The crowd of companies that are now offering gluten-free baked goods is getting downright overwhelming. I use the word overwhelming in a good way. Depending on the store that you shop in, there can be almost a dozen choices of gluten-free loaf bread, gluten-free cookies, gluten-free pizza crusts, and so on, and so on, and so on. It wasn’t that long ago that I can remember that if I would be lucky to even find a gluten-free loaf of bread or even a simple cookie — and if I did, they were sort of edible and would be better described as a “bread-like product”.
Here we are in 2011 and there are countless gluten-free baked goods available in natural foods markets like Whole Foods, Wegmans, New Seasons (just to name a few) and even the mainstream markets like Kroger, Albertsons, and Vons. With all of this variety, there are huge variances in cost, taste, and nutritional value. Most would agree that the prices of gluten-free food are high, but as with any specialty item, you will always pay a premium for it. To be honest, it’s a small price to pay to enjoy something that was really unthinkable just a few years ago. In terms of nutritional value, just remember you’re eating baked goods, a lot of times with a lot of sugar, and they are a treat, not a diet staple to lose weight. Gluten-free doesn’t necessarily mean healthy, it just means that there’s no gluten in it :)
With the exception of the many great gluten-free bakeries around the country, I like to think that I’ve tried the vast majority of the store-bought gluten-free baked goods that are currently available. I do have my favorites and you’ll see reviews of those here on the Celiac Handbook Website. French Meadow Bakery is one that I had not tried and lucky enough for me, they sent over some samples of a few of their products. I don’t write reviews for everything that I try, but when they’re good, I always will. They didn’t send me any of their loaf bread, but I did receive their Gluten-Free Cinnamon Raisin Bread, the Gluten-Free Pizza Crust and the Gluten-Free Fudge Brownies.
Gluten-Free Cinnamon Raisin Bread:
The first thing that I have to say about this is that I really liked the fact that it wasn’t overly sweet, a hint of cinnamon and just the right amount of raisins. Like most gluten-free bread, it was much better toasted, but nonetheless, it was delicious. It held butter well without pooling up and running off like so many lesser breads will. It was also a big hit with the kids (none of whom are celiacs — I’m the only one) — being kids, they did want a little more cinnamon on it though. I always like to get their opinions on gluten-free food as a positive review on a gluten-free product from a non-celiac speaks volumes.
Gluten-Free Pizza Crust:
I’ll start by simply saying that the pizza crust was good. The only downside for me was that it was a thin crust (a very thin crust at that) and I tend to like it a bit on the thicker side. The flavor was outstanding and the crunchiness of it is what one would expect from a thin-crust pizza. One tip though: stick to the instructions on heating, if you go even a minute or two over, it tended to get very hard (not a problem for FMB, but more of a problem for me, the one who doesn’t always follow directions). I made three of my favorite pizzas: tomato, basil, and mozzarella; mexican pizza with cheddar cheese, refried beans, jalapenos, and salsa; and then my breakfast pizza — two fried eggs, swiss cheese, and pico de gallo salsa. The crust held up perfectly and was very easy to eat without all of the toppings falling off into your lap — I’ve had this happen with some other crusts.
Gluten-Free Fudge Brownies:
My first reaction to the brownies was that they seemed a bit small. While one of them would be a perfect snack, if they’re sitting in front of you (and you lack will power like me), you might eat three or four (or even five) at a time. They come frozen and require a little time to thaw out. I tried heating one of them up in the microwave when I needed some instant gratification, but that didn’t work out as well as I had hoped. Being patient usually works out much better. Thawing them out for an hour did the trick and they were wonderful. Funny enough, in one of my, “I want it now” fits, I ate one frozen and surprisingly, it was really good. After a few seconds thawing out in my mouth, it was cool and chewy — not something you generally associate with brownies, but it worked for me. I even turned my kids onto the frozen brownies and they now prefer them that way. I’m not sure it would work with all brownies, but the only thing that really matters here is that it did.
Another added bonus for French Meadow Bakery is that all of their gluten-free products are made in a dedicated facility and they are certified Gluten-Free by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization, a program of Gluten Intolerance Group of North America. This is something that few gluten-free products can say and something that really does increase my trust of a product. I know of a few products out there that are labelled gluten-free, but I won’t even come close to them as I’ve had some bad experiences in the past. When I see a company willing to go out of the way to get the certification, it always puts a smile on my face.
All in all, I would recommend French Meadow Bakery to anyone in search of gluten-free baked goods. Relatively easy to prepare and kid-friendly. They’re a great choice for families that aren’t baking on their own, for school lunches for the little GF family members, and a great thing to have on hand if you find yourself entertaining some GF guests.
For more information on French Meadow Bakery or to find a store that carries their products, visit their Website. You can also find them on Facebook.
