This Pantry is Gluten-free, Dairy-free, and GMO-free

The pantry below is stocked with wholesome, nutritious staples and foods that are dairy-free and gluten-free (including no oats) with many options that are also SCD, Feingold, and GAPS approved.

More importantly, all items are GMO-free, which means they do not include corn, soy, beet sugar, canola, cotton seed oil, etc. (with a few exceptions that are Non-GMO Project Verified). All high oxalate foods are noted with an asterisk (*).

Most of these items I have personally tried or regularly  use with my own family. Notes have been included to help you find similar products in your local health food or grocery store. It is important to read food labels, finding products with minimal ingredients and ones you recognize as healthy for you. Additional healthy tips for shopping gluten-free and GMO-free can be found here.

If you are new to eating more natural, start by replacing the items you eat most often with a healthier option and make a commitment to change out at least one other product per week. Whenever possible, make things at home, cooking and baking from scratch. Not only does this keep your costs down, but it is truly the healthiest way to eat. (You can find recipes on my blog. Other healing food options can be found here.)

Caution: If you have a severe allergy, you may need to do additional research. For example, if you have celiac disease or are severely gluten sensitive, make sure the brand you purchase is manufactured in a gluten-free facility to avoid gluten cross-contamination. (You may need to call the manufacturer.) Even foods labeled as “Gluten Free” can still legally contain up to 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten and some people will react to this small amount. Ingredients such as nuts, soy, and dairy can also cross-contaminate if the same manufacturing facility produces or packages other foods that contain them.

Fats, Oils and Vinegar

Good quality fats and oils are critical to a healthy lifestyle. Stay away from your typical vegetable and seed oils which are highly processed and often made from genetically modified (or GMO) crops. Quality varies greatly in healthy oils too, especially olive oil, so be sure to get brands that are pure. (See this blog post here for more information on oils.) Certain quality oils, like olive oil, can become rancid if left sitting a shelf too long (after opening) so refrigerate when necessary.

Coconut Oil (should be organic, virgin, and raw/cold pressed when possible, in glass jar)
Coconut Oil (bulk size)
Apple Cider Vinegar (unlike white vinegars which are typically made from GMO corn)
Coconut Vinegar Option 1 and Option 2
Olive Oil Option 1 and Option 2 (know your source since even quality olive oils can be mixed with cheap oils and other additives, look for harvest date, make sure in dark glass bottle)
Avocado Oil
Sesame Seed Oil (organic, unrefined, cold press)
Mayonnaise Option 1 or Option 2 (should be free of GMO oils/vinegar/sugar – use sparingly and add olive oil for added moisture)
Ghee (grass fed and organic, brand with least amount of residual lactose/casein)
Cultured Butter (for those who can eat butter, grass fed, best to purchase raw from local farmer when possible)
Duck Fat (cage free and free of GMO feed)

Spices/Salt, Dressings, and Flavorings

Many conventional, mainstream spices, dressings and flavorings include preservatives and/or nitrates. Conventional dried spices are typically irradiated, meaning they have been exposed to ionizing gamma ray radiation (many times more than a chest x-ray), which alters the spice and possibly renders them toxic. It is best to get organic and GMO-free. Hydrogenised vegetable oils, corn-derived white vinegar, and other suspect ingredients are also typically found in conventional dressings and condiments.

Salt Option 1 and Option 2 (quality sea salt, pink salt and Himalayan salt that is sun dried provide good sources of minerals, avoid conventional table salt)
Gomasio Sesame Salt* (great for flavoring stir-fries and kale)
Kelp Granules (good food source of iodine, sprinkle on cooked eggs, etc.)
Dulse Flakes (good food source of iodine, sprinkle in soups, etc.)
Coconut Aminos Sauce
Fermented Dill Relish
Quality Spices Option 1 and Option 2 (Simply Organic and Frontier are good organic brands)
Salad Dressing Option 1 and Option 2 (very hard to find ones that are organic and free of GMO oils and other GMO ingredients, best to make your own as shown here)

Snacks and Treats

Sometimes you need more than fresh fruit and veggies. When looking at ingredients for snack-like foods, look for the type of oil and sweetener used, staying away from canola oil and beet sugar both of which are genetically modified (GM). You also want to avoid corn and oats. Simpler is usually better since many flavorings, such as those used on crackers and chips, include soy, tamari or other suspect ingredients.

