thrive Market Unboxing August 2018

Have you seen the ads for Thrive Market and wondered if it actually lives up to the hype? I do about 1 order a month from Thrive Market to stock up on essentials and try fun new products! Thrive is one of the tools that helps us live gluten-free STRESS-FREE! If you’re curious, use my referal code to get 1 free month of Thrive Market and 25% off your first order: http://thrv.me/thehelpfulgf

Do you use Thrive Market? Tell us your favorite products in the comments below! Don’t forget to share this video with your friends. 🙂

Wanna know more about Thrive Market? Read my in-depth review here: https://thehelpfulgf.com/is-thrive-market-worth-it/
Want to learn mroe about gluten-free certification and what it means? Click here: https://thehelpfulgf.com/gluten-free-certification-and-labeling-unraveling-gluten-free-shopping-in-the-united-states/

Posted by The Helpful GF on Saturday, August 18, 2018

Ok, so you’ve learned about Thrive Market and peeked at my orders to see how much I’ve saved using Thrive, we’re back to our original question.  Is buying a subscription to Thrive Market worth it?  While not every product is cheaper than Amazon, Thrive is definitely competitive.  Plus, I personally find the ease of use makes Thrive Market worth $5 a month.  Take the plunge and try it now, for free plus take an additional 25% off your first order!  You have nothing to lose—except, maybe, driving to 3 different grocery stores each week trying to find all your gluten-free essentials.

Are you ready to do gluten-free living totally STRESS-FREE? Get FREE instant access to my online library of free printables designed to make your gluten-free lifestyle totally easy!


Are you a current Thrive Market user?  Do you find your subscription to Thrive Market worth it?  If so, comment below with your favorites from Thrive!

Is thrive market worth the subscription?Is thrive market worth it pin imageis thrive market worth the subscription price

 

Birthday Bash: Gluten-Free Cake and Icing Reviews

 

This is a master list of the best gluten-free boxed cake mixes and premade frostings with reviews! Pin now, reference later so you can make baking gluten-free desserts easy whether you want a cake, cupcakes, or are using a cake mix to make cookies, bars, or other sweet treat! Rated by taste, whether they’re moist or dry, and more! reviews include: King Arthur, Simple Mills, and Bob’s Red Mill!

Birthday Bash: Gluten-Free Cake and Icing Reviews

This post contains affiliate links.  These links help me to earn enough money to refill my coffee so I can keep up with life!  My full disclosure isn’t that interesting, but you can find it here.

One of the questions I get the most from readers is: “What is the best gluten-free cake mix?”  Whether getting ready for a birthday party or wanting to use a gluten-free cake mix as the base of another recipe entirely (like bars or cookies), finding a good gluten-free cake mix opens up many gluten-free baking possibilities!  Keep on reading for reviews of gluten-free cake mix and frosting!

Gluten-Free Cake Mix

King Arthur Gluten-Free Yellow Cake Mix

King Arthur is a brand I enjoyed even before I knew gluten-free was a thing.  Their baking mixes (regular and gluten-free) are delicious and when I first started experimenting with gluten-free baking I started with King Arthur mixes.  When I read the ingredient list on the box of the King Arthur gluten-free yellow cake mix I was relieved to see that it didn’t contain gluten, dairy, soy, or nuts!  The box even has clear directions on the back for how to keep the cake dairy-free.  Score!

To make this cake mix you will need to add:

  • ½ cup butter (to keep it dairy-free and soy-free I used Earth Balance Soy Free)
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil (I used this avocado oil)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2/3 cup milk (to keep it dairy/nut/soy free I used this coconut milk)

I baked my cake in my 12 inch Wilton Aluminum Round Cake Pan and sprayed it with Chosen Foods avocado oil spray since it doesn’t contain soy as a propellant.  The directions require you to use an electric mixer.  I used my Kitchen Aid Artisan Stand Mixer with the flat beater.

So, what was the verdict?

Pros:

Baked King Arthur Gluten-Free cake, yellow mix
The cake right when I took it out of the oven–perfectly golden!
  • Ummm… this cake is DELICIOUS!
  • It’s moist (not crumbly or dense as you find in so many other gluten-free cakes)
  • It held up well coming out of the pan
  • King Arthur’s gluten-free products are certified gluten free by GFCO.  Learn more about certification in this post.

