Best Gluten Free Bagels

Being gluten free can be limiting, especially when it comes to breakfast goodies such as bagels.

There’s nothing worse than missing out on delicious food. However, if you don’t buy food that accommodates your gluten intolerance, it can lead to a variety of problems including inflammation and damage to your intestinal tract.

Gluten free bagels are a game-changer. Not only do you not have to miss out, but managing signs and symptoms of celiac disease and other medical conditions associated with gluten. 

In this article, I will cover the best gluten free bagels, to give you a better idea of what’s on the market.

Buyer’s Guide

There are a few things to consider when looking for gluten free bagels, but it primarily comes down to the taste and texture, allergens, and the quality of ingredients.

When it comes to choosing bagels, you will also want to consider the shelf life, or how long your bagels are going to last. Whether you opt for fresh or frozen bagels, you will want to make sure that they last for as long as you need them to.

While you can always freeze fresh bagels, it’s good to make sure that you understand the shelf life of a product before buying it to ensure that you don’t waste any bagels.

We’ve put together a handy buyer’s guide of things to consider when purchasing gluten free bagels, covering the essentials that you will need to bear in mind when choosing a product that is suitable for your allergies.

Read the following factors before making your decision.

Taste & Texture

The main factor that you will want to consider when purchasing bagels is the taste and texture. Finding gluten free alternatives that taste and have the texture of standard bagels can be a challenge to find.

Gluten has a stretchy quality to it and is the ingredient that gives bread and baked goods their chewy texture.

If you don’t choose a good gluten free alternative, you might be left feeling deflated if it isn’t close to the bagels that you were used to before you had to make a change to your diet.

While you might think that this comes down to a matter of trial and error when you’re on the hunt for the best gluten free bagel, there are ways of getting a better idea of a product without having to risk buying it.

A good way to gauge whether the taste and texture of the product is good is to check the product reviews section when you are searching for the gluten bagels online.

In the product reviews section, customers can leave the company feedback on what they do and don’t like about the product in question.

If a customer doesn’t like the taste of a certain gluten free bagel, it is likely that they will let you know in the product reviews section.

This also applies to the texture of the bagels. If there are consistent reviews about the taste and the texture being off, then you might decide you don’t want to risk it.

However, it’s also worth noting that taste and texture preferences can be quite subjective. So, if you’re intrigued to try a product, go for it! However, you should make sure that the reviews are good to gauge whether you think it’s worth you trying.

Allergens 

Something else you will need to think about is to check the allergens of the gluten bagels that you are considering buying.

This might sound like an obvious one, but when you have a gluten intolerance, it’s always important to double check. After all, you don’t want your intolerance to flair up! 

When looking for gluten free bagels, you should always check if the packaging clearly displays that the product is gluten free. If you have allergens, you’re probably already used to scouring the ingredients lists of products to ensure that it is suitable for you to eat.

However, it’s a good sign when a product displays gluten free on its packaging and is also Gluten Free Certified. 

It is also important to check the ingredients list for other allergens to see whether the product is actually suitable for you to eat. Checking whether the product is free from dairy, nuts, and eggs is a good place to start when you suffer with more than one allergy.

Whatever your allergies or food sensitivities, it’s crucial that you check the ingredients list on the back of the gluten free bagels for allergens.

Quality Ingredients 

Something important to bear in mind when purchasing gluten free bagels is the quality of the ingredients used. 

There has been a huge shift in the gluten-free market over the past decade. However, gluten-free manufacturers were once limited to certain flours such as white rice, rice (ground superfine), tapioca, and potato starch flours which could leave a strange aftertaste in your mouth.

This aftertaste is what many people still associate gluten free substitutes with today, but attitudes towards it are slowly changing.

As the gluten free market has expanded, the demand for high quality products has increased significantly over the years. If a product isn’t of high quality and taste, then you shouldn’t waste your time on it!

There are a variety of other high quality products to choose from that promote great taste and texture.

Long gone are the days where you have to settle for subpar products, and there are many gluten free bagels available on the market that give standard bagels a run for their money.

That being said, if the gluten free bagels you’re looking for don’t seem of high quality, there are several other options out there for you to choose from.

Shelf Life 

Another factor that you will need to consider when purchasing bagels is the shelf life, or in other words, how long the bagels are going to last before they start to turn moldy. 

This is important to note, especially when you’re buying a multi-pack product that could go off before you find the time to use the bagels up.

Generally speaking, the majority of bagels keep for 2 to 5 days if you leave them on the counter and sealed. However, whether your bagels are frozen or fresh will make a huge difference in their shelf life.

For instance, if you refrigerate fresh gluten free bagels, then you will probably get an extra day or two of storage, but they tend to go stale at a quicker rate.

When you freeze your bagels, on the other hand, they retain their quality for at least 3 months.

You will need to consider the shelf life and how quickly you will be able to use up all of the bagels that you buy when you are deciding whether to opt for frozen or fresh bagels.

Package Size

Another factor to consider is the package size, as this will determine how many gluten free bagels you are getting for your money.

The package size is important if you’re using your bagels for a specific occasion, or when it comes to catering for an entire family.

For instance, you might find it better value for money to opt for multiple multi-pack products and buy in bulk to ensure that there is enough for your whole family to enjoy. If you’re just shopping for yourself, this might not be sensible.

Typically, bagels will come in a packet with multiple bagels inside. The standard tends to be 5 bagels per packet. That being said, how many bagels that you get can differ between companies, so it’s always worth checking how many you are getting for the price. 

Generally speaking, when buying bagels online, you should look at the weight of the product if the product description isn’t clear to determine how many you are getting.

Gluten free products are more expensive for a variety of reasons, such as the complex processing involved to ensure the alternative is up to scratch and the increased cost of ingredients and equipment to ensure there is no cross contamination.

That being said, while gluten-free products tend to have a premium price tag, you will still need to make sure that you are getting your money’s worth. 

Flavor

When it comes to choosing the right gluten free bagels, you will also need to bear in mind the flavor. Experimenting with different flavor combinations is a great way to experience the versatility of bagels as a breakfast food. 

Like standard bagels that contain gluten, there are a variety of different flavored gluten free bagels that are both sweet and savory on the market today. From plain, to sesame, to cinnamon and raisin, to blueberry, you are bound to find an option that satiates your bagel cravings.

Considering more and more people are recognizing their gluten intolerances, the demand for more flavors and products will only increase with time. As the gluten free market develops and expands even more, there will be many more flavors available.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Is There Such A Thing As A Gluten Free Bagel?

Of course! The gluten free market is expanding year by year as the demand for varied gluten free alternatives increases.

Just because you’re gluten free doesn’t mean that you need to miss out on all of the bagel deliciousness, and there are plenty of gluten free options out there for you if you’ve recently switched to a gluten free diet.

Gluten free bagels are made with a variety of gluten free flours, including buckwheat flour, brown rice flour, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, potato starch in some combination. 

They come in a variety of different flavors, including plain, cinnamon and raisin, and sesame to name just a few. 

Are Gluten Free Bagels Good? 

Yes, gluten free bagels can be a great alternative for people who suffer from gluten intolerance or celiac disease.

You don’t need to miss out on all of the bagel fun just because of your dietary requirements, and there are some excellent gluten free bagels on the market that are super close to the real thing.

That being said, not all gluten free bagels are made equal. While some brands are super close, others aren’t close to an exact match in terms of taste and texture because gluten free products can be tricky to get right.

However, when you are making adjustments to your diet to accommodate for a gluten intolerance, it’s much better to opt for a product that isn’t going to compromise your health and harm your digestive system. After all, your stomach health should always come first!