Glutin Gluten-Free Pretzels

One of the weirder aspects of my getting used to the need to be on a gluten-free diet thanks to celiac disease is craving foods I didn't expect to miss. I knew finding gluten-free pizza would be important to me, but I never expected gluten-free pretzels to consume so much of my time, attention and grocery budget.

Back when I could ingest wheat flour I rarely ate pretzels -- maybe once every couple of months at home and not much more than that when out at bars. But something about being told I could never eat gluten again, and the relatively limited number of products available for those with celiac, has put me on a mission to try just about every gluten-replacement packaged good there is out there. Enter Glutino pretzels.

Glutino pretzels are the best pretzels I have ever eaten -- with or without gluten, and then should be for $5.99 for a 14.1 ounce bag. Having celiac disease, that price is worth it to me though. Even if I wasn't crazy for pretzels before my diagnosis there is something deeply normalizing about eaten a gluten-free food that tastes the same or better than the more readily available traditional version of the product made with wheat flour.

Made mainly from potato and corn starches, Glutino pretzels also contain soy flour and "may contain" sesame seeds -- problems for some that may also suffer from food allergies. That said, these gluten-free pretzels do manage to eliminate egg, dairy and casein (has anyone ever found casein in a pretzel?) making them more accessible to many.

Unlike many other Glutino products, their gluten-free pretzels are not overloaded with fiber, which, while generally a good thing can be a hassle in an item you want around for continuous snacking. In fact, I would argue that Glutino's gluten-free pretzels are probably just as bad for you as regular pretzels, which for celiacs who spend most of their grocery shopping time in health food stores is actually rather exciting. Do keep in mind that each serving (Glutino says there are about 10 per bag) has 190 calories and 12% of the suggested daily limit on fat intake (18% of the suggested limit on daily intake of saturated fat, but at least no trans fats).

Glutino gluten-free pretzels have the right texture and crunch and that vague buttery taste one expects. Amaingly, non-celiac friends of mine have found themselves as addicted to Glutino gluten-free pretzels as I have.