Cons:

  • If you haven’t made a King Arthur mix before, there are more steps involved than a typical cake mix that you just throw together and toss in the oven. It’s a bit labor intensive, but not at all difficult.

Overall Score: 5/5

This is the cake mix I most often bring to events or parties.  Often, people will choose it and like it  more than the gluten-filled desserts.  This truly is a delicious mix.

Although you can find this product at many local grocery stores and on Amazon.com, I find that it is usually cheaper at Thrive Market.

Click here to read more about Thrive Market and why I love it!

Are you ready to do gluten-free living totally STRESS-FREE? Get FREE instant access to my online library of free printables designed to make your gluten-free lifestyle totally easy!

Simple Mills Vanilla Cupcake & Cake Mix

This gluten-free cake mix is a great option if you are trying to eat paleo-friendly!  It’s an easy one to whip together, plus it only contains a few simple ingredients (yes, simple).  The box has directions for making one 8 inch round cake or 12 cupcakes.

To make this gluten-free cake mix you’ll need:

I baked it in my 8 inch Wilton Aluminum Round Cake Pan sprayed with Chosen Foods avocado oil spray dusted with the cake mix (per box directions).  I whisked the mix with my silicone whisk.

Pros:

Simple Mills Vanilla Gluten-Free Cake Mix
The finished product–while you can’t really see the cake itself, you can tell that it held up its shape well out of the pan and didn’t cave in!
  • This gluten-free cake mix is not only certified gluten-free, but grain-free and only contains 6 ingredients!
  • It’s paleo-friendly, dairy-free, and soy-free (it does contain nuts however).
  • Quick and easy to mix up and get in the oven!
  • The box directions of dusting the pan was great for ensuring that it did not stick
  • The cake was moist (not crumbly like many grain-free cake recipes)
  • The vanilla taste was prominent and super yummy!

Cons:

  • We used grapeseed oil in the mix, and there was a hint of the taste.  The next time we make it we will experiment with different oils.

Overall Score: 4.5/5

Although you can find this product at many local grocery stores and on Amazon.com, I find that this also is often cheaper at Thrive Market.

Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Vanilla Yellow Cake Mix

Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flours and cake mixes have been around for years.  They’ve been in the gluten-free business a loooong time, so they have a large variety of products!  One bag of this gluten-free cake mix makes a lot of batter.  It can make 2- 8in or 9in round pans, a 9x13in pan, or 18-20 standard sized cupcakes.

To make this gluten-free cake mix, you’ll need:

  • 3 eggs
  • butter or vegetable oil (we used butter)
  • water

We made ours in a 9×13 pan sprayed with Chosen Foods avocado oil spray and mixed with my Kitchen Aid Artisan Stand Mixer using the whisk attachment.

Pros:

Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Yellow Cake
We didn’t dress this up fancy, because it was becoming trifle!
  • The flavor of this cake mix is a pretty classic vanilla cake flavor
  • One package makes a lot of cake
  • The package also includes directions to make a white cake

Cons:

  • The cake is a bit crumbly
  • The finished product can turn out dense (which is why I beat it with the whisk attachment to give it some more air)

Overall Score: 3.5/5

While we buy this mix frequently, we don’t usually eat it straight up as cake.  This is a mix we often turn into something else (most recently my mom used it as the cake base in trifle).  When we have this mix, we often reference our book: The Cake Mix Doctor Bakes Gluten-Free to ‘doctor’ it up!

Keep on reading for reviews of premade gluten-free frosting AND an awesome FREEBIE just for you.

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Gluten-Free Frosting

Simple Mills Organic Chocolate Frosting

Canned Simple Mills Organic chocolate frosting when stirred in the can
The frosting when I first stirred it in the can, you can see it’s super airy!

