Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW - Dining Reviews from the Walt Disney World Resort & Beyond
Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW - Dining Reviews from the Walt Disney World Resort & Beyond
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Product Reviews

PassPorter — Vendor — Dessert Party — Review

July 8, 2013 by Sarah No Comments
2013 PassPorter
 
 
I’m so pleased to be writing this review for PassPorter Travel Guidebooks. I’m excited not only that we will be giving away one of their books at our 2nd Annual Special Diets Dessert Party at Epcot on October 13, 2013, but also because I’m a huge fan of these books. The PassPorter was actually the first guidebook I ever purchased about Disney back in 2003 when my brother and I visited for the first time since we were kids (in the 90’s!). It had everything I wanted from a guidebook–great information and amazing organization. As a librarian by day, I really loved the pockets, the ability to add in my ADRs (formerly PRs back in the day, wow Disney lingo changes quickly), and all sorts of great things. In fact, I pretty much made a yearly PassPorter purchase every year to get the updates and to have another great keepsake for my vacations. Of course, this got harder as I made multiple trips, which is why I should have invested in their binder editions! Now that I live so close to WDW, I don’t really pick up a yearly PassPorter, but I miss that. A lot! When Jennifer sent over the newest edition for me to review and some copies to giveaway I was thrilled and filled with nostalgia.
A stack of some my old PassPorters: 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2010!
My very first PassPorter from 2003. Poor plastic band broke on it from so much use!

So what exactly is a PassPorter, you might be asking? Other than a guidebook? Well, PassPorters are “unique travel books and Disney guides that offer expert advice, comprehensive information, vacationer tips, and original photos. Many of the travel guides include innovative planning systems with built-in worksheets and organizer ‘PassPockets.’ The ‘PassPockets’ help you organize your vacation by building trip itineraries on the front before you go, storing maps, passes, and receips inside while you’re there, recording memories and expenses on the back to enjoy when you return.” (this is from the PassPorter page) As I said above, I love the organization. The ‘PassPockets’ are amazing. I have added reservations for hotel rooms, town cars, ADRs, crowd predictor information, and so much more. It’s fun to look back and see where we ate on a trip on what day.

This is a pocket from my birthday on 2010! Cool to see I still have stuff in the pockets!

The other fantastic part is that on the back of each pocket, you can write your thoughts about the day, which I often did in the evening when we returned to our hotel. Here’s a fun example from 2004 on a trip I made with my mom and brother. We stayed in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge at the Club Level (formerly Concierge Level) and participated in a special Sunrise Safari.

Fun stuff! Food sick was just overindulgence! No food poisoning at Disney!

So, you can imagine how excited I was to see the new 2013 PassPorter edition. Every year, Jennifer and Dave out-do themselves but making these guidebooks even more magical. The first thing that I noticed was that everything has gotten glossier and more colorful. The meal worksheets have been nicely color coded, so that’s very easy to mark out breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The other great feature is the use of the Disney Dining Plan symbols, including symbols for those locations that are considered 2 credits on the plan. That’s really helpful when you’re trying to figure out your ADRs and maximize your dining plan if you purchase it (or get it through free dining).

I love the look of the guides–and the consistencies between years! It’s so recognizable!

Another great feature is the “Staying in Style” section which contains information about the various Disney Resorts. Not only does it provide information like amenities and contact info but also info about travel times from the resort to parks (the types of transport), food, reader ratings, even layouts of the rooms and resort!

Examples of resort info pages

The other really amazing section that I have used countless times is the “Feasting” section. It has a detailed section on the Disney Dining Plan along with reviews and reader ratings on the various restaurants. They are very nicely organized by parks and resorts. As you can imagine, as a Disney food lover this is my favorite section of the PassPorter (and yes, I will read the whole section front to back!) In this new edition, they have bright and tempting color photos from authors Jennifer & Dave Marx and even folks from the PassPorter community. Awesome!

Good to know Jennifer and I both like Restaurant Marrakesh–She gave it a 9!

One of the newer features in the book is a “Disney Dreaming” section, which celebrates the magic of Disney through photographs by PassPorter authors and readers. This is such a wonderful section. It makes me want to visit Disney right now!

