Snikiddy Baked Fries

Snikiddy Baked Fries
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

French fries are quite often covered in delicious types of toppings and flavored dusting that always seem to be rife with wheat and this means that most of the time, the conversation held at the table of someone who needs gluten-free items will go something like this:

Do your fries have a topping?

Yes.

Is there wheat in the mixture?

Let me check with the kitchen.

(waiter comes back after an agonizing thirty seconds)

Yes.

Snikiddy Baked Fries
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

And even if the fries don't have a topping and they're free of gluten, they've very likely been put into a fryer with other assorted wheat-laden items and this means that it's almost impossible to guarantee that even the plainest french fries have been created with gluten-free cooking in mind.

Sometimes a restaurant will offer a gluten-free fryer (this option is usually accompanied by a larger than average selection of gluten-free menu choices), but not every restaurant or snack maker has caught onto the need for gluten free toppings.

While Snikiddy Baked Fries aren't the same sort of fries that might come on the side of a cheeseburger at a diner, they are a tasty snack that resembles a fry in shape and also has a fun seasoning on them. The flavoring covering the fries has ingredients like garlic, onion powder and turmeric, to give you an idea of the sort of taste that might be expected of this snack.

One of the positive elements of the company that makes this snack is that they confirm on their packaging that they do indeed segregate the facilities which create gluten-free food from those foods that do include wheat or gluten. It's worth pointing out for individuals who have Celiac disease, however, that there are areas of the factory that include the production of foods with soy and wheat.

Snikiddy Baked Fries
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

As far as the nutritional content is concerned, this snack does have a solid amount of calories in it, but it's not going to be a huge dent in anyone's diet. There are a few grams of fat more than might be appropriate for a snack, so this probably means that eating these crispy fries is supposed to be a treat and not a regular occurrence.

The general taste of this snack is something akin to Funyun (if you've ever had that onion-infused snack) and they're pretty light and crispy as well. They definitely don't have nearly as strong a smell as Funyuns though so don't think you have to eat them in seclusion so as not to let the world know you love onions.

Overall, this snack is pretty fun to eat and if you like the flavors included on the ingredients list, it's something that would be a nice midday snack or something to eat on a hike. It's kind of messy though so it's probably a good idea to have some napkins around. The messy factor is also a good reason to eat this snack outside or while over an area where it doesn't matter if there are a ton of crumbs around.

Snikiddy Baked Fries
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

Snikiddy Baked Fries Report Card

The Good Stuff:

This is a fun and tasty snack and the best way to describe it is that it's a seasoned potato chip that just happens to be in the shape of a fry. Definitely worth trying if you'd like a seasoned potato type snack.

What Could Change:

The fat content in this snack is kind of high and while it's not something that would scare anyone away completely from eating it, downing an entire bag probably isn't recommended. A few handfuls here and there in the middle of the day are probably the best way to enjoy this snack.

Simply Shari's Gluten Free Pepperoni Pizza

Simply Shari's Gluten Free Pepperoni Pizza
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

Pizza is a nearly universally loved type of meal and gluten-free food manufacturers are certainly aware of this since there are probably several dozen types of pizza options out there for people who can't eat wheat flour. And it's appropriate to say that in the last few years, food makers have learned from their initial mistakes regarding pizza and no longer expect gluten-free eaters to consume cardboard-like platters that taste like imitation pizza with a saltine cracker crust.

Simply Shari's Gluten Free Pepperoni Pizza
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

With Simply Shari's Gluten Free Pepperoni Pizza, the evolution of  gluten-free pizza has approached a decent point where the crust is a little more forgiving than a saltine cracker even if it's not going to remind anyone of a deep-dish Chicago style pie. A generous number of pepperoni slices cover the average pizza although this frozen entree does seem to skimp a bit on the cheese and sauce. Perhaps the manufacturer was concerned that their crust couldn't take the extra weight of more toppings (it would likely be just fine).

While there are a few servings within a single box, anyone who is eating this pizza as a meal probably should try to share it as then it would exist as nothing more than a snack before the real meal. Eating the whole thing will pack a fairly significant caloric punch (at about 600 calories for the whole pizza), but over the course of the day this shouldn't be a huge issue unless someone is particularly interested in dieting and wants to restrict calories at every meal.

Simply Shari's Gluten Free Pepperoni Pizza
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

Like many gluten-free products, this pizza is labeled with various assertions that it's "all natural" and healthy, but the one thing to look out for is the sodium. Eating the whole pizza will just about take care of your sodium allotment for the entire day at 2000 mg and if you're on a low-salt diet, this pizza should probably be off your menu considerations. The pizza isn't really all that large so it's probably the pepperoni that's causing the sodium level to fly upward toward the stratosphere.

The taste of the pizza would likely be enhanced by the addition of more cheese as the sauce and pepperoni are somewhat spicy and have more than an expected kick to them. But if spicy pizza with some zest is something that pleases you, this pizza will probably do the trick. The experience overall as a gluten-free entree is likely enough to warrant a purchase of a few of these pizzas on sale, but it's definitely something that tastes gluten-free and is just a little different than the "real thing." 

