Tag: Target

Gluten Free Ice Cream Cones: What is ice cream without a cone?

We were delighted when we discovered gluten free ice cream cones at our local Target store!  Target carries Goldbaum’s Gluten Free Cones.  I missed sugar cones!  These are great.  You can’t tell the difference from non-gluten free sugar cones.

However, I also discovered gluten free sugar AND cake cones (cups) at my local Ralph’s Grocery Store.  Ralph’s carries Joy brand gf ice cream cones.  My daughter prefers cake cones to sugar cones, so she was thrilled!  I grew up on Joy ice cream cones and the gluten free options are as good as I remember the non-gf cones. I note that Goldbaum’s also makes gf cake cones (cups) but at least the Target near me does not carry them.

One more note on where to buy.  I noticed that Amazon sells Goldbaum’s, Joy, and another brand, “Let’s Do Gluten Free”.  I haven’t tried Let’s Do Gluten Free, so I can’t speak to that brand.

No matter what your preference is (sugar or cake), kids of all ages can now eat their ice cream in a gluten free cone!

Six Places to Shop for Gluten Free Food

So, you need to eat gluten free? What’s next? Where do you shop for gf food?

Buying gluten free food can be a challenge, but it isn’t as difficult as you might think. And it is becoming easier all the time.

Here are a few options.

  1. Your local grocery store: Most grocery stores today carry gluten free food. However, the variety of gluten free food differs with each store, so you will likely have to shop at multiple stores to get everything you want. It is rare to find one grocery store that will carry all the gluten free items you need or the brands you like.Some things to note:
    • Some grocery stores will have all the gluten free food in one section and others will mix the gf food with the non-gf food. Some stores have a combination of both.
    • Recently, I’ve noticed that more stores are nicely labeling gf food for you to reduce the amount of time spent searching in the aisles and the amount of time spent label reading.
    • If you are on a budget, gluten free food costs more than non-gf food, so look for sales at your local grocery stores.
  2. Target: Target has been increasing the number of gluten free food items, and the food usually costs less than what you might pay at the grocery store.
  3. Amazon: Amazon carries quite a bit of gluten free food. But unlike most things sold on Amazon, the prices for gf food aren’t necessarily lower, so be aware of that.
  4. Health food stores/markets: Although the food tends to cost a bit more, you can often find a large selection of gf food at stores like these. Many times, you can find things at these stores that you can’t find at your local grocery store.
  5. Gluten free food manufacturers: Some gf food manufacturers have e-commerce portals, so you can order directly from them. I’ve discovered these companies by going to gluten free expos. There are a lot of small companies out there that make great gf food. Some of these products you may never see on a grocery store shelf, but you can order product from the manufacturer’s web site. I would advise checking out the expos if possible. All the vendors provide samples of their food, so you can see if you like the product before you buy it.
  6. Gluten free food distributors: At a recent Gluten Free Expo, I met some distributors who purchase gf food and sell it online. They carry different kinds of gf food and different brands. I haven’t tried purchasing gf food in this manner yet. In some ways, it is limiting, because you can only choose what the distributor purchases, and there is a lack of immediacy. But sometimes they sell things you can’t buy in the grocery store. It is worth a look.

Personally, for me, the biggest drawbacks are that I can’t buy everything I need at one store, and the food costs more. That said, it is workable. You do have many purchasing options.