Tried & True Reviews -

Some of the items listed below can be found at the

This page chronicles the different products I have tried. I have spent literally hundreds of dollars on allergy-free & "health" foods, many of which have gone straight into the trash.

In addition to shopping online, I frequent supermarkets, specialty & health food stores in search of delicious, allergy-free food my family will enjoy.

Hopefully my reviews will save you some time & money. Drop me a line if there is a review you'd like to see!

I have divided this section into 2 parts: Delights & Duds. I think it is self explanatory :)


Please note: I have included some allergy information for your convenience but please do not solely rely on it. Companies change their ingredient lists all the time or I may have inaccurately listed the presence or absence of an ingredient. Please always read the product labels or contact the company of a product directly prior to purchasing or consuming.



Delights

Breads, Bagels and Breadsticks:

Classic White Rolls by Schar - Gluten Free & Dairy Free. May contain egg & soy.

Jenna could not believe her eyes or her mouth when I served these golden, soft buns. "They look like real bread!" & "Are you sure this has no wheat or milk?" My main issue with these are that they fly off the shelves at my local Wegmans store. Sometimes the top crust separates from the bun so check the package closely before you buy. They are a little pricey (over a $1 a bun) but they make packing her lunch so much easier. Jenna loved rolls and bagels and was most upset by the fact that her allergies prevented her from eating them and that the other alternatives tasted so bad or looked "funny" compared to her classmates'. Hence, I justify the cost. Each 4-pack costs almost $6. Schar has their own online store if you can't find a local retailer (but note that not all their products are dairy free).




Tapioca Rice New York Style Plain Bagels by Kinnikinnick Foods - Gluten Free, Soy Free & Dairy Free. Contains eggs. Produced in a facility that uses sesame & tree nuts.

I can not tell you enough how happy I was to find these bagels! Jenna loves them and it took a while to find a bagel she enjoyed ("Yay! Real bagels!"). They are soft and hold up well without being hard and dense. The insides are "springy" to the touch and taste fresh baked after warming in the microwave. Even though the main ingredient is rice flour, these bagels don't taste like rice flour and thankfully don't have the typical starchy texture of many rice flour products. Jenna enjoys their other varieties as well. Almost $6 for 4 bagels but worth it in our house.


White Rice Pizza Crust by Barkat - Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Corn Free. Contains Potato and may have traces of Soy.

I nearly cried when Jenna had her first gluten free pizza thanks to Barkat. She was so happy and could not believe the pizza before her was one that she could enjoy. I was also thrilled that she was finally getting tomato into her diet again - the only form she'll eat is tomato sauce on pizza only. Topped with my version of "mozzarella cheese" (a dairy free bechamel sauce high in protein), it was a nutritious meal as well. These crusts are expensive, a "personal pan" size of 5.3 oz goes for almost $8.

Pasta:

Quinoa Supergrain Pasta Spaghetti by Ancient Harvest - Gluten Free, Soy Free & Dairy Free. Contains Corn

I like this spaghetti because it has iron (9% per serving) and has a good amount of protein as well. It is yellow in color so it doesn't look like regular spaghetti but it's texture is al-dente and holds up well to sauce. Jenna enjoyed its taste and I like it better than most rice varieties. It's made only with 2 ingredients: corn flour and organic quinoa.

Prepared Foods:

Ian's Popcorn Turkey Corn Dogs by Ian's Natural Foods - Gluten Free, Soy Free, Nut Free, Egg Free & Dairy Free. Contains Corn.

These bite-sized "batter dipped" Turkey dog bites are OK but I won't be buying them again. They usually cost over $5 a box but I bought 2 boxes at $3 each when they were on sale planning to use them for Jenna's lunchbox. . Each 8 oz box contains about 18 pieces. Jenna will eat them but her sister will not and they are not something Jenna requests. I am not a fan of turkey in general. I haven't tried frying these so I don't know if they would be better that way as I have only made them in our toaster oven. The breading tends to crack and sometimes falls off so I don't put these in Jenna's lunch box but it is a quick dinner fix if I am in a pinch. I do like that they are free of most allergens and I love that this company has tried to make many of children's favorite lunch foods. They also have a nice Superfit Kid program where kids can go online and play and redeem points collected from Ian's boxes. Jenna loves the fish sticks made by the same brand.

Cereals:

EnviroKidz Organic Koala Crisp chocolate rice cereal by Nature's Path Foods- Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free & Egg Free.

Another favorite of both Jenna & Nedda. I like that they are not overpoweringly sweet with just the right amount of chocolate, low in fat & sodium and made with organic ingredients. It also has 15% iron per serving. I buy them for under $3 a box. Each box contains about 11 servings (2/3 cup each). Note: it is produced in a facility that contains nuts & soy.




EnviroKidz Organic Gorilla Munch Cereal by Nature's Path Foods- Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free & Egg Free. May contain peanuts, tree nuts & soy.

