One third of Canadians are reaching for gluten free products, with the global gluten-free market expected to reach $6.2 billion by 2018.

Much has been written about whether this is just the latest food trend, whether eating gf is healthy and if gluten-free will make you lose or gain weight.  I’ll leave that for others to hash out.

But the “trend” is clearly growing.  With so many more mouths to feed, the number of gluten-free products available today have increased dramatically.  Many of my favourites from last year’s list have not been usurped. But sometimes a girl needs variety.  With that in mind, here are some the new staples on my grocery list.

BREAD

The name of Happy Camper’s Stompin’ Good Seedy Buckwheat Molasses bread really kind of says it all.  This is real food – dense, nutty and full-flavoured.  A welcome change from some gluten-free breads that can taste either like air (i.e. nothing) or are overly dense with a baking soda-eque aftertaste.  Mmmm, happy camper indeed.

CRACKERS

Glutino’s Rosemary & Olive Oil crackers are dangerous, in that “can’t have just one” way that reminds me of chips.  I usually have them on their own, as a snack, as opposed to as a vehicle for cheese or another topping.  I’ve tried a few of the other flavours in this line and but these are my favourite.

ENERGY BAR

Sweet Revival (sesame and dates), Protein Pleasure (peanut butter and chocolate chip) and Sweet Rejuvenation (cashew butter) are my fave flaves of gomacro’s delicious energy bars.  Moist and kind of gooey, I like to keep them stashed in the car or in my carry-on in case of grumbly tummy emergencies.  They’re vegan and macrobiotic, plus I like what the company stands for. (One note, they’re not cheap. I like to stock up if I ever spot them on sale.)

COOKIES

Mary hit it out of the park with her crackers but I’m digging her ginger snap cookies as well.  (And yes, there is a Mary.) Crisp but not dry with plenty of gingery flavour, the non-gfers at my house are raiding this cookie jar even after I’ve expressly stated that those are mine! I’ve also tried Mary’s chocolate chip cookies, but I don’t think they’re as good.

PASTA

There are days when nothing hits the spot like Kraft dinner. (Usually rainy, hung- over days.) While nothing can replace the real thing, Trader Joe’s Rice Pasta and Cheddar is a decent second.  In fact, the powdered cheese included here tastes more like real cheddar. (But then again, I think gluten-free bread tastes good.) One recommendation, cook the pasta a bit longer than the instructions on the package suggest.

I’m always looking for gluten-free treats, with a decent chocolate chip cookie still escaping my grasp. (If you’re in Vancouver, try Tractor‘s double chocolate pistachio pecan gluten-free cookies. OMG!!!) If you have any recommendations, please pass them along.