Greetings,
Lindy and Devin! I have had the pleasure of knowing your family for three
years. I would like for others to get to know you and your business, So Good Gluten Free Foods, better. I remember when you started out sampling your
baked mac-n-cheese and brownies at Delaney’s in Old Town Temecula. This is when
I learned more about the importance of eating gluten-free (GF) and that sweet indulgences do not need to be given up.
Though I have no intolerances, I still enjoy eating GF as I believe it balances
the gut. In my personal experience, eating too much gluten causes lethargy. Food should be fuel. And, eat the sweet stuff in moderation! =)
Jessica David with
Conveying Awareness: Before we get into your business, let’s bring attention to
eating gluten free. What does it mean to be
gluten-free?
Lindy Pine with SGGFF:
What it means to be gluten free is that you eliminate wheat, rye and barley
from your diet and also from all products that you use, including, for example,
make- up and shampoo.
Jessica: How do
we find out if gluten is in our foods?
Lindy: Sometimes it's difficult to know if there is
gluten in our foods because not every manufacturer states whether gluten is
present in their product. Sometimes it
will state it on the box as an allergen or just in the list of ingredients but
with processed foods you need to be careful when selecting the product.
Jessica: What are
some common foods gluten is found in?
Lindy: Gluten is
commonly found in bread, pasta, baked goods, gravy and sauces.
Jessica: By any
chance, can gluten (or its derivatives) be found in products for the body or in
cleaning products? If so, do you know any brands to steer clear of?
Lindy: Yes,
gluten can be present in many products.
There is no requirement currently for companies to declare it on their
packaging, so the best course of action is to contact the company directly to
find out if gluten is present.
Jessica: In your
professional opinion, why are more people being diagnosed with gluten
intolerances or allergies?
In my opinion,
GMOs and chemical additives in food are playing a large part in increasing the
number of people who are being diagnosed with gluten intolerances and other
food intolerances. It's not just
intolerances that are being triggered either.
Autoimmune diseases such as hashimotos (thyroid), Rheumatoid Arthritis,
Type 1 Diabetes and Lupus are sharply increasing and it's my view that it's
because of our bodies "fighting off" what they think is an attack via
the chemical additives, antibiotics, GMOs in our foods and ending up getting
confused and attacking our own bodies.
If someone
doesn’t require gluten-free foods, why is it important to take gluten out of
the diet – what are the benefits?
Every situation
is different and people have to make their own decision about what's best for
them; however, we do know that gluten has an inflammatory effect on the body
and we know of many people who have chosen to live a gluten free lifestyle not
for medical reasons but because they feel healthier for doing so. "My aches and pains have disappeared",
"My arthritis has cleared up", "My brain fog has gone away"
are just some of the comments we have heard.
Tell us more
about your family’s situation.
In our situation,
I found out that I had Hashimoto's disease (autoimmune thyroid) in 2005 and when
I researched the condition I read that with any autoimmune disease it was
healthier for me to become gluten free.
My husband joined me soon after and it cured his sinus and acid reflux
issues, followed by my 91 year old mother in law who eliminated her arthritis
and stomach issues and our 11 year old son who no longer has sinus issues.
Your business was
established:
March 2010.
Before your
storefront opened, I remember you taking orders via Facebook and your website
offering free delivery with at least a $20 order for those living in Temecula.
Has this changed since your bakery is open 5 days a week?
Yes, we no longer
offer delivery. Customers can either
pick up for free from our bakery, usually 1-2 days after they place their
order, or we can ship to CA, AZ or NV at a cost of $10 up to a $30 order, $15
for all orders above $30.
Do you still take
orders online and ship products? Tell me more about this as I have followers
all over the country.
Yes - customers
in CA, AZ or NV can order either online, via phone or over the counter in our
bakery.
Please list your operation’s
hours and days. What is the address for your bakery?
Our opening hours
are Wed-Sat 9-5, Sun 10-3 currently and we're located at 32475 Temecula
Parkway, Suite G-103B, Temecula, CA 92592.
As a reference point for local people - we're next door to Killarney's
Irish Pub.
I have seen your
products sold in Organic Roots (formerly known as Sprouts Natural Market in
Temecula). Where else do you stock your products?
As well as
Organic Roots, our products are stocked in The Farmstead Market in Murrieta,
Wilson Creek Winery (Temecula), The Broken Yolk Cafe (Temecula), E.A.T.
Marketplace (Temecula), The Bite Market (Orange CA), and Glen Ivy Spa (Corona).
Are you
‘certified’ gluten-free or do you use a dedicated kitchen for making your
products? This is an important concern for Celiacs that are most sensitive to
cross-contamination.
Currently, we're
not a certified gluten free facility however we are a dedicated gluten free and
soy free facility. Many of our products
are also dairy free and egg free and we take great care to avoid cross contamination
when we bake all products. For example,
by cleaning and sanitizing all utensils and counters between batches and by
storing ingredients separately in secure containers.
Do you use soy or
corn? As many people have cross-reactive concerns with these ingredients.
We do not use soy
in any of our products at all. Our
baking powder contains non GMO cornstarch which doesn't seem to cause an issue
for many of our customers that have a corn allergy.
Do you use
non-GMO ingredients?
Yes, we aim to
make sure that all of our ingredients are non-GMO, although it's hard sometimes
because it's not a requirement for manufacturers to state whether or not their
products contain GMO ingredients. We
have found the best way to find out is to contact all of our suppliers
directly.
What is the
sweetener of choice?
We use organic
sugar in all of our products.
Also share any
new product requests you’re working on, if you can.
We are constantly
asked to come up with many new products and we are working on them but it's a
constant challenge because we are so busy making all of our current products!
Please share
anything else you’d like to mention.
I'd like to share
that we make everything from scratch using our own flour blends. Everything is made by hand with all natural
ingredients, no additives or colors.
Every month I feature a small business on my blog. There is certain criteria to qualify and cross networking is a must! Message me for more information: Jessica @ iConveyAwareness dot com (no spaces).
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Choose, eat, and live well! =)
