I’m a huge fan of naturally gluten-free food. It’s usually healthier, usually cheaper, and IMHO, usually tastier, too. That’s especially this time of year when there are a lot of yummy options almost in season!
And yet…there are so many reasons packaged foods do absolutely come 
in handy from time to time, whether it’s because of school, sports, after-school activities and travel, job demands, outdoor activities that prevent easy access or you just need to have something shelf-stable and portable in the car in case of emergency.
I’ve put together a 2014 updated list of some of my favorite healthier options among packaged products, with an eye out towards ones that are lower in sugar, higher in fiber and protein, and less processed. Obviously, you don’t want to forget naturally gluten-free options, too!
Bars:
- Altbars® (vegan)
- Larabars®(vegan) I’m particularly jazzed about the Larabar minis!
- Pure bars®(vegan) Certified GF
- Health Warrior Chia Bars Certified GF
- Prana Bar(vegan)
- Raw Revolution Bars®(vegan)
- Kind bars®
- Bumble Bars®(vegan)
- No Opportunity Wasted bar®
- NuGo bars®–Certified GF
- Zingbars®
- Rise bars®
- Clif Mojo Bars (only some Clif bars are gluten-free–grab carefully)
What do I consider a gluten-free healthy bar? In a nutshell, mostly ingredients your grandmother would recognize, some protein and fiber for fullness and of course, gluten-free.
Snacks:
- Bhuja Snacks®–Certified GF
- Caveman Cookies®
- Enjoy Life® (allergen friendly–none of the top 8 used)
- Funky Monkey Snacks (top 8 allergen-free facility)
- Hail Merry’s®-Certified GF
- Just Tomatoes® Fruits & Veggies
- Mary’s Gone Crackers® –Certified GF
- Nuts.com® (many options are certified GF)
- The Good Bean Roasted Chickpeas–Certified GF
Soups!
- Amy’s has great bean soup options
- Pacific has many soups, including veggie soups
- Progresso has many options that are labeled gluten-free
- Gluten-Free Cafe
Shelf-stable options:
- CookSimple® has a variety of boxed meals (some gluten-free, some not)
- GoPicnic® has pre-packed meals that are shelf-stable. (some vegan options)
- St. Dafour® has tinned meals (some gluten-free, some not)
Cereals: (other great breakfast options here)
- Certified g-free oatmeal—many brands are tested gluten-free: Glutenfreeda, Bob’s Red Mill, Cream Hill Estates, Holly’s Oatmeal and more. Word is, Quaker will also be launching a new gluten-free line in July!
- Bob’s Red Mill Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal®
- Crunchy Flax from Enjoy Life®
- Erewhon Buckwheat and Hemp Cereal®
- Kind Healthy Grain Clusters®
- Mesa Sunrise®
- Emma’s Organics
Breads:
Ah, the task of finding a g-free bread with enough fiber. Try these:
Companies that offer sample boxes
Stumble It!
Awesome list – hope you had a fantastic holiday weekend! xo