I still have distinct memories of my trips to the grocery store during the months after Craig and I were first married. They were long and slow. I was a practiced label-reader when it came to chemicals, unnecessary additives, toxic ingredients and dyes, but I was new to the world of gluten free eating. The labels could be tricky.

There were the “gluten free” labels. The “certified gluten free” labels. The items with no designation, but which should be gluten free. Oddly enough, if I spent enough time on the ingredients list, usually at the end of it would be the statement, “contains: wheat.” Sigh. Put it back on the shelf. Ask for the millionth time, Why is gluten in everything?

The answer is complicated, and it involves a lot of unnecessary preservatives, anti-caking agents and fillers in our food.

But rather than get into that today, I want to give you the name of four brands I found over time that we love. They are certified gluten free, and therefore celiac friendly. They are tasty, kid-approved, some are easily found at grocery stores, and others can be ordered from Amazon, or directly from the company’s website. I’ll provide links to the companies below.

Namaste

We use Namaste to swap for:

Flour, pancake mix, pizza crust, muffin and scone mix, all-purpose baking mix, cake mixes

It’s rare for me to find this brand at Kroger or our other local grocery stores. When I do see it, it’s generally at health food stores like Whole Foods, or whatever equivalent is in your area. I usually find it most economical to order the mixes we use from Amazon*. A quick search will bring up many options.

Simple Mills

We use Simple Mills to swap for:

Brownies, dessert bread mixes (banana bread is our favorite), crackers, cookies, muffin and cake mixes, frosting

In our area in Michigan, I can usually find some Simple Mills options in the grocery store. Kroger carries them (usually brownie and bread mixes, along with crackers), and Costco often carries their banana bread and sea salt crackers in bulk. For the less known items, such as the frosting and cookies, I most easily find those on Amazon*.

Schar

We use Schar to swap for:

Bread, bagels, noodles, bread crumbs, crackers, cookies, snacks, desserts

I can occasionally find some Schar products in local grocery stores. Most often, they carry Schar’s bread and bagels—and as far as gluten free bread goes, Schar is our favorite option when we can find it. A small local grocery store recently began carrying Schar products, but other than that, I usually have to order. Amazon* sometimes has variety boxes for sale that include a hodgepodge of dessert and snack items, and those are a huge it in our house.

Krusteaz

We use Krusteaz to swap for:

Muffin mix, cake mix, pancakes

This is generally an easy brand to find in most major grocery stores. The one thing to watch for is that unlike the other brands above, Krusteaz also makes non gluten free mixes, and they are frequently placed together on the shelf. The gluten free boxes are clearly labeled, but you’ll want to watch to make sure you grab the correct one. Also, do yourself a favor and buy the gluten free blueberry muffins. They are amazing. :) And, they can also be found on Amazon*.

*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.