Gluten Free Cookies: Vanilla Sandwich Creme KinniTOOS

Gluten Free Cookies: Vanilla Sandwich Creme KinniTOOS

PRODUCT NAME:                    Vanilla KinniTOOS

BRAND:                                   Kinnikinnick Foods

COST:                                      $4.99

SIZE:                                        8 oz. (21 cookies)

COST PER OZ:                         $0.62/oz
 
CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:       NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:        NA

ORGANIC:                                NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:        NA

VEGAN:                                    NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:         YES

LOCATION OF FACILITY:         Canada

SHELF LIFE:                            1 Year

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging. We cannot verify the accuracy of this information. For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.

REVIEW:

Nutrition Facts and Ingredients

The slogan on the box for Kinnikinnick’s KinniToos Vanilla Sandwich Crème is, “Gluten Free never tasted so good!” and boy are they right! Kinnikinnick sent us these addictively delicious cookies to try. I’m not going to lie, I opened the package to taste them and after my initial elation as to how scrumptious the cookie was, devoured the first seven cookies in the package without blinking an eye.

The cookie itself is lightly lemony with a bit of a shortbread taste as well. That combined with the creamy vanilla frosting center is a match made in some sort of Gluten Free heaven. I opened them up, which I might add, I could do without breaking the cookie itself, and ate each half at a time, saving the half with the crème on it for last of course. They are crisp cookies without being dry and moist without being soggy. They exist in the very center where we all fantasize a cookie’s texture to be. The taste brings back a childhood memories of enjoying cookies with milk at my grandmother’s house. Well, since I can’t have milk anymore I use Hemp milk, so I tried that, and it was delicious as well. Score! I want to add though that they don’t have preservatives, which is actually a great thing. Only downside to that is once you open the package they need to be stored in a zip lock bag. I wouldn’t worry too much about that though because once they’re open, it’s tough not to eat them.

These cookies have a lot going for them. They are dairy free and nut free which is awesome. Comparing them to their glutinous equivalents, they hold up pretty well too. Take Oreos for example, which have 53 calories and 3.3g of fat per cookie. These Kinnitoos have 50 calories with 1.5g fat per cookie. Not too bad for a gluten free cookie. For more information about these cookies, visit their website at: www.kinnikinnick.com

Taste: Lightly lemony, like shortbread, with a strong vanilla crème taste

Labeling: Cheery blue package with sunny cookies

Packaging: plastic cookie tray with plastic covering

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product…

RATING:
Texture:            5
Taste:                5
Value:               3
OVERALL:         4.3

Reviewed by Krisztina L.

Gluten Free Granola: Love Grown Foods Simply Oats Oat Clusters & Love

Gluten Free Granola: Love Grown Simply Oats Oat Clusters & Love

PRODUCT NAME:                    Simply Oats Oat Clusters & Love

BRAND:                                   Love Grown Foods

COST:                                      $4.99

SIZE:                                       12 oz

COST PER OZ:                         $0.42/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:       YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:        GFCO

ORGANIC:                                NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:        N/A

VEGAN:                                    NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:         YES

LOCATION OF FACILITY:         Colorado   

SHELF LIFE:                             6 Months   

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging.  We cannot verify the accuracy of this information.  For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.       

REVIEW:

Taste:  
Love Grown Foods makes a lot of claims about their product. They say that each and every morsel has piles of love poured into it, and also that their wares are not simply foods, but a LIFESTYLE. Although these statements seemed a bit bold upon first glance, I decided to approach this product with an open mind. Hey, if the company is willing to assert that their product is going to bring my entire life new clarity I’m willing to give it a shot. Who couldn’t use a little more love in their day-to-day?

Right off the bat I noticed how pared down this gluten free granola choice was. Although the company has many flavors, this particular product was very simple. The short list of ingredients included gluten free oats, honey, agave, canola oil, and spices. All the add-ins that granola companies seem to capitalize on (fruit, nuts, excessive amounts of sugar or coconut flakes) were completely absent. Not only that, but the product was free of many of the other things that can make granola less-than-healthy. In addition to being gluten free, this product is also free of trans fats, artificial flavors, preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, and genetically modified ingredients. It seems to me that each and every aspect of the granola’s impact on one’s health and well being was considered, and if that isn’t loving, I’m not sure what is.

Onto my dining experience. I am quite used to oats in the morning, but due to my tendency to enjoy something steaming upon my rise, I usually go for oatmeal. The morning of my taste test I woke up to a quite unpleasant surprise: due to the gas company needing to do some work on our lines, the gas was out! As I am an intense creature of routine I had a panic moment but then  I remembered: Love Grown Oats were stove-free. Time to indulge!