Overall, I can’t say enough good things about the PassPorter guidebooks. They just get better each year and are a wonderful tool for planning any Disney vacation. And as someone who has used them for years, you know I’m a fan!

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Product Reviews, Special Events

Sweet Megan — Vendor — Dessert Party — Review

July 5, 2013 by Sarah No Comments
Sweet Megan Logo

 

Sweet Megan is a baking company that specializes in gluten free, soy free, and dairy free and is located in Pennsylvania. The inspiration for the bakery was two-fold: 1) to create delicious and safe treats for the owner’s daughter and 2) as a way to honor family member Megan who was diagnosed with glioblastoma tumor at the age of 18. You can read about the entire story on Sweet Megan’s website (bring your tissues with you, it’s a touching and heartbreaking story). 

When I began talking with the lovely Pattie from Sweet Megan, I was so impressed by her company and their products. They are very popular and have been included in Hollywood Baskets for the Grammy’s, Sag, Golden Globe, and Oscar’s Award Shows 2013! How cool, is that?! I was even more excited that Sweet Megan will be donating a giveaway item for our upcoming 2nd Annual Special Diets Dessert Party. Just imagine, if you are attending, you might be able to win something that was included at the Oscar’s. You’ll feel like a celebrity! 

Pattie was really kind and sent me some of her goodies to sample, and I’m so happy to share my reviews of the products with you. I really enjoyed her treats. What was the most surprising is that they really seriously hold up moisture and texture wise. Short of homemade treats I make myself, these probably stayed the most moist and least crumbly of any GF/DF baked good I’ve ever had (and that’s counting a lot). It’s most impressive to see that their products are gluten-free, all natural, no preservatives, wheat free, dairy free, soy free and there is no artificial colorings.  That’s always a good thing in baked goods–especially with so many pre-packaged things these days.

Just a few of Sweet Megan’s Treats

 In my sample pack, I had the following:

  • Chocolate Cake
  • Vanilla Cake
  • Carrot Cake
  • Key Lime Cake
  • Vegan Peanutzel Spoonful
  • Vegan Coconut Almond Spoonful
  • Chocolate Chip Cookie
  • Oatmeal Cookie
  • Cake Pops

I admit, I dove into these goodies and sampled right away. First up, I tried the carrot cake. By far, my favorite cake in the bunch–so delicious! The frosting was almost like cream cheese (minus the whole dairy aspect). One of the best GF/DF carrot cakes I’ve ever had. My second favorite was the Key Lime. That was bananas! So good, and actually reminded me a lot of Key Lime Pie. I also really enjoyed the chocolate (which had coffee in it, so coffee lovers rejoice) and the vanilla cake.

Another big win were the spoonfuls. Holy smokes, these were excellent. Both are vegan and both are so delicious. I think my favorite was the Vegan Peanutzel Spoonful b/c it had not only peanut butter but also crunchy bits of GF pretzels and chocolate! A super salty sweet combo. As a coconut fan I also really enoyed the coconut almond spoonful too. Thank goodness they are just spoonfuls b/c I seriously could have eaten a ton of these!

Coconut Almond Spoonful
Peanutzel Spoonful

The other unique and delicious product on Sweet Megan’s menu is the cake pops. They are essentially the cake in push pop containers. Awesome to enjoy out of the freezer!

And of course, the cookies from here were also fabulous. Nice and chewy! 

Overall, I can’t say enough good things about Sweet Megan’s products. They were all really delicious, and I can’t wait to share these with the lucky winner at the Dessert Party! If you’re not able to attend, you can always order goodies from them online on their website. Thanks again to Pattie for her delicious goodies!

*Note: Sweet Megan provided items for this product review; however, this review and the opinions written here are my own thoughts.

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Uncategorized

Two Prince Bakery — Vendor — Dessert Party — Review

May 29, 2013 by Sarah 2 Comments
Two Prince Bakery Theater

 

I’m always pleased to write about our fabulous vendors for our special events, and I’m especially pleased to be writing about one of my favorite local (Tampa Bay) web-based bakeries: Two Prince Bakery Theater. Two Prince is run by my friend Dorangela who is a food stylist and baker. Her items are gluten free & dairy free and full of taste! She makes a lot of different goodies, including cookies (more on her Key Lime Cookies in a bit), cupcakes, and bars. All of them can be ordered and shipped directly to you. If you’re lucky enough to live in the area, you can also visit Daily Eats Tampa where Two Prince Bakery items are sold (yep, I’m a huge fan!).

