Udi's Gluten Free Foods Review

There isn't anyone in our household who requires a gluten free diet, however we do have relatives and friends who do.  In addtion, when I was still in the classroom I had a number of students on a gluten free diet and would be asked for gluten free food recommendations by their parents.  I didn't have a lot of experience with gluten free foods at the time, so I was interested when the opportunity to try several of Udi's Gluten Free Foods came my way.

We were sent a box with a very generous sampling of Udi's Gluten Free Foods.  Everything was packaged so nicely.  We dug right into the box. 

Here's what we found inside, from top to bottom & left to right:

Pizza Crust 2 Pack

Snickerdoodle Cookies

Blueberry Muffins

Cinnamon Raisin Bagels

Whole Grain Bread Loaf

It was really fun tasting all the different goodies that got sent us.  I don't think I'd ever had a gluten free product before these.  I wasn't expecting them to taste exactly like their non special diet version counter parts and tried to go in with an open mind.  But it can be hard not to compare them to the things were are used too.  Some were bigger hits that others and I'd like to highlight our two favorites.

Overall, I thought the Blueberry Muffins tasted the most like their regular non gluten free versions.  I enjoyed them very much and ate them right out of the box, nothing added to them.  They made a great breakfast and were so good I'd find myself wanting another later for a snack.  They were a good sized portion, very filling, with a satisfying blueberry taste.  There are several yummy sounding muffin flavors available and I'm pretty sure I'd like each one but the Chocolate I'd really be interested in! 

Available in packages of 4 with a suggest retail price of $6.

My five year old's favorites were the hands down the Snickerdoodle Cookies.  Soft and chewy with a bit of crunch from the cinnamon these went really quickly.  She wanted one, every time she got pick a treat and if I see them on sale I would buy her another container of them. She was quite diappointed when they were gone.  Also good enough to make us want to try more of their cookie flavors.

Available in 8 oz packages with a suggested retail of $5.

The Rest of the Story:

In the interest of a complete review, I have to say, one sample we really didn't care for was the Whole Grain Loaf Bread, not liking the taste or texture.  I tried it on it's own as toast and as part of a sandwich, thinking that with other ingredients the difference from our regluar bread might not be as noticiable but I really couldn't find a way to make it palatable.  The bagels we found acceptable. 

I will note that we had some neighbors who eat gluten free try both the bread and bagels and they liked both versions.  They said that versus other gluten free brands they were pretty good and plan to look for them at the locations they are carried near our home.  It would seem that opinions can vary depending on your familiarity with gluten free foods in general.

The Bottom Line:

Would I purchase these for my household, considering we do not have any gluten free dietary concerns? 

Probably not.  Even though we did enjoy their baked good treats, they are higher priced as a specialty food.  However, I would recommend the muffins and cookies to people looking to have a gluten free diet.  They were each tasty and a good way for people with dietary restrictions to indulge.  I'd also suggest trying the pizza crusts two packs, as a good base for make at home pizza.

Like most things, I think gluten free alternatives are something your taste buds adapt to.  If I was eating them all the time I can easily see how one would grow to like them quite a bit.  The slight price difference I could overlook as a trade off for being able to eat gluten free versions of my favorite foods.  I know that as a diabetic I sometimes have to pay more for versions of food that work within my meal plans and don't mind one bit as I know it will help my health in the long run. 

Find out where Udi's Gluten Free Foods are available locally, with their store locator.  They can also now be found at 150 Walmarts.  Look for Udi's soft white bread, soft whole grain bread, plain bagels, chocolate chip cookies, and pizza crust in the bakery department. 

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Disclosure: Complimentary samples were provided for this review, no other compensation was received.  The experiences and opinions expressed within are personal and unbiased.