Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Central PA Gluten Free Expo Slated for Sunday, Nov. 4

Over 1,100 people are expected to gather in State College this Sunday to enjoy a celebration of all things gluten free, with the goal of making their lifestyle easier to maintain. The 6th annual Central PA Gluten Free Expo will take place at the Penn Stater Conference Center (215 Innovation Blvd.) this Sunday. The event will include some 50 local and national vendor spaces, educational presentations and demonstrations, door prizes and gluten-free samples.

The expo will be open to the public from 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. General-admission advance tickets are on sale now ($9.00) or can be purchased at the door ($12.00). Children ages 16 and under are free to attend the event with an adult. Parking is free.

Many companies represented at the event have carved out a niche by producing products that are difficult to replicate or find in a gluten-free form, such as the corn dogs and funnel cakes produced by Archer’s Gluten Free Cafe of Troy, Pa. Expo exhibitors will be sampling, selling, and discussing products and services at the event.  Gluten-free foods available for sample or purchase at the event will include breads, cookies, gravies, pastries, soft pretzels and baking mixes.

Keynote speaker Jules Shepard, known nationally as “gfJules,” will present the session “Seven Steps to Living a Healthy and Happy Gluten Free Life.” Jules has been highly visible in the gluten-free community since 2007 with the publication of her first gluten-free cookbook. Other presentations this year include a gluten-free cooking demonstration by a Wegmans chef, and a gluten-free funnel cake demonstration by Archer’s Gluten Free Cafe.

Look for details on the next Philadelphia area expo, slated to take place on Saturday, May 18, 2019 in Oaks, Pennsylvania, early next year.

Tuesday, October 9, 2018

Expo East 2018 Recap

Last month's Expo East natural-foods show in Baltimore featured new and emerging gourmet, natural and gluten-free products from across North America whose manufacturers are seeking wider distribution in supermarkets and grocery stores. (The annual event is headed to Philadelphia in 2020.)

In no particular order, here are some of the highlights among gluten-free products at this year's event (not all items are currently available in area stores):


Gorton's sampled a line of gluten-free allergy-friendly wild-caught seafood dishes called Hook Line & Savor. The frozen entrees will be test-marketed later this year with a possible nationwide roll-out in 2019. The Crispy Beer Battered Haddock is made with Glutenberg Blonde Ale; other varieties are Black Bean Crusted Cod and Citrus Ginger Salmon.


Wildscape is a new gourmet frozen-meals line from Nestle-backed Foundry Foods that includes two varieties made without gluten ingredients: Braised Brisket with Carmelized Sweet Potatoes, Sorghum, Red Rice and Pickled Onions and Gochujang Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts with Chickpeas and Quinoa, Riced Cauliflower, Cashews and Pickled Onions

Smart Flour Foods, which unveiled a refresh of its packaging, is introducing two flavors to its lineup of ancient-grain gluten-free pizza. The Three Meat is topped with sweet Italian sausage, spicy uncured pepperoni and bacon. The Kale and Sundried Tomato with a Garlic White Bean Sauce starts with a sauce of pureed white beans and garlic, and is topped with green kale and sundried tomatoes. The new pizzas will be in stores in 2019 with a suggested retail price of $7.99.

Friday, October 5, 2018

News & Notes: October 5, 2018

Before I get down to business, I wanted to let you know that NBC10 Philadelphia will be featuring Gluten Free Philly in a two-party story on dining out with Celiac Disease on Monday's 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. newscasts. Set your DVRs if you can't catch it when it broadcasts in real time. The stories should be posted to the station's website shortly after they air.

(Photo Credit: Corinna V.)
(Photo Credit: Baltimore Gluten Free)
Trader Joe's has several new gluten-free products in stores. The new Crispy Quinoa Stars is a quinoa and rice cereal sweetened with cane sugar and honey. There's also a butternut squash pizza crust and a spinach & kale crust in the frozen section. (Thanks, Corinna V.)

(Photo Credit: The Impulsive Buy)
Though not up on its website, Udi's Gluten Free has introduced two new breads: Hearty Sprouted Grains and 7 Seeds & Grains.

At long last, the new gluten-free pretzel rods from Snyder's of Hanover are making their way into supermarkets. I picked up a bag at Wegmans in Cherry Hill.