I recently ordered some goodies from Two Prince, as they didn’t have my favorite Key Lime Cookies when I visited Daily Eats. In addition, I got to sample her blondie cookie bar & enjoy some other goodies. As a stylist, Dorangela offers some beautifully wrapped goodies. I love that every attention to detail was made from start to finish in my packaging. I apologize for the less than stellar photos which really don’t do the items justice.

First up, I dove into my cookies (priorities!). The key lime cookies are so amazing. Light and refreshing. What makes them even more special is the vegan white chocolate chips. Yep, vegan white chocolate chips. I haven’t had any “white chocolate” product of any type in over 4 years, so these were a real treat. I can highly recommend them, and they are quite addicting.

Key Lime Cookie Deliciousness
Look at those beauties!

After I curbed my key lime cookie fix, I tried the blondie brownie bar. This was made with almond flour, I believe. Another very yummy treat.

Blondie bar

I have to say, I think I had just as much fun unwrapping the packaging as I did eating the desserts. So cute!

Packaging from Daily Eats

One of my other favorite things that Two Prince makes and has at Daily Eats is the Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter Bars. Omigosh! These are insane!!! I bought a whole bunch of them, and seriously they did not last long. And the best part? No refined sugar! Which means I can eat more of them right? 🙂

Another fun thing about Two Prince is that you can get fun bakery swag too. They sell t-shirts and fun baker’s items. You can even GF/DF recipes and resources on the site. Check out the cute t-shirt I got!

Not my best photo, but the shirt is super cute!
Up close photo courtesy of Two Prince Bakery

I’m so glad to have Two Prince as a local bakery, and I’m even more excited to share their goodies with you at the 2nd Annual Special Diets Dessert Party (we’ll have a giveaway item from them!). In the meantime, I would encourage you to check out their site & if you’re in the Tampa Bay area check out Daily Eats to stock up on the treats!

Thanks again to Dorangela from Two Prince for the yummies!

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Special Events

Vendors — 2nd Annual Special Diets IllumiNations Dessert Party

February 21, 2013 by Sarah No Comments
VendorsUpdated 9/26/2013

Here is the current list of vendors for the 2nd Annual Special Diets IllumiNations Dessert Party

Udi’s Gluten Free: In just a few years, Udi’s has become the #1 gluten-free brand in America. They also serve Udi’s products at the Walt Disney World Resort. All of their products are gluten-free and many of their products are dairy, soy, and nut free.
 
 
A&J Bakery: This bakery is home to the world’s only allergy friendly gingerbread house kit. Items are made in a dedicated nut & gluten free facility.
 
 
Kinnikinnick Foods: Kinnikinnick provides a wide range of products with special dietary requirements with an uncontaminated, risk free source of food products. Their products are gluten free, nut free, mostly dairy free, and Kosher. They provide donuts and muffins to the Walt Disney World Resort.
 
 
Living Without Magazine: Living Without is for people with food allergies and sensitivities. Easy gluten free and dairy free recipes; the latest medical research; health and wellness.
 
 
 
Allergic Living Magazine: Allergic Living is a quarterly magazine providing news, support, recipes, and articles for people dealing with serious food allergies, asthma, and environmental allergies. 
 
Formerly NoNuttin’ Foods Inc.: NoNuttin Foods provides safe, great tasting snacks that the entire family can enjoy. Products are gluten free certified, dairy free, peanut free, tree nut free, egg free, all natural and Kosher certified. The website has an extensive list of additional allergens and cross contamination information. 
 
 
AllerMates: Their mission is to offer kid friendly allergy awareness accessories to help identify and protect kids with allergies! They also love making kids feel good about themselves with the help of our Allermates characters.
 
 
Delight Gluten Free Magazine: This is a quarterly international food & lifestyle publication for people living with food allergies and sensitivities. Filled with enlightening in-depth articles, glossy photographs and gourmet recipes that are delicious as well as adhering to dietary restrictions, it is on par with other popular mainstream food magazines on newsstands today.
 
