Cinderella's Castle- Magic Kingdom Childhood Memories Disney World has always held a special place in my heart. My first visit was when I was just three years old. While the memory is not quite clear, I do remember one thing—shaking Mickey Mouse’s hand. Coming from a big family, going to Disney was a huge deal. We’d arrive at the park the moment it opened and stay until it closed, soaking up every bit of magic the day had to offer. Years later, my dad and I would often bring

Sunset out the window of a plane leaving Florida. Going on a trip can be so exciting! As I was flying recently, I realized there are some things I love about airports and some things, not so much! Airports tend to bring out the best and worst in people. Here are my top five of both. I'm ending with the best as that always outweighs the worst. Worst 1. The person next to you gets in your space & reads your phone. 2. Someone behind you is coughing everywhere & not coverin

Image of a woman packing You are so excited to be going away for the weekend. It should be great fun to catch up and spend time with friends. Then you start thinking…none of your friends need to be gluten-free. What can you eat? How are you going to navigate this? First, take a deep breath. You can do this! Communicate-let your friends know you need to eat gluten-free & you may have to eat different food. Plan ahead-it’s critical. Think about how many meals and snacks

Pumpkin with fall trees and leaves Tips Not all candy is created equal… · Some candy is safe, but their seasonal shapes are not! Make sure you double-check. · The Tootsie Company deserves a shout-out as their candy is peanut, tree nut, and gluten-free. · Dove chocolate is great about calling out allergens. · Hershey keeps a list of their GF candy on their website · Candy Corn-some love it! I’m not one of those however, here are some safe G

There is something about Halloween…it’s spooky and dark, the weather has turned cool, you can hear the leaves crunching under your feet....

Making a wish on a dandelion I recently asked students if they could have any wish, What would it be? You learn a lot about someone when you ask this question. It made me think about what my wish might be. Here are a few wishes… 1. We could eat out at restaurants without worries. 2. All restaurants had to be trained on food allergies/intolerances & Celiac. 3. Having to eat gluten free did not cause so much social isolation. 4. Gluten (and top allergens) were banned f

Wegmans Wegmans-bottom left gluten free symbol 1. Grocery Store-The grocery store will be a very important part of living gluten-free. My favorite grocery store is Wegmans. All Wegmans brand items are clearly marked if they are gluten-free. Each grocery store does things a little bit differently, so you need to find one near you that is easy to navigate for your gluten-free shopping. 2. Buy fresh, plain fruit, veggies, and meat- Fresh fruit, veggies, and meat are always sa

1. Be Prepared- There are so many resources that you can use to find safe gluten-free places to eat. You can search Facebook groups for locations all over the country as well as all over the world. There are several apps such as: Find Me Gluten-Free or Gluten Dude, that can help you find safe restaurants to eat at. Instagram is another place where you can find lots of resources and people who can help you find safe restaurants in the United States or other countries. 2.

This summer I was away from home for five weeks. I was very excited! However, those of you that have celiac and get really ill when you...

Wellsboro is a small town of approximately 3,300 people. It is located in Northcentral Pennsylvania about an hour north of Williamsport,...

Gluten free symbol 1. Celiac is an autoimmune disease-your own body starts to attack itself if you eat wheat, rye or barley. Other types of autoimmune diseases that people may be more familiar with are type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto thyroiditis, and multiple sclerosis. There are 80 different types of autoimmune diseases. 2. Treatment-The only treatment for Celiac is a strict gluten free diet. There is no medication. This is why when people with Celia

School bus with kids As the school year kicks off, gluten-free parents know that packing pencils and notebooks is just the beginning. Sending a child with celiac disease into the classroom requires a little extra planning, but with the right system, it becomes second nature. Here are a few of the things we do each year to help make back-to-school season a smooth one for our gluten-free family: 1. Stock Up on Safe Gluten-Free Snacks What are your child's favorite gluten-free s

Fogo de Chao is a full-service Brazilian steakhouse. It not only has excellent food but is a great dining experience! The first thing...

Stir Fry from Mahon's Hotel Irvinestown, Northern Ireland I recently spent two weeks traveling around both Northern and Southern Ireland. I have been there several times as I have friends and family that live there. However, I have only traveled there one other time with Celiac. I have a few thoughts I wanted to share about the differences between the U.S. and Ireland when it comes to gluten-free. Labeling-Food labels in Ireland do not always specifically say if a product

After being diagnosed with Celiac in 2013, there was a big transition to eating gluten free. I try to be upbeat and positive and not to...