Soy Allergy Substitute for Bread Crumbs

We have a little one here with a soy allergy, and that makes convenience foods a bit less convenient. One of the toughest foods to find at the grocery store in a soy free brand is bread. Most companies use soy flour as an emulsifier and/or preservative (whatever that means). The same holds true for bread crumbs. My neighborhood grocer carries only 1 variety of bread without it (when he's out so are we), and no bread crumbs without it. Homemade bread crumbs from wheat bread do not taste so good.

My grocer does, however, carry the big name stuff, like Ritz crackers and other popular crackers. I open up one of the sealed stacks of Ritz crackers and run those babies through the food processor. Add whatever herbs you like. When I use it for coating chicken legs to bake, I add pepper, paprika, and sage. I used them plain for tuna patties, and when I do stuffed artichokes, I'll add Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese. It's not exactly the same, but it is a pretty good substitute, and it's readily available (you can get them at a gas station for goodness sake).

Ritz crackers will not work for people with severe allergies as it contains soybean oil and soy lecithin, but for those who simply have to avoid soy protein and soy flour, it opens up a few more recipes. If these crackers don't work for you, you may find another cracker substitute that does. I am officially reminding you to check your labels, although I know that all moms and dads with food allergies in their families already do that. Happy cooking!