 
Enjoy Life Foods: Enjoy Life has a variety of allergy-friendly and gluten-free foods for you and your family to enjoy! All of the foods are specially made to be gluten-free and free of the 8 most common allergens. They provide a wide variety of products including cookies and chocolate bars to the Walt Disney World Resort.
 
 
Bee Nut Free: Bee Nut Free, LLC takes great pride in their products.  They require allergy information from each of our suppliers and routinely test their raw ingredients and finished products in order to confidently produce wholesome allergy friendly treats. Look for the bee – and be guaranteed your snack item will ALWAYS be peanut, tree nut, gluten, and dairy free (shellfish free too…thank goodness!)
 
 
Ah!laska: AH!LASKA was the first organic, fat free, and kosher cocoa on the market. It’s fabulously tasty and is a big hit with kids and to anyone who wants a good alternative to the every-day cocoa drinks. AH!LASKA has four delicious products – all made from organic cocoa: Cocoa Mix, Dairy Free Cocoa Mix, Chocolate Syrup, and Baking Cocoa to use when baking cookies, brownies, and cakes.
 
Stacy’s Gluten Free Goodies: An allergen-free bakery in Tampa, FL. Products are inspired by Stacy’s son who has gluten, egg, and dairy allergies. Once she realized what a huge difference these dietary changes made in her son, she wanted to help other families that also had a need for allergen free baked goods. Stacy’s Gluten Free Goodies was created.
 
 
Pamela’s Products: Provider of wheat-free, gluten-free cookies, specialty mixes and biscotti made from natural ingredients.They have a wide assortment of products that fit a Gluten-free & Casein-free diet. For a complete list of potential allergen ingredients we use please visit our “Allergy Information” page.
 
 
Gluten Free Passport:  One of the world’s leading educators delivering innovative solutions to enhance quality of healthy lifestyles worldwide. The team also promotes understanding of gluten and allergy free living to facilitate safe customer experiences on a worldwide basis. Learn from apps, books & ebooks for glutenfree diets & food allergies.
 
 
Namaste Foods: Their fine foods contain no wheat, gluten, corn, soy, potato, dairy, casein, tree nuts or peanuts and are: Carefully made in a dedicated allergen-free facility, Made with NO genetically modified ingredients, Kosher certified, A great value – get more for your money! Disney Catered Events is also using Namaste mixes for our Dessert Party! 
 
 
Schar: Europe’s #1 gluten-free food brand. Over 30 dedicated gluten-free items in the US make Schar your gluten-free solution for bread, pasta, cookies, and snacks.
 
 
Glutino: Gluten-Free Foods by Glutino & Gluten-Free Pantry make living with celiac disease, gluten intolerance and wheat allergy easy and delicious. As a pioneer in the gluten-free industry, Glutino is committed to creating the best tasting gluten-free products. Their gluten-free products are not distributed until verified acceptable levels of gluten at less than 20ppm (parts per million) through these tests.
 
 
Izzi B’s: Izzi B’s Allergen-Free Bakery is a wholesale bakery in Norwalk, CT. Their products are free of gluten, wheat, soy, dairy, eggs, all nuts, and casein. No preservatives, no trans-fat, no refined sugar, and cholesterol free. They are also vegan & kosher certified as well as celiac friendly.
 
 
Gluten Free to Go was founded as a way to live simply and safely with food allergies and still have a normal life. Whether you are a busy mom or a business professional on the go, enjoy our allergy friendly snack packs, gluten-free and available free of the top 8 allergens (wheat, milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, fish, and soy).
 
 
 
Two Prince Bakery Theater was created out of a mother’s love for her two princes and the dilemma of their multiple food allergies. Gluten and casein free foods should not only taste delicious, but be beautiful as well.  We feel that no one should be deprived of great tasting baked goods because of food allergies or sensitivities. Our products are crafted using all natural, organic and vegan ingredients, while also ensuring each item is gluten and casein free. Our recipes have been perfected to deliver quality taste to those with food allergies and sensitivities.
 
 
Magical Memories Planners is a vacation planning service who specialize in planning trips as for clients all over the US so that they can  make Magical Memories too! They will be donating some amazing autograph mats for the party! 
 
