Gluten-Free Snack list

We’ve been gluten-free under my roof since 2012. But when my kids turn into teens and have the freedom to come and go with their friends, they tend to eat like the average American while they’re away – fast food, frozen pizzas, and gas station snacks are on the menu.

But my oldest son was having some health issues, we ran labs on him, and we found that he is HIGHLY sensitive to gluten. So much so, that he’s only been off the gluten for 6 days and has already seen significant improvements (WIN!)

But now it’s the weekend. And he’s out with friends. And they’re going through drive-thrus and stopping at gas stations for snacks, and he doesn’t know what to eat.

What’s a 19-year-old to do?

I can answer that question –  he calls me from the store aisle at 10:30 pm on a Friday night asking what he can eat and which aisle he’ll find it in.

When you first go gluten-free or change your diet in any way, it feels IMPOSSIBLE to figure out what to eat. But really you just need to give yourself grace while you adjust to the change and learn a new way of eating. It’ll become second nature before you know it.

There are a LOT of gluten-free snacks that are just as JUNKY as their non-gluten counterparts. And sometimes we eat those. You can choose those snacks and still be gluten-free, but that’s not what I’m generally into unless it’s a special occasion, or unless my son is calling me from the grocery aisle on a Friday night looking for gluten-free junk food that he can eat with his bros (in which case I’ll share some less than stellar snacks below).

These are some of our go-to gluten-free snacks:

1. Apple with nut butter (almond butter, cashew butter, etc.) 

2. Celery with nut butter

3. Any plain fruit or veggie

4. Dry roasted or raw almonds, pistachios, or any nut

5. Simple Mills or From The Ground Up crackers with Hummus (check your hummus ingredients and try to buy one that doesn’t have soy or canola oils!)

6. Beef Sticks (look for cleaner brands: Chomps, Vermont, Paleovalley, Think, to name a few)

7. Organic string cheese (extra good dipped in pizza sauce!)

8. Potato chips (PLEASE get a decent brand that doesn’t use “vegetable” oil, soybean, canola, etc. Look for avocado oil, olive oil, or coconut oil potato chips. Kettle brand has avocado and organic options, Boulder Canyon, Good Health).

9. Kind Bars

10. Gluten-free oatmeal

11. Grain-free tortilla chips with salsa or guacamole

12. Rice cakes with nut butter

13. Chocolate Protein Muffins (see my prior post)

14. Veggies & homemade dairy-free ranch

15. Chicken Salad on GF crackers or lettuce boats

16. Protein shake or smoothie (use a high quality protein powder like powders by Ancient Nutrition or Be Well by Kelly)

Looking for more gluten-free ideas? Check out my free recipe guide.

Are you gluten-free? If so, what are your favorite go-to snacks?