One of the real challenges of catering for allergies is finding suitable ready made products in the supermarket without spending hours walking up and down aisles, reading virtually every label. Here I’ll make a list of all the suitable products I have found (and where to buy them) and also brands/types to avoid. This will be a constantly evolving list – please be patient!
Breads
Bread is rather difficult if you are sesame allergic – it will never be possible to buy from in-store bakeries as the risk of cross-contamination will be too risky. It also rules out most bagels, pittas and burger buns.
Milk is likely to be present in many soft rolls, and egg is often used as a glaze. These are some of the safe brands…
- Hovis sliced white, best of both and wholemeal
- Kingsmill sliced white, 50-50, wholemeal and muffins
- Marks and Spencer – pittas (be careful as all their loaves may contain seeds and nuts)
- Waitrose – Ciabatta rolls
- Discovery tortilla wraps
- Tesco – pittas, bake at home baguettes
Biscuits
It seems that the cheaper the brand of biscuit, the more likely it’ll be dairy-free. I guess the butter/milk add considerably to the cost of production.
- McVities Gingernuts (widely available)
- Tesco own-brand Bourbons (also the value ones are good)
- Jack and Molly Jammy Rings (found at Tesco)
- Waitrose own brand Nice biscuits
- Lotus Caramelised biscuits (widely available)
- Tesco own brand Snackers – similar to Ritz crackers
Crisps
- Kettle Crisps – Lightly salted and Salt and Balsamic Vinegar, and Ridge crisps salt and vinegar
- Tesco own brand Potato Loops (not Hula Hoops as they ‘may’ contain milk)
- Walkers Crisps – only ready salted (even the salt and vinegar flavour contains milk)
- Eastmans Super Sunnies – ( the closest I’ve found to Pom Bears which do contain milk)
- Tesco own brand Crunchy Sticks – similar to salt and vinegar chipsticks
- Tesco own brand are the only ones free from traces of sesame that i have found
Popping Corn
- Marks and Spencer stocks the only type I’ve found that doesn’t contain traces of sesame or nuts
Chocolate
- Kinnerton luxury dark choc (waitrose)
- Sainsbury’s Free From mint chocolate discs, and ‘milk’ chocolate discs in a string bag – a little like chocolate coins
- Celtic dairy-free milk choc (Holland and Barratt)
- Choices Dairy Free Chocolate Caramels
- Humdinger Dairy free milk chocolate buttons
- Whizzers Dairy free beans/footballs/eggs
‘Creams’
- Granovita – Soya whipping cream (Available from Tesco)
- Soyatoo – squirty rice/soya cream (available from Vegan Store)
- Alpro soya (widely available)
‘Butters’/Spreads
Be careful as most margarine contains milk!
- Swedish Glace – great range of flavours and loved by everyone!
- Worthenshaws
- Tofutti
Non-vegetarian convenience/frozen foods
- Birds Eye Fish fingers – cod, haddock or omega 3
- M&S Chicken Teddies
Sauces
