Udi’s have recently crossed the pond and brought a range of gluten free products to the UK market. Udi’s are a big player in the States and some of their products are even available to buy at Baseball stadiums. As a football fan I can only dream of seeing gluten free options within stadiums at the moment. So what can Udi’s bring to the table in the UK? Well there are certainly some products that have not been previously seen in gluten free form in the UK before, or at least not readily available. These products include bagels and a version of pop tarts which seem to be proving popular with the gluten free community.
I was lucky enough to receive a sample pack for review which included cinnamon and raison bagels, mince pies, muffins, toaster pastries and ancient grain jalapeño cheddar crisps. I had also bought some products myself, when they became available to buy nationally in Tesco. Below I have a look at the products and what I thought of them.
Toaster pastries: Otherwise known as pop tarts, these were something definitely missing from the UK market. These are available in two flavours; strawberry and apple cinnamon. These items have proved very popular amongst coeliacs and the gluten free community, with many people delighted to be able to have a “pop tart” again after so many years. I thought they were pretty good, the filling tasty but for me there was a bit too much pastry for the filling. It’s worth saying I wasn’t a pop tart fan in my pre-coeliac days.
Bagels: Another American favourite which has been missing from the breakfast tables of UK gluten free folk. As I don’t like raisins I passed the cinnamon and raison bagels to a gluten eating friend who gave them the thumbs up. I have however tried the plain variety. Firstly I tried them toasted and simply buttered, which I liked far more than I expected. I’d never had a regular bagel before my coeliac diagnosis so wasn’t that bothered by them. I also had them toasted and covered in salsa and Mexicana Cheese, after a suggestion from Kim of Coeliac.me.uk. This proved to be a fabulous combo which I’d definitely have again. The bagels are also available in a savoury flavour.
Muffins: The muffins come in a pack of two, one chocolate chip and one toffee. I love muffins and these had both great texture and good flavour. I also quite like the idea of getting two varieties in one pack. They do contain a lot of ingredients and I’d probably be inclined to buy something locally produced if available. Having said that I’d happily eat them again.
Ancient grain crisps: I am a total crisp fiend and the jalapeño cheddar snacks definitely get a big thumbs up from me, and some gluten eaters I shared them with. I love anything spicy ans these certainly had a bit of a kick. Texturally these were really unusual. My best description would be a multi seeded tortilla chip, and I thought it worked really well. I ate them as they were, but they’d also work well with a salsa or sour cream dip. They are available in cheddar flavour if spicy isn’t your thing.
Breakfast bars: These bars come in both strawberry and blueberry flavour and make a perfect on the go breakfast. They are very much like the Nutri Grain bars I used to enjoy as a gluten eater. They are soft and chewy and have a tasty filling. I recently took a box away with me whilst I was working away in Cambridge, and these really helped me through some tricky breakfast situations.
Mince pies: Unfortunately I am not a mince pie fan at all, so these also went to my gluten eating friend Adam, who said they were really good. For another viewpoint see this positive review on the glutenfreeb website.
Other products which I’ve yet to try include bread and rolls. I’m happy to see they have a gluten free finger roll which is something I always cry out for come BBQ season! The final products amongst the UK portfolio are bagel chips and granola. I always prefer to buy local if it all possible, but I think Udi’s have definitely brought something different to the UK and will have given the likes of Genius and Newburn Bakehouse something to ponder. Like most gluten free products they are not the cheapest, but there are a few things here that I will likely buy again if I find myself in Tesco. So what have you made of these new products?
Kevin, Gluten Free by the Sea
Gluten Free By The Sea 