We know that gluten-free products are literally increasing exponentially. Grocers are devoting more shelf space to this important category, and chefs are becoming more knowledgeable how to help the customer who needs a gluten-free menu. Nor are all baked goods stuck in the freezer section as more bakeries are making inroads into this important space and supplying grocers with breads with a longer shelf life.
Of course, if your needs are most strict as with celiac disease, then your requirements are quite different from those who just have a preference. Dining out can pose a greater challenge, but there’s major improvement without the hassles of just a few years ago.
On the corporate scale, look at companies such as General Mills which have heavily advertised, front of label, their gluten-free line. Rice Chex and Corn Chex, two of the company’s long-standing cereals, now boast their special G-F properties. That’s great news as these products are readily available, and it means you can continue to make the popular Chex Mix as long as you add G-F pretzels such as those by Glutino.
If you follow strict guidelines, then ask stores you regularly shop for their G-F list. Many, such as Trader Joe’s, have quite an extensive product line, and having a printout makes shopping much easier when you know in advance what they carry. Some stores do a fabulous job having label tags that draw your eye to a product that qualifies.
If you are better off without gluten, so-called gluten intolerant, you’ll notice an increase in the number of familiar, everyday products that now list the fact that they are G-F. Study the two labels in the accompanying image and note that the one on the right touts the fact it is Gluten-Free: An important marketing tool. With “Gluten-Free” on the ingredient list, they have expanded their marketing base. Whether they have always been free of gluten or not, there’s a true advantage, a potential new customer base, in spelling out that your product is G-F.
If you look at the ingredient breakdown, you’ll notice they now also identify themselves a having 0 mg of Cholesterol. (Even though they have always been listed as a zero fat product, they want the zero cholesterol specific spelled out, too). Another marketing wave?
The breadth of product choices makes shopping in this category significantly easier than it did even a year ago as G-F product launches continue to increase.
Welcome aboard.
