← Boba 3G Carrier Review + Discount Blurb Book Review →

Due to Monkey’s sensitive digestive system, I’ve had to alter my eating habits so that he doesn’t get any triggers through my breastmilk. If you’ve followed my blog for the past year, then you know that I’ve been on a dairy free diet since Monkey was just a few weeks old. Since he’s got such a sensitive digestive system, I try to limit or avoid most other high allergen foods, like gluten. It’s hard to find high quality gluten free products, though…many taste so bland and just flat out gross. But, when I was at BlogHer earlier this year, I had the opportunity to taste a couple of products from Udi’s; a company that makes all gluten free products.  Gluten is  the protein that is found in wheat, rye and barley that gives bread its texture and binds it together.  This protein is the cause of Celiac Disease. Many people can also be gluten intolerant. If you suffer from either of these, then you know all too well that you need to avoid gluten in your daily life, and that’s not always an easy task.

When Udi’s asked if I was interested in reviewing a wider range of products, I jumped on the opportunity!  I was sent some sample products plus coupons and given a guideline for following their 14-day challenge. With this challenge, Udi’s provided meal planning ideas as well as a shopping list and other useful information. The hardest part of my week is meal planning, so having these ideas in front of me really helped. The only hard part for me is that eggs, soy, and dairy are all gluten free – BUT those are all products that I’m avoiding right now, too.

Luckily, my local grocery store carries a wide range of Udi’s products, so I was able to try quite a few different items along with what they sent me to review. I would have to say that my favorite meal was the Gluten Free Caprese Pizza – yes pizza! Udi’s makes a wonderful prepared pizza crust. I also loved the chocolate muffins…I’m pretty sure those were the first thing to be eaten, both by the husband and I with our morning coffee. HE was even impressed with how wonderful they tasted. I also adored the granola – in fact I ate it every morning for at least a week. Other products that Udi’s offers include bread, rolls, buns, cookies, bagels, and more. Check out the great recipes they share, too.

Did you know that many people are gluten intolerant and don’t even realize it? Symptoms include fatigue, weight loss or gain, GI distress, infertility, inability to concentrate, and tingling/numbness of legs. If you have some of these symptoms, you may want to talk to your doctor about the possibility of trying out a gluten free diet (and to rule out anything else, of course). I have known so many people who say that they feel like a new person after going gluten free. They have so much more energy and don’t feel like they are dragging around all the time. For these type of people, their body has a harder time (or is sometimes incapable of) digesting gluten.

Udi’s also sent a list of foods that often have hidden gluten – there were things like sauces, soups, and salad dressings on the list. So, if you are really considering a gluten free diet, be sure to do your research because it’s easy to accidentally consume food that contains gluten!

Eating a gluten free diet can be hard.  Even people who know that they feel better when they avoid gluten products wind up regularly eating gluten because it’s in so many things like bread, pasta, beer, and more. Udi’s is a great option out there as they offer so many wonderful tasting foods – truly a great compliment to any gluten free diet.  Check out their website, and be sure to follow them on facebook and twitter.

I’m excited to continue my experiment with gluten free eating, and who knows…maybe even try going gluten free long-term. I’d love to see the impact it has on my body after a longer challenge than just 14 days. Have you ever tried going gluten free? Did you see any benefits?

Disclaimer: I was given a sample of products for the purpose of this review (pictured above), but the free products in no way influenced my opinion.

Posted on October 29, 2012 by thecrunchywife

This entry was posted in Dairy Free, Food, Gluten Free, Health and Beauty, Product Reviews. Bookmark the permalink.