On the packaging Love Grown Foods suggested using the granola in a number of ways. A topping for yogurt and a crumple to top a pie were two highlights. Although I considered trying to run to the store to grab a container of soy yogurt, laziness eventually won out. I ate my oats in a bowl, straight up.

I admit, I am a calorie watcher. My standard oatmeal packs about 350 calories with my add-ins. I checked out the serving size of the granola and noticed that about ½ cup plus almond milk would be about equal to my norm. Although this didn’t seem like very much I measured it out. A tiny bowl sat before me and I sighed. This might be a kind of hungry morning.

Despite my hesitancy, the taste was pretty delicious. There were a lot of clusters, which I really appreciated and there weren’t a lot of flavors competing for my attention. The bowl before me presented a succinct and slightly sweet simple delight and I enjoyed the crunch and the experience of something sort of like a baked-good for breakfast. I admit I did add some fruit of my own, and I found the freshness of some berries to top was a perfect compliment. As I finished my bowl I was surprised to see that I was indeed fairly full. The fullness lasted until my mid-morning snack. Although this product is by no means low calorie (120 calories for ¼ cup), I found the small serving size to be sufficient.

Labeling: Labeling on this product was very clear, aside from the specific company and location of the gluten free agency by which it was certified.    

Packaging: With all the emphasis on love and lifestyle, I was a bit surprised to see this granola wrapped in plastic. Would something compostable or even just recyclable not work? I know the crispness of this product is vital but finding a more environmentally sound package might make sense.

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product…

RATING:
Texture:           4
Taste:               4   
Value:              3  
OVERALL:        3.7

Reviewed by Lacy D.

Gluten Free Crackers: RW Garcia 5 Seed Crackers - Product Review #103

Gluten Free Crackers: RW Garcia 5 Seed Crackers

PRODUCT NAME:                       5 Seed Crackers

BRAND:                                      RW Garcia

COST:                                         $4.00

SIZE:                                           4oz         

COST PER OZ:                            $1.00 

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:          YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:           GFCO

ORGANIC:                                   YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:           QAI

VEGAN:                                       YES

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:             UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:             San Jose, CA & Lincolnton, NC

SHELF LIFE:                                 6 Months

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging.  We cannot verify the accuracy of this information.  For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.   

         

REVIEW:

RW Garcia’s philosophy is “great tasting can be good for you.”  We saw it with their tortilla chips and today we saw it with their 5 Seed Crackers they sent us a few weeks back.  They use only high quality ingredients in their products including organic non-GMO corn and additive-free and preservative-free seasonings.  Their 5 Seed Crackers live up to their philosophy. 

RW Garcia’s 5 Seed Crackers come in 3 varieties, Rosemary and Garlic, Onion and Chive, and Tellicherry Cracked Pepper.  These crackers, made with white corn, hemp seeds, brown flaxseed, poppy seed, black sesame seeds and white sesame seeds, pack great flavor.  You would think with just 50 mg of sodium per serving, there might not be much flavor, but you’d be wrong.  These crackers are flavored with things like garlic powder, onion powder, pepper and salt.  It doesn’t take much seasoning to make these crackers taste good either.  The corn and 5 types of seeds these crackers are made of are flavorful on their own.  The flavors work very well together.  The texture is also pretty good.  Biting into a cracker, you get a nice crunch, but I must admit that these are a little on the dry side.  It goes great with dip though.

Nutrition Facts

Part of RW Garcia’s philosophy is being a healthy snack.  With a serving size of about 16 crackers, these have 140 calories, 7 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, no cholesterol, and 50mg of sodium.  I’m by no means a health expert, but seeing the nutrition of similar products, I would say these are pretty healthy.  I wouldn’t feel too guilty eating these crackers. 

Overall we liked these crackers a lot.  They have great flavor, they pack a great  crunch and they’re pretty healthy.  Add to that the fact that it is certified organic and is Non-GMO Project verified, we’ve got a great snack on our hands.  They are a little on the pricy side, but what you’re paying for is a quality snack that not only tastes good, but is also good for you.  For more information about RW Garcia’s line of snacks, visit their website at: www.rwgarcia.com.

Taste: These crackers pack a nice light flavor that is great for snacking.  You can enjoy them on their own or with your favorite dip for the perfect crunchy snack.   

Labeling:  You can see right away that RW Garcia has put a lot of effort into their labeling.  All of the images are clear and all of the text is easy to read.  These crackers are Non-GMO Project verified, certified organic and, although it doesn’t say it on the packaging, certified gluten free. 

Packaging:  The packaging is very attractive with colors that are pleasing to the eyes.  A sealed plastic bag holds the crackers and is placed in a recycled paperboard box. 

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product…

RATING:

Texture:                 4             

Taste:                     5             

Value:                    2

OVERALL:              3.7

Reviewed 040711 by Calvin C.