The Best Gluten Free Snacks-Easy and Healthy

The Best Gluten Free Snacks are Here!

These days, it seems like everyone is on a gluten free diet, whether they want to be healthy or have a legitimate, naturally occurring gluten allergy. Gluten free diets are known for spurring on weight loss and healthy living, but they do not always taste as appealing as they sound. This is because most gluten free foods are also low in carbs, calorie count, and fat. The good news is, is that gluten free food can still be yummy even without the inclusion of grain. After seeing the gluten free foods and recipes we have listed below, you will be serving gluten free foods at your Superbowl, Christmas, Halloween, and movie party. The best part? None of your guests and you will not know the difference!

Best Store-Bought Gluten Free Snack

The secret of knowing how to buy the best gluten free in the stores is to not buy the branding, but the product. When you first walk into a grocery store and go to the gluten free food section, you will see a wide array of choices that range from very high priced items to a cheap priced item. So which one do you choose? Which brands and products are the best? Below we have listed some of our favorite, delicious gluten free snacks that both taste wonderful and are good for you.

Sunkist Fruit Snacks

This is a snack option that all kids and adults love. Sunkist fruit snacks come in nice handy packs that are perfect to put in school lunches or to just snack on in general. These fruit snacks are also milk-free, egg-free, soy-free, and nut free. So it is pretty friendly to anyone with food allergies. This product can be found and bought at your local Walmart or in any supermarket near you, so get shopping!

Quaker Popped Chips

Tasty Quaker Popped Chips are a crispy, salty snacks that will satisfy your late-night craving. These popped chips are available in regular chip bags, but can also be bought in prepackaged snack packs if you want a snack on the go. Buying this pack of chips is one of the inexpensive options at the food store. This makes it a super affordable option for families and people in a budget.

Mary’s Gone Crackers Curry Sticks & Twigs

These popular crackers will spice up your snacking life by adding some curry to an everyday snack. These crackers are both addictive and healthy because of how they are made with both chia seeds and flax seeds. The ingredients in the curry sticks and twigs make for an extremely heart healthy snack that will satisfy your tastebuds. Make sure to add this product to your grocery basket the next time you are at the store.

KIND Granola Bars

KIND granola bars are healthy, gluten free, and organic, but they do not taste like it! These delicious bars come in a variety of flavors and come in many varieties, including breakfast bars. Some of the kind bars do contain nuts and/or peanut products, so beware if you have a nut allergy. A box of KIND bars normally include about 5 bars total, so one for every weekday. Perfect! They are packaged perfectly to put in your lunch and your children’s school lunches. They are on the pricier side, but are definitely worth the extra cost.

Subscription Boxes

If you are a busy bee and have few chances to run to the food store, try signing up for a subscription box! You can search for these online and subscribe to receive weekly or monthly deliveries from them, these vary from product to product. By doing this, you save time, but normally have to spend more money because of the incorporation of the cost of delivery added on. Here are some of the options of subscriptions you can choose from to have delivered to you.

• urthbox.com 
• lovewithfood.com
• americanglutenfree.com 
• heyglutenfree.com
• healthysurprise.com

Best Homemade Gluten Free Snack

If you want to bring out your inner cook and baker, try these fun recipes that make tasty gluten free foods! These recipes that we have compiled will not leave your only snacking options to just fruit and veggie platters anymore. The recipes down below offer a myriad of gluten free food possibilities and only skim the surface of the recipes out there. A lot of the recipes call for gluten free or rice flour, so you might want to stock up on those before attempting these recipes! Get out your apron and measuring spoons, its time to cook some gluten free creations that will make your mouth water and give you ideas for future gluten free cuisine!

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

Go beyond just gluten free chocolate and vanilla pudding for young children and toddlers, take it a step farther by making a gluten free hot fudge pudding cake! YUM! This easy recipe tastes great and will satisfy your sweet tooth. Find the full recipe here:

Ingredients

• 1 cup Gluten-Free flour blend, whole wheat pastry flour, or AP flour
• ½ cup Sucanat (dehydrated cane juice)
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1¼ cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup Sucanat (dehydrated cane juice)
• ½ cup Erythritol & Xylitol blend
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1¼ cups boiling water

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Whisk together the flour, ½ cup Sucanat, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder.
3. Add the oil, milk, and vanilla and mix until combined.
4. Transfer this mixture to an ungreased baking dish. (I used a – inch pan. You can use a 9 inch square pan)
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ½ cup Sucanat, Erythiritol & Xylitol blend, and the remaining 3 tablespoons cocoa powder. Pour the mixture on top of the mixture in the pan evenly.
6. Pour the boiling water on top. Do not mix.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for about 35 minutes. The center should be almost set. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving.
8. This is delicious with ice cream. Enjoy!

