Diabeticfriendly.com: A wonderful website for lots of sugar-free products.
Written: Jan 09 '10 (Updated Jan 09 '10)
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We're a family of non-sugar-eaters. Whether by choice, or for medical reasons, we all try to avoid added sugar in our diets. But that doesn't mean we don't like sweet foods; in fact we like them a lot. But we limit our purchases to those products that contain no added sugar.
These days, it's pretty easy to find sugar-free items. There are plenty of items available in local stores. But sometimes they can be a little expensive. In fact, sugar-free varieties are sometimes more expensive than their regular counterparts. Or, they might be the same price, but the package is a little smaller.
So, when we discovered diabeticfriendly.com, we were thrilled. Finally, a website that features lots of sugar-free items, including some varieties we can't find in our local stores. And, best of all, their prices are reasonable. Furthermore, they offer some very nice discounts for buying in bulk. So, as long as the item won't go bad, we're willing to buy larger quantities, in order to take advantage of the discounts.
And, having dealt with them many times over the years, I can honestly say, they're just really nice people. I've had several email exchanges with them, and they're always prompt and courteous with their responses. They're also very generous with coupons, and... samples! Yes, samples! They are more than happy to supply small quantities of their products for you to taste, before you buy. This is particularly handy if you're going to take advantage of their bulk discounts.
When you go to their home page (www.diabeticfriendly.com), you'll see their phone number prominently displayed, as well as a link to email their customer service. There's also a link to their shipping information, and while they don't list their actual rates on this page, they do tell you that "most orders over $59.99 qualify for free delivery". To be honest, I've never paid for shipping from their site, as all of my orders are over that limit.
Sales, discontinued items, and coupons!
From the main page, always visit the link that says "sale & discontinued items". This is where you can find some great bargains. But just as importantly, this is where their coupon codes are listed. You're allowed to use one coupon with every order. Some examples of the current coupons are "free box of brownie mix", "$5 off an order of $85", or "half pound of lollipops with an order of $75". The site says that these coupons are subject to change, but frankly, they've been the same for the past year or so.
After looking at the sale items and the coupons, you can head to any of the following sections: Sugar Free Chocolates; Sugar Free Candy & Lollipops; Sugar Free Gummies; Sugar Free Gum & Mints; Sugar Free Bulk Candy; Sugar Free Cookies, Baked Goods, Crackers & Health Bars; Holiday Candy & Baskets; Cake Mixes; and Condiments, Sauces & Dressings. There's also a limited section of items that are not sugar-free.
As you can see there are LOTS of items to choose from! You can also look at items by brand such as Dr Johns, GoLightly, Andes, and Hershey's.
My husband and his mother are addicted to Sugar-Free Fruit Slices. So, they purchase 10 pounds at a time, for a discounted price of $10.90 per pound. Sure, that's a lot of candy. But these candies come individually wrapped, and last a very long time. So they share the 10 lb. package, and save about a dollar a pound this way.
I like the cake and brownie mixes. I can't find sugar-free cake mixes in my local store. So, occasionally I'll indulge in one of these boxes. For instance, the Doctor's CarbRite Fudgy Sugar-Free Brownie Mix is currently listed at $5.99 a box. But 12 boxes can be purchased for $65. If my mother-in-law and I split the case, that's 6 boxes for each of us, and we save 50 cents a box. Again, these mixes last a really long time, so it's no problem for us to order a few at once.
Nearly every item comes with an information link where you can read the ingredients, and see the nutritional information. But one problem is that it doesn't always give you serving size information. For instance, looking at the information for the sugar-free dark chocolate-covered raisins, I see the ingredients, followed by the following information: Calories 170, Calories from Fat 90, Total Fat 10g (15%). But what serving size makes up those 170 calories? No way to know! Well, it's easy enough to find out. If you email customer service, they'll get back to you quickly with the answer. But it would be better to display that information right on the website! On the other hand, checking sugar-free dark chocolate-covered cashews shows a serving size of 40g. So it's not all items that are lacking this information.
You can pay with a credit card, or paypal. I've never had any problems with any of my orders. The items arrive quickly and packed perfectly. Good thing, because while their return policy is clearly stated, it isn't the best. Basically, they'll take back unopened packages, but not chocolates, for refund or store credit, deducting a 10% restocking fee. If you received free shipping, they'll deduct their shipping costs, as well as the restocking fee. Best advice: be check your order carefully before you commit, and take advantage of their free samples policy to "try before you buy".
If you purchase lots of sugar-free items, check out this website!
Recommended:
Yes
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About the Author
Member: Mona
Location: Sunny South Florida
Reviews written: 1036
Trusted by: 240 members
About Me: SAP is down... See note, below.
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