The polls are closed, the votes are counted, and we're ready to present the winners in the 2012 About.com Gluten-Free Readers' Choice Awards.
In 2012 — for the first time ever — the About.com Celiac Disease-Gluten-Free Diet site participated in the annual About.com Readers' Choice Awards, showcasing some of the best gluten-free products and options available today. We had six separate gluten-free award categories: gluten-free bread, gluten-free bread mixes, gluten-free frozen pizza, gluten-free pasta, gluten-free cookies and gluten-free restaurants.
From Jan. 18 through Feb. 15, readers nominated their favorites in each category. Once the finalists were revealed, readers had four weeks — until Wednesday, March 21 — to vote for their favorites.
Read on for the winners.
There are no prizes, although the winners get to display the rather cool About.com 2012 Readers' Choice Awards badge on their websites and in their promotional materials. That, plus winners get the bragging rights that come with getting recognized by the readers of one of the most popular websites.
Congratulations to all the 2012 winners, and check back here to nominate your favorites in 2013!
1. Best Gluten-Free Bread
Some would consider decent bread to be the Holy Grail of the gluten-free diet — you keep chasing it, but never quite reach it. But the truth is, the last couple of years have brought some really great gluten-free bread products to the marketplace. Our readers are passionate about their bread (unsurprisingly!), and this turned into our most competitive category.
And the winner is ... Canyon Bakehouse 7-Grain Bread.
Read about the finalists here: Best Gluten-Free Bread Finalists
2. Best Gluten-Free Bread Mix
Lots of us prefer homemade bread ... but who has time to bake these days? Fortunately, there's plenty of gluten-free bread mixes available to help out when we're motivated but don't want to work from scratch. Five mixes rose to the top (pardon the pun).
And the winner is ... King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Bread Mix.
Read about the finalists here: Best Gluten-Free Bread Mix Finalists
3. Best Gluten-Free Pasta
Just as it's difficult to find "real" bread when you're gluten-free, it can be tough to identify a gluten-free pasta you like. However, there's many possibilities, even including some whole-grain options. Readers chose five they really prefer.
And the winner is ... RP's Fresh Gluten-Free Pasta.
Read about the finalists here: Best Gluten-Free Pasta Finalists
4. Best Gluten-Free Cookies
Both kids and adults love cookies. Those of us who've been following the gluten-free diet for a long time have watched as gluten-free cookie offerings have expanded dramatically. Now, lots of stores carry a few gluten-free cookies, and there's an incredible variety online. This category came down to a battle between the chocolate chips and the vanilla creams — four chocolate chips and two vanilla creams moved on to the finals.
And the winner is ... Aleia's Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Read about the finalists here: Best Gluten-Free Cookies Finalists
5. Best Gluten-Free Frozen Pizza
Once upon a time, adopting the gluten-free diet meant you gave up the convenience of foods like frozen pizza. No more — these days, almost everyone can find a gluten-free frozen pizza to suit their tastes, even if they want gluten-free vegan pizza or gluten-free casein-free pizza. We had five of the best choices on the ballot.
And the winner is ... Joan's GF Great Bakes New York Style Pizza.
Read about the finalists here: Best Gluten-Free Frozen Pizza Finalists
6. Best Gluten-Free Restaurant Chain
Nowadays, plenty of chain restaurants offer gluten-free menu options, and that makes it much easier for us to eat out. But the quality of those menus and meals varies considerably from chain to chain, and even from restaurant to restaurant. Readers nominated the restaurant chains they believe create the most consistently good gluten-free experience.
And the winner is ... Ted's Montana Grill.
Read about the finalists here: Best Gluten-Free Restaurant Chain Finalists
