# Buy This Brand of Bread

Published: 2015-05-11T19:30:55.150114-04:00
Canonical URL: https://www.getmealplans.com/blog/2015/05/11/oil-free-bread-brands-recipes/

Love bread? *Me too!*

Bread's gotten a bad rap the last few years, and there are definitely some breads to stay away from...

Like this guy... yikes!

![https://dmi4pvc5gbhhd.cloudfront.net/2015/02/bad-bread.jpg](https://dmi4pvc5gbhhd.cloudfront.net/2015/02/bad-bread.jpg)

BUT there are plenty of healthy, good-for-you choices, too.

**Try your local bakery first.** Fresh, top quality, and usually made without preservatives or cheap fillers.

(Many bakeries will also make custom orders for you, such as whole-wheat buns or baguettes by request. If the bakery has a minimum order requirement, no worries -- you can freeze the extras for later!)

Commercially, the best brands are Alvarado, Dave's Killer Bread, Trader Joe's Sprouted Bread, and Food for Life (Ezekiel). Ikea also has a bread mix (just add water) that's oil-free, dense, and super delicious.

![https://dmi4pvc5gbhhd.cloudfront.net/2015/02/ikea-bread.jpg](https://dmi4pvc5gbhhd.cloudfront.net/2015/02/ikea-bread.jpg)

**What to Look for:** Make sure there is no oil in the bread. If there is sugar, make sure it's toward the end of the ingredients list and there aren't multiple sweeteners.

Remember: It only takes water, flour, and yeast to make bread so anything with more than 5-6 ingredients deserves a raised eyebrow of suspicion!

Also be weary of marketing.

"Whole-grain" can often be a scam! 6 overly processed grains slammed together doesn't make for a wholesome choice. Similarly, there are a lot of "wheat" breads out there that aren't truly whole-wheat.

(I call them white breads with a tan!)

**DIY Recipe** Make my super easy beer bread: 3 cups flour + 1 T baking soda + 1 T sugar (opt) + pinch salt and 12 oz of your favorite mild-tasting beer. (Bake @ 375F for 1 hour).

(I've also had great success making GF bread with a GF blend and GF beer!)

Lastly, make sure bread accents your diet -- but don't make it a key player, especially if you're trying to lose weight.

There's absolutely a place for bread in a healthy balanced diet.

[Find that balance with the meal plan's help.](https://www.getmealplans.com/#buy)

And if you want to avoid bread altogether -- no problem-o! Simply substitute 1 whole-wheat or GF tortilla (or two corn tortillas) for a bun or bread. OR go even more whole and put it over a baked potato or cooked grains like rice.