R.O.C.K. Charlotte GF Dining / Shopping
Gluten Free, Kid Tested, & Parent Approved
Favorite Restaurants With Gluten Free Menus or Options
We've been right where you are. The "deer in headlights" look you get when trying to shop or eat out in places you never purchased food before. Health Food Store brands were an anomaly to us too until our children had a celiac diagnosis. Hopefully the following information will help your family on their journey...
There are several rules of thumb to follow when trying to adhere to a gluten free diet and eating out in a restaurant.
1. The saying is that the squeaky wheel gets the grease - So if your favorite restaurant doesn't carry gluten free yet - then ask if they can.
2. Never assume that something can't go wrong or cross contamination can't happen - Because it can.
3. If anything does not meet your expectation, the best thing to do is to politely explain the complaint to the management. If you think about how hard it is for you to manage gluten free at home in a controlled atmosphere, just imagine how hard it is for them to make it right. We want to encourage more options, not limit the ones we have.
3. If anything does not meet your expectation, the best thing to do is to politely explain the complaint to the management. If you think about how hard it is for you to manage gluten free at home in a controlled atmosphere, just imagine how hard it is for them to make it right. We want to encourage more options, not limit the ones we have.
The only restaurant none of the above applies to in the Charlotte area is Posana Cafe in Asheville, N.C. Posana has breakfast, lunch and dinner 100% gluten free, organic, and fresh! Wouldn't it be nice to be able to order anything you want from the only menu in the restaurant? Beautiful atmosphere and relaxed dining in the mountains.
The Charlotte Celiac Connection has the best comprehensive list of Gluten-Free friendly restaurants and menus available in the greater Charlotte area. Please visit their links here:
Favorite Gluten Free Bread & Flour
We have tasted many breads on the market with a lot of disappointments along the way. But the good news is more keep coming out on the market and quite a few are very good.
We use Gluten Free Pantry GF Favorite Sandwich Bread or GF Country French Bread Mix for the breadmaker. Both mixes make a really tasty bread, especially when still warm and fresh. We also love their GF Gingerbread Mix , GF Brownie Mix, and their chocolate cake mix.
We use Gluten Free Pantry GF Favorite Sandwich Bread or GF Country French Bread Mix for the breadmaker. Both mixes make a really tasty bread, especially when still warm and fresh. We also love their GF Gingerbread Mix , GF Brownie Mix, and their chocolate cake mix.
1-2-3 Gluten Free is one you may have passed up because of higher cost if one just looks at the sales tag. But, 1-2-3 Gluten Free is justifiably more expensive because not only are the mixes superior to most, you can control the amount and type of sweetener so they are diabetic friendly, and last not least, a box of cake mix makes the WHOLE cake, not a small layer. So I would rather pay more than do without and their Poundcakes are fabulous!
Canyon Bakehouse is a gluten free bakery in Colorado and is absolutely healthier and more delicious than most brands of gluten free bread by using ancient grains like quinoa, teff, millet, etc.
Rudi's Organic Gluten Free Bread - Colorado sure has found some secret to good gluten free foods and Rudi's doesn't disappoint their Colorado neighbors in quality.
Try making Banana Bread with Bob’s Red Mill GF Garbanzo and Fava Bean Flour. Bean flour is higher in protein and makes a great muffin or cake flour mixture with your rice flour.
Udi's Bakery Gluten Free Breads are tremendously good for a commercial bakery product that isn't fresh out of the oven. White bread, whole grain bread, bagels, muffins & pizza crusts! Available at Healthy Home Market, Earthfare, and by ordering online.
Katz kosher and gluten free with a Healthy Grain bread that is huge on taste texture and nutrients. We love their challah rolls for hamburgers or their dinner rolls. You can find them at the A&S health food store or order online. Their chocolate chip cookies are are good, a bit of a hard crunch to them.
Try making Banana Bread with Bob’s Red Mill GF Garbanzo and Fava Bean Flour. Bean flour is higher in protein and makes a great muffin or cake flour mixture with your rice flour.
Udi's Bakery Gluten Free Breads are tremendously good for a commercial bakery product that isn't fresh out of the oven. White bread, whole grain bread, bagels, muffins & pizza crusts! Available at Healthy Home Market, Earthfare, and by ordering online.
