Struggling With a Wheat Allergy? These Are My Favorite Wheat-Free Products

Having an allergy to wheat can be hard to manage. It can literally feel like there is wheat in everything! And of course, living in the United States, bread and pasta are such a staple in our average diets that being overwhelmed trying to avoid them, I assure you, is normal.

Of course, I have a wheat allergy, and avoiding wheat can feel like a full-time job and a horrible penalty. I love bread and pasta and miss being able to enjoy them freely. I love chips, wraps, pasta salads, spaghetti, and garlic bread; you get the picture. All the good stuff!

Considering that I have to avoid wheat and gluten, I have found some delicious substitutes for items like crackers and bread that have helped me cope with my allergy over time. I will be frank; it can be hard to be satisfied with the taste of an alternative wheat-free project, but I must say, I am pretty picky, and these products I've found taste pretty darn good!

Wheat-free crackers

Simple Mills makes my current absolute favorite cracker substitute. Their pita crackers are made with veggie flour, which makes them gluten-free. I like the Himalayan salt variety. Depending on your preferences, many gluten-free crackers from other brands are just as good. 

The Simple Mills crackers are delicious and almost taste like the "real thing." So if you need a good cracker for dipping into queso sauce, salsa, guacamole, or hummus, this is it! And honestly, it is so tasty that eating it on its own is just as satisfying.

Wheat-free chips

My favorite chip is any product by the brand Siete. They have a BBQ-flavored potato chip that is delicious and wheat-free. And even their sea salt chips are fabulous. I love this brand because it is grain-free. If you're looking for tortilla chips, most brands are usually gluten-free since tortilla chips are made from ground corn. However, be sure to double-check the food label before purchasing!

Gluten-free wraps

As far as wraps go, I buy gluten-free wraps from the brand Toufayan. Other brands like Mission, Udi's, and Trader Joe's offer gluten-free wraps/tortillas. Check the food label for other ingredients you may need to avoid. The Toufayan wraps are zero wheat but contain corn. I find that these wraps taste the closest to a flour wrap, and I don't feel like I am sacrificing taste or texture.

Pasta alternatives

I have struggled to find a really great wheat-free pasta alternative that holds up in texture and flavor. Banza is an excellent brand; they use chickpea flour in their pasta. However, I can't tolerate chickpeas. If you can, I would suggest this as a great substitute. You do sacrifice a bit on texture and taste but not enough that you can't enjoy the pasta.

Alternative breads

I think finding an alternative to regular bread is the toughest substitution. I have yet to find wheat-free bread worth eating, taste-wise. I have concluded that it seems like that is the one thing you might have to learn to live without if you don't enjoy the alternatives. I find many of the substitutes for regular bread taste pretty bad and usually have a strange texture. So until I find an excellent replacement, I will sadly have to say that I am still searching for a gluten-free product worth sharing!

Dealing with food allergies can make your food options seem extremely limited, but many products out there may work with your dietary restrictions!

How about you? Are there any substitutes for wheat products that you'd like to share?