This post is not sponsored. I bought all of these items myself, and no one paid me to write this review.
Hi my name is Christina, and I'm a snackoholic. You can often find wrappers or empty boxes all over my bed because I could pretty much snack all day long. While I type this blog post I am aimlessly crunching on some chocolate peppermint bark, and I must say it's making this moment significantly better.
I remember beginning my anti-inflammatory diet many years ago and feeling so deprived. There were seemingly no snacks on the market at the time to fulfill my needs of being made without things like gluten, milk, soy, corn etc in it. Over the years my diet has been ever evolving, and where I used to not be able to tolerate any sugar I can now eat a little bit here and there. This has been a big win, because in the mean time I got more sensitive to dairy, eggs and nuts so it really opened the door for me to try a broader range of allergy-free snacks.
Oh and as a disclaimer, the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology classifies Coconut as a fruit, not a tree nut (as do many other organizations). So for the purpose of this post coconut is not being lumped in with nuts. Tree nuts include almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, chestnuts, filberts/hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pistachios, pine nuts, shea nuts and walnuts.
This post is going to be no frills, just a sampling of some snacks I have come to love which are all top 10 allergy free. Whoo! Some of these also aren't really mainstream, and I had to do a whole lot of internet browsing to find out they exist. But now that I found them I knew I had to share! Some of the items can be found in grocery stores, but I also include online shopping links for everything.
I remember beginning my anti-inflammatory diet many years ago and feeling so deprived. There were seemingly no snacks on the market at the time to fulfill my needs of being made without things like gluten, milk, soy, corn etc in it. Over the years my diet has been ever evolving, and where I used to not be able to tolerate any sugar I can now eat a little bit here and there. This has been a big win, because in the mean time I got more sensitive to dairy, eggs and nuts so it really opened the door for me to try a broader range of allergy-free snacks.
Oh and as a disclaimer, the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology classifies Coconut as a fruit, not a tree nut (as do many other organizations). So for the purpose of this post coconut is not being lumped in with nuts. Tree nuts include almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, chestnuts, filberts/hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pistachios, pine nuts, shea nuts and walnuts.
This post is going to be no frills, just a sampling of some snacks I have come to love which are all top 10 allergy free. Whoo! Some of these also aren't really mainstream, and I had to do a whole lot of internet browsing to find out they exist. But now that I found them I knew I had to share! Some of the items can be found in grocery stores, but I also include online shopping links for everything.
iwon - Sea Salt Protein Chips
These are made of a delightful blend of gluten free flours & beans, and it tastes like an upgraded tortilla chip. Plant based, vegan, allergy free & oh so yum. It's way too easy to eat a whole bag. They come in grab and go sized bags which makes it easy for on the go too as an added bonus.
These are made of a delightful blend of gluten free flours & beans, and it tastes like an upgraded tortilla chip. Plant based, vegan, allergy free & oh so yum. It's way too easy to eat a whole bag. They come in grab and go sized bags which makes it easy for on the go too as an added bonus.
Natural Nectar - Organic Cocoa Rice Stix
Oh how do I love thee, let me count the ways.... These are the perfect crunchy creamy combo, and are a little slice of chocolate coconut heaven. I had to search for these more than I'd have liked, because this same brand makes another version with hazelnuts and for some reason those were way easier to come by than this coconut variety. As of now I order them online from Swell Market, but they sell them in stores too. I live in a small town so they were no where to be found here, but if you have a Whole Foods or Sprouts definitely give it a look.
Oh how do I love thee, let me count the ways.... These are the perfect crunchy creamy combo, and are a little slice of chocolate coconut heaven. I had to search for these more than I'd have liked, because this same brand makes another version with hazelnuts and for some reason those were way easier to come by than this coconut variety. As of now I order them online from Swell Market, but they sell them in stores too. I live in a small town so they were no where to be found here, but if you have a Whole Foods or Sprouts definitely give it a look.
