Gluten Free in Baltimore started because I'm a big traveler, and when I was first diagnosed, thought that traveling would have to end. It didn't, but it did continue for a few years with me carrying a cardboard box of food wherever I went. This wasn't a really big deal until after September 11, 2001, when explaining the food box just became too much of a hassle. When I decided that packing food and clothing together just wasn't fun anymore, I took to the internet to do research before traveling to find places that would accommodate my needs. I was so appreciative when I came upon various blogs dedicated to providing people like me with information about how to remain comfortable when not able to access my pantry... And that's where it all began.
After the diagnosis of Celiac disease became more and more common, I began running into more and more people who wanted my advice. As a busy student at the time, and now a busy high school teacher, I just became overwhelmed with providing long emails, etc. to so many people. Plus, I remember standing in a natural foods store, staring at all these extremely expensive foods and thinking, "I wish someone could tell me what to buy so I wouldn't feel awful buying a $7 loaf of bread that is going to end up in my trashcan along with used kleenex from the tears that accompanied eating a loaf of drywall-like bread." One day while on a run to the store, I saw two people staring at a freezer case with a stack of paper. They were talking about what they should buy. I could just sense that one of them had just been diagnosed, so I interjected and basically took them on a shopping trip. It turned out that while neither of them had been diagnosed, their 4-year old grandson was coming to visit, and he had just been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, and they didn't have a clue what they were going to feed him! I realized then and there I had some important work to do. I couldn't just live in various grocery stores waiting for people to look lost and confused and go shopping with them; I had a life to live. So, I started Gluten Free in Baltimore and began promoting. A few months ago, I decided to expand my team and move from a one person blogger to a team-driven resource. It turns out it is a much needed resource, and so here we are today.
Please do contact me at glutenfreebaltimore@gmail.com if you have any question, comments, or concerns.
All My Best,
Kate
Editor-in-Chief
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