Leaders of the pack

We tasted wonderful things at the Gluten & Allergen Free Expo, and were excited to find so many new and new-to-us products. Here's a list of 10 foods/beverages, in no particular order, that got us excited.

1. Ravioli by Contes Pasta: I've had these several times in the past, and they're awesome. Full of flavor, the pasta part has a nice texture that's moist without falling apart. I'm a cheese aficionado, so the seasoned ricotta is right up my alley. Sold frozen and heated in the microwave, the ravioli is packaged with tomato gravy. The props for marinara sauce, however, goes to Hoboken Farms, which is perfect for dipping in a piece of their gluten-free bread.

Photo/Gluten Free Garden State

Fruit-filled at your fingertips

We're test running our school day morning routine this week, and getting out the door on time hasn't been easy. I can put together a breakfast meal the night before and simply re-heat in the morning, but it's also a good time to experiment with quick, grab-and-go items.

Photo/GlutenFreeGardenState

On the menu this morning were strawberry toaster pastries by Glutino.Think Pop Tarts without the gluten and famous brand name. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this product.

Each Glutino toaster pastry is comparable in size and stomach fulfillment to a Pop Tart, but there is only one for each portion, as opposed to a pair. Glutino's version is more moist than I expected and the fruity filling keeps the pastries mostly intact.Like many gluten-free products, there is some crumbling.