At this point I have been gluten free for 8 months! It really has made a difference and I am so thankful for the chance to feel more like a human again. During these past 8 months I have encountered a lot of local places that were unexpectedly gluten free. I am not sure how many people are local to me but I decided to start sharing some incites into these local restaurants, stores, unexpected places etc. that cater to someone with gluten free needs. I am going to make it a series of sorts and will continue to add new things as I continue to explore. I hope you enjoy and feel free to provide me with some of your own incites, especially if you are Gluten Free LI as I don’t want to step on your toes!
My first suggestion for gluten free goodies is an obvious one: The Farmers Market.
Courtesy of www.thebbqsoose.com
Long Island, especially around Huntington/Northport, has many of these and they all vary in what they have to offer. Most of the stuff is also pretty cheap and even organic! I typically purchase things such as corn, beans, potatoes, peppers and cucumbers when I get the chance to go down. One downside is that none of the ones I have been to sell gluten free baked or pastry goods. So unfortunate, but hopefully that will change. One gluten free thing which I did come across is a local product called “The Moose is on the loose BBQ Soose”. It is so incredibly delicious, check out their website for their products including sauces and rubs! So far I have tried their ‘Sweet with Heat’ sauce with pulled pork, hamburgers and steak. It really adds the perfect amount of flavor to any product and I love it! I can tell you that I will hopefully get my hands on the other flavors to try! I will need to take photos of the farmers market for everyone!
Since this is my first post for this series I am also going to give you another unexpectedly gluten friendly place: Huntington’s Value Drugs located on New York Ave. They have had a sign up for awhile remarking on their gluten free products so on a recent trip to town I decided to stop in. Since they are a small store which has been open forever I expected little to nothing that were actually gluten free brands and I definitely did not expect this to greet me:
WOW, An actual isle for my kind of food? You have to be kidding me!
I obviously I knew instantly where to go but I was still somewhat skeptical! I checked out the isle only to find it FULL of gluten free products. From common products such as Glutino brand products to things I had only seen at whole food (Mary’s Crackers) or had never seen anywhere else before which I failed to note down for your convenience due to being overwhelmed. They even had a gluten free freezer section, right smack in the middle of the store near no other freezers, that is dedication right there. I was stunned and utterly amazed, which Mike can attest to after laughing at me for skipping around with a goofy look on my face. If one had to they could most likely live entirely off of gluten free products they purchased at Value Drugs! Amazing what the unexpected can bring!
I didn’t know what to choose and spent a good 15 minutes walking up and down the isle trying to make up my mind. I finally settled on gluten free breakfast bars and some of my new favorite chips by Food Should Taste Good. I HIGHLY recommend these chips! I have not tried the every flavor but what I have tried is delectable! While most flavored chips that I love are out of the question because of ingredients Food Should Taste Good’s chips fill that void and are chocked full of flavor. I opted that day for the Jalapeno flavor and Cheddar Flavor. When I came home I had the Jalapeno with salsa con queso! YUM!
Regardless of what you choose for your own delicious consumption I recommend checking out your local Value Drugs, or the one in Huntington, to take in and wonder at your unexpected gluten free options! I’ll even give you a tour! It is amazing what a local business can have hiding inside of them, especially when it’s for the good of the community!
Haha Cute Photo!
Thanks Emily, I was that thrilled! haha