Most of the candy bars I grew up eating are gluten-free. They are also made with a lot of not so healthy – or even real – ingredients. Therefore, I try not to indulge in them much anymore. All of the cookies I ate growing up contain gluten, of course. Even though I’m more of a salty snack lover than a chocoholic or candy lover, I like to have tasty gluten-free options in all food categories. You never know when you’ll be in the mood for a crunchy candy bar, after all.
About two years ago (I think), I found Glutino Wafer Cookies at my local health food store. I picked up the chocolate covered vanilla creme version and found the cookies to be perfectly chocolaty and crunchy. I didn’t much care for the version with chocolate creme, but as I said, I’m not a chocoholic. The cookies are small, but very filling. The wafers are crispy and do not have any odd taste, mouth feel or aftertaste. The same can not be said for several other gluten-free cookies I’ve tried. If there is anything that tastes “off” to me, the product goes on my “do not buy again” list. I had to start this list many moons ago, when I noticed that I’d forget I bought something a year ago and didn’t like it – and then I bought it again.
About a year ago, I found the Glutino Candy Bars at my health food store. I tried the Dark Chocolate and the Chocolate Peanut Butter flavors. The Dark Chocolate bars didn’t do anything for me. They were not bad – they were just not my cup of tea. However, the Chocolate Peanut Butter bars (covered in milk chocolate) were exceptional! Obviously, you have to like the combination of peanut butter and chocolate in order to enjoy such a bar. I’ve been known to spread peanut butter on a Hershey’s chocolate bar, so I guess I fit that bill.
The Glutino Chocolate Peanut Butter candy bars actually remind me of a mainstream wafer chocolate and peanut butter cookie, but it’s been so long since I had them that I can’t even recall the name right now. Maybe someone out there knows what I’m thinking about. Anyway, the Glutino bars are really wonderful and my only complaint is that they can’t be stored in the car in my emergency food stash. The chocolate will melt in our climate in the car except in the dead of winter. There is even a disclaimer about them possibly melting during shipping (direct to consumers, not stores) during warm months on their website. If we travel with the candy bars, we pack them in a cooler and then let them warm up before eating. They are not that great cold, in my opinion.
Glutino makes many great items including, but not limited to, pretzels, crackers, cereals, breads, bagels, baking mixes and frozen dinners. You can usually find their products at Whole Foods and most health food stores. These days, even some mainstream grocery stores carry some of their products. I found the crackers at Publix recently. You can also purchase Glutino products online at Amazon.com.
My name is Kim and I am a chocoholic! LOL! I need to try these! I have always passed them up before because there are so many mainstream candy bars I could eat.
Kim
I love all the information and the advances andgrocery stores that accomadate to all of the glutan free people. I am still a bit frustrated, because my daughter has shown more than a gluten intolerance… she has to stay away from dairy, and corn and rice! I am so frustrated as I do not have much help regaurding these intoleraces. Our only saving grace is potatoes! Help!