It's A Flax!: Processed Snack Foods

I am one of those people who becomes SUPER grumpy if I'm hungry. Years of stomach problems from being sick on gluten and potatoes means that when my stomach begins to hurt -- even if it's just a tiny bit of hunger pangs -- I immediately feel nauseous and want nothing to do with food, even though, ironically, that is what would solve my problem. My solution is to carry snacks with me when I leave the house; usually just a little baggie or wrapped bar -- something that fits nicely in my purse.

In my ideal world I would be making all my own snacks. There are lovely recipes for making your own pseudo-Lara Bars, for instance. And someday I will try those out. But let's face it, we don't always have the time or energy to deal with making our own snacks. Sometimes we need to just stride into the grocery store, pick something off the shelf, and start eating. Spend a little time browsing snack options in the gluten-free aisle and you'll quickly realize that most of them contain potato in some form, usually potato starch or xanthan gum. These are the snack foods that I've found to be both gluten-free and potato-free, as well as containing no processed cane sugar.

Lara Bars are essentially just dates and nuts. I stay away from the flavors with chocolate because they contain extra sugar. These are my favorite snack! Available at Whole Foods.

Mary's Gone Crackers are made from quinoa, sesame seeds, flax, and brown rice. They come in a variety of flavors, though I like the original flavor best. My father claims that they taste like "old Communion wafers from two Easters ago" but you can be the judge of that yourself. You can buy them at Whole Foods and Costco, and I have also discovered them at regular grocery stores as well in the gluten-free/natural foods section.

Flackers are made of flax and are considered a "raw" cracker. They also come in several flavors. I don't like them as much because the texture is pretty... flaxy, for lack of a better word. I find that I have to chew them an extra-long time before they go down.

If you're craving something starchy but can't find either of the above crackers at the store, then I suggest heading for the rice cakes or corn chips (check the label to ensure they're gluten free). Both can be found at nearly any grocery store.

You need a protein to go along with your crackers or flackers or whatever you want to call them. I like to buy Laughing Cow Babybel Cheese because I'm 99% sure they're full-fat (I mean, HELLO, tiny cheese wheels covered in wax!) - available at most grocery stores in the "fancy cheese" section. Or you can try freshly ground nut butters or Earth Balance peanut butter (sweetened with agave rather than sugar) at Whole Foods.

(now why didn't I ever think to do this??)

Dried fruit and nuts are great options but many of them have added cane sugar, which I avoid. You also need to check that they aren't processed together with gluten products -- this is particularly the case with nuts. I really like the dried fruit at Traders Joes. My husband's favorite is "Just Mango," but I prefer the slab apricots. To each their own.