If you’re living in the Netherlands, you’ve probably seen and visited an Albert Heijn before. This big supermarketchain has many stores all over Amsterdam – and since a few years, they’ve been selling some gluten free items. It wasn’t that much at first: one kind of spaghetti, one kind of bread, some snacks. Everything was pretty expensive, but that’s no news when it comes to gluten free food. Over time, the variety of products expanded a little, including pizza bottoms and gluten free flour. It came in hand when you needed a last-minute product and all the reform shops were already closed, or if you were in desperate need of gluten free snacks.
Two weeks ago, I popped into the Albert Heijn on the corner of my street to buy some groceries, since I was going on a holiday. I decided to grab a few gluten free crackers too, so I could eat them for breakfast. I walked over to the aisle where the gluten free products were, and was astonished. They had updated their selection of gluten free goods, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. There were three kinds of new Dr. Schär-bread, which my mum had bought for me a while ago and which tasted very good (I’ll do a review about them later this month). There was gluten free lasagna, and gluten free cousous (Gluten. Free. Couscous. I know right.) There were other kinds of bread, from other brands. I was in awe, but decided only to buy a few necessary items.
Yesterday though, I returned. They had even more than last time I visited. I bought two kinds of Schär bread, one LivWell package of bread, Consenza croissants and sausage-rolls, I even bought the gluten free couscous. It cost me a fortune – I believe about 25 euros for everything in total – but it’s so worth it. Note that my Albert Heijn is fairly small and they often miss out on products that larger stores do have.
On the website of Albert Heijn, you can find a more complete (but still incomplete, since you can’t order every product online) list of their renewed gluten free aisle. And boy, it’s amazing. They offer gluten free soy sauce, gluten free noodles, all kinds of bread, cornflakes, Mongozo beer (<3), muffins, tortilla’s (gluten free tortilla’s!), cakemix, pancakemix, baguettes, soup – you name it. Albert Heijn even started producing their own glutenfree pasta, which I found in my Albert Heijn as well.
Of course, everything is still expensive as fuck and you will have to empty your whole bank account if you want to try all the nice goodies that they have in the shop. It’s worth taking a look at the website, though I recommend very much that you get into your nearest Albert Heijn yourself and find out what they have in stock for you. As I said, the things I mentioned here aren’t everything. There is more. And I love it.
Want to take a look (and die from joy) yourself? Check it out right here.
PS: I know there is a gluten free shop in my neighbourhood, called the Glutenvrije Winkel. I’ll go there ASAP. If I have time. I promise.
Image: geishaboy500
Celiac in Amsterdam 