How to Pick the Best Gluten Free Bread
I have been getting asked more often about what breads I recommend; more specifically, what gluten free breads I like for easy breakfast and lunch options.
Gluten free breads have become increasingly popular as more people are learning about their own and children’s food sensitivities, allergies, and personal dietary choices.
Unfortunately as gluten free breads try to replicate the traditional chew and crunchy crust of bread, you will often find a lot of unneeded additives. Gluten free breads are often filled with binders, gums, preservatives, refined sugars, and inflammatory oils that we try to avoid in our family’s diet.
What I am looking for in a gluten free bread is a short ingredient list with real, whole foods. I try to find breads with a similar texture to traditional bread and ones that don’t fall apart which is a common issue with gluten free alternatives. I also want it to taste good and luckily, with a growing number of people looking to purchase gluten free bread, there are several companies I can recommend:
Coco Bakes Sourdough Bread is an organic, sprouted, vegan, naturally leavened, gluten free bread made in LA. The bread is chewy, light, crunchy, and has a tang to it like traditional sourdough. It is the perfect rustic loaf to dip in to soup or dips, with little air pockets inside like you might be used to in traditional sourdough. It also toasts really well.
In addition to sourdough, Coco Bakes sells buns, fruit and nut bread, cookies, bars, cakes, olive bread, chocolate chip bread, seeded sourdough, and a cinnamon date sourdough, all of which are gluten free. We are personally a huge fan of her cinnamon buns. They offer the option of purchasing bread loaves whole or sliced for easy eating and freezing.
Coco Bakes ships most items nation wide, and can be found in Vibe Cafe in OC, Crush in Utah, Zest in New Jersey, and Bonberri in NYC. They also offer in-store pick up at their Los Angeles location on Wednesdays from 11-1.
Ingredients: Organic Sorghum Flour, Organic Oat Flour, Organic Tapioca Flour, Sea salt, and a drop (yes a drop) of NON GMO Xanthan Gum.
Cost: $16.65 a loaf or subscribe and save at $14.99 a loaf.
AWG bread is gluten and grain free, therefore also free of rice, corn, and oats. This bread has no fillers or inflammatory oils, and is made with all organic ingredients making it one of my top choices.
The bread needs to be toasted once or twice for optimal eating, but it comes out chewy, light, and holds together well. I recommend using it to make a breakfast toast, French toast or a sandwich.
AWG makes a round loaf, sandwich loaf, rolls, and flat bread, and offer many different flavor options including everything, rosemary, cinnamon, and every-day bread. All of their breads freeze beautifully too.
Another cool thing about this company is their bags and labels are compostable and I am all about sustainability!
AWG breads are made in Orange County. They offer store pickup and ship nationwide. Their bread can also be found in several stores nation wide; you can see if you live near one here.
Ingredients: Filtered Water, Organic Arrowroot Flour, Organic Almond Flour, Organic Coconut Flour, Organic Psyllium Husk Powder, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, Organic Black Chia Seeds, Yeast, Organic Maple Syrup, Pink Himalayan Salt, Organic Olive Oil
Cost: $17.50 for a round loaf, $25.50 for a loaf. Discounts for buying in bundle. Use code DRORGANICMOMMY for a discount.
Buckwheat Sourdough Bread Blok
Bread Blok has a wide range of gluten free and organic breads with no preservatives, gums, or inflammatory oils. Their breads are all gluten free and some are vegan and nut free. They offer burger buns, crackers, quiche, baguettes, olive bread, chestnut sourdough, focaccia, brioche, challah, croissants, and some sweet treats such as cakes, scones, doughnuts, and cookies. Everything they make is so good and you can often find me there! The company ships some items nation wide and has several storefronts in the LA area.
Ingredients: Filtered Water, Sourdough Starter (filtered water, brown rice flour*, buckwheat flour*), Tapioca Starch*, Sorghum Flour*, Oat Flour*, Coconut Sugar*, Psyllium Husk*, Buckwheat Flour*, Flax Meal*, Salt *
* = Organic ingredients
Cost: $9-$24 a loaf
Simple Kneads Sourdough is an allergy friendly bread that is plant based and free from the top 9 allergens, so if you are avoiding eggs and nuts this might be a better fit for you.
Their gluten free bread comes sliced and is great for making sandwiches. This bread does require a good amount of toasting; I recommend on the crunchy side for it to hold up well to spreading condiments on it. It has a chewy texture and the tang you expect from a sourdough bread.
Simple Kneads is made with all organic ingredients and sweetened with raisin juice concentrate. It does contain sunflower oil (which I am not a huge fan of). Their breads ship nationwide and can be found in many stores across the east coast. You can look up if you are near one here.
Ingredients: Water, Millet Flour*, Sorghum Flour*, Teff Flour*, Buckwheat Flour*, Quinoa Flour*, Psyllium Seed Husk Powder*, Expeller Pressed Sunflower Seed Oil*, Raisin Juice Concentrate*, Flax Meal*, Salt, Sunflower Seeds*.
* = Organic Ingredients
Cost: $36.99 for a four pack with auto ship and safe costing $35.14 per four pack.
Happy Campers Hemp Hemp Hooray
Happy Campers bread can be purchased online and found in groceries stores nation wide, making it the most accessible of the gluten free bread options I’ve shared.
It is a tasty organic, gluten free, sugar free, nut free, vegan loaf that comes pre sliced and is found in the frozen section at markets. They offer several flavors including a delicious cinnamon raisin option.
I like that this bread is at a lower price point than most, is certified organic, and it holds together well when toasted. The loaf does contain sunflower oil as well as xanthin and guar gum which I tend to avoid because it can be inflammatory and upset your digestion, but it is a good tasting option at a great price point, which is why I would recommend limiting your consumption.
Ingredients: Filtered Water, Flour Mix* (Whole Grain Millet*, Whole Grain Sorghum*, Whole Grain Buckwheat*, Whole Grain Quinoa*, Whole Grain Amaranth*), Tapioca Flour*, Ground Hemp Seed*, Prebiotic from Plant-Based Starch*, Pea Protein*, Millet*, High Oleic Expeller Pressed Sunflower Oil*, Psyllium Husk*, Acacia*, Yeast, Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum*, Salt
* = Organic ingredients
Cost: $7.99