Before I dig into my review of Udi’s new gluten-free bread, a few disclaimers.
- Disclaimer: This is not an Udi’s hit piece. I have (deservedly) slammed them a number of times over the years. This is an actual honest review.
- Disclaimer: I don’t eat store-bought bread so it’s been awhile. Most (not all) of the gluten-free bread you buy in the store is full of unhealthy ingredients and I choose to eat real food the majority of the time.
- Disclaimer: I’ve only had one cup of coffee so far.
- Disclaimer: The house across the street is getting their roof replaced. I’m finding it oddly captivating watching these guys rip the shingles off.
- Disclaimer: No more disclaimers.
Ok…I’m gonna keep this short since I got work to do. I’d rather make bread than review bread, if you know what I mean. Ok. Here we go.
First, I was curious how Udi’s describes their new bread. From their website:
What the hell are they talking about?? Eat well…by eating their products? New way to approach gf living? And bland, crumbly and tasteless food? I’m not sure if that’s the most ignorant statement I’ve ever read or the most arrogant.
Disclaimer: I’m really trying to be impartial here, but they make it quite challenging.
Just for proof, here is the bread I purchased. You can see it’s frozen. And you can also see that it’s “Our Best Bread Ever!” But to be fair, that’s a really low bar to set.
I attempt to remove a slice from the loaf and…um…this happens:
So I jumped on Udi’s Facebook page and saw that it was a very common issue (shocker I know!). Here is what Udi’s suggests:
Ok then…I’ll let it thaw. (Jeopardy Music Playing…) All right, it’s thawed. I break a piece off. It’s soft. It’s really small.
I take a bite. How does it taste? If I recall from my youth, I’d say it has the flavor and texture of Wonder Bread. I’ll let you folks decide if that’s a good thing or not. Then some of it got stuck to the roof of my mouth and I literally had to peel it out. Another journey to their Facebook page and yes…another common complaint.
On the second day, I thought I’d give it another taste. I had a bite and felt the same way about it. But within 15 minutes, no joke, my stomach started killing me and I felt like I needed a shower. Should food do that?? No…I don’t think there is any gluten in it. But lets’s face it…it is made from a lot of crap. Like 3 different starches, 2 kinds of sugar, 2 kinds of gums and whatever the hell “modified cellulose” is. For someone who eats healthy, my body completely rejected it and into the garbage it went.
I was hoping to try it again at the end of 7 days to see if it stayed fresh, but no way I’m not doing that to my system again.
(And don’t even get me started on pictures people are posting of their new bread with holes. Sorry but Worst. Company. Ever.)
Buyer beware.
Glutina bread any good… had a lot of starches and same ingredients. .what is a good GF white bread? Thank you..
Glutino is owned by the same company as Udi’s so I will not support them either.
I found one that was pretty good for the very occasional garlic bread. I think the company was called ‘Three Brothers’ (sorry but the bread’s in my freezer at home & I’m out of state). I’ve only seen it at Ralphs/Krogers/Smiths in Murrieta, CA so far. I checked the Smiths in Arizona and they don’t carry it. I don’t remember how the ingredients were but I only buy products with fairly minimal, real food ingredients. This ‘Three Brothers’ bread was much better than most g-free bread.
Mrs Hewitts is the best nation wide. They are based in Utah…and they must have something special in that water.
Have you tried Breads from Anna? Go to http://www.breadsfromanna.com. I have been making her mixes for all 15 years of my celiac life, and they are the best in my mind! Each package makes a two-pound loaf, so factor that into the price. Well worth it! Thanks for all your good work!
Great article thanks for Binh the Guinea pig for us. Would love to know your favorite recipe youbuse for your everyday bread. I have yet to make one – will you share here or Email me?
Thanks again!
Jen Esposito has an amazing (and healthy) bread recipe in her latest book. You won’t be disappointed.
Gluten Dude, whatās your favorite bread recipe for baking your own? Do you avoid gums?
I honestly do not bake my own bread. Nor do I buy it. The only time I eat it is when Jennifer Esposito makes it fresh. No words. Her recipe is in her latest book.
Her recipes are amazing. I loathe all the Commercial gluten free bread. I find that they are totally ripping off those of us with celiac disease and we need to fight back
I’m doing my best š
Facebook.com/WestSacBread
gluten-free, soy-free & corn free sourdough.
A gf startup-Bakery. Iāve been gf for 10 years and Iāve come up with the best tasting gf sourdough bread. I wish you could try it.
I think that this bread is WAY better than their original bread (which I thought was inedible – seriously, I wouldn’t even eat it). I would eat it in a pinch but the super soft texture is a little odd after eating it for a while.
I still love Canyon Bakehouse the best!
Schar has good gluten free bread
Thatās what I eat, I like it best toasted
Schar products are all mostly corn starch and have a horrible dry texture.
SO glad to have Rumi’s Passion GF bakery here in SE Michigan! People comment how yummy my son’s school lunches on multi-grain bread look (they also carry white, raisin, rosemary olive and other great products). Worth a drive if you have a big freezer at home (we always keep their pie crust for quiche and their onion rolls for burgers in the freezer – we like them even better than their regular hamburger buns).