 
 
This TA will be providing all of the tote bags for the event! For more info about their services visit their FB page.
The Adult Side of Disney is a Disney fan site that offers tips and info about what adults with no children do while vacationing at Disney World! They will be donating a great backpack and tumbler to the event!
 
Daiya: Daiya cheese products are the perfect substitute for classics like pizza, lasagna, and quesadillas because it melts, stretches, and tastes just like it should. Daiya products are free of dairy (casein, whey and lactose), soy, gluten, eggs, rice, peanuts and tree nuts (except coconut oil). We have our own production facility which eliminates the chance of cross-contamination with other pesky allergens, making our products 100% vegan.
 
 
JJ’s Sweets Cocomels:  Cocomels are still cooked in small batches in copper kettles, made with organic ingredients whenever possible and fair trade chocolate. They are friendly to people with allergies and are vegan, gluten free, and corn syrup free. 
 
 
Hilary’s Eat Well:  Hilary’s Eat Well™ makes delicious, convenient, and amazing food that is always GLUTEN-FREE, DAIRY-FREE, CORN-FREE, EGG-FREE, SOY-FREE, YEAST-FREE, and NUT-FREE! Their original product, The World’s Best Veggie Burger, made its debut at owner Hilary Brown’s restaurant, Local Burger®, in Lawrence, Kansas. Customer demand was so high that she started Hilary’s Eat Well™. This company brings HIlary’s creations to people who want to live healthy and 
sustainable lives while eating food that is easy to prepare and that tastes great! 
 
Lucy’s Cookies: Dr. Lucy’s gluten free cookies are made without milk, eggs, peanuts, or tree nuts, but you’d never know it. They taste delicious! They employ the very best allergen control methods to help safeguard families including using a dedicated bakery.
 
 

 

Allerbling: The AllerblingTM wristband is a unique medical ID bracelet, which is customizable by you, at any time, based on your child’s changing food allergic conditions. The best way to avoid food allergy emergencies is through awareness. As parents, we want our children to be safe. When your child is in school, on playdates, in summer camp, or just hanging out at the playground, Allerbling can be your silent partner that informs and reminds others about your children’s food allergic condition.

 
 
GFreeConnect: GFreeConnect is where you can receive samples of gluten free products and coupons from brand partners. Living gluten free can certainly be a challenge. This program allows you to save time, money and simplify your life. 
 

 
Earth Balance: All of our products are 100% plant-based, vegan, non-GMO, lactose-free, gluten-free, egg-free, casein-free, have 0g of trans fat and, oh, did we mention they’re absolutely delicious? Because they are. At Earth Balance®, taste is king, and that’s a commitment we live by every single day. Everything we make is tasty enough to stand strong on it’s own, but any of our products can also be the perfect substitute in all your favorite cooking or baking recipes.

 
 
At Sweet Megan’s we are dedicated to creating baked goods with all the very best of ingredients. All of our treats are carefully dressed and styled with beautiful decorations. Our products are gluten-free, all natural, no preservatives, wheat free, dairy free, soy free and there is no artificial colorings. We strive to achieve a great experience in every bite.
 
 
Gluten Away is a blog run by Taylor. Taylor is a 16 year old with Celiac Disease and a rare type of Adrenal Disorder. His goal is to help educate parents, teens, and kids all about the gluten-free lifestyle to help make your lives a little easier. He’s here to help, inspire, and show that living gluten-free doesn’t have to be a hard thing! He recently created Restaurant Allergy Awareness Cards. These cards are cards are meant to help make dining out with any type of food allergy easier! If you hate having to explain your allergies to a waiter each time, these are for you! They will be featured at our party!
 
Super fly, versatile, and easy-to-use, these labels and tags were designed specifically to create and maintain a gluten aware kitchen and home. Protect your gluten free contents and materials with GlutenFreeLabels.com. Introduce an assortment of user-friendly dishwasher safe labels, oven safe tags, and gluten free flags into your home and beyond to create a functionally safe and sound gluten free lifestyle.
Babycakes is a dedicated gluten-free, dairy-free, wheat-free, soy-free, refined sugar free, egg-free, vegan and Kosher bakery at Downtown Disney at the Walt Disney World Resort.
 
