Walking A Few Blocks…

I walked into my pantry and all I could see was gluten…gluten everywhere. If I walked into that same pantry a week prior, I would see crackers and cookies and cereal, but now all I see is gluten.

I co-founded Enjoy Life 8 years ago, and as I have stated in one of my earlier blogs, I do not have any food allergies or intolerances. However, I have had probably thousands of conversations with our customers over the years about their personal and family food issues.

I thought that I had a great understanding of the challenges that one would face on a daily basis when needing to avoid gluten and/or other foods due to allergies. I have heard the stories about children going to birthday parties and not being able to eat the same way as other children, or going shopping and needing to read labels religiously, or calling up the food manufacturers directly to have the additional reassurance that the products are made in a safe environment and on dedicated equipment, or going to a restaurant and having the wait staff not fully understand why you would ask if there is wheat in the entrée or peanuts in the kitchen.

As a wise man once said, “to understand a man, you’ve got to walk a mile in his shoes, whether they fit or not.” Well, I’m not sure I walked a full mile, but I did walk a few blocks. I decided that I was going to go on a gluten-free diet for two weeks, to try and understand the challenges someone with gluten sensitivity may face, on a deeper level.

In addition to eating our wonderful Enjoy Life products, I also went to my local Whole Foods and purchased some additional gluten-free products. Being in the industry, I already had a head start in knowing which products I could trust. For me personally, it was most difficult to find an acceptable substitute for bread. I tried many, including toasted and untoasted, but was not able to find bread that I really enjoyed. Instead, I just decided to do without (which probably wasn’t the worst thing, because I ended up losing a few pounds in the process).

The part of going gluten-free that I found most difficult was going out to eat. I realized just how scary it can be and how vigilant one must be at all times. I have gotten quite used to going out to eat with friends and colleagues who have various food sensitivities, and thus have seen the process of asking lots of questions of the wait staff to ensure a “safe” meal. However, being the person actually asking the questions turned out to be quite a bit different. I questioned everything…Was the broth made with flour? What do they use as a thickener in the sauce? Do you use separate utensils? I started to understand the challenges even further… Did this waitress “get it”? Is the restaurant gluten-free friendly? If I don’t feel 100% confident, do I still eat the food, or do I change my order?

As careful as I tried to be, I definitely made a mistake one evening when I went out to dinner with my family, my brother’s family, and my parents. The restaurant had a hors d’oerves buffet and since I was starving, I couldn’t wait to dig in. The Swedish meatballs looked great, as did the spicy Buffalo wings (I love spicy food). It’s not that I was totally oblivious to the fact that I was on a gluten-free diet, it’s just that I did not go through the whole process in my head about what happens in the kitchen with these items. At face value, I was eating meat and chicken… no big deal, right? But of course, as many of you know, these items are usually dusted or rolled in flour (and not the gluten-free type).

My gluten-free experience was a great help in understanding what our valued customers deal with on a daily basis. I know that the big difference, and something I could not replicate, is the sick feeling I should have had after eating those meatballs and Buffalo wings. And although I did not walk a full mile in your shoes, I think by walking a few blocks, I accomplished at least a few things. First, it has increased my appreciation for those who truly need to be vigilant on a daily basis even further. And second, it has increased my desire to continually strive for excellence at Enjoy Life, so that our foods are known not for being gluten-free and free of all the common allergens, but rather for being great tasting, better for you foods that are perfect for everyone!