Another favorite of both Jenna & Nedda. They love the crunch! They hold up well in "milk" and are great for snack bags on the go. I buy them for under $3 a box



Apple Cinnamon Perky O's cereal by Perky's - Gluten Free, Nut Free, Soy Free, Dairy Free & Egg Free.

Jenna enjoys this Cheerios alternative but her sister prefers the Cheerios. They taste pretty good, made with mostly whole grain sorghum flour. 100% natural and 20% iron per serving. I buy them for about $4 a box. Each box contains about 7 servings (3/4 cup each). Note: it is produced in a facility that manufactures products containing soy & gluten but they routinely test their gluten-free products to prevent cross-contamination



Puffins Honey Rice cereal by
Barbara's Bakery - Gluten Free, Nut Free, Dairy Free & Egg Free. Contains Soy. These large puffed squares make a great crunchy snack when you are on the go. Jenna eats this cereal occasionally for breakfast with rice milk (gets very mushy if left for a few minutes) but usually prefers them as a dry snack. Made with whole grains, all natural ingredients and just a touch of sweetness. I make up baggies of these snacks to have on hand. Note: it is produced in a facility that manufactures products containing wheat, tree nuts, soy & dairy.



Cookies:

Ginger Mini Snapz by Pamela's Products - Gluten Free, Nut Free, Soy Free & Dairy Free.
Contains Eggs.

Jenna really likes these very crunchy cookies. They are a bit spicy but have just the right balance of sweetness. Nedda does not care for them because of their spiciness but you can't tell they are gluten free (My family & guests never can tell). There are about 32 cookies in each bag and 3 or 4 cookies per serving. Not much nutritional value but they make a nice non-hydrogenated treat. I get them for about $4 a bag (resealable!) Note: it is produced in a facility that manufactures products containing nuts, milk, eggs & soy.




KinniKritters Animal Cookies by Kinnikinnick Foods - Gluten Free, Nut Free, Dairy Free & Egg Free. Contains Soy.

Quickly becoming my favorite brand, Kinnikinnic Foods have not disappointed to date. They are a dedicated gluten-free facility. They are also much more affordable than many other alternatives and taste great! They have a huge online store that carries all the goodies and treats a child could wish for (chocolate glazed donuts - yum!), most of which are gluten AND dairy free. Check out their online store!

Jenna loves these animal crackers and cute animal shapes (rams, pigs, camels, elephants, horses and others). She requests them often for her lunchbox. They have a slight chalkiness at the end but it is barely noticeable. Under $3 for an 8 oz box with about 88 cookies. Note: it is produced in a facility that manufactures products containing sesame seeds, soy, eggs & tree nuts.


Soft Baked Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies by Enjoy Life - Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Nut Free & Soy Free.

These cookies are soft but only "chewy" in the sense that you have a mouthful to chew. They are not a favorite of Jenna's but her sister Nedda does like them. I wouldn't compare these to the traditional gluten-laden variety but they are OK in their own right. They are vegan and made mostly with Sorghum flour, a flour I prefer but one others might find a tad strong.

Soft Baked Happy Apple Cookies by Enjoy Life - Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Nut Free & Soy Free.

These cookies are soft and almost cake-like. Jenna and Nedda love gingerbread so this was a hit with both girls. These cookies are vegan and made mostly with Sorghum flour, a flour I prefer but others might find it a little strong.

Soft Baked Happy Apple Cookies by Enjoy Life - Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Nut Free & Soy Free.

These cookies are soft and almost cake-like. Jenna likes these as does her sister Nedda. They are vegan and made mostly with Sorghum flour, a flour I prefer but one others might find a tad strong.

Desserts:

Cinnamon Sugar Donuts (frozen) by Kinnikinnick Foods - Gluten Free, Dairy Free & Soy Free. Contains Eggs and may contain traces of sesame seeds or tree nuts.

This a big hit with everyone. I have to remind myself to save them for Jenna! You really can't tell that they are gluten-free at all. They taste like an old-fashioned cake donut. They are also trans-fat free and just the right size for little hands. Each box contains 6 donuts and costs a little over $5 (each donut costs just under a $1). Not much nutritional value but it makes an extra special treat or dessert. I often put one in Jenna's lunchbox if I know her class is celebrating something or I might take one for her dessert when we are going to a dinner party.

Vanilla Glazed Donuts (frozen) by Kinnikinnick Foods - Gluten Free, Dairy Free & Soy Free. Contains Eggs and may contain traces of sesame seeds or tree nuts.

Jenna enjoyed the cinnamon version so much she wanted to try this one. It is definitely another winner in her book and considered an extra special treat.

Decadent Chocolate Cake Mix by Gluten-Free Pantry - Gluten Free, Nut Free, Dairy Free & Egg Free. May contain traces of Soy.