Dried Cranberries (watch the type of sweetener and oil used)
Goji Berries*
Nuts* (raw nuts should be eaten soaked and rinsed, see next category below)
Jerky (should be nitrate/nitrite and preservative free)
Beef Sticks (should be nitrate/nitrite and preservative free and soy free)
Seed Crackers* (whole grain and seed based)
Rice Crackers Option 1 and Option 2  (rice flour based)
Flat-bread Crackers Option 1*, Option 2, and Option 3 (flat-bread varieties taste most like traditional crackers, look for minimal ingredients)
Cracker Sticks* (gluten-free alternative to pretzels)
Coconut Flakes (great to add to homemade trail mix)
Seaweed Snacks (avoid those made with GMO canola oil)
Cookies Option 1* and Option 2 (the fewer the ingredients the better, watch type of sweetener, limit xanthan gum)
Bars Option 1* (multiple flavors) and Option 2* (grain-free with nuts)
Bars (coconut-based, no nuts, multiple flavors)
Chocolate Bar* (avoid milk-based ingredients and soy lecithin)
Coconut Butter/Mana (a spoonful can help satisfy the need for a sweat treat or afternoon craving)
Bean Chips (great tortilla chip alternative, corn-free, several options available)
Lentil Chips (many brands use GMO corn or canola oil)
Fermented Pickles (one of the few pickles fermented the old fashion way, no vinegar)
Fermented Green Beans* (no vinegar or preservatives)
Sorghum Kernels (for making popped sorghum, make sure organic)

Nuts, Nut Butters and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are best to eat raw after they are soaked (and dehydrated) or sprouted. You can either purchase them this way or learn to do it yourself. Click here for other nut sources and to learn more. If nuts and/or seeds are a staple in your diet, be sure to rotate them so that you do not develop a sensitivity to any of them. (Many nuts are high in oxalates, with walnuts and pecans being the lowest. Certain seeds, like pumpkin and sunflower seeds, are lower oxalate as well.) Everyone should avoid or limit peanuts and pistachios since they typically have a higher mold content. Keep your raw nuts refrigerated or in the freezer to keep the oil in the nuts from going rancid. Purchase nut butters in glass jars, because the oil in the nuts will leach toxins from the plastic.

Nut Butter* (raw and soaked, no added sweeteners or other ingredients)
Sunflower Seed Butter (sprouted)
Coconut Butter (no added ingredients, spread on fruit or eat by spoonful)
Sprouted Pumpkin Seeds
Sprouted Sunflower Seeds
Sprouted Watermelon Seeds
Chia Seeds*
Seed & Fruit Mix* (with sprouted nuts and nitrate-free fruit)
Flax Seeds (always keep refrigerated and only grind as you need)
Hemp Seeds/Hearts*

GF Breads, Wraps, Cereals, etc.

When going gluten-free (including no oats) and GMO-free, finding a good bread and a good dry cereal are two of the hardest things to locate and usually quite expensive. (Many gluten-free breads have GMO ingredients and/or they are fortified with synthetic vitamins and/or potassium bromate which are not good for you.) Dry gluten-free cereals without oats that are also organic are hard to find, but some brands include a few organic ingredients. Typically, it is better to reduce how much bread and cereal you eat and work towards eating more unprocessed, whole foods. When you need a treat, these are some good options. (Xanthan gum is typically derived from corn so best to avoid or limit as much as possible.)

Rice Bread (keep in freezer, best if toasted twice, same brand sold at Trader Joe’s)
Paleo Bread (grain-free, coconut based)
Paleo Bread* (grain-free, nut based) Option 1 and Option 2
Rice Wraps (click here for lunch ideas)
Paleo Wraps (coconut)
Dry Cereal Option 1 and Option 2 (both are extruded cereals so limit use)
Dry Granola Option 1, Option 2, and Option 3 (oat and grain-free granola, limit use if nuts are not soaked or sprouted)*
Hot Cereal (rice based)
Quinoa Flakes* (also makes a good substitution for oats in recipes)
Rice Cakes (Lundberg rice is shown to have less arsenic than other rice brands and they are transparent about it on their website)
Pasta Option 1 and Option 2 (look for minimal ingredients without vitamin fortification)
Pancake Mix (one of the few without dairy or xanthan gum)

Baking Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free

Making your own baked goods will guarantee ingredients you can trust, especially when you start with organic, pure ingredients. It will also save you money since gluten-free, grain-free and other specialty baked goods and snacks are typically more expensive. (Use the recipes found in the Blog and Healing Foods sections of this website to help you get started.) Use sprouted grains whenever possible for better digestion and absorption of nutrients and be sure that the chocolate is organic because it is a high pesticide crop. See next category for grain-free flours.

Vanilla Beans Powder (most vanilla extracts contain gluten or GMO ingredients)
Vanilla Extract (sugar free, gluten-free, and no GMO corn-based alcohol)
Vanilla Cinnamon Shake* (contains sugar, can use in place of icing on cupcakes, etc.)
Coconut Milk (be sure to get whole fat and use cans that do not have plastic liners)
Coconut Cream (unsweetened, great for toppings)
Shredded Coconut
Condensed Coconut Milk
Cacao Butter (raw)
Cocoa Powder*
Cacao Powder* (raw)
Carob Powder*
Chocolate Chips* (should be free of dairy/milk and soy/lecithin and gluten-free)
Cacao Nibs* (raw)
Unsweetened Chocolate Baking Bar*
Egg Replacer (binding agent, look for brands without fillers or make your own)
Egg Replacer (leavening agent, look for brands without fillers or make your own)
Shortening (organic palm and coconut oil only, no hydrogenised oils)
Bovine Gelatin Option 1 or Option 2 (should be from grass fed source)
Baking Powder (most other baking powders contain corn)
Baking Soda (should be non-irradiated and aluminum-free)
Potato Starch
Tapioca Flour/Starch
Pancake Mix (one of the few without dairy or xanthan gum)
White Rice Flour
Brown Rice Flour* (sprouted)
Garbanzo Bean Flour (sprouted)
Lentil Flour (sprouted)
Quinoa Flour* (sprouted)

Grain-Free Flour and Mixes

When going grain-free, be sure to rotate the types of nut and seed flours you use so that you do not create a sensitivity. Almonds, for example, are high in oxalates and can cause problems over time if eaten too often. Sprouted options are best since raw nuts contain phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors that can be an issue for some people. (Read about how to prepare raw nuts here.)

