Marshall’s Gluten-Free Finds

Most people probably don’t go shopping for food at Marshall’s discount store, but time and again I’ve found some interesting gluten-free labeled foods at that store. On my last visit there, I found some great tea that I’d found there in the past. It’s the Tea of Life brand and both types of teas I’ve purchased at Marshall’s are labeled gluten-free. The tins are really nice and reusable. Both the Earl Grey and English Breakfast teas from Tea of Life are wonderful.

There are always some imported pasta sauces at Marshall’s that are labeled gluten-free, but none of them have ever been what I consider a great value. Therefore, I have not purchased any and I don’t recall the brand names. Gluten-free pasta sauces are a dime a dozen anyway so I don’t feel the need to pay for imported brands of that type of item.

A new gluten-free find during my last visit to Marshall’s were Baked Lentil Chips from The Mediterranean Snack Food Company. Right on the front of the bag it says the chips are gluten-free and on the back on the package, it states “vegan and celiac friendly”. The chips are all natural and fairly healthy for a snack food. There is 12% of the RDA of fiber in them and 4 grams of protein in each serving.

I decided to buy the sea salt and cracked pepper lentil chips, even though I need another gluten-free snack like I need a hole in the head. The 4.5 oz. bag was $2.99 which isn’t a great value in my opinion. However, I like the fact that the chips are labeled gluten-free so I decided to try them. The chips were pretty good with a very nice texture, but there was some subtle flavor in them that I didn’t care for. The chips work really well for dips because they are so thick. I’m going to try the Cucumber Dill version if I find it. Please note that not all products in this line are gluten-free.

Here is some interesting information about the company from the Mediterranean Snack Foods website:

• We are committed to providing the best natural snack products for our customers who we consider part of our family.
• Our products are grown naturally, free from any additives, chemicals and genetic modification.
• We are long term partners with our customers and retailers, and value our relationship with them.
• We are committed to supporting the local communities we serve and the longevity of all our partners, employees and suppliers that work with us.

It’s common for people to start limiting themselves in many ways after they’re told to follow the gluten-free diet for health reasons. It pays off to think outside the gluten-free box whenever you get the chance. Instead of thinking about things you can’t do or foods you can’t eat, it’s much more fun to focus on the great foods you can have and modify your activities to fit your new life. When it comes to shopping for foods, consider all the possibilities around you. There is no need to limit yourself to shopping at expensive health food stores only or even to just grocery stores. I’ve found terrific soups, gluten-free licorice and much more at stores that most people don’t think of for food shopping. It really can be fun to be gluten-free!