Being gluten-free comes with its fair share of restrictions, least of all when it comes to food. Watching your friends dig into whatever they like without issues can seem like torture, but who said that your life was over just because of your diet? Starting with basics like gluten-free bread can introduce the foods you once loved back into your life while also keeping you on track.
What Is Gluten-Free Bread?
Now hang on just one minute. Gluten-free bread seems way too good to be true. Sure, it exists, but it has to taste noticeably different from the original stuff, right? Ah, not so fast.
Gluten-free bread doesn’t include the enemy ingredients like rye, wheat, or barley. Instead, it’s typically made with different kinds of flour and ingredients ranging from:
- Cornstarch
- Oat flour
- Rice flour
- Potato flour
- Chickpea flour
From there, your loaf is basically made the same as your regular bread loaf. It just uses different kinds of flours to keep things safe for the gluten-free people out there.
Best Gluten-Free Bread
1. Three Bakers Gluten-Free Bread
Three Bakers’ bread remains gluten-free while still giving you a hearty taste similar to the old-fashioned kind. It’s made with:
- Cornstarch
- Whole grain brown rice flour
- Potato flour
It’s best kept in the fridge for the longest life, but you can also leave it sitting out at room temperature. If you’re looking for bread to make a sandwich with, though, you might want to try another. The slices are pretty small in comparison to your typical loaf. Bear in mind that the slices of gluten-free bread tend to run small anyway, but this is on the smaller side still.
You can grab this bread in Whole Foods or health food stores.
2. Schar Artisan Baker
Schar’s bread looks and feels like regular bread. The only noticeable difference is the size of the slices, especially when you stray to other loaves they offer. Their slices run a bit on the smaller side, but it’s nothing you can’t work with. It’s made with:
- Cornstarch
- Sourdough
- Amaranth flour
- Rice starch
- Quinoa flour
- Millet flour
- Buckwheat flour
The shelf life of this is the same as your regular loaf of bread. It’s also a little on the pricey side, but you’re paying for quality. Schar is a popular brand and its bread is just as filling as you’d hope. You can get loaves in health food stores.
3. Canyon Bakehouse
Keeping on track with popular loaves, Canyon Bakehouse is a gluten-free brand that many people turn to. The slices are a bit larger than your average gluten-free breads and it’s readily available in stores like Target. It’s made with:
- Cultured brown rice flour
- Potato flour
- Sorghum flour
- Rice flour
This company also offers quite a few different loaves to choose from, ranging from whole wheat, cinnamon raisin, and deli rye. It’s a tad pricier than some of the other brands on this list, but it’s the price tag isn’t outrageous. It’s available in Whole Foods and Target.
4. Glutino Multigrain Bread
Glutino’s multigrain bread is a home run for many on a gluten-free diet. The slices are soft, flavourful, and on the larger side when compared to others on the list. It’s made with:
- Cornstarch
- Tapioca starch
- Potato starch
- Brown rice flour
Depending on where you’re buying this loaf from, it might not be the cheapest. You can grab it from Amazon and health food stores, but don’t be shocked if the bill comes to about six or seven dollars per loaf.
However, this company also makes lots of other gluten-free products that aren’t just loaves of bread. They have snacks like pretzels and chips available for purchase too. This brand is usually available in supermarkets and department stores like Walmart.
5. Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Whole-Grain Bread
Trader Joe’s always seems to have what we’re looking for on a diet. They’re here to help us yet again with their gluten-free bread. The slices are definitely smaller than others on the list, but they’re also soft and flavourful without being too crumbly. It’s made with:
- Modified tapioca starch
- Brown rice flour
- Rice starch
- Amaranth flour
- Oat flour
- Millet flour
- Whole grain sorghum flour
- Teff flour
Since these loaves are easily accessible from your local Trader Joe’s, you’ll probably have an easier time finding them than some of the others. It’s a good thing, too, because this bread is quite close to whole grain bread without tasting like an awkward blend.
6. Franz
Franz gluten-free bread is another popular brand that consumers gravitate towards. The loaves last quite a long time no matter where you keep them stored and the slices are soft and thick. It’s made with:
- Brown rice flour
- Tapioca starch
- Whole grain sorghum flour
- Rice flour
- Whole grain amaranth seed
Franz offers you quite a few options for gluten-free bread such as cinnamon raisin and whole grain. You do, however, need to watch that price tag because it’s on the pricey side. Each loaf will set you back about eight bucks. These loaves can be found in several locations like Walmart and health food stores.
7. Udi’s Whole Grain Bread
Udi’s has been in many gluten-free households for years now. Their slices are thinner and smaller, but still soft and fluffy without being too dry. These slices are also great for the toaster as they won’t crumble once you get them nice and browned. That being said, you’ll need to let the loaf thoroughly thaw before you reach for a slice or they might stick together. It’s made with:
- Modified tapioca starch
- Rice flour
- Tapioca starch
- Peach starch
- Sorghum flour
Udi’s price is on par with other popular gluten-free brands. Just like with Glutino, this company also offers a wide variety of snacks like cookies and muffins. This bread is usually found in places like Costco and health food stores.
8. Kinnikinnik Foods Brown Sandwich Bread
This gluten-free option is a tad more crumbly than their competitors. The slices, however, are flavourful, soft, and large enough to use when making sandwiches. Made with:
- White rice flour
- Potato starch
- Brown rice flour
- Tapioca starch
This brand is a few dollars cheaper than some of the other brands listed here. The loaves will cost you about six dollars, but other loaves like white and multigrain will only cost you about five. You can easily find this bread in local supermarkets or department stores like Walmart.
9. BFree
BFree gluten-free bread is on the smaller side. There aren’t very many slices to a loaf and they’re also a bit thinner. Given the size, you may need to buy more than one loaf to give yourself enough to work with. Regardless, BFree bread is hearty, soft, and doesn’t need to be stored in the freezer. It’s made with:
- Potato flour
- Cornstarch
- Tapioca starch
- Wholegrain rice flour
- Buckwheat flour
BFree bread won’t set you back much more than your typical gluten-free bread will and you’ll have a few different loaves to choose from pita bread, bagels, wraps, and pizza crusts. You can grab BFree bread from department and health food stores.
10. Rudi’s Multigrain Sandwich Bread
Rudi’s gluten-free bread is our final loaf to try off this list. Their bread is on the larger side and the texture is good and dense. It doesn’t crumble on its own or when you toast it, which makes it another go-to for many consumers. It’s made with:
- Modified tapioca starch
- Brown rice flour
- Rice starch
- White sorghum flour
- Brown teff flour
Their loaves will usually cost you somewhere between six and seven dollars and can be found online at Amazon or in stores like Target.
