Cheaper GF flour ingredients

Eating GF isn't cheap, but there are ways to cut the budget.  One way is to mix your own GF flour blend.  Recently I read that in doing this you risk buying bags of ingredients that may actually have a high gluten content (stinkin' cross contamination).  The suggestion was to purchase a ready made product.  I choose to mix my own flour blend, but by experience I have learned to only purchase ingredients labeled gluten free tested (got burned by one labeled a "gluten free grain"....um duh).  I admit though, I buy regular cornstarch off the shelf.

The most recent cost savings way to get Bob's Red Mill gluten free flour mix components is to go through Amazon.  Amazingly, buying from Vitacost through Amazon saved nearly $1/bag with a bonus of free shipping if you purchased $49(double check to see if that promotion is still available to be sure).  Search for your item and choose one, then look to the right of the screen where it shows other vendors.  Vitacost should be listed as another vendor.  Compare the price. :)


Here are some ways to get GF flour ingredients super cheap, usually around $1.09/lb (generally in 12 oz packages).

(text pasted with liberties from highlighted website forum)

These flours are commonly available from local Asian grocery stores:

Chinese Grocery Store (usually labels include the english translation)

• white rice flour
• sweet rice flour (labeled glutinous rice flour-though it contains NO gluten)
• tapioca flour
• corn starch
• potato starch (NOTE:potato starch and potato flour are NOT the same!)

Indian Grocery Store (along with their Hindi names)

• millet flour ...is Bajri (pearl millet)
• sorghum flour...is Jowar or Juwar
• Buckwheat flour ...is Kuttu
• Chickpea flour ...is Chana or Besan
• Potato ...is Aloo
• ***FYI: "Atta" when alone describes wheat flour***

I can find cornstarch at a local orchard that sells bulk foods for $0.79/lb, which is cheaper than store brand at the grocery store. But the Chinese grocery sells it by the bag too so if you're already there buying other flours, the cost of gas may not justify making a special trip for one ingredient.