Product Review: Hormel's Turkey Pepperoni - Gluten Free Food

I usually write food reviews on specialty foods that are gluten free, but today you can see I'm writing a review on a mainstream food item. It happens to be gluten free; I really love it when I spot a mainstream item that is gluten free. The specialty gluten free foods are expensive in comparison to their mainstream counterparts so I'm always on the lookout for mainstream items that I can eat. In 2004, when I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease I was told that I needed to go on a gluten free diet for the rest of my life. There was no cure or medication to help with Celiac Disease, but if I stayed away from gluten I would be okay. I was so sick that giving up gluten wasn't a big sacrifice. It wasn't fun at the beginning, because so many things have gluten in them and it was overwhelming to find something good to eat that was gluten free.

I started eating turkey pepperoni made by Hormel several years ago, when I picked up a package and read those lovely words on the back "Gluten Free." I was so happy, I wanted to shout and show everybody in the store, but I constrained myself. I made do with a huge grin. By the way Hormel has a five page list of their products that are gluten free. Click here to read the list for yourself. It really helps to have the package clearly marked. So many people are being newly diagnosed that it would really help them if all food manufactures would clearly label their products. There are a huge number of people out there who should be eating gluten free. The medical community has figured out that 1 in 133 Americans have Celiac Disease, but only a small percentage has been diagnosed.

I always get the turkey pepperoni instead of the regular pepperoni because it tastes better to me, easier on the stomach because the spices aren't so spicy, and it is much less greasy. With regular pepperoni I always have to use a paper towel to soak up the extra grease before I can eat it. Right on the package of the turkey pepperoni it states that it is "70% less fat than regular pepperoni." The turkey pepperoni pretty much stays the same size it was before it was cooked; it curls up a bit around the edges. I have used turkey pepperonis on pizzas, casseroles and have been known to eat them straight out of the package or nuke them in the microwave to make them crispy.

I find them at all my local grocery stores and Wal-Mart with Wal-Mart having the cheaper price at $3.88. Often Hormel pepperoni products go on sale at $1.99, that's when I stock up.

Bottom line: They taste as good as the regular pepperonis, if not better, and I have never had a guest indicate that they found the pepperonis lacking in anyway.

Nutritional information:
Serving size is 17 slices and there are about 6 servings per package; it has 70 calories per serving. Total fat is 4g (saturated fat 1.5g and trans fat 0g), cholesterol 40mg, sodium 640 mg, total carbohydrates 0g and protein 9g.

Ingredients: dark turkey meat, salt, spices, flavoring, lactic acid starter culture, flavoring oleoresin of paprika, garlic powder sodium nitrite, BHA, BHT, citric acid.