Katz kosher and gluten free with a Healthy Grain bread that is huge on taste texture and nutrients. We love their challah rolls for hamburgers or their dinner rolls. You can find them at the A&S health food store or order online. Their chocolate chip cookies are are good, a bit of a hard crunch to them.
Favorite Gluten Free Breakfast Options
Envirokidz Leapin Lemurs GF Cereal & Panda Puff GF Cereal
Attune Probiotic Gluten Free Bars for a healthy dose of digestive healing in the morning with a delicious taste. Named product of the month March, 2010 by the Celiac Disease Foundation
Taste of Sunrise makes the most delicious gluten free/dairy free pancakes which are available at Healthy Home Market. Made with almond flour and healthier than the average pancake!
General Mills GF Honey Nut Chex, GF Cinnamon Chex, Chocolate Chex, & Rice Chex Original is great for making party mixes. Love their new website also for recipes and General Mills gluten free product knowledge: Live Gluten Freely
Pamela’s GF Pancake & Waffle Mix.
Bob's Red Mill GF Pancake Mix & GF Biscuit Baking Mix
Wild Turkey Farms GF breakfast sausage, bacon, eggs. Love these guys! Local and grass fed.
Applegate Farms bacon
Attune Probiotic Gluten Free Bars for a healthy dose of digestive healing in the morning with a delicious taste. Named product of the month March, 2010 by the Celiac Disease Foundation
Taste of Sunrise makes the most delicious gluten free/dairy free pancakes which are available at Healthy Home Market. Made with almond flour and healthier than the average pancake!
General Mills GF Honey Nut Chex, GF Cinnamon Chex, Chocolate Chex, & Rice Chex Original is great for making party mixes. Love their new website also for recipes and General Mills gluten free product knowledge: Live Gluten Freely
Pamela’s GF Pancake & Waffle Mix.
Bob's Red Mill GF Pancake Mix & GF Biscuit Baking Mix
Wild Turkey Farms GF breakfast sausage, bacon, eggs. Love these guys! Local and grass fed.
Applegate Farms bacon
Van's Frozen GF Waffles - Berry flavor is a huge hit
Favorite Gluten Free Lunch & Dinner Options
Big Oak Farm Beef
Wild Turkey Farms Beef, Pork, Chicken, Eggs, GF Sausage, & Bacon
Applegate Farms GF Deli Meats, Bacon, and Cheeses
Armour Natural Choice GF Deli Meats
Boar's Head GF Deli Meats and Cheeses
Bistro Natural GF Uncured Beef Franks
Bell & Evans GF Chicken Breast Nuggets
Dietz & Watson GF Deli Meats
Skippy's All Natural Peanut Butter is the best tasting natural peanut butter on the market at a cheaper price.
Garden of Eatin' Taco shells in either blue or yellow corn at Harris Teeter
LaTortilla Factory GF Teff Wraps
Udi's Gluten Free Bakery for Bread, Muffins & Pre-made Pizza Crust. This Denver, Colorado bakery has some amazing products. They can be bought at Healthy Home Market, Earthfare, Whole Foods and online.
Chebe GF flatbread/foccacia bread mix for garlic bread and bruschetta. Their pizza mix for pizza crusts and their cinnamon twist bread mix - Absolutely yummy
Farmo pasta and breadsticks from Italy - Fantastic pasta products that will make you remember what wheat pasta tasted like. Penne, fusilli, casarecci, and others. Available at Bloom's, Healthy Home Market, Earthfare and online.
De Boles GF Corn Spaghetti is absolutely the closest to wheat flour angel hair we've tasted and it is organic:-)
Wild Turkey Farms Beef, Pork, Chicken, Eggs, GF Sausage, & Bacon
Applegate Farms GF Deli Meats, Bacon, and Cheeses
Armour Natural Choice GF Deli Meats
Boar's Head GF Deli Meats and Cheeses
Bistro Natural GF Uncured Beef Franks
Bell & Evans GF Chicken Breast Nuggets
Dietz & Watson GF Deli Meats
Skippy's All Natural Peanut Butter is the best tasting natural peanut butter on the market at a cheaper price.
