There is a lot of hype around gluten-free celebrities. Some have Celiac, most do not but everyone seems to get excited to learn about who of their favorite stars are now gluten-free. None of this excites me. I admit, I do like to hear the words gluten-free on TV or read it in the mainstream press but knowing that a celebrity has tried the gluten-free diet and likes it does not impress me. I don't care that Gwenyth talks about it on her blog, that Elisabeth "educates" (often with false information) on TV, or that Mariel has a new cookie. My gluten-free celebrities are quite different.
To me, gluten-free celebrities are the people on the ground who are making a difference for those of us with Celiac Disease. These celebrities are the ones educating others about celiac disease, writing gluten-free blogs and cookbooks, providing us with gluten-free products that allow us to eat healthily and live our best gluten-free lives, and basically making our gluten-free world a better place.
This weekend I was privileged to meet and reconnect with lots of gluten-free celebrities at Expo East in Baltimore, MD and WPIX11 Health and Wellness Expo. Yes, I tried lots of new gluten-free food and stuffed my face for two days straight but to me the highlight of the weekend was meeting the real folks in our gluten-free world. I don't mean to brag, but meeting these folks was a really big deal to me! Here are some of the great people that I spent time with this weekend:
I am sure I am forgetting some people so my apologies in advance. It really was such an amazing weekend; being surrounded by so many inspiring gluten-free individuals was terrific. Stay tuned for my food reviews and announcements in the upcoming days. There is really so much to cover!
To me, gluten-free celebrities are the people on the ground who are making a difference for those of us with Celiac Disease. These celebrities are the ones educating others about celiac disease, writing gluten-free blogs and cookbooks, providing us with gluten-free products that allow us to eat healthily and live our best gluten-free lives, and basically making our gluten-free world a better place.
This weekend I was privileged to meet and reconnect with lots of gluten-free celebrities at Expo East in Baltimore, MD and WPIX11 Health and Wellness Expo. Yes, I tried lots of new gluten-free food and stuffed my face for two days straight but to me the highlight of the weekend was meeting the real folks in our gluten-free world. I don't mean to brag, but meeting these folks was a really big deal to me! Here are some of the great people that I spent time with this weekend:
- Jill Brack, owner of Glow Gluten Free
- Carol Kicinski, blogger at Simply Gluten-Free and author of the new cookbook Simply Gluten-Free Desserts
- Sloane Miller, blogger at Please Don't Pass the Nuts and author of Allergic Girl
- Beth Hillson, president of the American Celiac Disease Alliance and food editor of Living Without Magazine
- Jules Shepard, owner of Jules Gluten Free and co-founder of 1in133.org
- John Forberger, Gluten-Free Tri and co-founder of 1in133.org
- Joel Warady, CMO of Enjoy Life Foods
- Amanda Freeman, co-founder of Vital Juice
- Bob Moore, found of Bob's Red Mill
- Vanessa Maltin Weisbrod, executive editor of Delight Gluten Free Magazine
- Amy Ratner, associate editor of Gluten Free Living Magazine
- Heidi Bayer, blogger at Brooklyn Allergy Mom and Chairman of the Board of Kids with Food Allergies Foundation
- Hilary Brown, founder and president of Hilary's Eat Well
- Maureen Stanley, blogger and podcast reporter at Hold the Gluten
- Eleanor Smith, founder and owner of El's Kitchen
I am sure I am forgetting some people so my apologies in advance. It really was such an amazing weekend; being surrounded by so many inspiring gluten-free individuals was terrific. Stay tuned for my food reviews and announcements in the upcoming days. There is really so much to cover!
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| Bob Moore, founder of Bob's Red Mill, and I at Expo East |
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| Carol Kicinski, of Simply Gluten-Free, and I at the Kinnikinnick booth at Expo East |
Labels: "Expo East", "gluten-free celebrities", gluten-free
1 Comments:
Well stated, Erin! Cheers to each of those you mention! They each make a difference for us GFers to stay well. Cheers to all us "everybodies" who navigate our passage, hopefully safely, through the mire of labeling, questions and partial answers every day. When our voices are heard, we help ourselves. Together, we hope to make THE big difference to mainstream a better understanding of what Gluten-Free involves. You get the gluten-free & fun word out, nicely, firmly, clearly, and in short order. Thanks!
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