NEW YORK — Consumers are paying more attention to what is in the food they eat. Some are counting calories, or watching out for too much sodium or sugar. Others need to avoid gluten or allergens, or want only natural ingredients.

Consumers are paying more attention to what is in the food they eat. Some are counting calories, or watching out for too much sodium or sugar. Others need to avoid gluten or allergens, or want only natural ingredients.

Fortunately for all of these consumers, there are suppliers that have stepped up with innovative products, and retailers that have made room for them on their shelves.

Enjoy Life Foods, for example, makes a wide range of cereals, cookies, granolas, snack bars, chips and other products for the millions of Americans who are lactose intolerant or have food allergies or celiac disease.

The company’s products are made in a dedicated nut- and gluten-free facility, and they are certified as being free of the eight most common food allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, milk, soy, wheat, fish and shellfish). In addition, many items are vegan, and all are kosher and Halal certified.

Kellogg Co., which promotes its cereals as nutritious and low-calorie ways for people to begin their day, last year added a product to its lineup for those with celiac disease. Rice Krispies Gluten Free cereal is made without the barley malt that is the source of gluten in original Rice Krispies, and is made with whole grain brown rice to differentiate it from the original and for flavor.

In the snack food arena, Crunchies Food Co. and Kind Healthy Snacks are two of the companies that are offering consumers healthy food choices with out objectionable ingredients. The Kind Nuts & Spices line of snack bars, for example, is free of artificial ingredients, and each contains five grams or less of sugar. Crunchies creates crispy snacks by freeze drying fruits and vegetables. The products are organic, kosher and wheat and gluten free, with no preservatives or additives.

Consumers’ concerns about what’s in their food and how it’s produced are not limited to traditional center-store categories. Many are concerned about the sustainability of their seafood, and they want produce that is organic or locally grown.

Meanwhile, some consumers would prefer to choose simple ingredients over prepackaged or processed food, but they need more convenient options for preparation. Wada Farms, which grows Idaho potatoes (as well as onions and sweet potatoes), is among the producers finding ways to make cooking its products easier.

The company’s Easy-Baker Idaho potatoes come sealed in microwave-ready wrap, allowing consumers to achieve the taste and texture of oven-baked potatoes in just seven minutes. (Another product, Microwave in Bag, is one-pound servings of red or yellow potatoes in microwavable bags.) The potatoes are naturally low fat, cholesterol free, high in vitamins and minerals, double washed, and preservative free, Wada Farms points out.