Grain-Free Game Changers: Love You, Hate You

If you read this blog, you know that my diet is Paleo-ish, gluten and grain-free, and no soy, corn, rice, potato, etc. and also dairy-free. It sounds difficult, but eating clean isn’t that hard if you stick to whole foods. The problem tends to be with snack foods, which are usually cooked in an unhealthy hydrogenated oil or have some hidden corn like in xanthan gum, or have unhealthy thickeners like carageenan. Luckily, it is easier than ever to find recipes (or mixes) for Paleo versions of cookies, crackers, bread, donuts, ice-cream, cake and more. I don’t make them often because cooking is obviously more time consuming than opening a container, but they are great for birthdays and special treats.

However, I’ve recently come across some grain-free snacks in my local health food store that are total game changers. Check out these products below – grain-free, Paleo-friendly cookies, crackers, and chips. They are made with simple, natural ingredients. And the best part – they taste really, really good.

Grain-Free Snacks

Crackers

I first tried Simple Mills crackers when a friend gave them to me on an airplane. She swore they were grain-free and I didn’t believe her. Then I saw them in my local health food store myself. Simple Mills quickly became my favorite go-to name for snacks. These crackers are really yummy and come in a variety of flavors. There are Almond Flour Crackers that are made with a nut and seed flour blend, organic oil, spices, and other simple ingredients. {*Note: the cheddar flavors are not dairy-free} They also have a new collection of Sprouted Seed Crackers. And I actually have something besides veggies to serve with hummus and with my Paleo artichoke dip!

Cookies

I first saw these when a friend posted them on FaceBook. Since I already loved Simple Mills crackers, I was really excited for the cookies. I hadn’t been able to find a cookie my son could eat that I didn’t make myself or wasn’t compromising his diet with a corn additive or oil he wasn’t supposed to have. Simple Mills Cookies are currently availble in four flavors (cinnamon is my favorite). They are made from a nut flour blend and all are free of grains, soy, corn, dairy, and gums/emulsifiers. And they are eat-the-whole-box-in-one-sitting good.

Tortilla Chips

This was the find that made me actually do a happy dance (in the aisle of the health food store) – grain-free and corn-free tortilla chips! Until then, I had only seen gluten-free tortilla chips that were made with corn. Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips are made with cassava flour, avocado oil, coconut flour, ground chia seed, and sea salt. They come in Sea Salt, Lime, and Nacho flavors (all are dairy-free). If you didn’t already guess, I love Mexican food! This Mexican-American family recipe is delicious and allows Paleo peeps to enjoy nachos, chips & salsa, and guacamole once again!

Faux-tato Chips

Potatoes are not Paleo. Sorry! Even though some Paleo peeps make an exception for them, potatoes (and therefore potato chips) will never be Paleo. They have a high glycemic index and, as part of the nightshade family, can cause inflammation and contribute to a leaky gut. But, that doesn’t mean there aren’t grain-free snacks available to satisfy your chips craving.

Sweet Potato Chips

Sweet potato chips are a great substitute for regular potato chips! While they are a better choice, it’s important to remember that they still have a high glycemic index, so they should be consumed in moderation. Also, you should check the ingredients, especially the oil that is used. I like Jackson’s Honest Sweet Potato Chips. You can find this brand at most health food stores, and they are made with only non-GMO sweet potatoes, organic coconut oil, and sea salt – that’s it.

Plantain Chips

Plantains look like bananas but taste like potatoes! This makes them a great Paleo chip. There are a lot of brands that are Paleo, but you’ll need to check the ingredients to be sure. Terra’s Plantain Chips are made only with green plantain, coconut oil, and salt. They also have a sweet plantain chip that I’m loving made with just sweet plantain and coconut oil.

Cassava Chips

Cassava, also known as yuca, is a tube-like starchy root. To me, its taste comes really close to the potato. So, cassava chips are  great to use in place of potato chips for snacking and in recipes. Artisan Tropic Cassava Strips are certified Paleo (as well as non-GMO verified). The ingredients are cassava, non-hydrogenated palm oil, and sea salt.

So, what’s the downside? Well, grain-free snacks are still snacks. And even though these foods aren’t particularly bad for you, they aren’t the most nutritious thing you can eat either. But, if there are snacks they can have, that is what my kids want to eat. The same goes for me. If I have to go to all the trouble to make my own grain-free snacks I’ll do so once in a while. If they are on the shelf and I can buy them, then I’ll buy them every week. And if they are in the pantry, then I’ll eat them every week too.

Plus, even though these snacks aren’t break-the-bank expensive (and I’d rather spend my money supporting companies that keep yucky ingredients out of their food), they still cost a lot more than their typical junky counterparts.

So, my mouth is happy. My belly is happy. My kids are definitely happy. But my waistline and my wallet … not so much. But, these are wonderful snacks to enjoy in moderation. I’m so happy that these companies have stepped up and created these products that help my kids feel like they can eat “normal-people” food and save me the trouble of making it from scratch.

Please share your favorite Paleo-legal, grain-free, dairy-free, corn-free snacks below. I’d love to add to this small list.