This post about tasty gluten-free back-to-school finds is sponsored by Pamela’s Products. Please read my disclosures to learn how I work with brands.
I love my kids, no question, but the summer is tough when you’re a work-at-home mom trying to run a business and Camp Mom simultaneously.
That’s why back-to-school time is my favorite time of the year. The kids are busy filling their brains with knowledge, and this mama is busy at work again.
Contents of a Gluten-Free School Lunch
The new school year means I’m back to packing gluten-free school lunches, and over the years I’ve become pretty good at it. I have an arsenal of packaged, semi-homemade and homemade foods I like to pack … and everything is gluten-free, of course!
Today I’d like to share with you some of the kid-approved, gluten-free back-to-school products from Pamela’s.
Pamela’s is a name pretty much anyone living in the gluten-free community knows and trusts. Chances are unless you’re living under a rock, you’ve seen Pamela’s at the grocery store and hopefully you’ve tried some too (or you need to try some if you haven’t – what are you waiting for?!?).
Pamela’s makes everything from gluten-free baking mixes and graham crackers to gluten-free flours and mac n’ cheese. Everything is certified gluten-free.
Each product I’ve tried is delicious (I know!) and meant to be savored. If you’ve missed foods like slightly sweet graham crackers (hello s’mores), or gooey mac n’ cheese, Pamela’s has you covered.
In this post, I’m going to take you on a tour of some of my favorite gluten-free finds from Pamela’s — all perfect for packing a super-duper gluten-free back-to-school lunch for your kids (or yourself!).
(1) Gluten-Free Bread Mix
Good gluten-free bread is hard to find, so I often find myself making fresh bread because it tastes better. Way better. That said, I’m a working mom and I’ve got very little time to bake gluten-free bread each week. Like many busy mamas, I need to take a few shortcuts.
A quick way to get that homemade bread taste without having to do the homemade work is by using a gluten-free bread mix. I’ve enjoyed using Pamela’s Bread Mix – it’s a big hit with the family.
Pamela’s bread mix made from a mixture of sorghum, tapioca, rice, and millet flours, ensuring that the bread turns out airy and light each and every time.
Best of all, the measuring is done for you; all you have to do is combine the mix with oil, eggs and warm water, allow it 60-90 minutes to rise before baking, and then bake until done.
Just look at that soft and moist bread. It’s as good as it looks! The only issue is we all loved it so much right out of the oven that we only have a few pieces left for school lunches this week – oops!
(2) Gluten-Free Mac N’ Cheese
Brand new in the Pamela’s arsenal of amazing gluten-free products is the company’s White Cheddar Mac and Vegan Mac.
My kids get tired of sandwiches every day, so I like to mix things up. I also know my kids love, on occasion, a warm (vs. cold) lunch.
To ensure they get plenty of variety, I often make mac n’ cheese the night before and send it in my kids’ lunches cold, or, if I have time in the morning, I make it fresh and send it in a warm thermal container.
My kids love the variety of not having to eat a sandwich every day — and I think your kids will too.
Also, of note, my growing son can eat an entire box himself. He told me it was really delicious and he prefers it warm though. He said the pasta is a great texture … and I recently learned that Pamela’s makes its own certified gluten-free and organic pastas – amazing!
(3) Pamela’s Whenever Bars
No lunchbox would be complete without a snack bar, right? I almost always pack some sort of granola bar inside my kids’ lunches. Sometimes they eat it at lunchtime, other times they tell me they eat it for snack. Regardless, they have the extra food in case they need it … and that makes me happy.
Whenever Bars are soft and chewy snack bars that contain nine grams of whole grains. They’re made with gluten-free oats and a blend of rice and tapioca flours. They come in five flavors:
- Oat Raisin Walnut Spice
- Oat Chocolate Chip Coconut
- Oat Blueberry Lemon (personal fav!)
- Oat Double Chocolate
- Oat Cranberry Almond
BTW, I also keep a Whenever Bar in my purse for when hunger strikes. These bars are mama-tested, mama-approved too!
(4) Gluten-Free Honey Grahams
One product Pamela’s is well-known for is its delicious Honey Grahams graham crackers. It’s hard to find gluten-free graham crackers and Pamela’s has always delivered ’em.
Instead of bread, I have been creating peanut butter graham cracker sandwiches.
Once again, my kids love the variety this fun “sandwich” offers. The graham cracker adds a touch of sweetness (in lieu of jelly) and the peanut butter offers plant-based protein to help them feel full and satiated.
Pamela’s also makes mini honey graham crackers for snacking. We call them “mini-crack” because they are addicting and easy to snack on.
Ready to Pack Those Gluten-Free School Lunches?
Ready or not, the kids are headed back to school (or have already started school) and they are going to need a gluten-free lunch that nourishes their bodies and brains.
When packing your child’s lunch, be sure to send them with:
- Lots of a fresh vegetables and fruits to keep them healthy, full and strong.
- Plenty of variety — and not just sandwiches.
- Easy to pack convenience items – things like Whenever Bars and Big Fig cookies will make the morning rush easier.
- Lots of Vitamin L (Love) — it’s essential. Most parents rush or begrudgingly pack their child’s lunch. Change your mindset and pack that lunch with pleasure. Everything you put in your child’s lunchbox serves an important purpose to making your child’s day grand.
Where to Find Pamela’s Products
Pamela’s products can be found on the Pamela’s website or at many grocery stores nationwide.
I have personally spotted Pamela’s products at Sprouts, King Soopers, Natural Grocers, Safeway and Whole Foods near me (in Denver). Find a store new you by searching Pamela’s U.S. store locator.
It didn’t taste sweet to me. It’s best right out of the oven or toasted. I think you’ll like it. Canyon Bakehouse is a bread a lot of the GF community loves. Again, tastes better toasted.
How sweet is the Pamela’s Bread Mix? I’m coming up on my sixth anniversary GF since my biopsy confirmed celiac disease diagnosis, and I’ve bought six or eight loaves of GF bread and two or three bread mixes; every on has been too sweet. Looking at the ingredients, I see that Pamela’s Bread Mix has “evaporated cane sugar”, molasses and honey. This does not sound like the bread wouldn’t have a sweet or sweetish flavor. It might be okay for french toast or peanut butter and jelly, but I’m looking for a real adult sandwich bread.