Here is my quick Jana Eats guide to pantry staples, gluten-free grains, pastas, rices, and more edition! There’s a lot of pantry staples that you can purchase and help you last a longer time between grocery store trips. Here’s what is in my pantry right now when it comes to gluten-free grains, and alternatives to traditional wheat pantry products. There’s so many ways to go with all of these products, so I included a few ideas for you to use these ingredients.
These are my brand picks, but let me know what you love to keep in stock in your pantry! Links to the products that are currently in my pantry are included; some from the products’ direct websites and some from Amazon with my affiliate link. If you purchase through my Amazon link, it does NOT raise the cost for you but it does help me continue creating recipes and helpful guides like this for you. Thanks!
Watch me introduce you to each of these gluten-free grains and more on my YouTube channel for Jana Eats, too!
Gluten-Free Pastas
There are tons of brands of gluten-free pastas to choose from these days. I have tried so many! Right now in my pantry I have a few packages of different pastas from Rummo. These Italian-made gluten-free pastas have great flavor, so they are my gluten-free pasta of choice right now!
Rice ramen noodles are a must if you love ramen! Lotus Foods makes a rice-based ramen noodle in different colored varieties and it can even be found at Costco.
A grain-free, gluten-free pasta alternative I have on hand now is Palmini! Palmini is made from hearts of palm. I used Palmini in my Gluten-Free Pasta with Mexican Clam Sauce recipe with great results.
Favorite Picks:
- Rummo Gluten-Free Pasta: GMO-free and made from rice and corn. This is an Amazon link to a 6-pack. Much of Rummo’s varieties are out of stock at the moment, but will be back! You can also find it at Whole Foods stores.
- Palmini Gluten Free Pasta Alternative: Palmini is made from hearts of palm, so it’s completely plant based and low carb. It is already cooked so you just rinse it well and use it with your favorite sauce. This link brings you to a great deal on pack of six. Try it out!
- Lotus Foods Rice Ramen Noodles: non-GMO millet and brown rice ramen, traditional Japanese-style noodles made from our specialty rice instead of wheat
Rices & Rice Alternatives
All rices do not taste the same! Go for an organic rice if you can, and try out different rices for different dishes, as they have subtly different flavor profiles. Jasmine rice brings a more floral quality to your rice dish. Brown rice has a chewier texture and a nutty flavor. Black Forbidden Rice has a nutty quality with a beautiful purple hue and is full of antioxidants. Mix up your colorful rices for a beautiful plate that makes you want to dig in.
Add in some rice or quinoa to your meatballs or make one that is meat-free. Make this perennial favorite of mine with sushi rice (or any rice), Gluten-Free Pickled Ginger Rice Salad.
Legume & grain based “rices” do exist! Most are made from legumes. I currently have the “garlic herb” flavor from Right Rice, which is made from lentils, chickpeas and green peas. It’s packed with protein and fiber, and it cooks a bit faster than regular rice. Check out my link for a variety flacor pack below. Trader Joe’s makes a similar product called “Organic Chickpea & Lentil Risoni” as well.
Favorite Picks:
- Organic Sushi Rice: Have you tried sushi rice before? It has a shorter grain than other rices, and great for that stick-together texture. This Lundberg Family Farms rice is organic, non-gmo, and grown with sustainable farming practices. It’s a win-win for you and the Earth!
- Lotus Foods Organic Black Forbidden Rice 11 Pounds Bulk Pack: a fantastic price for this deliciously beautiful rice, and will give you enough to last a long time! Lotus Foods sources from farms that sustainable practices and empowers women farmers, a win-win for all!
- Right Rice Vegetable-Based Rice Alternative Variety 6-Pack: non-GMO vegetable rice grain made from lentils, chickpeas and green peas that cooks in 10-12 minutes in a saucepan. Anything you can cook with rice, you can cook with RightRice, so the culinary options are open to an array of creative recipe ideas, from a healthier side, to classic rice dishes.
Corn Grits
As a Southern gal, I can’t have a complete pantry without corn grits! You can eat them as a hot breakfast, lunch or dinner! With so many ways to use them, it’s worth having in your gluten-free pantry. Make sure to get a non-GMO variety, organic is preferred when it comes to corn. Anson Mills has great recipes for using their corn grits.
Favorite Picks:
- Geechie Boy Mill Corn Grits: made in South Carolina with no added preservatives and using stone-ground mills. When they say “stone ground goodness”, they aren’t lying!
- Arrowhead Mills Yellow Corn Grits: These are currently out of stock on Amazon (where the company sells online directly), but will be back soon. They can also be found in many grocery stores like Whole Foods, Walmart, Sprouts, Vons, and Randalls.
- Anson Mills: Anson Mills uses heirloom grains and uses sustainable farming practices to produce incredibly flavored grains. They have a wide variety of corn grits (and other grains, too) and a ton of recipes on their website for using them.
Quinoa
Many people who are sensitive to dairy can still have ghee because the clarifying process removes casein and lactose. Ghee is simply clarified butter. It is simmered over low heat until the milk solids have a chance to start to brown lightly, creating a slightly nutty, caramelized Ghee is high in Omega-3s and butyric acid, a short-flavor. I think it tastes more buttery than butter. chain fatty acid that is said to be good for your gastrointestinal tract.
Favorite Picks:
- Ancient Harvest Harmony Quinoa 6-Pack: Ancient Harvest has several quinoa varieties, all organic. Find it on Amazon, or in grocery stores like Whole Foods, Walmart, Randalls, Vons, Ralphs, Jewel-Osco, and more!
Shelf Stable Potatoes
That’s right, non-gmo potatoes that come in a little carton and make delicious hashbrowns from Idaho Spuds. These are non-gmo and have no artificial flavors. Fill the package with boiling water to bring it to life. You can use them to make tasty hash browns, or even make a gluten-free crust for a quiche. Grab them from my link below and get creative with your recipes! Trust me, these work.
Favorite Picks:
- Idaho Spuds Real Potato Hashbrowns 8-Pack: this large pack is under $7 on Amazon, and they can be found at Costco! Try them out and tell me what you think.
(Disclosure: I may receive a very small amount of revenue if you purchase through my Amazon links. It does NOT raise the cost for you, but does help me keep on creating recipes and videos on Jana Eats. Thanks!)