My little 2 year old niece is not only gluten-free, but dairy-free, soy-free, and nut-free.  Finding a gluten-free premade frosting can be challenging enough, but throwing in dairy, soy, and nut free also?  I wondered if it would be impossible.  With all the other things that pile up on to-do lists, I don’t want to think about making something from scratch.  When I found this canned frosting, I was so excited!  I knew that I could pair it with the King Arthur gluten-free cake mix above and have a cake that is safe for her to eat too!  It can also be paired with the Simple Mills cake mixes to stay fairly Paleo friendly.  I followed the directions and ensured that the frosting was room-temperature before attempting to spread it on my cake.   Here’s my review:

 

Pros:

Gluten-free cake made with King Arthur's gluten-free cake mix and Simple Mills organic chocolate frosting
The finished product!
  • Comes in a can, ready to go.  No prep!
  • Only 8 clean, easy recognizable, ingredients (have you looked at the ingredients lists of other canned frosting??)
  • The flavor is yummy! It’s very chocolatey. (Due to coconut oil as a main ingredient I was concerned about an overpowering coconut taste. There isn’t one!)

Cons:

  • It was a little difficult to spread. The frosting was very thick, so it was a bit tricky to spread it without tearing the cake.  Note: tricky but not  I was able to frost an entire cake without many crumbs at all!  It just took some extra care.
  • When we sliced & served the cake, the frosting stuck to the cake server instead of the cake.

Overall Score: 4/5

Update: We just tried Simple Mills’ Vanilla Frosting.  It was good too–I personally like the chocolate better (because, chocolate!), but Tyler was a bigger fan of the vanilla.  I personally found the vanilla to be more sweet and less rich than the chocolate.  Also, due to the stickiness and stiffness of the frosting when I used it before, I microwaved this can (remove the foil first!) for 7 seconds and then stirred it up.  It was SO easy to spread!

Be sure to add some of these gluten-free cake mixes to your meal plan and shopping list.  I created a weekly meal planner and shopping list just for you!

Download it for free here and get instant access to all my whole FREE resource library designed to make your gluten-free lifestyle totally easy!

 

This is a master list of the best gluten-free boxed cake mixes and premade frostings with reviews! Pin now, reference later so you can make baking gluten-free desserts easy whether you want a cake, cupcakes, or are using a cake mix to make cookies, bars, or other sweet treat! Rated by taste, whether they’re moist or dry, and more! reviews include: King Arthur, Simple Mills, and Bob’s Red Mill!This is a master list of the best gluten-free boxed cake mixes and premade frostings with reviews! Pin now, reference later so you can make baking gluten-free desserts easy whether you want a cake, cupcakes, or are using a cake mix to make cookies, bars, or other sweet treat! Rated by taste, whether they’re moist or dry, and more! reviews include: King Arthur, Simple Mills, and Bob’s Red Mill!This is a master list of the best gluten-free boxed cake mixes and premade frostings with reviews! Pin now, reference later so you can make baking gluten-free desserts easy whether you want a cake, cupcakes, or are using a cake mix to make cookies, bars, or other sweet treat! Rated by taste, whether they’re moist or dry, and more! reviews include: King Arthur, Simple Mills, and Bob’s Red Mill!

Top Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Coffee Creamers: NutPods vs. Ripple

gluten free dairy free coffee creamer pin 1

Top Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Coffee Creamers

This post reviews the top gluten-free dairy-free coffee creamers in alphabetical order.  Scroll on down to find the one you’re interested in!

I have a confession to make:  I love coffee.  Ok, ok, I know that coffee is super popular.  But in all seriousness, I don’t feel gypped when we’re out and there are no gluten-free dessert options.  Why?  Because usually—there’s coffee.  And coffee is gluten-free.

Now, some of my coworkers may claim that I don’t really like coffee because I don’t drink it black.  And to that I just shrug and say, “Please pass the half and half!”  To each their own.

One sad, sad day, I began to realize that dairy really made my tummy hurt.  In my memory it was a rainy, cold day, but I digress.  I tried to ignore it, but I couldn’t, and I started replacing my dairy products with non-dairy products one by one, but that half and half in my coffee?  It stayed.

