Gluten Free

Thursday

Gluten Free Cart - Canada's First Allergen Free Online Marketplace

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Gluten Free Cart Logo

Gluten Free Cart is a hyper-local Canada-wide online marketplace that connects customers with local bakeries, cafes, and shops which specialize in offering gluten-free products.

Think of Gluten Free Cart as Canada's First Online Marketplace for allergen-free ready-to-eat, cook, or bake food items.

Product options range from ready-to-eat items to baked goods and mixes. Whether you fancy baking with a premade mix, enjoying a pint of delicious ice cream OR just leaving the dinner-making to someone else, Gluten Free Cart has your needs covered.

Currently, there are 156 products offered on the website through 19 vendors in 19 cities. 
With a goal to ensure that the product selections are both affordable and easily available, Gluten Free Cart is truly a one-stop shop for Canadians looking for allergen-free food. Make that allergen-free AND fuss-free - they do all the leg work so you don't have to.

"Allergen living does not need mean restrictions. It CAN and SHOULD offer choices at affordable prices."


Let's talk about how GFC keeps costs down for both shop vendors and customers.

Each shop creates its own presence on the website and is responsible for providing its own shipping, pickup, and delivery options. Shoppers also have the option to purchase from multiple vendors in one transaction. 

The ability to customize shipping options with each vendor in one simple transaction not only saves time, but it allows YOU to ensure your needs are met.
Future plans are to expand its offerings in the future to include more snack options and easily shippable items.

By allowing these businesses to create their own presence on the website and manage their own shipping/pickup/delivery options, overall business costs are minimized, resulting in a more affordable experience for customers.

Gluten Free Cart aims to serve people who travel, live away from big cities, or simply don't have the time or energy to cook. It offers the comfort of ordering in advance and having gluten-free food available at your destination or ready for you to pick up. It works with your schedule and food needs.

Who doesn't love the convenience of ordering in advance and having food ready when you arrive at a new destination?! 

Gluten Free Cart Target Demographic



Gluten Free Cart provides convenience and comfort by eliminating the need to search for gluten-free restaurants and food options in general. We all know this can be a daunting task at the best of times, especially when traveling to an unfamiliar city. Depending on the vendor you choose, you can arrange to have your food delivered to you or be ready for pick-up when you arrive at your location. 
Gluten Free Cart also gives peace of mind by ensuring that your dietary needs are taken care of. Peace of mind means you can focus on enjoying your trip. Having food ready and waiting for you can also save time, which means that you can start enjoying your destination right away. It's a simple and efficient way to be prepared for both your food prep choices and needs.

Gluten-free isn't always simple and sometimes people need products that are gluten-free while meeting other dietary needs or wants. Everything on the Gluten Free Cart website is gluten-free, and some products are also vegan keto or peanut-free. 

Gluten Free Cart provides a customized experience that is tailored to your needs.
The website is very easy to navigate, and orders can be set for pick up, shipping, or delivery. 

So how does it work?

Let's talk about the three categories to choose from on the website - Shop Food, Shop Stores, and Shop Collections.

Here you can filter products by Store Pick Up, Delivery, or Shipping. You will need to enter an address before sorting to allow the website to see what options are available for you.

This section allows you to browse the various shop vendors participating on the GFC website. Click on a shop to learn more about them and check out their available items. Interested in a vendor but unsure still? Hit "Review" and see what others have to say! This is also a great way to shout out your favorite vendors by giving them a happy review.

Collections is a really cool feature on the site! It allows you to shop an already sorted collection of ready-to-cook mixes, baked goods, various ethnic cuisine types, and desserts. This really helps narrow things down when you have a craving of sorts but don't quite know what you want just yet.

The process of ordering is as simple as 
1. Browse & Filter Shop by food, store, or collections & apply filters
2. Checkout
Add items to the cart, apply coupons, and checkout
3. Get Product
Head to the store for pick or get delivery/ shipping
How To Order Through Gluten Free Cart


It's really encouraging to see a Canadian company stepping up and ensuring that people who eat gluten-free due to Celiac or just by choice are not forgotten about. I can't wait to see what Gluten Free Cart does next!

You can keep up to date with Gluten Free Cart by following reading their blog here and by visiting their Instagram page here

Sunday

The Gluten-Free Sunscreen List

Using a gluten-free sunscreen is a personal choice. Not everyone is going to want to and that's okay. I prefer to ensure gluten is nowhere to be found when it comes to skin, hair, and lip products. Call me old fashioned but, better safe than sorry is a term I happily roll with.


If It's On Your Face Or Hands, It's In Your Mouth



Think about those hot and sticky days where sweat is constant and unavoidable. That sunscreen is going to be sliding everywhere. How many times will your sunscreen coated hands wind up near your mouth without you noticing? Likely more than you think, meaning accidental ingestion is pretty darn probable. Not something that sounds appealing to me. 

This is why I prefer to stick with gluten-free protection. Some of the brands below are easily found in stores and others can be purchased online. I'm happy to see not only a decent choice in variety but, varying price points as well.






Monday

Let's Talk About Bread




Gluten-free bread has come a long way since I had my first slice, over ten years ago. No longer does it require cringing and toasting. Better yet, gone are the days of tasteless crumbs. Unfortunately, gluten-free bread continues to be haunted by its cardboard-like predecessor.

I know what you're thinking - there is no comparing gluten-free bread to the soft lusciousness of "regular" bread. To put it simply, you're right. Gluten-free bread will never be exactly like its wheat-filled counterpart because well, science. What I can tell you, is that although there will always be room for improvement, the overall taste, quality and texture has improved immensely!

Let's talk about some of the fantastic gluten-free bread options available across Canada.



