This post is by blog team member, Kiran. To learn more about Kiran, check out our team page or her website!
Y’all – I love Trader Joe’s. People are friendly, prices are good. And there’s something about the atmosphere.
I go there weekly—more often sometimes—and grab some flowers and a cartful of goodies, including these gluten-free foods. With three of my six family members requiring gluten-free goods, I’m always on the hunt for solid food finds. Here’s a list of 10 of my favorite.
10 Best Gluten-Free Products at Trader Joe’s
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- Plantain Chips
Since going grain-free, I’ve had to find new snacks that fit my food sensitivities. It hasn’t been easy, but plantain chips have become a staple for me! They’ve got the same crunch as potato chips and are just $1.69. Real food note: these are cooked in sunflower oil, which is not optimal. Since the price is so good, I will opt for these on occasion; other times I’ll splurge for ones that are organic and cooked in coconut oil (and found elsewhere).
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- Gluten-Free Rolled Oats
Two pounds of 100% rolled oats for just $3.99? I’m in! Oh, and they are labeled gluten-free on the front, too. If you need any inspiration for how to use them, try these muffins or some overnight oats. - Organic Gluten-free Brown Rice Pasta
With just two ingredients, organic brown rice + water, this is a pretty solid option! Be sure not to overcook and you won’t be disappointed with this pasta. Another great gluten-free Trader Joe’s find. - 3-Seed Beet Crackers
These actually come in two varieties, beet and sweet potato, but believe it or not, the beet version is the winner in our house! Ingredients include white corn, beet powder, black sesame seeds, flax seeds, paprika, chia seeds, onion powder, sea salt and corn or sunflower oil (oils which I know are not optimal). But for the most part, they line up and are a fun gluten-free snack that I allow my kids to enjoy. - Trader Joe’s Unsweetened Instant Oatmeal
Sure we should just make oatmeal ourselves and not create extra waste – but these little packets come in handy for traveling or other on-the-go situations. With ingredients to include whole grain oats, ground flaxseeds, chia seeds, quinoa, and amaranth, it packs a powerful punch and allows you to sweeten if and how you desire.
- Gluten-free Black Bean Pasta
Whole grain, full of fiber, and one ingredient: black bean powder. I’m in! Another solid gluten-free pasta choice that adds variety and a pop of protein. Yay! - Brown Rice Cakes
I’m a huge fan of Lundberg Farms’ rice cakes, and even more fond of the price that Trader Joe’s offers them at:). - RXBARs
RXBARS are made with a simple blend of dates, nuts, and egg whites in a variety of flavors. They are a simple and good option for a bar that’s higher in protein and come in a number of tasty options. - LARABARs
You’ve heard us sing the praises of LARABARs in the past. Minimal ingredients that include nuts, dates, and seeds—sans added sugars—make them a win in our book. Find them at super prices at TJ’s. - A TREAT: Coconut Sesame-Seed Clusters
Bite-sized crunchy coconut clusters that have a pop of sweetness, thanks to (not “perfect”, but I’m okay with it) coconut sugar and tapioca syrup. Ingredients include organic dried coconut, organic coconut sugar, organic white sesame seeds, organic black sesame seeds, organic tapioca syrup, water, and Himalayan pink salt. I’m a personal fan since they are grain-free. FWIW, there are only 3 grams of added sugar per serving.
What did I miss? I know there are more items, and oftentimes the beauty of Trader Joe’s is in getting recommendations, so please let me know what I’m missing in the comments below!
- Plantain Chips
Your detailed descriptions of each product, along with the reasons why you love them, were incredibly helpful. It’s clear that you put a lot of thought and effort into researching and selecting these items. Your personal insights and tips, such as how to use the products in recipes or snacks, added an extra layer of value to the article.
What I appreciated most was your consideration of various dietary preferences, from vegan to paleo, ensuring that there’s something for everyone in the Trader Joe’s gluten-free aisle. This inclusivity is so important in today’s diverse food landscape.
