Review: Sainsbury's Freefrom Soft Multigrain Rolls

A few weeks ago when I was languishing in my hospital bed, the lovely PR team at Sainsbury's sent me some samples from their new bakery selection from the Freefrom range. The range includes a white loaf,  brown multi grain rolls (which I'm reviewing here) and white rolls.


The low down
Started in 2002, Sainsburys 'Freefrom' selection was the first of it's kind to be developed by one of the 'big gun' supermarkets, pipping major retailer Tesco's to the post. Today the range is 200 products strong and Sainsbury's have recently launched the 'new and improved' look as well as the previously mentioned 'fresh bakery' selection.

What Sainsbury's say
"We're proud to be able to add such a delicious selection of fresh bakery products to the Freefrom range"

Price
RRP £2.19 (pack of 4)


My take
From the outset the product looks promising. The packaging is clearer and more concise than the older version and theres less of it, I'm also pleased to see none of the god awful vac-pack so many gluten-free products seem to be sealed in.
The rolls are a decent size (no dreaded micro portions here!) and feels like a 'normal' roll when I slice it up for my lunch, and unlike a few other products in the range it isn't 'par baked' and doesn't need to be heated or toasted, this in turn means less faffing which is especially good if you've not much time to make your lunch or are busy etc.
The rolls themselves are soft without being brittle or the least bit dense the way some gluten-free bread products can be, and they stay in one piece when I butter them without falling apart or cracking.
With regards to taste Sainsbury's have outdone themselves on their already excellently tasting range: the rolls are yummy, filling and tasty, and for all intents and purposes are like a 'normal roll'. Great for making a quick sandwich at lunchtime or taking with you to have 'on the go', they are also great to have with a bowl of soup or with a meal, it's a product that you could probably use as a burger roll as well as for a sandwich.


Verdict
Sainsbury's are cottoning on to the fact that meal times are what many Coeliacs and allergy suffers struggle with. Instead of pushing sweet treats like the biscuits and puddings, they are one of the only supermarkets to put the emphasis on providing quick, easy and affordable meals.
These new additions to the range are a triumph. The updated packaging and the meal time marketing of the products will ensure Sainsbury's Freefrom will be first choice for a lot of people when it comes to choosing not only gluten-free, but dairy free products as well.
The only slightly sour note (and this is me nit-picking) was seeing the fresh bake loaf on the shelves in my local Sainsbury's and noting with disappointment the mini dimensions of it, especially compared to the mighty Genius loaf, but not having tasted the loaf I will hold judgement until I have!
All in all, a brilliant product, fresh, tasty,versatile and great value for money.




For more information on Sainsburys Freefrom range visit their website here.
It's probably also worth mentioning that Sainsbury's magazine do a variety of great gluten-free meals, recipes and ideas, I buy it every month and I always find great recipes which are safe and suitable, so it's well worth a purchase and at £1.60 its one of the cheapest foodie mags on shelves!