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

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

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 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.

Shop Food:

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.

Shop Stores:

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.

Shop Collections:

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

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

A Mortgage Calculator, A Move and A New Adventure!

🏡Today's post is sponsored by Mortage Calculator UK

It's been a very busy few months for me. Actually, that's an understatement! It's been quite adventurous, to say the least!

Over the Summer I listed my home in Ontario for sale and in less than two months had moved across the country to PEI. The move was both exciting and scary as there were so many variables to consider and prepare for. 

As this was not my first time buying or selling, I did have some tools in my repertoire that helped to make the process smooth. Aside from pairing yourself with a great Realtor, a mortgage calculator is incredibly important to utilize.

Mortgage calculators like Mortage Calculator UK will help you figure out how to make your budget work when house hunting. Do you have to use one to purchase a home? No, but without one, you could be lacking a proper understanding of your financial capabilities and that could very well be a downfall.

So what is a mortgage calculator exactly?

A mortgage calculator helps estimate your monthly payment due along with other financial costs associated with home ownership. There are options to include overpayments (to pay off your debt quicker) as well as learn about amortization and a remortgage calculator. 

This particular calculator is mainly intended for use by UK residents. Take a look at the payment calculator. This handy tool helps calculate what you can afford based on your income, with both high and low-end options.

Over the last few years, the needs of home buyers have really changed. I noticed this myself while on the hunt for a new home. I had to consider the needs of myself, my husband, and our son - three very different personalities with some very specific wants in a new home. Those wants and needs for us included a home office, game room, and a large open-concept kitchen.

I needed to find a home that we could afford but one that also suited our individual tastes and needs. This is where a mortgage calculator is so helpful! Using one allowed us to pinpoint a max home price we could make work all the while setting the right plan in place to pay off our debt sooner than later.

I'm a big planner and seeing the monthly payments BEFORE purchasing a home really put my mind at ease. It also allowed me to make room in the budget for things you need when traveling by car for a move across the country - like hotel stays in multiple Provinces, gas, and new furniture.

Have YOU used a mortgage calculator when buying a home? 

Let me know in the comments.

Gaming To Escape

Like a lot of people, I have found myself playing online games more and more over the last few years. I find gaming to be a wonderful escape from the stress that sometimes comes with needing to live life gluten-free. It's also a great way to take a break from social media and just have some unapologetic fun. While I don't consider myself a superstar gamer by any means, I love to pass the time with a good online game.

If you like casual games that are free to play and don't require pestering friends to water your crops or send you gifts to level up, well I have a site for you! The website is Solitaire.org and it's full of a variety of games...not just Solitaire!

One of my go-to games to play is Battleships Armada. I've loved the game Battleship since I was a kid. In this version, you can choose between three levels and even adjust the sound. I really like it because it's not a long drawn-out version of the game. It's simple, to the point, and fun to play.

Another game I have a blast playing is Tetra Blocks, which also takes me back to my childhood. Am I dating myself yet? There's something about this game that just ropes me in - I could play it forever and I would not be bored. Like Battleship Armada, Tetra Blocks is very easy to play (depending on the level chosen of course) and a lot of fun.

I've been really into hidden object games as of late and the below game is just an example of the variety of this game type available on the site. Garden Secrets Hidden Objects is pretty fun. Especially if you enjoy being a sleuth and are patient. To be honest the hidden object games are right up my alley - I love searching for them and let me tell you it's not always as easy as it looks! It feels pretty rewarding to find all of the objects before the time runs out. There's even the option to click for clues if you're struggling. I try not to utilize that option though and I feel pretty darn proud of myself when I'm successful all on my own!

 

Aside from the fantastic variety of games (seriously, there's so much!) on Solitaire.org the music which plays along with the games is incredibly calm and relaxing. This is a big deal to me because let's be honest, if you're looking to wind down after a busy day or stressful situation buzzy carnival sounding music is not going to be helpful. The music on Solitair.org games is almost Zen-like and a love it!

 The website gets bonus points for not having those annoying pop-up ads all over the place AND for not having in-game ads that no doubt would take away from the chill experience.

Do YOU like to game? What are your favorites?

The Foodie Bag Review

I was gifted The Foodie Bag in exchange for an honest review. 

If you're a foodie who enjoys taking photos of food - whether it be creations of your own or something on the go then this is the kit for you! The Foodie Bag has everything you need to elevate your photo-taking game to the next level. Learn more about the brand behind the bag - the Paper Bag Company here.

So what's The Foodie Bag all about?

It's a big, lightweight, and limited edition,12oz cotton zip-up bag that has an internal zip pocket and mesh divider. The bag comes with a 5 in 1 pop-up reflector, an 8 postcard set with handy tips, and 4 photographic backgrounds.

The four backgrounds are the perfect size to flat lay dishes and props while adding a burst of life to the background. As my photos depict, The Foodie Bag is not just for food photography - the creative possibilities are endless!

This was my first time using any kind of photographic reflector or diffuser, so I've got some learning to do on my end, but I'd say it was a great first attempt! I'm excited to continue using The Foodie Bag and learn more from the tips on the included postcards.

The photos I've taken are from my phone, but you could use a professional camera if you have access as well.

I love how convenient The Foodie Bag is for pictures on the go and for easy cleanup and storage at home.

Pros & Cons of The Foodie Bag

I really appreciate how big and roomy the bag is. It's able to easily hold everything the kit comes with and more! I was able to fit my Canon Camera, and mini tripod in the bag comfortably. The straps on the bag are made well and sit nicely on your shoulder.

The backgrounds are made of durable paper, which can be wiped clean with ease. I would caution against anything that could leave a residue or ring mark though. The backgrounds do need to be rolled up and stored in the provided tube, which is a pro or con depending on your personal needs and point of view. I found this to be a non-issue since I wasn't taking photos away from home. However, it could be a frustration for on-the-go photo taking. Perhaps this is a challenge to tackle for a future The Foodie Bag.

The pop-up reflector is pretty handy and though I'm still learning how to utilize it properly, I love its portability! It twists and folds down super easily and fits like a charm into the supplied pouch, thus taking up very little room in The Foodie Bag itself. 

An added bonus is the included photo cards with photography tips on framing, lighting, and editing on the reverse side. These tips are courtesy of renowned phone photographer Matt Innwood. I plan on spending some time reading these cards thoroughly and implementing the advice with future photos.

Would I Recommend The Foodie Bag?

I would - It's a fantastic tool for anyone who loves taking flat lay style photos! You can purchase one for yourself (or as a gift for the photo-taking foodie in your life) over at The Paper Bag Company. 

#TheFoodieBag sells for £39.95 and is capable of being shipped overseas - Contact The Paper Bag Company for more information here. 

Give the Paper Bag Company a follow on Instagram

Cooking with Sue and Promise Gluten Free - Stuffed French Toast

Are you a French Toast fan? Below is a fantastic video of Sue Jennett, showing how to make Stuffed French Toast with Promise Gluten Free Brioche Bread.

Thanks to @CCACeliac for their effort in creating wonderful Celiac Awareness Month events.