Cybele’s Free-to-Eat Cookies are full of the flavors you crave and free of the top 8 allergens. Certified gluten-free and vegan and baked in a dedicated gluten-free allergy-friendly facility. Say Hello to the modern cookie!
 
 
 
Laurie Sadowski is the Allergy-Free Cook. She authors a cookbook series dedicated to gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free and vegan baked goods. In addition, she is a certified Personal Trainer Specialist and Nutrition and Wellness Specialist. She is also an active food writer, recipe developer, and has two degrees in music (education and musicology). She spends the majority of her time spreading awareness about balanced living, cooking, and baking, and continuing research in modern music and art.
 
 
Orlando Theme Park Shoppers are your personal shoppers to the Orlando Theme Parks including the Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Studios Orlando and Sea World Orlando. With over a decade of theme park visits under our belts and 3 incredible years working as a Disney Cast Member, we are the perfect people to find what you want and get it to you fast! We want to help make your vacation experience as easy and enjoyable as it can be. 
 
 
Popsalot‘s all-natural recipes are made from scratch daily to ensure that the freshest, most flavorful gourmet popcorn arrives at your door. Every order they receive is filled with care—and not a single batch leaves the kitchen unless it fills them with pride. Popsalot is naturally gluten free, vegan friendly and does not use GMOs. 
 
 
The No Biggie Bunch: The smart and whimsical stories of The No Biggie Bunch teach kids when they’re prepared with safe snacks and a ready response, the social challenges of food allergies are “No Biggie”! Read our adventures – focus on fun and all you CAN do and soon you’ll be saying, “No, Biggie,” too! Kids food allergy questions – answered, Caregivers food allergy challenges – solved! 
 
 
Chebe Bread: Chebe gluten free bread mixes and frozen dough are full of flavor and have no aftertaste. That’s because they are naturally gluten free. All Chebe products are free of all grains, soy, potato, yeast and MSG. They are also certified gluten free and carry the Celiac Sprue Association (CSA) symbol. Chebe products are produced in a dedicated 100% gluten free facility. 
 
 
Honest Tea: Creates and promotes delicious, truly healthy, organic beverages. They strive to grow their business with the same honesty and integrity used to craft their products, with sustainability and great taste for all. Their teas are USDA organic, gluten free and contain no genetically modified organisms.
 
 
Crunchmaster: is committed to making gluten free foods that please your taste buds. They select high quality ingredients for Crunchmaster crackers and bake them just right for an incredible, satisfying crunch. Their baking facility is certified by the Gluten Free Certification Organization. This signifies that they meet the strictest standards for gluten free products.
 
Bold Organics: Bold Organics is delivering great news for consumers looking for healthy and delicious frozen pizza. It’s new gluten-free and dairy-free pizzas are great tasting, healthy, and use only the highest quality ingredients, and come in a variety of toppings at a great price. All pizzas are gluten, dairy (lactose, whey, casein), egg, tree, and peanut free.
 
Raphsodic Cooperative Company Bakery & Store: Their baked goods and other desserts are always made with the best quality ingredients available. Their food is all natural, handmade, and organic whenever possible. All of their products are vegan, which means there are no animal products in anything they use. Many of their options are also gluten free.
 
 

 

Beanitos: Beanitos are always free of corn, wheat, soy, potato, trans fat, cholesterol and are verified non-GMO, gluten free, lab tested and certified low glycemic & kosher! And they’re made with just five, simple, non-GMO ingredients, including whole black beans, whole grain rice, sunflower oil, and sea salt for a delightful flavor. Beanitos are great with your favorite salsa or dip, as a hearty base for nachos, or right out of the bag as a delicious on-the-go snack that really satisfies without the empty calories of other chips.

 

 
El’s Gluten Free Snacks: Medleys and Snaps are crunchy and tasty snacks that appeal to everyone, not just those with gluten issues. Everything in is all natural, gluten-free, nut-free (do you feel more free already?), and has no trans fat; yet it’s full of Omega-3s; it’s high fiber and has whole grains.  Most importantly, it’s got taste. Taste you’ll crave – whether you care about wheat or not. 
 