Trader Joes - Organic Marshmallow Treats
These are Organic, Vegan, Gluten Free, Soy free Marshmallow treats! I repeat, VEGAN and SOY FREE. I think I hit some kind of food lottery when I found these, because I can't explain how much I missed marshmallow treats. Marshmallows are traditionally made with gelatin which are a big no no for me, and most all marshmallow alternatives contain soy protein. When I found these treats I promptly ordered a box and proceeded to be in complete bliss. They taste amazing, and that is no exaggeration. Also, all things considered they only have 7g of sugar (a lot of which comes from the rice itself). They aren't overly sweet, it's just right. If you are lucky enough to live near a Trader Joe's I highly recommend you grab a box (or 5) asap. However, if you're like me then you can order them online from Amazon. Trader Joe's products are organic and high quality so they cost a little more than your usual Rice Krispy treat, but its so worth it.
These are Organic, Vegan, Gluten Free, Soy free Marshmallow treats! I repeat, VEGAN and SOY FREE. I think I hit some kind of food lottery when I found these, because I can't explain how much I missed marshmallow treats. Marshmallows are traditionally made with gelatin which are a big no no for me, and most all marshmallow alternatives contain soy protein. When I found these treats I promptly ordered a box and proceeded to be in complete bliss. They taste amazing, and that is no exaggeration. Also, all things considered they only have 7g of sugar (a lot of which comes from the rice itself). They aren't overly sweet, it's just right. If you are lucky enough to live near a Trader Joe's I highly recommend you grab a box (or 5) asap. However, if you're like me then you can order them online from Amazon. Trader Joe's products are organic and high quality so they cost a little more than your usual Rice Krispy treat, but its so worth it.
free 2b - Peppermint Bark & Mini Sun Cups
These yummy little guys are top 12 Allergen free, and they taste way better than their mainstream alternative. The Sun Cups are reminiscent of Reece's Cups, and are perfectly bite sized. They are oh so creamy and smooth, and the rice chocolate is indistinguishable from milk chocolate. The Peppermint Bark is made of dark chocolate with crunchy bits of peppermint inside. I know I've used the words 'amazing' and 'incredible' a lot in this post, but this peppermint bark deserves its own accolade. It's so incredibly satisfying with the blend of peppermint and rich dark chocolate.. ohh the bliss.
These yummy little guys are top 12 Allergen free, and they taste way better than their mainstream alternative. The Sun Cups are reminiscent of Reece's Cups, and are perfectly bite sized. They are oh so creamy and smooth, and the rice chocolate is indistinguishable from milk chocolate. The Peppermint Bark is made of dark chocolate with crunchy bits of peppermint inside. I know I've used the words 'amazing' and 'incredible' a lot in this post, but this peppermint bark deserves its own accolade. It's so incredibly satisfying with the blend of peppermint and rich dark chocolate.. ohh the bliss.
Beanitos - White Bean Cinnamon Twists
Do you look back fondly at the Taco Bell cinnamon twists, and wish you could taste that glorious cinnamon crunch again? If so, you are in for a real treat with these. These Cinnamon Twists are made entirely of beans & tapioca with just a hint of sugar, and they taste just like the real deal. If you warm them up a little bit they become almost indistinguishable from the Taco Bell variety, except maybe the fact that they aren't covered in 3lbs of grease. If anything these are an improvement of the original. Some grocery stores sell them, but if not you can also find them online. Thank you internet.
Do you look back fondly at the Taco Bell cinnamon twists, and wish you could taste that glorious cinnamon crunch again? If so, you are in for a real treat with these. These Cinnamon Twists are made entirely of beans & tapioca with just a hint of sugar, and they taste just like the real deal. If you warm them up a little bit they become almost indistinguishable from the Taco Bell variety, except maybe the fact that they aren't covered in 3lbs of grease. If anything these are an improvement of the original. Some grocery stores sell them, but if not you can also find them online. Thank you internet.
Do you have a favorite allergy free snack? If so, I’d LOVE to know, please leave a comment below! That way it will also help out others who come to this post to find more new treats. One can never have enough snacks if you ask me!
xoxo,
Christina
xoxo,
Christina