2 Snack Options for the Gluten-Free Runner

Gluten-free eating doesn’t have to be bland.

Plenty of runners are finding that they have issues with gluten—including two on our Competitor team—so we went in search of some new products that will be easy on the stomach for those who tend to eschew foods like cereal and cookies.

Just Add Milk

Cereal can be the most important meal of the day, given that it often graces the breakfast table. Last year a couple of cereal nuts started MixMyOwn, a personalized muesli service catering to the very individual taste buds of anyone who enjoys a bowlful of flakes, dried fruits and the like. You select your cereal’s base, fruits, nuts and seeds, and ingredients are labeled based on “no sugar added,” “super food,” “gluten-free” and more, so it’s easy to get creative. The gluten-free mix ($8.61 for 12 ounces) features flakes, raisins, apricots, banana chips, almonds, soybeans, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. But you can also mix your own (of course!) with chia seeds, dried papaya, acai powder and plenty of other add-ins to be gluten-free (or not). mixmyown.com

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Snack Attack

Sometimes even the most dedicated runner, who eats all the right things, needs a cookie. It can be tough on the tummy when you are gluten-free, but Mary’s Gone Crackers keeps coming out with new gluten-free items, whether it’s cookies, graham crackers, pretzels or regular old crackers—except these aren’t your grandma’s flour-based, cheese-delivery devices. The namesake product comes in seven flavors (two are onion and caraway) and we liked the crisp texture. Since gluten-free foods tend to be more bland, sometimes strong flavors can be a challenge. Despite that, we thought the ginger snaps tasted like ginger snaps do. The chocolate chip cookies were a favorite for their taste as well as their texture—not too moist or dry and they didn’t fall apart. marysgonecrackers.com