Monday, December 13, 2010

Allergen-Free Bread – Foods for Life

When you need to eat while avoiding wheat, eggs, milk, and soy, finding packaged sandwich bread can be a very difficult task. When we first started looking for breads my son could eat, we’d read the ingredients lists on the packages of the gluten free breads:

Rice flour, fruit juices, soy protein

Or

Rice flour, cornstarch, eggs

And we went on and on reading every package searching for one that didn’t use soy, milk, or eggs.

And then we found it! In the frozen food section I discovered Food for Life Breads. The two we have found that work are the Millet bread, and the Brown Rice Bread. Both are sweetened with fruit juice, and contain an admirably short list of ingredients. Please note that they do contain a warning label that they are processed in a facility that also processes tree nuts.

The favorite in my house is the millet bread. These breads are found in the frozen section of your health food store or grocery store, and best kept frozen until you are ready to use them. You can take out just a few slices at a time, and thaw them in the refrigerator.

I find that they also work best when toasted. If you are using them straight from the freezer I suggest running them through the toaster twice before making your sandwich. Also, these breads tend to have smaller slices that your typical (wheat) bread. My son usually prepares two sandwiches to equal one regular sandwich.

What’s your favorite off-the-shelf allergen-free sandwich bread?

5 comments:

Bethany Niazian said...

Colette, I have a similar problem with finding sandwich bread for my daughter, as in addition to wheat she also is allergice to sunflower oil. There are probably more brands of bread that she can eat than can be eaten in your house, but the only one I've found that really feels and tastes like nice soft but sturdy wheat bread is Berlin Bakery's spelt bread (fortunately my daughter is allergic to wheat, not to all gluten). Unfortuantely that brand is only available at the co-op all the way across town, so when we run out I have to get really creative with her school lunches till I can get over to the co-op again -- Have you or other readers have found any other breads that are still the right texture but without wheat or sunflower oil?

Colette said...

Bethany, are you okay with spelt even with a wheat allergy? Spelt is actually the same family as wheat and many have problems with it (including my family).

Another bread I really like is actually a wrap -- Sandwich Petals -- as far as I know you can only get them online -- but I order a couple boxes at a time and keep them on hand. They are shelf stable for a few months.

smilinggreenmom said...

I am so glad our little boy does not have a wheat allergy - he already has SO MANY other ones. I noticed Bethany has a daughter with sunflower allergy, that's one of our son's too and I have yet to meet anyone else with this one! Our son has had a tough time since he was a baby with food allergies, intolerances and awful eczema. Thankfully, he started taking Belly Boost probiotics and has gotten so much better now...and can eat so much more and his skin looks great. It has been a long road but we are so thankful for his improvement. Oh and YES! We buy Arnold's Whole Wheat Bread and it is a great texture, soft, whole grain and no sunflower!!!

Colette said...

smilinggreenmom -- love your posting name! Yes, sunflower is not a common allergy -- but it's funny how so many people are allergic to something mainstream.

smilinggreenmom said...

Thanks Colette :D I need to go check and see if you are on twitter? I am @smilinggreenmom there too and smilinggreenmom.com if you ever want to visit! Our little guy has been through a lot but I am so thankful he is better - I love to connect with others and share info and help support each other. It's nice to have that! So glad I found you!