Pizza Crust

Want a bomb pizza crust recipe that is both gluten free AND dairy-free? Finding that a recipe like that is nonexistent and you are being punished for being gluten and lactose intolerant? Well, it was until now! Here is an awesome gluten free and dairy free pizza crust recipe we found that will taste with any toppings and sauces you pair it with! Making mini cheese pizzas with toppings using this dough will make a savory and top snack in your house. Here are the nuts and bolts of how to make this amazing pizza crust.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cup gluten free all purpose hybrid flour
• 1 3/4 cup water or milk of choice
• 1 packet or 2 1/2 tsp of dry active rapid rise yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tsp guar or xanthan gum
• 3 tsp powdered pectin

Instructions

1. Heat liquid to 110 degrees.  Add yeast and sugar.  Allow to sit for at least 5 minutes to start foaming.
2. In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients.  Mix thoroughly
3. Pour all wet ingredients. Mix by hand for 2 minutes (or use a stand mixer if you own one)
4. Dough will be sticky.  Grease hands lightly with oil.  Scoop out and knead with your hands another 5 minutes on parchment paper or cutting board sprinkled with GF all purpose flour.
5. Cover dough in the bowl and allow to rise about 25 minutes in a warm place.
6. Preheat oven for at least 25 minutes prior to baking with the baking sheet inside the oven (measure the parchment paper size before placing in oven)
7. Deflate dough.  Divide dough in half.  Grease parchment paper with oil.
8. Press dough into desired shape (shape doesn’t matter) making sure to keep dough approximately 1/8 inch thick for a chewy dough like crust. Prick with a fork to help eliminate bubbles.
9. Carefully remove the hot baking sheet from the oven and slide under pizza dough and place back into oven.  (The hot pan really helps crisp and set the crust.)
10. Bake for at least 8 minutes on the sheet.  Move the crust directly on to the rack for the last 2 minutes if you want a crispy bottom.
11. Repeat with the remaing dough.
12. Top with your favorite pizza toppings and bake for an additional 6-8 minutes.

Italian Meatballs

You do not have to travel far to find some good gluten free and paleo food, you just have to go into your kitchen! This Italian meatball recipe is perfect for work meals and they also make great appetizers for parties. Making these meatballs is a fun and easy process which makes it totally kid and toddler friendly if your little nuggets want to help you make dinner! Also mashed up, this makes great baby food for gluten free babies. This recipe is vegan but not vegetarian (obviously).

Ingredients

Sauce:

• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 clove garlic chopped
• 1 tbsp parsely finely chopped
• 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Line a sheet pan with foil.
3. Mix the meat, egg, and seasoning together in a large bowl.
4. Form about 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture into even sized meatballs and place them on the lined sheet pan.
5. Bake in a 400F oven for 20 minutes, or until full cooked through.
6. To make the marinara sauce, first add the olive oil to a pan and heat up on a medium heat.
7. Add chopped onion and saute for 5 minutes.
8. Add chopped garlic, canned tomatoes, bay leaf and pepper to the pan.
9. Cook on low to medium heat for 20-30 minutes until sauce has thickened.
10. Serve over the cooked meatballs and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.

Cinnamon Vanilla Protein Balls

 

 I mean, if the name of this snack doesn’t have your mouth running like Niagara Falls, then you must have little to no taste buds. This protein rich recipe will help you get a boost of energy on that mid day slump all while tasting like cakes. Casein point, this is what you need in your everyday life to treat yourself. These easy and quick, no bake, crunchy and delicious protein balls of happiness are just a couple ingredients away from being in your mouth.

 

Ingredients

• 1 heaping TBSP ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup (around 65-75grams) Vanilla Protein Powder
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup maple syrup or honey if you are not vegan.·
• 1/2 cup almond meal or peanut flour (you can also just finely grind raw almonds) ·
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup nut butter (creamy no stir works best)
• 3/4 cup of gluten free quick oats or gluten free cereal of choice
• Vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Grind up your oats or cereal in a food processor and transfer into a mixing bowl. This is optional. YOu can keep them whole as well and adjust the addition of honey.
2. Add your almond meal, protein powder, cinnamon, and nut butter. Stir ingredients all together. • Add in your honey and vanilla then mix again well with hands. •
3. You might need to add more honey or nut butter if batter gets to dry. See notes.
4. Roll into 1-1.5 inch balls and place on cookie tray or plastic ware with parchment paper underneath.
5. Let them freeze for 20-30 minutes then transfer into a Ziploc bag.
6. Dust with additional cinnamon and vanilla protein if desired.
7. keep in fridge or freezer for up to 6 weeks.