Earlier this month I had the opportunity to attend the Gluten & Allergen Free Expo in Dallas, TX.
In addition to finally meeting some of my favorite blogging gals face-to-face for the first time, I enjoyed a weekend filled with food that was amazingly delicious and completely safe for me.
While I did forgo my grain-free ways for the weekend, I was excited to be able to sample so many foods that were completely gluten and dairy free.
Given that I have lived in my small town since before I was diagnosed, it is rare that I can walk in anywhere and feel like I can relax and enjoy some food.
I avoid bread baskets and bakeries like the plague, because really, gluten makes me that sick; it might as well be the plague.
Imagine my joy to be able to not only be near so many baked goods, but to even be able to sample the goods from all around.
Over the next couple of weeks, I am excited to share with you some of the foods and finds that my family and I have enjoyed since my weekend at the expo.
Tonight, I am pleased to introduce you to my newest favorite bakery.
Over the summer, my school sent me to a summer training in Dallas and in my search for local eateries that would be safe for me to visit, one name kept popping up: Local Oven. Not 100% certain what this Local Oven place could be, I simply passed over the information on my smart phone and opted for more familiar restaurant names where I knew my gluten-loving friends would be happy to eat as well.
Still, my curiosity was piqued.
When I entered the expo and noticed a familiar logo, I decided it was time to find out more about this Local Oven that had once again appeared in my search for a place to eat the night before I attended the expo.
With several smiling people standing at their table, I was eagerly offered samples of various breads that had I been anywhere else, I would have jumped 10 feet to avoid.
Examining their product, I was pleased to find out that a majority of their items are naturally dairy-free in addition to being gluten-free…
And thus the sampling began.
From hamburger buns to pita bread, not only was this bread beautiful, it was soft in the middle, crispy on the outside and had every bit the taste and texture of the traditional bread.
The day after I returned home, I received an email from Todd Fitzerman, the smiling gentleman who enthusiastically introduced me to every dairy-free product Local Oven had to sample. When he asked if I would do a review of their products, I was thrilled!
By the end of the week, Todd had sent out a box filled with beautifully gluten-free items and somehow had made certain I had enough to share with my whole family.
When you’re feeding 7 people, including two teenage boys, this is no small feat.
The very night we received our package, my school hosted a dinner. Knowing that the menu included gyros, salad and rolls, I was grateful to have something on hand that my gluten-free children could enjoy without feeling like they stood out from the crowd.
Not only were these onion rolls a perfect match to the glutinous version being served by the school, my children savored them in such a way that their friends were jealous over what they had to eat!
The following week, while my children enjoyed much of their usual fare, I decided to change things up and serve them BLT’s pita style, like my mother used to make me.
When my 10 year old gluten-eating (outside of the home) daughter opened her lunchbox, she exclaimed “A normal lunch?!?”
Don’t get me wrong, they enjoy the foods I send but sometimes all a child wants is to fit in.
Local Bakery has helped them feel like they can more easily fit.
Because their product comes individually packaged, it is easy to use just what you need and not have to worry about whether or not the rest of your product will stay fresh.
Local Oven specializes in providing gluten-free goods to food service organizations including dozens of restaurants and a growing number of schools, and they spend much of their time educating their customers about cross contamination and how to avoid it.
Local Oven products can be purchased at their dedicated gluten-free facility in Carrollton, TX or via online.
Undoubtedly if you are a regular purchaser of gluten-free goods, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to see how deliciously affordable their product is.
Enjoy! xo
I love Todd and Linda over at Local Oven. They are extremely passionate about what they do, and their product shows. I served their buns at a Memorial Day BBQ and proudly gave them to all of the gluten-eating people as well – and no one could believe they were gluten-free. The pitas are great, and those onion buns? Swoon. Todd is working hard to see that they are in more and more groceries across the country, and I have no doubt soon you’ll be able to find them even in your small town! 🙂 Glad you ventured over there to try them out!
🙂 I am, too! xo
Oh, boy, do these products look and sound good! I had read Alta’s rave reviews before and now yours (and, of course, you shared with my group last week)! Thanks for all the info, Sunny. Seems like an order might be in order. 😉
xo,
Shirley
Love Local Oven! We are lucky to live close enough to stop by their bakery to get the products. A real lifesave with gluten free kids! They can now fit in, when they choose. The packaging also makes it very convenient and they stay fresh.
Also, if you are going to be in the DFW area and are looking for local restaurants to eat in, look at their websites for the places that carry their food. It is some of the best Dallas has to offer!
🙂 Thank you for the tip, Elaine! My next visit will definitely include some Local Oven hot spots. xo
First of all, I love your blog … these breads look so devine, but whew, it is expensive to order b/c they insist on sending with dry ice which is an additional $15. Guess I’ll wait till the cooler months to order, always so leery as my daughter is incredibly picky which isn’t great thing to be when your celiac. Next time I’m in Dallas, will definitely look them up. Thanks for sharing this, your kid’s lunch looks amazing!
Hi Kim,
Thank you! The $15 shipping does seem high, but for the quality of the bread and the price that they sell it at, when you purchase in bulk (like we do) it cancels out very quickly. Fortunately, now that it is October, the dry ice is no longer a requirement so the best time to purchase may just be now! xo
I, too, enoyed the pleasure of meeting the fine people at Local Oven during the GF Expo in Dallas. I was totally thrilled with the quality of these breads. Certainly, without a doubt, the very best gf bread I have ever eaten.
We are humbled by the beautiful comments. We believe that GREAT food needs GREAT bread.
Our product has NO preservatives and is offered in a FROZEN state — whether you buy it at our manufacturing facility or it is delivered to one of the 300 restaurants that serves our product.
We hate that we have to ship with DRY ICE, but it is necessary to maintain the integrity of the product. Sunny is correct it is expensive with DRY ICE and OVERNIGHT SHIPPING but, I guarantee our TEXTURE and TASTE is worth the price. PLEASE keep a look out for our product to begin popping up in some grocery stores — so, we might be able to make it a bit easier.
Local Oven bread is the best gluten free bread ever made. I am so lucky to have found them. Find them on Facebook and “like” them to help spread the word!
LOVE Local Oven and Todd and Linda!