GF Nirvana

We have found gluten free Nirvana today. It is called "Healthy Approach Market". We didn't know it existed, but the literature from the Dietician recommended it. It's only 15 minutes away from home. It's not just a gluten free store, although I have heard of such things, but they have every gluten free thing you could imagine. Buns, pizza crusts, cereals, breakfast bars, snacks, cookies, mixes, you name it. Quite a selection of frozen foods too. GF TV dinners, fish sticks, frozen waffles, etc. An entire aisle and three freezer sections are devoted to gluten free items. And the prices are better than Central Market or Sprouts or even Kroger.

We've discovered that "completed" products like GF crackers, cookies, and bread are quite expensive. Mixes are also fairly pricey (cake mix, pancake mix, cookie mix, etc.), but it's nice that they have so many to choose from. The way to stay on budget is to buy individual ingredients and make things from scratch. Even the various flours are a lot more expensive than regular old wheat flour. For example, we paid $22 for a 6 lb bag of garfava flour. But, we had not even been able to find that item before today. We had almost decided to order it online, and pay shipping. This store sells all of the various flours (rice, sorghum, tapioca, potato, etc. ) in larger quantities, which brings the eventual price per loaf way down, to about the price of a decent, name brand whole wheat bread from the grocery store. Of course, it takes time, but I suppose we can count this as one more huge benefit of home schooling. We're even feeling pretty optimistic about our camping trip next week.

Anyway, I just wanted to share the happy news. Everything we could possibly need was right there. She can continue to use the nearby Kroger for ordinary things, and then just stop in there for our GF items. It even has a kids' play area, which is wonderful because when you're browsing in a store like that, you need time to read labels and contemplate things and ask questions (their staff is very knowledgeable and friendly). Oh, they're even closed on Sundays "for family and worship", so we're supporting a Christian business.

Then we went out for GF lunch at Chipotle. Apparently all of their ingredients are GF, except of course for the flour tortillas, so instead you order a bowl, and ask the cook to change her gloves (to prevent cross contamination). They were very accommodating. And we're convinced that you get more food in a bowl, they really heap it high. We asked for two empty bowls and had the boys share one meal. Worked out great.

Hope you're all having a good weekend!