I tried to drink it with straight-up almond milk.  I tried blending my coffee with coconut oil.  After a while, I gave up and tried to just drink it black.  It wasn’t the same.  I missed my coffee with cream.  So, I went on a search to find the best gluten-free, dairy-free coffee creamers.  I searched the internet, I posted in Facebook groups.  Here are my discoveries that you’ll be wanting to add to your next grocery list.

I designed a weekly meal planner template & shopping list just for you! Get FREE instant access to it, and my full online library of printables designed to make your gluten-free lifestyle totally easy here!

Coffee Mate Natural Bliss Almond Milk Creamer

One of the great things about this creamer is that it’s available in most grocery stores.  I was a bit weary of it–wondering if the quality would be up to standard for creaminess. But overall–it was decent!

Pros:Natural Bliss Dairy Free Creamer

  • Easy to find in stores
  • Non-GMO
  • The taste is pretty good!

Cons:

  • It separates (like curdling) in your coffee
  • Not as thick as half and half

Overall score: 3/5

I would buy this again–if I couldn’t find another alternative.

Nutpods Creamer

When I searched the internet for the best gluten-free dairy-free coffee creamers, this one was the highest recommended.  I was hesitant to spend the money and try it after trying regular almond milk and coconut milk in my coffee.  However, I was pleasantly surprised!  Nutpods come in a variety of flavors (including seasonal ones!)–I tried the unsweetened French vanilla flavored creamer.

Pros:

Nutpods French Vanilla in my morning coffee
  • Whole 30 approved
  • Non-GMO
  • Vegan
  • Shelf-stable until opened (you can stock up!)
  • Multiple flavors (I tried the French vanilla, but it also comes in original, hazelnut, and even vanilla lemon)
  • It froths well (do any of you use one of these to mix your coffee? I do sometimes, and this creamer froths up well!)

Cons:

  • Slight coconutty taste (this should be obvious, but it didn’t really taste like half and half, it tasted coconutty. The flavor was good—just not the flavor of plain coffee with half and half)
  • Not as thick as dairy half-and-half. I used about twice as much as normal dairy creamer to get the creaminess you see in this photo.
  • Slightly grainy (As you can see in my picture, the creamer didn’t blend as well as regular dairy creamer. While it does look kind of grainy, it didn’t really taste grainy)

Overall Score: 3.5/5

Not only are these in the grocery store, but you can find great deals on these online!

Click here to shop now through Amazon and see all their flavors–regular and seasonal!

You can also get a great deal on NutPods with Thrive Market.  If you’ve never tried Thrive Market I encourage you to read about my experience with Thrive Market here.  PS–click here to save 25% on your first order!  Don’t you love deals?

Ripple Half-and-Half

I discovered Ripple while I was just browsing through one of my local grocery stores.  I’d seen commercials for their pea milk, but never tried it.  I was pleasantly impressed by this one!

Pros:

Ripple Vanilla Half & Half in my coffee
  • Non-GMO
  • Vegan
  • No cholesterol or saturated fat
  • It’s creamy and blends into your coffee like real dairy creamer
  • No weird aftertaste
  • Available in a regular, unsweetened flavor which is great for substituting as half and half in recipes
  • Available in your local grocery store

Cons:

  • Since I’m being honest, it doesn’t taste exactly like dairy-based creamer, but it is very close!
  • It’s made from peas (my very adventurous, food-loving husband is totally weirded out that it is made from pea protein. I personally don’t think that’s a turn-off.  However, he insists that although he agrees it tastes drastically more like dairy half-and-half than any other dairy-free coffee creamer I’ve brought home, he doesn’t want peas in his coffee)

Overall Score: 4.5/5

Have you tried any of these dairy-free coffee creamers?  Share your experience and comment below!

Don’t forget to download a FREE printable weekly menu planner & shopping list so YOU can do gluten-free living totally STRESS-FREE!  Plus, gain FREE instant access to my online library of free printables designed to make your gluten-free lifestyle totally easy!

5 Reasons Why Arbonne is a Great Gluten-Free Company

This post contains affiliate links.  These links help me to earn enough money to refill my coffee so I can keep up with life!  My full disclosure isn’t that interesting, but you can find it here.  Also, all Arbonne links in this post link to my BFF Erin Lopez’s Arbonne store.  If you choose to order product from her, she rocks and will be happy to answer any questions.