Simply Shari's Gluten Free Pepperoni Pizza
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

And that's the true test of any gluten-free item: whether the finished product is noticeably gluten-free or whether it's indistinguishable from the wheat-flour filled type.

Simply Shari's Gluten Free Pepperoni Pizza Report Card

The Good Stuff:

This pizza tastes like a pizza should and the recipe for the crust is more than adequate. The size is a little small, but is probably appropriate for a single meal so if you're eating this pizza with someone else it's best to pick up a pair of them. 

As pepperoni pizzas go, it's a little spicier than most, so that's something of which to be aware when biting into the cooked and ready pie.

What Could Change:

This pizza has an utterly magnificent display of sodium within its ingredients and since the entire pie is (likely) just going to be eaten by a single person, cutting down on salt the rest of the day is highly recommended. Eating this pizza should be a treat and not a daily occurrence. The pizza could also be a little more generous with the cheese although that might push the sodium levels even higher, so maybe that's just a pipe dream.

Sunkist Orange Gummies

Sunkist Orange Gummies
Photograph Copyright Kelsey Wyatt 2013

All right, so "gummy" candy isn't exactly something of which people regularly associate wheat-laden ingredients, but apparently some gummy candies must have wheat in them because Sunkist goes out of its way to suggest that their orange gummies are gluten-free. This leads this writer to believe that it's probably worth taking a look on the ingredient lists of other, similar foods (perhaps those bear-shaped gummies) to see if there's anything that might seem unfriendly to a gluten-free eater.

Sunkist Orange Gummies
Photograph Copyright Kelsey Wyatt 2013

In the world of gummies, there are certainly a number of different types of shapes and flavors and they are primarily going to be in some sort of fruit flavor and Sunkist Orange Gummies are no exception. And in fact the company seems not only to offer a classic, smooth type of gummy candy, but they also have some sort of gourmet style of gummies (gourmet gummies? sure, why not) and a few others that offer varying degrees of squishability (should be a word, I realize that it is not) and juiciness.
For anyone who enjoys oranges and orange flavored food (and there must be a lot of us because why else would Sunkist provide an entire box that was comprised solely of orange candy?), these gummies will fit the bill as far a s gluten-free, fruit-flavored snack is concerned, but I doubt anyone is going to form a serious candy addiction to the little fruit pellets. The fact that they're gluten-free simply gives those of us with a reason to eat gluten-free foods a free pass to indulge in candy with the knowledge that they don't have any bad ingredients.

Sunkist Orange Gummies
Photograph Copyright Kelsey Wyatt 2013

Of course, if one is concerned at the nutritional content of these little candies, it might be best to eat an actual orange. After all, does one really expect that candy or imitation fruit pellets are going to be a healthy option? Sure, most companies try to suggest that you can get "vitamins" from their fruit candies, but since very few of them actually include real fruit juice, getting one's vitamins in this manner is likely suspect activity.

But based on pure taste, Sunkist Orange Gummies do fit the bill and are going to please anyone who likes gummy candy and also needs the assurance that a type of candy is gluten-free.

Sunkist Orange Gummies Report Card:

Things They Did Right

These gummies do their job. Juicy little orange "slices" that have a good orange taste to them (yes, they actually taste like the flavor orange instead of something that almost tastes like orange like apple flavored and grape flavored candies tend to do) and a pleasing consistency for a gummy candy. Not too dry, not too juicy and a nice gumminess (yes, I know, not a word, but it's more descriptive and appropriate than the similarly hued chewiness).

Sunkist Orange Gummies
Photograph Copyright Kelsey Wyatt 2013

Things to Improve
You can't really improve on standard gummy candies, but if given the choice between these candies, the Sunkist "Orange Slices" or the more expensive Sunkist "Fruit Gems," the simplest snack will probably be these gummies. They are unadorned, without any sugar coating, unlike the other gummy candies from Sunkist.

Beanitos Pinto Bean & Flax Chips

Beanitos Pinto Bean & Flax Chips
Photograph Copyright 2013 by Kelsey Wyatt

Flax is something that has been touted as a type of "super food" in recent years and a number of manufacturers who have been making health food have been attempting to include flax in their ingredient list so as to suggest that their food is going to help fight everything from heart disease and diabetes to breast cancer and weight gain. While most of the studies suggesting such results are in their infancy, it's likely safe to say that flax is something that certainly won't harm anyone.

And it's a rather handy ingredient to have in any gluten-free meal that is made in such a way that it's supposed to mimic a type of food that would ordinarily have regular wheat flour in it. Since flax is something that isn't just touted by gluten-free advocates, but which is also seen as a healthy part of a natural diet, flax-laden entrees are starting to appear on many store shelves even if a store doesn't have a dedicated health food or organic section.