All But Gluten

Canyon Bakehouse 

Compliments (Sobeys store brand)

Genius by Glutino

Gluten Zero

Kinnikinnick Soft Breads 

Promise Gluten Free

Rudis

Schar

Udis


I have had the opportunity to try all of the above brands over the years. While they are all good in my opinion, some are more easily found than others. Also worth noting, prices vary widely. No longer do you have to pay $6.99+ for gluten-free bread!

Kinnikinnick is tops in my book! No toasting necessary and it holds up pretty darn well. Promise Gluten Free is a staple in my home for hamburger buns and chicken sandwiches. All But Gluten offers wonderful buns as well. The Compliments brand via Sobeys is pretty impressive as well. They make really great rolls that can be used for hot dogs and subs.

Canyon Bakehouse is a recent addition to stores in my area and I am enjoying their products thus far. I would like to see Schar and Rudis more widely available. As they are so difficult to obtain, I don't get to enjoy them often and that really bums me out.

Remember that it's okay to have a preference that differs from other gluten-free bread eaters out there. We all have individual pallets and likes. While one brand may be great toasted, it may miss the mark for sandwich making. Gluten-free bread also varies in size for a variety of reasons, mostly likely due to varied ingredients. 


The gluten-free bread industry is massive and full of competition. I'm confident that future innovations will hold impressive improvements! I'm always on the hunt for new and great gluten-free products so I can't wait to see what the future has to offer!


What are some of YOUR favourite gluten-free bread's?! Let me know in the comments below.



Friday

My Gluten Free Bucket List







1. Master the art of Gluten-Free baking. Seriously, I need help.

2. Visit Feast in Toronto. I've known about this gem for some time now and I really need to get there!   *Visited July 2015

3. Read:

  • Gluten Freedom by Alessio Fasano, MD 
  • The Gluten-Free Revolution by Jax Peters Lowell
  • Mayo Clinic Going Gluten Free: Essential Guide to Managing Celiac Disease and Related Conditions by Joseph A. Murray


4. Take another Walt Disney World resort vacation, aka Gluten-Free paradise

5. Add final touches to the Gluten Free Doll website and officially launch it

6. Attend a Gluten-Free expo/conference


7. Cross-border shop for Gluten-Free goods which are not available in Canada


8. Encourage Rogers Centre to host a Celiac Awareness night


9. Help rid Celiac of the fad stigma


10. Find a delicious Gluten-Free croissant and eat it









Saturday

Good News With The Bad - Kellogg's Gluten Free Rice Krispies






Bad News 

Kellogg's has decided to stop selling their Rice Krispies Brown Rice Gluten-Free cereal in the United States. This is BIG news. A lot of people are upset and rightfully so about it. I still can't even wrap my head around this.

Most people assumed that if production ceases in the United States, then it will here in Canada as well. 

I contacted Kellogg's to inquire about the status of this product in Canada. 


Good News

I'm happy to report that Kellogg's Rice Krispies Brown Rice Gluten-Free will NOT be discontinued here. 

On another note, I have read some grumblings in regards to where the cereal will be manufactured, as the London, Ontario plant is no longer in operations. I sent a follow-up email to Kellogg's, inquiring about this. I also questioned why they would stop selling the Rice Krispies Brown Rice Gluten-Free in the United States. Once I have a response, I will post an update here.



You can read Kellogg's statement in regards to the status of Gluten Free Brown Rice Krispies in Canada below.




Dear Sandra,


Thank you for reaching out to us regarding Gluten Free Rice Krispies. We appreciate you letting us know how much you enjoy these!

We are happy to say that our Gluten-Free Rice Krispies are indeed available in Canada at most major retailers and have not been discontinued. 

We suggest that you speak to your local Store Manager about its availability. Our Sales department 
will then be able to work with the retailers in your area in an effort to make this product 
available to you. 

Thanks again for reaching out to us, Sandra. We wish you the best!


Sincerely,

Marie-Claude L.
Consumer Specialist
Consumer Affairs


* See Below for an updated response from Kellogg's *




Dear Mrs. Lajoie,

Thank you for reaching out to us regarding our Rice Krispies Brown Rice.

Most of our products are manufactured in Canada and the U.S. We do not manufacture product in China.Kellogg Canada has an excellent food safety record and we have confidence in the safety of our products. 

I wish I could give you better news about Gluten Free Rice Krispies, I am sorry to say it has been discontinued. Unfortunately, due to manufacturing constraints, we had to make the difficult decision to stop making it. Although it will be hard to replace this cereal, we hope our American fans might want to try our Special K Gluten Free cereal. We will share your thoughts with the team.

Thank you once again for taking the time to email us. 


Sincerely,

Yolande P.
Consumer Specialist
Consumer Affairs




Disclosure

This policy is valid from 23 February 2013

This is a personal blog written and edited by me. All opinions are that of my own. I am not a healthcare professional or an expert. All information presented in this blog is purely that of my own experience and or opinion. Please consult a medical professional before making any changes to your diet.

I write this blog as a hobby that I am passionate about. From time to time, I may receive monetary compensation for a sponsored post. I only work with brands that I trust and would use in my own home.

This blog accepts complimentary products for review. The opinions I have of a product will never be swayed by a company sending me an item(s) for free. I take into consideration the opinion of family members who are gluten-free due to Celiac Disease and I also value the opinions of non-gluten free family members. Taste is a matter of personal opinion so please use your own discretion and don't take my opinion as a gold standard.

Any ingredient or gluten-free claims should be verified with the restaurant/manufacturer as things can and do change.

For questions about this blog, please contact: sandra@glutenfreedoll.com

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