G-Free NYC: Foodtrainers Gluten Free Favorites

Some women are excited by jewelry, others favor shoe stores or clothing boutiques. A few months back, after a long run, I was walking home via West 85^th St and saw a blue and white striped awning with “g-free nyc” written on it. At first I thought I was hallucinating from dehydration. When I realized this soon-to-open store was dedicated to gluten free items, I was ecstatic. I couldn’t wait to tell the nutrition nerds about it. Melissa, who does our Market Foodtraining tours, is here to tell you about her favorite g-free nyc finds.

I have counseled many gluten intolerant clients.  It wasn’t until going gluten-free myself that I realized first hand how difficult finding good substitutes to everyday items can be. While I do promote naturally gluten free foods such as produce, lean protein and gluten free grains,  I wouldn’t be Market Melissa  if I didn’t like a good product find. You can scour the shelves of your local grocery store to find gluten free foods.  Trader Joe’s has all of their gluten free products labeled with a (g), which is great, but there is nothing easier or better than a whole store dedicated to gluten free food. Enter: g-free nyc. 

While g-free isn’t a large store, it is packed with topnotch products. Lynn, g-free’s owner,  was tired of tasting terrible tasting gluten-free food and decided to start a business to showcase her selections. Every item in the store has been taste tested by Lynn and her loyal customers. Finding delicious gluten-free products is one thing; finding ones that aren’t heavily processed is another. I think many people associate gluten-free with being healthy and that is not always the case (potato flour anyone?). Here are some our Foodtrainers’ Favorites from g-free nyc:

• Canyon Bakehouse San Juan 7-Grain Gluten Free Bread

The staff at g-free nyc told us this was their top pick and seller when it comes to bread. It wins for heartiness, which many gf breads often lack.

• Le Veneziane Penne 

This wins the best pasta award. While there are many gf pastas on the market, this corn-based choice will fool even your toughest wheat tolerant family member into thinking it’s the real thing. Lynn imports this product in from Italy (which interestingly happens to have a high rate of celiac disease). We will assume Italy knows what they are talking about when it comes to pasta. If you want to go the brown rice pasta route, Tinkyada is a great brand. The key is to rinse the pasta in cold water immediately after cooking to prevent clumping. Top with heated sauce or olive oil and garlic.

• San-J Tamari Packs

For the sushi lover (like me), I love these tamari travel packs. After one too many restaurants saying they didn’t have tamari (and choking down a dry sushi roll), I now bring along with me one of these packs just in case. The same company also makes a great Teriyaki sauce that is a best seller at the store. This is great for stir-fries or marinating meat or fish.

I was happy to spot some familiar products. I spotted the Purely Elizabeth Granola that Lauren enjoys before her long runs. And while searched and taste tested many gf crackers Mary’s Gone crackers will always take the prize. You can find them at g-free nyc as well as at Foodtrainers. That is how much we love them.

Don’t worry we have something for the chocolate lover too. This is not just any chocolate, it's a GF "crunch" bar.

• You must try this Alter Eco Dark Quinoa Chocolate bar . Nestle has nothing on this.

The fun doesn’t stop there. Pop in the store on Saturday mornings for freshly baked gluten-free bread or on Sunday for “Sample Sundays” where you can try some of the staff’s favorite items. A different product is featured each Sunday. On any given day you will also find freshly baked gluten-free goods from tu-lu’s bakery downtown. While the Upper West Side is currently the only g-free nyc location, they hope to expand soon. Stay tuned for delivery options around Manhattan in the coming months. For all of our New York City readers, Lynn has graciously offered one lucky reader a free gluten and dairy free cake that she promises won’t disappoint. Post a comment here and mention you would like to be entered into the drawing. *Applicants must be able to pick up the cake at the store.

As always, Foodtrainers is here to help. Join us on a Gluten-Free Market Foodtraining tour or come in for a Gluten-Free Foodtraining session. 

Have you tried any of these products? What are your favorite gluten-free products? Do you find it hard to find gluten-free substitutes to some of your favorite foods?