by Rivka
Finding snacks that are safe for food allergies is always a challenge. Especially snacks that are high in protein, and not filled with added sugar. I was super excited to try out the New Primal Snacks after hearing about them at FABlog Con this year.
Here are the varieties I tried. I don’t eat pork, so I only sampled some of the chicken, turkey, and beef sticks. They each had a unique flavor.
Classic Beef: What I was most surprised by was how smooth the texture of these sticks were. They were soft, and not leathery like a lot of meat sticks. The classic flavor was not spicy at all, so would be a good one to give your kids if they are sensitive to spicy food. It tasted good, personally I like a little more kick.
Habanero Pineapple Beef: This one definitely had more kick, but it was not overwhelming. It was pleasantly spicy, but didn't leave me running for a drink. I liked the combination of the sweet and spicy from the pineapple.
Classic Chicken: This one was also mild and smooth. It didn't taste as different from the beef as I would have expected, but still had its own unique flavor.
Cilantro Lime Turkey: I am a huge fan of cilantro, and lime for that matter, so this was my favorite. It is definitely a flavor I would stock up on. If you don't like cilantro though, skip trying this flavor.
Spicy Beef: The spicy version was about the same spice level as the Habenero. It was very flavorful, and also had the smooth texture of the rest of the snacks. None of these were really spicy, if you are looking for a super hot meat stick.
Overall, they were a good snack.
My fiance did try a pork one too, and liked it, for the record.
Those who are allergic to dairy may notice the “lactic acid” ingredient on the package, but their lactic acid is derived from sustainable palm oil. They are also peanut and treenut free!
The best thing for me of course was that they are gluten free, as that is the thing I personally have to watch out for. But it is nice to know that I could pack them for a hiking or kayaking trip when I have one of my soy or dairy free friends along too. As a bonus, they use grass fed meat that is antibiotic and hormone free, and humanely raised.
Best for: Wheat allergies, celiac, gluten intolerance, soy allergies, dairy allergies, egg allergies, peanut allergies, nut allergies
Not a good choice for: celery allergies, beef allergies (even the chicken, turkey, and pork options may have beef collagen casing or cross contamination), and coconut allergies (many of the recipes contain coconut aminos)
Classic Beef: What I was most surprised by was how smooth the texture of these sticks were. They were soft, and not leathery like a lot of meat sticks. The classic flavor was not spicy at all, so would be a good one to give your kids if they are sensitive to spicy food. It tasted good, personally I like a little more kick.
Habanero Pineapple Beef: This one definitely had more kick, but it was not overwhelming. It was pleasantly spicy, but didn't leave me running for a drink. I liked the combination of the sweet and spicy from the pineapple.
Classic Chicken: This one was also mild and smooth. It didn't taste as different from the beef as I would have expected, but still had its own unique flavor.
Cilantro Lime Turkey: I am a huge fan of cilantro, and lime for that matter, so this was my favorite. It is definitely a flavor I would stock up on. If you don't like cilantro though, skip trying this flavor.
Spicy Beef: The spicy version was about the same spice level as the Habenero. It was very flavorful, and also had the smooth texture of the rest of the snacks. None of these were really spicy, if you are looking for a super hot meat stick.
Overall, they were a good snack.
My fiance did try a pork one too, and liked it, for the record.
Those who are allergic to dairy may notice the “lactic acid” ingredient on the package, but their lactic acid is derived from sustainable palm oil. They are also peanut and treenut free!
The best thing for me of course was that they are gluten free, as that is the thing I personally have to watch out for. But it is nice to know that I could pack them for a hiking or kayaking trip when I have one of my soy or dairy free friends along too. As a bonus, they use grass fed meat that is antibiotic and hormone free, and humanely raised.
Best for: Wheat allergies, celiac, gluten intolerance, soy allergies, dairy allergies, egg allergies, peanut allergies, nut allergies
Not a good choice for: celery allergies, beef allergies (even the chicken, turkey, and pork options may have beef collagen casing or cross contamination), and coconut allergies (many of the recipes contain coconut aminos)
What is your favorite snack?
Have you tried New Primal meats yet? Do you have another allergy friendly snack that you love? We want to hear about it in the comments below!