Although I’ve been exploring the world of gluten-free products for over 7 years (read more about my family’s gluten-free journey here!), it wasn’t until after Tyler and I were married that I realized non-food products could also contain gluten.  The thought never popped into my head that my skin care, cosmetics, or personal care products could contaminate him with gluten!  I began reading labels of my cosmetics and my skin care products.  Googling the internet.  Contacting customer service representatives.  Wow. I thought food labeling was difficult to understand–the world of cosmetics is another issue entirely!

In 2017, my best friend had an Arbonne party.  I said I’d watch the presentation to support her—and wow!  I got about 5 minutes into it and I was already thumbing through the catalog and making a wish list!  Here are the 5 things that sold me on buying some Arbonne:

1. Arbonne’s products are certified gluten free through the Gluten-Free Certification Organization

Gluten-free certification was the biggest deal for me! This means that Arbonne goes one step beyond the current FDA requirements for gluten-free labeling.  Learn more about gluten-free labeling and the Gluten Free Certification organization here.  This gives me an extra level of comfort—especially when using their nutritional line!

2. Arbonne Essentials® Protein Shakes are also certified by GI Labs

Did you know that 6% of Type 1 Diabetics also have Celiac disease?  Actually, it is common practice for Endocrinologists to test their patients for Celiac disease.  Click here to learn more about the connection between Celiac and Diabetes.   My husband has both Celiac and Type 1.  We use Arbonne’s chocolate protein daily in our household.  It’s awesome to know that GI Labs certifies these products.

3. Arbonne has a “not-allowed list.”

The United States has banned 10-20 ingredients from use in cosmetics that the FDA considers harmful. But did you know that the European Union has banned over 1,400?  (uh…. I dunno about you, but that’s a surprising difference)  Arbonne has actually gone a step further than that and has a big list of 2,000 ingredients that they won’t use in any of their products!  What are these ingredients?  They’re ingredients banned in the United States, the other countries Arbonne is sold in, or ingredients that these countries are even considering banning through legislation.  See all 2,000 not-allowed ingredients here.

4. Arbonne is certified vegan and cruelty free.

Maybe you’re saying “so what? I’m not vegan, why do I care?”  In all transparency, that’s what I first thought too.  Certified vegan means that all the products are independently certified to contain absolutely no animal products are by-products.  Basically, Arbonne doesn’t use ingredients such as animal rennet.  Rendering plants produce animal rennet by boiling down parts from animal carcasses until certain enzymes are extracted.  Where do they get animal carcasses?  They primarily come from slaughter houses, but many rendering plants also take road kill, euthanized animals and more.  I’m not fear mongering here…this is just how this process works.  Rennet is used in many products, but the cosmetics/personal care industry uses them the most.

Arbonne is cruelty free because they do not test on animals.  Animal testing always gave me these weird mental images like someone in a lab coat putting blush on a rat.  However, there is a darker side to animal testing and many countries have banned the practice.

5. There are so many other reasons that Arbonne is awesome—if I went into it all my post would completely overflow!

So, I’ll just list a couple here:  Kosher Certified, Non-GMO Project Verified, BSCG Certified Drug-Free, and their sport performance nutritional products are banned substance tested by Informed-Sport.

Those are just 5 reasons I love Arbonne as a company.  Personally, I love that if I’m looking for a gluten-free skincare or make up product I can just go online and order something from Arbonne and know it’s safe for me.  It’s so easy!  Plus, I get free products all the time through their Preferred Client program.

I’ve received free mascara , make up primer, face serum, fizz sticks for mid-day energy boosts, and more!

Are you ready to do gluten-free living totally STRESS-FREE? Get FREE instant access to my online library of free printables designed to make your gluten-free lifestyle totally easy!


Have you tried any Arbonne products recently?  Do you have any products you love?  If so, tell us about it in the comments below!

Gluten-Free Certification and Labeling: Unraveling Gluten-Free Shopping in the United States

This post contains affiliate links.  These links help me to earn enough money to refill my coffee so I can keep up with life!  My full disclosure isn’t that interesting, but you can find it here.

