In this 20th year of living gluten-free, it feels like some things are sliding backward. After a decade of increasing choices for easy gluten-free food, it’s now harder to find options. Unfortunately, some of these are the only options my system tolerated well.
When I’m at home with a normal workload, this doesn’t pose a large issue. When I’m traveling, RV living, or snowed under, it presents an added layer of stress and difficulty.
It’s not that there aren’t some replacement products on the market that look promising, there are. But the frequency in which these products are missing from the shelves makes them essentially unavailable locally.
- Here are a few of the items I’ve been missing:
- Glutenfreeda Gluten-Free Oats – no longer made
- Glutino Original Crackers https://www.glutino.com/gluten-free-crackers-pretzels/original-soda-crackers – supposedly available through Instacart in my area, but consistently removed after ordering and no longer available at Natural Grocers
- The Fine Cheese Company Gluten-Free Toast for Cheese– listed on Instacart, but only gets delivered in the version that’s not gluten-free
- Annie Chun’s Restaurant Style White Sticky Rice – possibly available at Target today at a price larger than I was paying. No longer available from local Walmart or through Instacart
- Udi’s Blueberry Muffins – no longer available through Instacart or Walmart in my area. This wouldn’t be a problem if my system liked Flax4Life, but alas it doesn’t
There are still breads, English muffins, and bagels that can be purchased across town. There are also mass-produced cereals in most grocery stores. And there are crackers. Simple Mills almond flour crackers seem to be readily available from multiple stores. We haven’t gone backward as far as we were when I started this journey. And that’s a good thing.
On the other hand, we’re back to a place where you may have to start researching new products to fill in some gaps. That can be expensive and frustrating if you already spent time and money, found a great product, enjoyed that product for years, and are now having to start over.
Prices are also increasing. It’s possible that a lack of some raw ingredients have pushed production costs to the point that the market won’t bear a significant profit margin. This could be why we’re seeing products leave some markets.
In general, it seems that niche items are diminishing across the board, not just on gluten-free food shelves. That’s unfortunate. It will make it harder for those with all sorts of special needs to get the products they need for daily life.
At some point, we’ll stop sliding backward and begin moving forward again. It just may not be soon. Lingering effects of one pandemic are staring down another possible one as the H5N1 flu spreads through livestock across the country.
Preparing homemade items in advance of travel or busy times can fill in gaps. Many Cooking2Thrive bread, muffin, biscuit, and cookie recipes freeze well. And preparing these yourself brings the added benefit of eliminating fillers, preservatives, and chemical enhancers. In this sense, sliding backward in convenience may result in sliding forward in health benefits.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