Coconut Flour (nut free)
Almond Flour* Option 1 or Option 2 (use sprouted varieties whenever possible)
Garbanzo Bean Four (sprouted chickpeas)
Arrowroot Starch Flour (nut free)
Water Chestnut Flour*
Tiger Nut Flour (nut free)
Paleo Bread Mix (coconut based)
Potato Flour (gluten-free)

Sweeteners

If a product lists just the word “sugar” as an ingredient, you need to assume it is derived from GMO beet sugar. Look for other sugars such as cane or turbinado. When eating to heal, it is best to limit sweeteners as much as possible. The type used will depend on what you are trying to accomplish and if you are on a specialty eating program, using sugars in their most natural form. (Definitely no artificial sweeteners and ones processed as little as possible.) Coconut based sweeteners, especially those from Coconut Secret, are considered low glycemic. (I suggest avoiding xylitol since it is often corn derived and a stomach irritant for many.)

Raw Honey (avoid plastic containers, buy local raw honey whenever possible from bee keepers that do not use chemicals)
Unrefined Cane Sugar (needed for making kombucha as explained here)
Rapadura Sugar (unrefined and unbleached whole cane sugar) 
Coconut Sugar (also called coconut palm sugar, granular, naturally evaporated)
Coconut Nectar (liquid)
Date Sugar
Black Strap Molasses (can be good source of iron)
Maple Syrup (look for darker, amber varieties, what used to be called “grade B”)
Monk Fruit (natural sweetener with zero on glycemic index)
Monk Fruit Liquid
Stevia (can cause stomach upset so use sparingly, some brands have bitter aftertaste)

Dairy Substitutes

I am not a big fan of mainstream dairy-free cheeses and butters which are typically highly processed and tend to include too many vegetable oils (including soy and corn) and other additives, some of which are genetically modified (GMOs). Nuts can be used to make good cheese and milk alternatives, if oxalates are not a problem for you. Seeds, coconut and rice are other common dairy substitutes, but look for products with minimal ingredients and no fortified synthetic vitamins. It may be best to avoid rice milk due to the possible high concentration of arsenic. (Making your own milk alternative using nuts, seeds, coconut, and rice is actually quite easy. There are great recipes here.)

Nut Milk Cheeses* (truly fermented like real cheese, without added flavorings)
Coconut Milk (be sure to get whole fat and use cans that do not have plastic liners)
Coconut Yogurt (I have not found any without xanthan gum, carrageenan, corn-based ingredients, and/or fortified with synthetic vitamins; you can often find homemade at a local farmer’s market)
Coconut Kefir
Coconut Ice Cream Option 1 and Option 2 (multiple flavors available, avoid those that contain xanthan gum)
Rice Milk Powder (have not yet found a good liquid non-dairy milk option, except coconut milk, that meets my requirements, use powder to make your own)
Ghee (one of the few brands that does not affect people with casein sensitivity)
Coconut Cream (unsweetened, great for making dairy-free whipped cream)

Beverages and Teas

Like other packaged foods, you need to know your sources. Quality can vary greatly between brands, even supposedly “natural” brands that often have added flavorings. Fruit drinks should be limited since they quickly raise blood sugar; when used as a treat, they should be organic, unpasteurized and have no added sugars. Fermented drinks are an option, because you have the added benefit of good probiotics, but some of these have quite a bit of added sweetener and/or other additives. Teas should be organic whenever possible since, like spices, they can irradiated (see above).

Bone Broth (to learn to make your own, click here; when purchasing be sure to get in glass jars, not in plastic containers or cardboard boxes with plastic lining)
Coconut Water Option 1 and Option 2 (unpasteurized, unsweetened, minimal ingredients, click here for a good explanation of the differences)
Coconut Water Kefir (fermented)
Kombucha (several flavors, other brands have hidden additives – read more here or go here to make your own)
Raw Juice (unpasteurized, not from concentrate, no additives or added sweeteners)
Kids Juice-tea (good for when you need a treat)
Naturally Decaffeinated Coffee (using Swiss water process rather than chemicals)
Herbal Coffee (do not recommend these since most are made with barley, a grain that contains gluten; dandelion-based coffees are considered high oxalate)
Coffee Alternative Teas Option 1*, Option 2*, and Option 3
Medicinal and Herbal Teas Option 1 and Option 2 (various flavors available)
Essiac Tea (detoxing and immune building)
Thyme Tea (antimicrobial and immune building)