I buy Rumi’s bread and other great stuff. They are awsome.
I agree. Rumiās is the best. I love their challah loaf for sandwiches. They donāt put preservatives and other ācrapā in their products. It is also nice to be able to talk directly to the people who are making your food. I am fortunate to live so close.
I live in MA. Still worth a drive? Do they have any other bakeries here in New England. I’d probably drive to CT or VT or ME. Or RI.
I started baking my own bread and haven’t looked back. I got a little bread machine and this recipe book: http://amzn.to/2sEV4To, and every week we have freshly baked bread, either multigrain, lemon poppy seed, chocolate orange, cherry cinnamon pecan. I also baked gluten-free English muffins, challah, hamburger buns from recipes in this book. Our gluten eating friends love this bread too.
If only I can find a good gluten free bagel recipe.
Gluten free on a Shoestring has bagel recipes.
Dude, love your posts, always make me laugh.
Mission accomplished then.
Udiās aside, I hope everyone has had a chance to try the new bagels from Canyon Bakehouse. I never thought Iād eat a bagel again in my life after having to spit out probably a dozen pathetic GF versions. They have done it right. Probably loaded with chemicals but perfect for the odd craving!
Have not tried their bagels, but their deli style rye is better than good enough. It’s small, but it makes a great sandwich.
The Canyon Bakehouse bagels are AWESOME! After not having a real bagel for 10 long years, I ate one every day until I ran out and fought my celiac teen for the last one š
Always love the way you write and your honest commentary … from roofs (or is it rooves?) to frozen bread. You always make me smile. At least we know we can do better and none of us has to settle for … whatever this is.
xoxox
~jules
Exactly Jules. And for the record:
“The plural rooves is uncommon and is usually considered incorrect. … Rooves as a plural for of roof is dated, but not incorrect. The Oxford English Dictionary lists āroovesā as an alternate to roofs, one of several outdated spellings used in the UK, and in New England as late as the 19th century.”
Actually, just fyi, the spelling “rooves” is still used in the UK to this day … and I certainly learned it at school …
Love your site – you approach your life with such humour <– that's how we spell it here … š
If you’ve ever seen the old Gallagher bit, you know how messed up our spelling is here.
You are so write.
Outside of the Breadbox in Co Springs has an amazingly delicious vegan gluten free, oat bread, I eat it toasted. The only bread I will eat is this one. You can find the bread at Organic Grocers.
So gluten free bread makes you sick too?! Every time I eat gf bread – I get sick! Not gluten sick obviously – but sick nonetheless! Sorry this happens to you – but thank you for sharing. I was beginning to think there was something more wrong with me other than Celiac disease. š
Because most (not all) of it is crap.
I can’t have any of the breads that have Sorghum flour in them (Udi’s, Canyon Bakehouse,…). They give me bad stomach cramps within 20 minutes, and dysentery within 3 hours.
Trader Joe’s gluten free cinnamon raisin bread. Toasted……yummy delish bread heaven!
I find I’m very sensitive to tapioca so mostly avoid stuff with that in it. It’s a really common starch in gf prepared foods. When I bake, I use arrowroot powder to sub for tapioca starch and I’m fine. I use a little xanthan gum sometimes, but rarely, for the same reason. Always appreciate you, GD!!
I live in an area where GF products are hard to find. Got used to the ‘old’ Udi’s; the ‘new’ is disgusting. Looks and tastes like a piece of rubber. Sticks to the roof of your mouth and you have to dig it out with some kind of utensil. Latched on to Canyon Bakehouse……better than Udi’s newest, that’s for sure. Will have to check out Rumi’s!
I asked google what “modified cellulose” is.
Answer:
Modified Cellulose as a Food Additive, Pill Binder or Laxative. Cellulose extracted from wood pulp or cotton and chemically processed with acids or alkali can be added as a creaming agent or thickener to shredded cheese (parmesan), ice cream, fast food (burgers), powdered drink mixes and other commercial foods.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmm……
Makes me want to stop eating all together.
Stuck…to the roof…of your mouth. Ew.
EEEEEWWWWW.
That goes onto my “do not touch this garbage ever” list. Thanks for taking one for the team and warning the rest of us, Dude. Hope your gut’s feeling better.
There is still a piece stuck up there. If I ever get it out, I’ll save it for you š
I grew up Catholic, I got that covered. š
(There’s a Catholic humor book that has a chapter titled “How to get the Body of Christ off the roof of your mouth”. It’s that common a problem. Same issue as Udi’s — highly refined starch flours.)
I love the bread at Marcelle’s Kitchen. The fresh baked bread is amazing. The mixes work great at home
Curious if you have ever had baby cakes (Erin McKenna) baked goods. I had a lot of it in my needing baked goods phase and I got pretty sick from him. Lots of ingredients, gums, sodium. Curious if it bothered anyone else. I also completely avoid substitutions and fake breads as Iāve been doing this ten years and after a few years I just didnāt care to.
