Which high street supermarket provide... - Gluten Free Guerr...

Gluten Free Guerrillas

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Which high street supermarket provides the best choice for all your Gluten Free needs?

FionaGFG profile imageFionaGFGAdministrator66 Voters
25
SAINSBURY'S
14
TESCO
10
M&S
9
ASDA
6
WAITROSE
2
MORISSONS
1
CO-OP
1
OTHER (Pls specify)
18 Replies
FionaGFG profile image
FionaGFGAdministrator

Guys, when voting for our new poll please don't just focus on the 'Free From' ranges offered by the high street supermarkets. We're keen to gain a better perspective of which supermarket you find serves best your or your child's gluten free needs e.g. from the general food for all people, to the supermarket own brand ranges AND the Free From sections. Consider which has the best easy to read labelling identifying products that are 'gluten free' or that DO contain 'gluten'. Which supermarket really considers Coeliacs and works hard to make their mainstream ranges accessible to us and others on a gluten free diet?

Irene profile image
IreneAdministrator

I love the fact that M&S have moved towards making their mainstream ready meals gluten free rather than just creating a small gluten free specific range. It was fantastic a xmas being able to buy the ready made stuffings.

Lots of other products are glutenfree (from the ingredients listing) but not marked as such. Waitrose and Sainsbury's are in this catagory.

FionaGFG profile image
FionaGFGAdministrator

Thanks for voting peeps! Do add a short comment to say what you like about your chosen supermarket (even if you don't want to list it by name, for fear of influencing others!)...ta.

Huggy profile image
Huggy

Funnily enough, I did take those factors in to account before voting as I was really nicely surprised when I went shopping at M&S at the weekend. There were quite a lot more ready meals that didn't contain gluten - hooray! A good result and long may it continue, as I find other supermarkets, especially Sainsbury's are lagging far behind.

SillyYak profile image
SillyYak

Although I do my main shop at Sainsbury's I love Waitrose's Free From aisle and pop there for goodies then M&S for great GF things like: Meatballs ! Steak burgers! Some ready meals for lazy days (which are gradually being made GF and use cornflour instead of evil flour). So marks to M&S for me! Plus they launched a new GF sarnie. Just wish they'd roll it out to all branches big and small !

I am confident with the labelling policy of Sainsburys and like the fact that a lot of their "Basics" range is gluten free (which is maybe the opposite of what you would think!). I find their FreeFrom range to be consistent - whilst some other supermarkets have individual items that I love, across the whole range I find the Sainsbury range to be the most palatable. However I love M&S for their sausages - and especially their Christmas range!

katiespicer profile image
katiespicer

I cannot believe M&S has scored so highly as I think it is one of the worst of the bunch. They seem to stick gluten in everything and things you wouldn't even expect it to be in!

FionaGFG profile image
FionaGFGAdministrator

Really Kate, when was the last time you visited M&S? 2 yrs ago we thought the same as you. Now, they offer GF ready meals (having replaced flour with cornflour), they have GF salads when previously they used soy sauce/gluten in them, a GF sandwich has been launched, their fresh beef burgers and meatballs are now GF, they do a variety of GF sausages, frozen veg often is just frozen veg (not coated in wheat), plus they've launched their 'Made without Wheat' range for sweet toothed Coeliacs (plus a variety of GF bread). They haven't promoted this much yet we are pleasantly surprised by their work to make more of their 'normal' range GF.

sassyl profile image
sassyl in reply to FionaGFG

Something my eagle-eyes have missed?

'Frozen veg is just frozen veg (not coated in wheat)'

Can you explain this please... I know lots of chips are off my list, but never considered veg was coated. Where have you seen this?

:o checking freezer now!

I love Sainsburys. Items not even in the GF section are becoming more and more CD friendly - their chocolate roulade in the freezer section contains no gluten. However, I am moving in 3 weeks and will no longer be near a Sainsburys and will be shopping at a Waitrose. I went in there last weekend to have a nosey around and was very pleasantly surprised - their regular burgers didn't have gluten in, there were some lovely sausages without gluten and a few individually wrapped cakes in the bakery section were also gluten free. Their specified free from section, however, left a lot to be desired.

On another note, I occassionally shop through Ocado.com and if you type "gluten free" into the search box it comes up with a list of ALL foods which are gluten free, not just the specialist stuff.

ThatPandaGirl profile image
ThatPandaGirl

I love M&S because their labelling is so great on ALL their products. They have recently taken steps to use rice flour insted of wheat in a lot of their "regular" products, and their treats are the best around!

Morrisons is the worst, but it's my local, and with no car, I have no choice! When I do an online shop, I choose Tesco, as I also find their range quite diverse, although their labelling is not so good.

meanioni profile image
meanioni

It's a tough choice to be honest. I went for Tescos as they have most diversity, however I have had more issues with their inaccurate labelling. Sainsburys have best GF range, Asda are OK - labelling appears adequate, but their free from section is limited, M&S and Waitrose I find to be pretty average, although M&S do a broader range of GF salad meals than most, I actually find Co-op better for having "ordinary" foods which are GF. e.g. Their burgers, some soups, pasta sauces. So reality is over a period of time Imix and match.

ravenmoonstone profile image
ravenmoonstone

Although Sainsburys have a better range for me, they are also more expensive, so I tend to only buy from them products I know I can not get elsewhere.I however do tend to look elsewhere online from some products eg goodness direct or lifestyle.

jennyann profile image
jennyann

I find a super improvement in M&S gluten free range, they have made a great effort to take the gluten out of a lot of their meals which is wonderful. I have been told also that if i inquire at the desk in the food hall i can get a comprehensive list of all foods that are GF.

Jenny

Diana profile image
Diana

It may be of interest, for those who wish, and need to cut out gluten, dairy and asparetame, that a book for Aspergers and autisc adults in by Marilyn Baker, called the AiA gluten and dairy free cookbook, is great, has some great advice, and used it for my son, with aspergers, has some great tips!

kmminver profile image
kmminver

M&S is the nest followed by Tesco but depends on where you live. I have to say the fact that I can pop into M&S and get somthing is fantastic!

elvagabundoviejo profile image
elvagabundoviejo

Aldi - fantastic labelling

dobido profile image
dobido

i have found asda the best as its on all there own brand fizzy pop like i can have ginger beer cause its GF but dandelion and burdock is not plus before xmas found a nice red wine under 3 pounds a bottle which even had GF on the back