Ten Reviews

Here are some products I’ve tried lately. Some were bad, some were okay, some were good, and some were awesome. So I figured I’d share. I have no affiliation with any of these companies. These are simply my honest opinions.

1. Lesser Evil krinkle sticks sea salt.  I’ve tried the veggie flavored krinkle sticks before and thoguht they were good, but kinda just a fluff filler food.  To be honest, I couldn’t really tell the difference between the sea salt flavor and the veggie flavor.  It was a little too vinegar-y for my taste.  Their website says it doesn’t have any gluten ingredients, but the label on the bag lists maltodextrin (a wheat derivative), so just be aware of that. 

Would I buy again? Probably not.  Even though they’re a nice low cal snack option, if I’m in the mood for a chip type food, I prefer pop chips.

2. Inka Crops plantain chips.  I am a huge fan of this company’s corn nuts, so I figured I’d like the rest of their products too.  And I was right.  These took a second to grow on me, but then they became extremely addicting.  For the record, they taste nothing like banana chips (which I detest).  They are like a semi savory, semi sweet vegan and gluten free snack.  And they are FODMAPs friendly too.

Would I buy again?  Yes. 

3. Jolly Llama Squeeze-Ups strawberry sorbet.  These were an impulse buy – I was craving a frozen sweet dessert treat but didn’t want something too unhealthy and I had a coupon for these so I went for it.  I figured since strawberries were the first ingredient they’d be okay, but they were pretty small and still had 15 g of sugar in each one.  They are still in our freezer and I’m thinking I may try to use them in smoothies or something. 

Would I buy again?  No.  I’d rather just buy organic sorbet.

4. purely elizabeth pumpkin fig ancient grain granola.  I’m picky about my granola (usually I prefer to make my own) but this stuff was fantastic!  It’s gluten free, vegan, certified organic and non GMO, plus it has the best flavor.  It’s sweetened with coconut sugar and has dried figs and amaranth, so it’s definitely not your average granola.  So good!!  In moderation it’s FODMAPs friendly too. 

Would I buy again?  Yes, definitely!

 

5. Teatulia organic black tea.  I was gifted this in a lovely holiday care package from my friends at Larabar and Justin’s nut butter.  I’ve been on and off caffeine throughout my pregnancy, so I tried this with a quick steep time (making it fairly weak).  I loved it’s mellow flavor.  I added almond milk and a touch of coconut sugar and enjoyed it immensely.

Would I buy again?  Yes, once I’m back in full caffeine mode (in not very many weeks!).

 

6. Cocomo Joe caramel corn.  I have no idea how this is vegan and gluten free because it tastes downright sinful.  Who knew popcorn could be hearty and light at the same time?  It doesn’t leave you feeling like you just took down a sugar bomb either.  So good. 

Would I buy again?  Yes.

 

7. Whole Foods’ gingerbread.  This stuff is unreal.  I wish it weren’t so wonderfully fluffy and rich because it has eggs and wheat, making it neither vegan nor FODMAPs friendly, but dang it’s so good. 

Would I buy again?  Yes, I most undoubtedly will. 

8. Whole Foods Bakery gluten free light white bread.  I avoided buying this for so long because it’s $5.99 per loaf (which is insane).  But since I was having extra annoying GI and reflux issues, I decided to splurge.  By the looks (and feel) of this bread, you’d think it was dense and hard (the weight is a bit brick-like), but then I tried it on a made-to-order sandwich, and learned it was actually really soft.  It tastes and feels like normal bread (seriously, it’s amazing).  It toasts well, it doesn’t crumble when used for a sandwich, and leaves all other GF breads in the dust.  It does have eggs, so it’s not vegan, but it’s definitely the very very best GF bread I’ve tried so far.

Would I buy again?  Yes.  Although I do want to figure out how to bake my own in the breadmaker, I’ll probably end up getting this loaf every once in a while (as an expensive treat).

 

9. two leaves and a bud organic tea.  I got a sampler pack from the company, and it’s taken me a long time to get through most of the flavors.  As I mentioned previously, I’m enjoying caffeine sparingly and in limited amounts, so it was hard to decide if I should save the chai tea for post-pregnancy or make it weak.  In the end I tried it weak and loved it.  However, many of the other flavors haven’t been as awesome (particularly the non caffeinated ones).  Pomi-berry was tart and flavorful, and my favorite of the decaf bunch.  But chamomile, peppermint, and alpine berry were misses.  I’ve yet to try the better belly blend and better rest blend because I’m hesitant about certain herbs and the effect they could have on my pregnancy.  Luckily the packages say exactly what’s in each tea blend.  I also like that they tell you where the leaves come from, the leaf style, the different notes (top, middle, and finish), how long to steep the tea and much more (for each tea!).

Would I buy again?  Yes to the mountain high chai and black tea, but none of the others. 

 

10. kettlepop organic kettle corn.  Popcorn is one of the best snack foods because it’s good mindless munching, packed with fiber and low in calories.  Kettlepop’s kettle corn is light and airy, with just hints of sweetness making it my new favorite dessert.  It tastes like it was just popped, despite being on the shelf for who knows how long.  Plus, it’s gluten free, vegan and FODMAPs friendly.

Would I buy again?  Yes.