 
Mary’s Gone Crackers:  Looking for delicious Whole Food snacks? Mary’s Gone Crackers has the best Vegan, Organic, and Gluten-Free crackers, cookies and pretzels! They manufacture all of their products—organic, gluten free and vegan crackers, pretzels and cookies in a dedicated gluten free facility.
 
 
 
Taste Up Foods: Taste Up Foods, LLC offers a line of high quality gluten free products that are also allergy friendly, have a well-balanced list of ingredients, and most importantly, taste great.
 

To see vendors who contributed to the 1st Annual Special Diets Dessert Party see last year’s vendor page.

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Product Reviews

GFreeConnect — Product Reviews — Sponsors — Dessert Party

January 4, 2013 by Sarah No Comments
GFreeConnect Care Pack

*This product review is on a sample pack from GFreeConnect. This item was donated to the 1st Special Diets Dessert Party held on 12/15/2012.

Samples that came in the November 2012 Care Pack

GFreeConnect is a company that provides samples of gluten free products and coupons that can be used on full size products. Their program works like this. You pay $19.99 (plus shipping & handling) for an introductory care pack. Once you receive your first pack, you then have the option to continue to participate in the program, receiving quarterly packs around February, June, and October). I like that option because it gives you an opportunity to try it out. They also give you a discount if you purchase 8 of the care packs, you get the 9th free.

In terms of what you get in the care pack, it offers great variety. I love that you can get some full-size products in addition to the samples. In this case, there were full size sugar cones (would have loved to get these!) and cookies. The variety of samples is excellent too. From sweets to savory snacks, teas and even nutritional supplements this was a very well-rounded sample pack. And then you also received coupons. I loved this. As a bargain shopper, I am always looking for good coupons for gluten free and allergy friendly products, which can sometimes be difficult to find. Some of my favs in this pack? Applegate Farms (love their Sunday Bacon!) and Namaste Foods. There was even a free product coupon for an Amy’s frozen burrito product. Nice! Here’s a sample list of items they’ve carried in care packs.

Folder included in the care pack–coupons and informational flyers included

I will also say that this was a very organized pack. I loved the insert of the blue folder which contained another envelope for the coupons. That made it easy to keep it all organized. There was also a lot of great nutritional gluten free info. Very helpful.

Coupons including a Free Amy’s Burrito!

Overall, I think this is a really terrific service. As many of us who are gluten free can attest to, it’s hard to spend a lot of money on a GF product only to find out it isn’t our personal preferences or tastes. This allows us an opportunity to try things out and also save some money on our favorites. It’s a really good bargain for the price. I also love getting the huge box–it’s like gluten free Christmas!

This was also a terrific giveaway prize for the dessert party at Epcot, and I know this one was scooped up quickly. Definitely a great item.

I would absolutely try their service in the future, and I’m looking forward to seeing what new products and companies they include in their packs.

Thanks again to Alan and Cece over at GFreeConnect for donating this care pack to the event!

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Special Events

Review of 1st Annual Special Diets Dessert Party

January 1, 2013 by Sarah 2 Comments
Dessert Party

 

The 1st Annual Special Diets Private IllumiNations Dessert Party was held at Rue de Paris in the France Pavilion at Epcot on December 15, 2012. Co-hosted by myself and Allergy Free Mouse, this event was to my knowledge the first of its kind at WDW. From 9 – 10pm that night, guests could enjoy access to a private IllumiNations viewing area (it was the most spectacular view I’ve ever experienced of these fireworks!) and a special dessert buffet that was free of the top common allergens: gluten/wheat, dairy/casein/milk, soy, egg, peanut, tree nut, fish, and shellfish. Tickets were $50 per person with children ages 3 and under being admitted free of charge. The tickets also included some hefty gift bags & giveaway items (more on those later!)

A slightly dark view of the venue, but you can see the amazing background in France!

The dessert buffet was an amazing array of deliciousness! Working with Chef Matt over at Disney’s Catered Events was a dream. He was so wonderful and wanted to go above and beyond to make our dessert party amazing. He really took things to the next level in my opinion, especially since many times allergy related desserts can be a little boring. Not ours! The items created for our buffet were:

  • Chocolate raspberry cupcake
  • Chocolate brownie bites
  • Lemon poppyseed tea cake
  • Spiced donuts with “caramel” apple (really more of a compote)
  • Peach blueberry cobbler (my fav!)
  • Strawberry parfait.
Chef Matt setting up the buffet. He is a rock star in my book!