Whose idea what this? Ugh, the new bread is like wonder bread and completely disgusting way too soft and gooey. I was able to get a couple of loaves of the old stuff in the bottom of the bin at my grocery store, but now its all gone. I would rather have random holes than this…
I totally agree! I was actually okay with the old one. The white had a perfect texture when toasted. I was excited to try the new “softer” bread and was soooo disappointed! I felt stuck because now the old one was forever gone! It also made my stomach hurt terribly. Happy to hear others having the same experience. They need to get it together!
Agreed about the new best ever Udi’s Bread. Both the white and wheat have the same super sticky texture, making sandwiches harder to eat as the bread sticks to your teeth and palate.
PLUS they raised the price. We used to buy 10+ loaves a week of the previous recipe – it was actually quite good.
Now we buy pretty much nothing but Canyon Bakery or Sam’s Choice Gluten Free breads – the Sam’s Choice is simply phenomenal. Both are available at Wal-Mart grocery stores, haven’t seen them anywhere else.
I actually loved the old Udiās bread, holes and all. Of course, having grown up on Wonder bread and hating it (probably self preservation kicking in), this new formula is horrifying! Does Samās Choice or Canyon have the heartier crust of the old Udiās?
I donāt have celiac. I have life threatening allergies to stupid things like wheat, soy, nuts, and anything related to latex (plus other random stuff). I had been grudgingly baking my own bread for a few years until I found Udiās, which made reasonably decent toast and grilled cheese. Then the new recipe happened, and not only are the taste and texture vile, it sent me straight to one of those life threatening moments. I donāt know what the poison was, but Udiās is dead to me. I donāt know why they thought this was a good idea.
I’ve been trying to figure out why my stomach hurt so much after eating this new recipe bread. I think I may have a sensitivity to tapioca and maybe there is a higher concentration of it in this new bread to make it softer. It’s the only thing I can come up with. Needless to say, I no longer buy Udi’s bread. I still like the white hamburger buns. Trader Joe’s GF breads are decent.
Thank you! I agree! I liked the āoldā recipe and the slices if you got the loaf from Costco were regular bread sized. My first thought when I tried the new recipe; Wonder bread. I wonāt buy it any more. Guess Iāll start making my own.
The new Udi’s multi grain is terrible! Slices won’t separate, off texture, and it tastes very sweet. Gross.
Udi’s lost a long time customer here.
If you are willing to bake, check out “Gluten Free on a Shoestring” for great recipes.
I needed this post I’ve only been on a gluten free diet for a few days and my doctor told me to buy Udis…I am assuming by my experience he has never eaten it. I’m taking him a sandwich at my appointment tomorrow. I just tried the tortillas…it’s was like a chalky dried out kids paste so disgusting I don’t have words. Think I will use lettuce next time.
I used to purchase the original GF Udi’s quite often but finally gave up because it wasn’t usable because of the holes. I tried the new improved frozen last week. It’s better texture with no holes, gummy, and even more tasteless. As someone stated, it is like Wonder Bread (which I have never liked). I have tried 3 sandwiches – it’s going in the garbage. This stuff is cramping my stomach like regular bread never has! (Very serious pains for several days and it’s showing no signs of leaving) I have no idea what is in it, but it needs to be removed from the market. Save yourself a stomach ache and pass it up!
I like Udi’s multigrain sandwich bread and also their (white) hamburger buns. The multigrain bread tastes very similar to typical store brand multigrain wheat bread I ate pre-diagnosis. I am thankful that these products are widely commercially available, as neither I nor my spouse want to take the time to bake our own (are already spending lots more time buying groceries and making food at home than before). My Costco sells the multigrain bread (not frozen) in 2 packs, so I keep out half a loaf and freeze the rest; then set out subsequent half loafs to defrost at room temperature before using. For the white hamburger buns, set one out at room temperature for at least an hour before using to allow them to defrost, if possible.
The old Udi’s Rye and Multigrain bread recipes were pretty good. I could deal with a few air pockets in the old recipe. A non- celiac relative liked the rye a lot. The new versions are terrible and disappointing.
Essential baking company sold at some Costco’s in CA is the best bread I’ve ever had. Sprout’s gf bread is a close second. Walmart actually makes a delicious gf bread. Unfortunately it begins to mold the day after you purchase it. Udis is terrible. Tastes OK when you grill it. But yeah all the holes.
I make my own bread every weekend. I cheat by using a bread machine: Breadman has a gluten free setting and I’ve been using it for over a decade.
https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/gluten-free-sandwich-bread-recipe
I use this recipe, making the changes they suggest for a bread machine. Also usually use Cup 4 Cup Wholesome flour mix and it works great! Lots of eggs, though…4. Not sure if that’s good to you or not, but for me it tastes like real bread. Hallelujah!
Have to agree with Gluten Dude. Udiās bread is the worst gluten free bread out there.
How are they still in business?
I’m not alone – getting ready to throw what remains of a loaf away – I liked the old bread and wasn’t aware of the ingredients – I’m celiac, diagnosed in 1997, and it feels like a regression to the terrible bread of those days.
I used to love Udi’s…but the last several loaves only had a couple intact slices…the rest just fell apart after thawing…had to bake it to turn it into breadcrumbs…very expensive crumbs…