Gluten Free Living in Smyrna

When most people find out that I’m gluten intolerant, their response is, “Wow…what can you eat? Isn’t gluten in, like, everything?” Yes and no. Meat, vegetables, fruit, most dairy, and other grains like quinoa (a big favorite in our household!), rice and corn are naturally gluten free. Your body doesn’t need much else. But when you do want to indulge in those beloved carbs, there are actually some pretty delicious GF (gluten free) options out there.

I feel so fortunate to live in an area that understands and embraces eating GF. Not only can I shop at our local grocery store for everything I need, but I can eat out at almost every restaurant and get any style of food I desire! Some of our favorites include: Blue Moon Pizza (West Village & Windy Hill which even delivers) They have delicious specialty pizzas, but also make a GF cheesy bread that is to die for. Dominoes recently added a GF option. It’s pretty good, and a few bucks less than the gourmet options that Blue Moon offers. Mellow Mushroom, Little Azio, and Buckhead Pizza Co. are also some good options. Five options for GF pizza within a 5 mile radius? How lucky are we?

Figo Pasta is a definite favorite for us as well; their GF pasta is delicious and always cooked well. Little Azio also offers a GF pasta option. Orient Express in Vinings will bring GF soy sauce to the table upon request, and Siam Square breads their grouper dish with cornstarch (it is AMAZING!) in addition to offering other naturally GF options.

For sweet treats we have to drive a little further. Gluten Free Cutie in Roswell is about the cutest shop I have ever been in, and if they were any closer I would gain 100lbs immediately. Not only is everything in the shop GF, but it is dye free, egg free, nut free, and they have several dairy free options as well. They only use fresh and organic ingredients. I thought I died and went to heaven the first time I tried their red velvet cupcake. In addition to cupcakes they have pies, muffins, cake pops, biscuits and everything else I want to eat All. The. Time. Sally’s Gluten Free Bakery on Roswell Road in Sandy Springs also offers some pretty delicious cupcakes, cakes, bread, and other desserts.

There are also some GF fast food options in the area, Chick-Fil-A offers grilled nuggets and fries their french fries in a separate fryer (say that 5 times fast!) Shane’s Rib Shack has many grilled options and even GF menu! For those who enjoy a nice adult beverage Stout Brother’s keep ciders on tap and they also have GF beer options.

Kroger at S. Cobb and Concord has a wonderful natural/gluten free section. Their store brand “Simple Truth” has recently come out with several affordable exciting options. They also carry my favorite brands of bread-type foods: Udi’s and Rudi’s. Udi’s makes a whole grain bread that is our favorite, but they also carry bagels, pizza crust, pizzas, raisin bread, wraps, muffins, and more. A few other yummy GF things you can find in the natural section at Kroger include: Annie’s Mac & Cheese, all different styles of pasta, cereal, donuts, soups, chicken tenders/nuggets, fish sticks, hamburger/hotdog buns, quick easy frozen meals, crackers, cookies cereals and more! Kroger also has several options of cider and GF beer. Publix has a pretty good selection as well, but not nearly the size of Kroger.

 

Goodness Grocery down at West Village is a great local store. They have a wide variety, but some items can be a little more expensive. They do, however, have several items I haven’t been able to find anywhere else. Harry’s in Marietta also tends to be on the more expensive side but they have a huge selection! You can pretty much find anything you would “miss” when you eat gluten free; pop tarts, bagel bites, pies, cheese straws…you name it, they probably have it (but it will cost you!) I have treated myself for the past couple years to their delicious pecan pie at Thanksgiving!

I could go on for days about and what gluten is, the difference in gluten intolerance, sensitivity, and celiac’s disease, but I’m not a medical professional. All I can offer is what I have learned and how much of a difference it has made for myself and my family. I would be more than happy to chat with anyone who wants to know more about it or is considering making the switch!

 

Smyrna Parent will keep this Gluten Free shopping and dining list available in our resources section under the Eat, Drink & Be Merry tab. Do you have other favorites? Leave your additions in the comments or email us at [email protected] so we can keep growing this list!

 

 

 

 

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Alicia

A New Orleans girl turned Georgia peach and stay at home mom to 2 daughters. Before taking the leap into full time mothering, I worked at at an Atlanta-based advertising agency. I have lived in Smyrna for almost 10 years and am still not sure how I managed to find a job more chaotic and unpredictable than advertising.
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