Many have sought to be the champion in our house but only two reign supreme!
This topic has been exhausted to no end in the gluten free community. Literally every gluten free blogger I LOVE from Celiac and the Beast to Gluten Free Cuppa Tea has talked about their favorite breads. I was not paid to talk about any of these brands. This is just my personal opinion, story, and trials of finding a good Gluten Free (GF) Bread. When I first was diagnosed with Celiac Disease back in 2013, bread was thing I missed more than anything. I mean, I was a carb loading gymnast my entire life. A loaf of sourdough and pasta pretty much made up my DNA. I cried for weeks trying GF loaf after loaf to see which reminded me of that soft delicious white bread I loved so much. For a few years, I just went without sandwiches. I occasionally got an Udi's sandwich at Erik's Deli when they were slow and I could watch their every move, but it still wasn't the same. Let me just stop here and say, I hate Udi's Bread. It's sucks. I've wasted so much money on that brand because it was my only option! I've had to call numerous times about holes in entire loaves, but if you want someone who REALLY understands go talk to Gluten Dude. He knows your pain and frustration!
Back to my favorite breads though, this first one I want to talk about is called in our house as the "Runner Up Bread". It's the bread that restored my faith and got me back into trying breads. Plus it was the first bread Andy really liked which was a winner in my book. He has always been that honest husband who will tell me, "Shannon this tastes like garbage." Lucky for us, Little Northern Bakehouse was that bread that changed everything. It was the first option besides Udi's that we got in local grocery stores and we loved it. The "Seeds and Grains" was amazing for toasting and doing sandwiches with. Plus the buns really held together for bbq's unlike Udi's. Even now a days when I'm in a pinch and out of bread, this is my go to replacement while I wait! I've had great luck finding this brand at local grocery stores like Sprouts.
Oh Canyon Bakehouse, I love you! You are soft. You're delicious. You literally remind me of what wheat bread used to taste like! I don't even care that I sometimes I have to order you directly from the website and wait DAYS to get what I want! There is literally no other bread I want to make a sandwich with! And did I mention they have lots of flavors, bagels, English muffins, and even brownies? It's like the gluten free heaven of breads! Plus it's free of all major allergens which is a major plus for my nanny life. Our most recent order had the new English muffins and they are AMAZING! Crush and CoCo even wanted to try them. Honestly, there is not one item on the Canyon Bakehouse menu I don't recommend. We always are carrying at least 2-3 loafs of Hawaiian at all times in our house. As well as some kind of bagels or focaccia for snacks! I highly recommending going online and ordering the stay fresh packs. They last SO long! Plus you can always freeze them for up to three months! Canyon Bakehouse can be found at most major grocery stores including my favorite place in the world, TARGET!
Remember how I told you in the beginning I love sourdough? It's in my DNA and I can't live without it? Well I went three years before tasting the deliciousness that is BreadSRSLY. I remember ordering it from Good Eggs trying not to get my hopes up. The reality of trying new gluten free products is sometimes you spend $10 on an item and it tastes like cardboard poop. When I ate my first piece of regular BreadSRLY, I cried tears of joy on my kitchen floor and proceeded to eat an entire loaf. Then I went on Good Eggs and ordered 10 more loaves to be delivered the next day. Ever since my first purchase, I've eaten the same breakfast every morning: 2 slices of seeded or regular sourdough toasted with Earth Balance Organic Whipped Butter and a Tazo Zen Tea with Honey. It's my ritual and even the dogs know when it's "toast time". Honestly, I become grouchy without it because it really keeps my tummy happy. I've driven over an hour to get a single loaf and I'm now on first name basis with my local grocer who holds them "hostage" until I get there to buy them all. But it's SO WORTH IT! If you haven't had the joy of trying this bread, you can order it here or find out a local store around you who has it. If you have to order it, DO IT! I promise you won't be disappointed!
I have to admit finding bread was only the beginning of my gluten free journey and finds. But finding the RIGHT bread was the step I needed to get me back to feeling like a normal human being. Stay tuned on the blog for my Celiac story, more gluten free food recommendations, and the recipes I've adapted!