Yuck! What a horrible list. I literally think the only thing that would be on my list are the rolled oats.
TJs has the absolute best GF bagels, both the plain and everything. The whole grain bread and cinnamon raisin bread are the best two gluten free breads you can find anywhere. The egg fettuccine noodles are fantastic. Most of the Indian frozen meals are GF and great. Perfect bars blow the rxbars and Larabars away so completely. The GF corn bread is my favorite corn bread. The GF chocolate chip cookies are amazing. The ABC bars and the PB&J bars are perfect lunch snacks. GF frozen Mac and cheese. The GF flour is the same as Williams Sonoma expect 1/10 the price. And the single best GF item is definitely the waffles and pancakes. Both are out of this world.
Then the many, many things that are always GF like yogurts and juices and meats, etc.
My least favorite GF products in the whole store are the brown rice pasta and those beet chips.
We all have our own likes! I’m sure if our list went longer than 10 we’d definitely add some of the ones on your list too. :) – Nicole
This list is wack because the bagels aren’t on it. They’re amazing!!!!
Which are your favorite bagels? Feel free to share!
I too have a problem with rxbars or any foods that have natural flavorings or have the word “spices”. In our research due to our daughter having health issues, these are the new approved words by the FDA and USDA for MSG. They approved this because corporate food companies were having a hard time selling products with MSG in them. RXbars are not real food. We avoid them. My daughter has strict food diet and MSG is a big bad ingredient for her.
Do some research and it’s out there.
You are a very smart and good Mom to research and learn the language in big food ingredient lists so you can be aware of hidden MSGS. I too have had to learn to decipher ingredient lists due to getting debilitating migraines if I consume MSGS. Makes me so frustrated when food companies put junk in food and market it as nutritious.
Coconut milk mochi in the freezer section is now gluten free too!! (And a delicious summer dessert, I’m not sure how whole foods it is, but it’s free of most allergens including soy and dairy!)
Trail mixes. Red lentil pasta. Popcorn!
I do love their red lentil popcorn, for sure!
I see RX bars mentioned a lot lately on this blog, which surprises me since Lisa has done a lot of blogging on how to read and decipher food ingredient lists. RX bars are not the nourishing snack they are advertised to be. They have natural flavors and every educated real food person should know to avoid any packaged food containing natural flavors. For those who want to clean up their diet and don’t understand why natural flavors are bad and really no different than artificial flavors, check out the book “The Dorito Effect” by Mark Schatzker. Also those familiar with Vani Hari aka Food Babe she has a great article on her website about natural flavors any why to avoid them. Disappointed to see RX bars favored so much on this site.
Totally agree. They are also under investigation for misleading ingredients and package labeling.
Mrs. Leake actually addressed this issue on a previous post regarding RX Bars. Here is her quote on the natural flavors in them: “They do contain natural flavors, which only come from essential oils that are extracted directly from the whole food ingredients themselves. For instance, the natural blueberry flavor in their blueberry bars comes directly from the essential oils of a blueberry.” So it seems, in this case, the natural flavors meet the real food rules?
Yes, I saw the post where Mrs. Leake addressed what RX bar company says is in their natural flavors. Natural flavors are flavors only, no nutritional value at all. Companies use these flavors so they can get away with adding less of the real food, in this case blueberries to make it cheaper to process the product. FYI natural flavors may come from a real natural source but after that the process of adding other chemicals to make the final product flavoring is the same, which is questionable on safety as far as I’m concerned. RX bars claims a nutritious snack that is truly not because the reason for adding natural flavors is so food companies can pull out most of the nutritional food part so it is cheaper to make. I strongly suggest researching natural flavors, how they are made, any why they are used in the first place. You may decide too that they are not worth consuming. Also natural flavors even organic can have hidden msgs, anyone who is suffering from migraines check your so called process real food ingredient labels guarantee they have natural flavors.
Epic has a great “performance” bar that is similar to RX Bar but it doesn’t have any natural flavoring. They’re great!