Beanitos Pinto Bean & Flax Chips
Photograph Copyright 2013 by Kelsey Wyatt

Most chips contain some sort of wheat flour in them even if they're a corn-based chip (it's usually in whatever coating goes onto the chips to flavor them) and so even purchasing a bag of corn chips can result in problems because just about everything has some wheat flour in it. 
Fortunately for Beanitos Pinto Bean & Flax Chips, they are not only wheat-free, but also include a hefty amount of natural and healthy ingredients so the chips are probably something that would attract more than just the gluten-free crowd.

Of course, the big question is whether someone might enjoy the chips whether they need to eat gluten-free products or not. And the one thing that might prevent total enjoyment of these chips is that they're not really just "cheddar cheese" flavored. They would definitely be more accurately labeled as "nacho" flavored as they do have a zest to them that is rather unexpected. It is just this writer's opinion that something labeled as "cheddar' shouldn't taste.... spicy.

So the best way to think about these chips (well this particular flavor anyway) is that they're a grainy sort of bean-like nacho chip. They have a kick to them and even seem to be somewhat dry (only way to describe them) so after you have a few handfuls, you might want to chug a giant glass of water. They seem to be a decent snack if you eat about a dozen of them, but going any further seems to lessen the overall taste as they're fairly dry.

Beanitos Pinto Bean & Flax Chips
Photograph Copyright 2013 by Kelsey Wyatt

The biggest attraction for these chips is likely that they're completely full of all sorts of healthy ingredients (the text on the bag goes far in suggesting this as they seem to be corn free, soy free, potato free and are even kosher... among many other positive attributes). These chips definitely taste as though they're made of pinto beans. It's almost like you're eating nacho flavored pinto beans in chip form.

Which might be more acceptable if the bag would lead one to believe that the chips were actually spicy and not just a mild cheddar flavor. If you're not a fan of spicy chips, you probably won't prefer this flavor of Beanitos (the company makes more than one flavor).

Beanitos Pinto Bean & Flax Chips Report Card

What They Did Well:

There are a ton of gluten-free chips out there that all have different flavors and these chips actually provide a rather unique taste experience. They're not a corn or potato chip and are actually very "beany." Something worth trying if you'd like a different chip-eating experience. They're also filled to the brim with all sorts of healthy elements (beans are quite healthy regarding their nutrients) and so as a snack, they're probably one of the best things you could munch on.

Beanitos Pinto Bean & Flax Chips
Photograph Copyright 2013 by Kelsey Wyatt

What could Improve:

These are nacho flavored! Don't let the bag convince you that it's just cheddar in there. They are spicy and crisp and can be mildly overwhelming in large quantities. 

They're also somewhat dry (yes, I know chips are always dry, but these seem excessively so... perhaps it's just a lack of grease like potato chips tend to have) and this can wear on the taste buds after a few chips. Best eaten in small quantities or as part of a meal and not the main component.

Lundberg Risotto Alfredo Parmesan Cheese

Lundberg Risotto Alfredo Parmesan Cheese
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

Lundberg makes a number of gluten free rice-based entrees such as various types of risotto and rice cakes and if you're interested in something cheesy, the Parmesan cheese alfredo style risotto might be the ticket. One of the constant elements of many of the offerings from this company is that they like to put a hint of garlic into just about everything they make and this is likely the case here as well as this flavor seems to have a bit of a kick to it (which could be garlic or some other sort of similar spice).

Lundberg Risotto Alfredo Parmesan Cheese
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

It's also worth pointing out that making Lundberg Risotto Alfredo Parmesan Cheese does require a little practice, as it's quite easy to end up having a rather mushy bowl of something that's supposed to resemble rice rather than a type of food with the proper definition and separation of a classic bowl of risotto. I haven't been able to make risotto that looks like what is on the front of the box (and I've tried a half dozen flavors at this point).

So advice for anyone who hasn't made risotto before: read the back of the box for the directions and don't try to treat this meal as a regular bowl of rice. Risotto is different and it's made differently. Just like regular rice, risotto does have a pretty decent calorie count so nobody's diet will be torpedoed by eating a bowl of this particular dish.

Despite the alternative cooking method that is required (the rice is sauteed and not just added to a boiling pot of water), anyone who likes flavored rice dishes should enjoy - or should be able to find a flavor of risotto to enjoy - something of what the Lundberg folks have to offer. Their boxed risotto options are all organic and gluten free and are usually not priced too extravagantly either.

Lundberg Risotto Alfredo Parmesan Cheese
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

Lundberg Risotto Alfredo Parmesan Cheese Report Card

What They Got Right:

There are many different flavors of risotto that are available from Lundberg and chances are there's a flavor to suit anyone's tastes. The alfredo Parmesan flavor is definitely one of the milder varieties, so if you're looking for a nice accompaniment to a simple chicken dish or some meaty main course, this might be the best flavor to choose. It's also likely fine as a main dish as well or perhaps as a lunch option.

What Could Improve:

There needs to be a section of tips on the back of this box to teach people who aren't able to make a classic plate of risotto. Seriously. This is like the Olympics of rice style dishes. Perhaps this author just isn't a saute master. Yet.