Okay so I started wondering about gluten-free snacks last month because my buddy Mark got diagnosed with celiac. He was super bummed about missing out on crunch-time treats. So I figured – why not test some Kraft gluten-free stuff? They keep popping up in stores anyway.
First Stop: The Supermarket Haul
I drove to Kroger and grabbed every Kraft gluten-free package I could find. Had to squint hard at labels too – turns out Kraft hides the “gluten-free” stamp in tiny letters near the barcode. Snagged these:
- Mac & Cheese boxes (weirdly orange like the original)
- Peanut butter sandwich crackers
- Almond flour cheese bites
- That new “Not Cheez” dip thing
The Microwave Science Experiment
Dumped the mac & cheese powder into boiling water thinking it’d be grainy like other gluten-free pasta. Shockingly, the noodles didn’t turn into mush. Actually bounced back when I poked ’em. Mixed in the fake cheese goop – smelled exactly like childhood. Took one bite…
Mind blown.
Tasted almost identical to the blue box original. Mark tried it later and accused me of cheating with real pasta.
Cracker Catastrophe & Redemption
Almost wrote off the peanut butter crackers when the first box felt like cardboard. But then I left one in my bag overnight – next day it magically softened up. Pro tip: don’t eat ’em straight outta the box. Let ’em breathe 10 minutes and the dryness disappears. Almond cheese bites? Crunchier than regular Cheez-Its but weirdly addictive.
The “Not Cheez” Mystery Goo
This stuff looked like radioactive Play-Doh. Scooped it with gluten-free pretzels expecting disappointment. Texture’s smoother than real cheese dip – almost like thick yogurt? Flavors fake but in a good way, like nostalgia-flavored chemicals. Would buy again for football Sundays.
Why I’ll Keep Buying
Turns out Kraft’s real win here is tricking gluten-free stuff into tasting normal. No fancy health halo or crunchy-granola marketing – just snack hacks that don’t remind you they’re “free” of anything. Still overpriced though. Found Mark hoarding five boxes in his pantry yesterday – that’s the real review right there.