Buffalo Gluten-Free - Part 1

Part 1 of this blog post will cover the gluten-free vendor fair and shopping for GF products in the US.

Part 2 of this blog post will cover dining out in Buffalo and Niagara, NY.

Just about every summer I go to Buffalo, New York for some shopping.  The yearly trip has taken on a different meaning since being diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2006.

On Saturday September 10, 2011, I took a weekend trip to Buffalo, NY to attend Western New York's Gluten Freedom Day.

The United States has the luxury of MANY different gluten-free products that we do not have access to in Canada.  Many can be found at Wegmans.

Gluten Freedom Day - Vendors

I was a little disappointed that very few of the vendors at the expo had products to sell.  Many offered samples and coupons which was great, however, I couldn't use the coupons in Canada.  I was told to purchase the products at Wegmans or some other American store.


Here are some pictures I snapped at the vendor fair.

Namaste mixes can also be purchased in Canada.  Lots of neat recipes using the mixes were available from the vendor.

Namaste

Again, Pamela's Products are available in Canada.  However, I discovered that they also make GF granola bars!!  The bars use certified pure oats but unfortunately are not available in Canada.  I believe this is due to the fact that the current labelling laws in Canada do not allow even certified, pure, uncontaminated, gluten-free oats to be labelled "gluten-free."

Pamela's Products

Vin-Chet is a gluten-free bakery located in Amherst.  I sampled the sandwich bread and banana muffins - wow!  They tasted real. I purchased a package of each.

Vin Chet

I found donuts!  I immediately asked how much for this tray of donuts and was sad when told the tray was not for sale.  The lady said to visit their store.  I told the lady that I was from Toronto so I'd have to wait till next summer to try the donuts.  I seem to have perfected my sad, puppy dog face.  She told me to hang on a second and returned to the table with two powdered donuts to sell me! 

Vin Chet

Oh, to sink my teeth into a donut again... delicious!

mmm donut...

Schar

Some Schar products were available in Canada for a bit but they have since been pulled for not having bilingual labelling for Canadian consumers.  I have spoken with some people from Schar and am told that they should be coming back to Canada in 2012 when the packages are labelled properly.  See below for some product reviews!

Schar

Wegmans

Wegmans is a fantastic chain of supermarkets in the US.  Their store-brand products have little symbols in the corner when products are gluten-free, lactose-free, vegan and more.  The store had a giant display of the current GF products available with their store brand products.

Wegmans

Check out all these products!

Wegmans

Lots of gluten-free booze!  I tried some pumpkin beer.  It was interesting.  I should mention, I'm not a fan of beer.  Never have been and it would take a miracle for that to change in the future.

Booze!

St. Julien Macaroons were incredible! 

Macaroons

Here are the samples I got at Gluten Freedom Day in Buffalo.

Free samples

I also had the pleasure of bumping into Trina of Astoria Mills.  She will be relaunching her line of products soon! Mix #7 will even make croissants - can't wait!  (And here I am with my box of goodies at Gluten-Freedom Day)

Gluten-Free Trina (left) and Jax

Trip to Wegmans

Wegmans is amazing!  You must visit if you are from Ontario and visiting Buffalo (or any other US city where there is a Wegmans).

Wegmans Storefront

I had to grab a picture of these Jax cheesy puffs.  I discovered when I got home that they actually are gluten-free.  I wish I would have purchased a bag, just for the novelty of having something named after me.  The picture will do for now.

They named some cheesy puffs after me!

Here's some gluten-free beer in Wegmans.  It's strange for me, as a Canadian, to see beer in a grocery store.  It was expensive stuff.  As I mentioned before, I don't like beer or I may have bought some.

More booze!

Wegmans brand Fruity Rice Crisps are an example of a product labelled gluten-free - and super cheap too!  There are TONS of store brand products throughout the store.  I really hope some Canadian grocery store chains pick up on this labelling feature.  I am aware that Metro now offers a line of Irresistables Gluten-Free products but they are more targeted specifically for the gluten-free crowd.  Wegmans labels just about anything and everything that happens to be GF.

Wegmans Fruity Rice Crisps

Post Cocoa Pebbles and Fruity Pebbles are now labelled gluten-free!  While not my cup of tea, it's exciting to see more big brand, mainstream cereal companies catching on and catering to us Celiacs.

Post GF Cocoa Pebbles and Fruity Pebbles

Here's the cereal I picked out!  Barbara's Multigrain Puffins (they contain GF oats), Kellogg's GF Rice Krispies, Cinnamon Chex and Chocolate Chex.  I meant to put the chocolate ones back but I forgot.  Oh well, I'll get to eat it eventually.

GF cereal not available in Canada (yet?)

We've come a long way, baby.  Check out this huge section in Wegmans for JUST gluten-free products.  Pasta, mixes, bread, crackers, cookies and more.

Aisle of gluten-free goodies!

Wegmans even had a small section of GF cookbooks at the end of the GF aisle.  I had to buy 125 Gluten-Free Vegetarian Recipes by Carol Fenster.

A whole book shelf dedicated to gluten-free cookbooks

Schar products turned out to be fantastic!  Check out the Ciabatta Rolls!  Yum.

Schar Ciabatta Roll

Schar Cheese Bites are quite similar to Goldfish crackers!  While not fun fish shapes, they are circles, triangles and squares.

Schar Cheese Bites

Against the Grain is possibly my new favourite bread product.  (Don't get me wrong, GF products are definitely improving and I enjoy many products out there.)  They offer baguettes, bagels, rolls and pizza shells.  I got the baguettes.  Unfortunately, I do not have a picture of the product because it mysteriously disappeared... :) but I did borrow this one from their website.

Against the Grain

Annie's Creamy Deluxe Macaroni Dinner was enticing... I'm a sucker for mac 'n' cheese.

Ahhh, ravioli and perogies made by Conte's!! I cannot wait to try these!

Conte's GF ravioli and perogi

Wegmans - I miss you already.  I hope we meet again soon.