I used this mix to make cupcakes for my daughter. Her class was having a lot of birthday parties one month and she was getting very upset at not being able to have cupcakes with the rest of her class. I made the mix with water and they come out really moist and delicious. I loved the texture - it had a great cake like crumb without being too dense. Jenna loved their shiny tops and said they looked like they came out of the oven "frosted" because of their glazed look. I froze the majority of the dozen on a tray in the freezer until solid and then I stored in a Tupperware container in the freezer. They freeze really well and don't crumble easily when "travelling". The teacher sent a calendar with the dates of planned parties and I'd pop one into her lunchbox and she'd get to enjoy it when the rest of her class was eating their cupcakes.

Snacks:

EnviroKidz Organic Berry Crispy Rice Bar by Nature's Path Foods- Gluten Free, Dairy Free & Egg Free. Contains Soy Oil.

A favorite of both Jenna & Nedda. I like that they are not overpoweringly sweet, low in fat and made with organic ingredients. It also has 4% iron per serving. I buy them when they are on sale for about $3.50 a box. Each box contains 6 bars (1 oz each). Note: it is produced in a facility that contains nuts, soy & dairy.


Table Crackers by Schar - Gluten Free , Soy Free, Egg Free & Dairy Free.

These delightful golden crackers have a "buttery" melt in your mouth texture. Another winner! They are also pricey (almost $6 for the 7 oz package - about 21 crackers) so I don't buy them often but Jenna loves these large, golden crackers plain or made into Sunbutter (sunflower seeds butter - great PB alternative) cracker sandwiches.


Gluten Free Pretzel Sticks by Glutino - Gluten Free , Soy Free, Egg Free & Dairy Free

These are a staple at our house. We all love them. They are light and super crunchy and taste delicious. I keep from eating them to keep costs down because they are a bit pricey for an everyday snack. An 8 oz bag is about $5 and I never have enough on hand to meet Jenna's demands for it at school and at home. They look strikingly like the gluten variety and I stopped by the wheat version for Nedda so that Jenna didn't accidentally eat them. We also enjoy the other varieties of pretzels offered by Glutino accept for the sesame ones due to Nedda's allergy.

Apple Cinnamon Quakes Rice Snacks by Quaker - Gluten Free, Egg Free & Dairy Free. Contains Soy lecithin.

This is a huge hit in our family - I love when they go on sale for $0.99 a bag! Each 3.52 oz bag holds about 48 mini rice cakes. It does have a lot of "extra" ingredients and I prefer the store brand variety that is all natural and soy free but we do buy the Quaker snacks often.

Natural Sunbutter by SunGold Foods - Dairy Free, Gluten Free & Peanut Free

Finally! A delicious alternative to peanutbutter. Their 1lb jar makes quite a few sandwhiches so is worth the $5 in my book. I love it because it makes great sandwhiches for school. Jenna & Nedda both love it and it tastes/looks/smells a lot like peanut butter. The texture is a little more runny and can ooze out of the sandwhich if you put too much but this is now a staple in our house. Sunbutter is made from sunflower seeds and has no hydrogenated oils and or transfats. I love that it is packed with Vitamin E, iron (8%), and fiber . It offers the same level of protein that peanut butter does so it is really nutritious.


Duds

Breads, Bagels and Breadsticks:

Cinnamon Raisin Bagels (frozen) by Enjoy Life - Gluten Free, Nut Free, Soy Free, Dairy Free & Egg Free.

My family did not enjoy these at all! They are very dense and only look like a bagel. The product itself is very hard and difficult to take a bite out of and chew. The cinnamon was too intense, almost peppery in its spiciness. Unfortunately, these went right into the trash. Jenna used to love eating cinnamon raisin bagels when she could eat wheat and was very disappointed by this version. I couldn't eat them either. Each bag contains 5 small bagels (91 grams each). At more than a $1 a bagel, your money is best spent elsewhere.

Update: I was informed that if you toast these bagels prior to serving them, the texture is enhanced and resembles a regular bagel somewhat better. I had only heated them in the microwave.


Prepared Foods:

Ian's Chicken Nuggets by Ian's Natural Foods - Gluten Free, Soy Free, Nut Free, Egg Free & Dairy Free. Contains Corn.

These are not bite-sized and are actually balls not nugggets. The centers are very dry and unseasoned. We are all disappointed in them. They usually cost over $5 a box but I bought 2 boxes at $3 each when they were on sale planning to use them for Jenna's lunchbox. I still have a box in the freezer because no one will eat them . I haven't tried frying these so I don't know if they would be better that way as I have only made them in our toaster oven or microwave. The breading holds up well, they just don't taste very appetizing. I like that they are free of most allergens and I love that this company has tried to make many of children's favorite lunch foods. They also have a nice Superfit Kid program where kids can go online and play and redeem points collected from Ian's boxes. Jenna loves the fish sticks made by the same brand.