Garden of Eatin' Taco shells in either blue or yellow corn at Harris Teeter
LaTortilla Factory GF Teff Wraps
Udi's Gluten Free Bakery for Bread, Muffins & Pre-made Pizza Crust. This Denver, Colorado bakery has some amazing products. They can be bought at Healthy Home Market, Earthfare, Whole Foods and online.
Chebe GF flatbread/foccacia bread mix for garlic bread and bruschetta. Their pizza mix for pizza crusts and their cinnamon twist bread mix - Absolutely yummy
Farmo pasta and breadsticks from Italy - Fantastic pasta products that will make you remember what wheat pasta tasted like. Penne, fusilli, casarecci, and others. Available at Bloom's, Healthy Home Market, Earthfare and online.
De Boles GF Corn Spaghetti is absolutely the closest to wheat flour angel hair we've tasted and it is organic:-)
Favorite Gluten Free Snack Foods
KIND Bars - Every concoction you can think of and healthy! We always have KIND Bars with us wherever we go.
Mrs. May's Naturals - Gluten free snacks are little healthy bites of deliciousness. No Cholesterol, gluten free, dairy free, vegan and wheat free with no preservatives. Available at Costco.
Kay's Naturals - Protein rich cookie bites that are loaded with nutrition and good stuff! Check them out:-)
Riceworks gourmet brown rice crisps in various flavors taste like Doritos but with a rice chip and can be found in Harris Teeter, Lowe's Foods and Costco.
Peeled Snacks is one serving of fruit - Organic, No Sugar added and Gluten Free. Found in Starbucks
Garden of Eatin’ GF Blue Tortilla Chips - paired with GF Organic Hummus and GF Organic Salsa (Many brands on market) is awesome!
Organic Valley Cheeses
Stoneyfield Farm Organic Yogurt(Contains 6 live active cultures)
Kind GF Fruit,Nut, and Yogurt Bars found at Healthy Home Market, Harris Teeter & Starbucks
Fruitabu Smoosh Fruit Leather found at Harris Teeter & Healthy Home Market
Applegate Farms Organic Beef Jerky
KALO Foods - Sugar Cookies, Cupcakes, Par-Baked Pizza Crusts and Chocolate Chip cookies that are divine!
Utz GF potato chips in various flavors - Available everywhere:-)
Cabot cheeses are wholesome and no antibiotics or hormones administered to cows. Some brands are lactose free and can be bought at most major grocery stores.
Utz GF potato chips in various flavors - Available everywhere:-)
Cabot cheeses are wholesome and no antibiotics or hormones administered to cows. Some brands are lactose free and can be bought at most major grocery stores.
Favorite Gluten Free Desserts
Kinnikinnick GF Chocolate, Maple, and Cinnamon Doughnuts
Let’s Do Gluten Free GF Ice Cream Cones w/ natural organic ice cream
Julies Organic GF Ice Cream Sandwiches - Awesome!Glutenfreeda has made the cookies that contribute to this treat. They are dangerously good:-)
Jo-sef GF Graham Crackers(likes peanut butter and bananas with these)
GF Chocolate Chip Cookies by Betty Crocker, as well as Betty Crocker GF Cake Mixes for special occasions
Cupcakistry is a wonderful special order cupcake business which makes some beautiful cupcakes for your special events!
Natural Desserts gluten free vegan jel dessert is what we use instead of Jell-O because it is gluten free and is made from natural colors and flavors. We buy it at Healthy Home Market.
Let’s Do Gluten Free GF Ice Cream Cones w/ natural organic ice cream
Julies Organic GF Ice Cream Sandwiches - Awesome!Glutenfreeda has made the cookies that contribute to this treat. They are dangerously good:-)
Jo-sef GF Graham Crackers(likes peanut butter and bananas with these)
GF Chocolate Chip Cookies by Betty Crocker, as well as Betty Crocker GF Cake Mixes for special occasions
Cupcakistry is a wonderful special order cupcake business which makes some beautiful cupcakes for your special events!
Natural Desserts gluten free vegan jel dessert is what we use instead of Jell-O because it is gluten free and is made from natural colors and flavors. We buy it at Healthy Home Market.