In 2014, the  FDA’s food labeling regulations were enacted.  Basically, in order for any food to be labeled “Gluten-Free” the manufacturer must ensure that the product contains less than 20 ppm (parts per million) of gluten.  While this was a small victory for gluten-free labeling, the manufacturers are not required to test their finished product for the presence of gluten in  any specific way.  If this sounds confusing, it’s because it is!  Therefore, my family and I rely on the following methods to check if products are truly gluten free:

  • Look for an independent gluten-free labeling seal,
  • Read product testing reports at glutenfreewatchdog.org ,
    (Gluten Free Watchdog independently tests products both with gluten-free packaging claims and without and the testing reports online)
  • and contact the manufacturer directly.

In this post, I’m going to unravel the world of what those gluten free logos are that you see on packages, plus give you suggestions of my favorite brands who adhere to the standards so you can add them to your shopping list!

Are you ready to do gluten-free living totally STRESS-FREE? Get FREE instant access to my online library of free printables designed to make your gluten-free lifestyle totally easy!


In the United States, there are currently only 4 gluten-free independent certification agencies.  What is an independent certification agency?  These are agencies which manufacturers can hire to independently test their products for the presence of gluten.  Once a product is deemed to meet the standards of the agency, the manufacturer can then place the agency’s logo on their packaging.  All four agencies exceed the FDA’s requirements.  Here are the 4 gluten-free independent certification agencies whose logos you may see in the United States.

1. Beyond Celiac Endorsed Gluten-Free Certification Program

The GFCP is the first North American Alliance of gluten-free labeling (meaning you will see this logo in both the United States and Canada). This gluten-free certification goes beyond just testing final products for the presence of gluten, but also inspects the manufacturer’s manufacturing process, sourcing, equipment and more.

Some of my favorite brands certified by the GFCP to add to your shopping list are:
Baby Mum-Mum;  Kinnikinnick; Simply Asia; and the live G free line from Aldi

2. Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO)

The GFCO tests both United States and international manufacturer’s finished products to ensure that the final product contains 10ppm or less of gluten.  Beyond this, GFCO inspects equipment and requires manufacturers receiving gluten-free certification to continually submit already-approved products for routine review.

Some of my favorite brands to add to your shopping list who are certified by GFCO are:
Barney & Co; Angie’s BOOMCHICKAPOP; Purely Elizabeth; King Arthur Flour; Primal Kitchen

3. The Public Health and Safety Organization (NSF)

The NSF conducts on-site inspections of their manufacturers’ processes and equipment and certifies through random batch sampling that products test at 15ppm or less of gluten.

Some of my favorite brands with gluten-free certification by NSF are:
TruRoots Ancient Grain; BetterBody Foods. These are some basics to add to your weekly plan and shopping list.

4. National Celiac Association (NCA)

The NCA has very strict standards for gluten-free certification ensuring that each final product tests at 5ppm or less of gluten.

Some of my favorite NCA certified brands that I add to my shopping lists are:
Daiya; Joy Cone Company; Hodgson Mill

 

One place I love to shop for gluten-free food is at Thrive Market.  We don’t have any health stores nearby and Thrive has a great selection (plus, you can filter by diet type: gluten-free, paleo, keto, and more!).  Click here to get a free month trial of Thrive Market and save 25% on your first order!

Learn more about my experience with Thrive Market and what I order regularly here!

PS—Don’t be deceived by brands who have their own ‘label’ which appears official (for example, Frito-Lay’s, Bob’s Red Mill, or General Mills).  While these products may in-fact be gluten-free and safe for consumption by Celiacs and others requiring a strict gluten-free standard, this is not an independent certification.  For products like this, I search Gluten Free Watchdog and contact manufacturers.

Also–make sure you download my FREE printable weekly menu planner and shopping list!  You’ll gain access to my other freebies as well. 🙂

Are you ready to do gluten-free living totally STRESS-FREE? Get FREE instant access to my online library of free printables designed to make your gluten-free lifestyle totally easy!

Ultimate Guide to Gluten Free Certification and Labelingpin image for Gluten-free Certification and labelingpin image for gluten free certification and labeling