Each of these desserts were outstanding. In fact, over and over I heard from guests who didn’t have special diets (but accompanied a family member who did) that they simply could not believe that these were free of so many allergens. I have to hand it to Disney on that one! Chef Matt was also extremely communicative on the ingredients, offering to send me the ingredients list and also be on hand at the party to answer any questions. Per a legality, they actually cannot put ingredients on the labels on the physical buffet (more than the actual title of the dish), but with the chef on hand and extra ingredients sheets with me, we were well set up to assist guests. We also had guests who had additional allergies, which were reported to catering and some received separate dishes that eliminated their additional allergens (and kept separately from the other dishes). The other very important thing was that everything was plated so that everyone could take their individual dishes. Very nice touch!

Buffet setup–gorgeous!
Peach blueberry cobbler in the individual crocks
From L to R Lemon Poppyseed Tea Cake, Chocolate Raspberry Cupcake, Spiced Donut with “Caramel” Apple, Chocolate Brownie Bites
Strawberry parfait

I am still hearing rave reviews about the desserts, and I can echo those reviews. I adored all of them. When I went for the pre-event tasting I expected to dislike some of the initial dishes, but I didn’t. I loved all of them. In fact, I brought my family to the tasting as my non gluten free/dairy free tasters and they were also blown away. Chef Matt used Namaste brand mixes, and I can say, they worked very well in these dishes and reminded me of how versatile their products are. The hands down winner was the peach blueberry cobbler with the insanely delicious topping on it. I can’t say I’ve had a cobbler topping that good since going GF/DF. I also really loved the Spiced donut with the caramel apple, which was really just apple juice, apples, and sugar caramelized. Sooooo good. The lemon poppyseed tea cake was very refreshing, and the lemon glaze was delicious. The chocolate raspberry cupcake was really good. Loved the edible gold leafing on top. Cool touch! The chocolate brownie bites were also yummy–they were dusted in cocoa powder and I could have eaten a lot of these. And lastly the big surprise was the strawberry parfait. I was not expecting to like this one but I really did. I liked the vanilla cake in it and also the use of hibiscus syrup. It was unexpected but delicious. And the candied orange zest was a nice touch. I will say eating it at the buffet, I thought the cake actually got very mushy (I ate a little later than other guests), so I might rethink or have the chefs retool this one at the next party.

More shots of the buffet
Closeup of the plates
Beverage station–They even had alternative milks for the coffee!

After watching the amazing IllumiNations fireworks (and yes, that view was beyond amazing. I wish I had pics of it), we still had some time to mingle and eat some more desserts! When it was time to leave, guests were given some really substantial (and I mean rather hefty!) gift bags. We were so lucky to have received support from over 50 companies in the gluten free and allergy free industry. It was amazing to see the outpouring of support from them. From cookies, snack bars, GF pretzels, mixes, books, magazines, and much more–we received samples and even full size products! We also received some awesome giveaway prizes–like gift baskets from Udi’s shipped directly to the winner’s home, baskets from Kinnikinnick & Schar, a TasterieBox, Namaste mixes and cookbooks, Sample box from Bee Nut Free, Allergen free gingerbread kits from A&J Bakery & Izzi B’s and so much more. It was so exciting to provide these types of goodies to the guests at the party. I personally have never been to any parties at Disney where guests got much of a gift bag or any sort of major goodies in addition to attending the event, so I really wanted to add this component to the party.

Giveaway table
Closeup of the gift bags–every single guest received one!
Gift bag tables

Overall, I can’t say how much fun this event was to host. I really enjoyed meeting all of the guests and seeing the excitement on their faces, especially the families. To be able to provide a venue where kids who normally can’t enjoy goodies to have the ability to enjoy something special for them was just amazing. A couple of kids told their parents that this was an “Awesome” event and that they had a blast. Getting to get to know others in the community who also have special diets was a real treat. It’s not often that groups of us can get together and just enjoy. I can’t say thank you enough to all who attended for allowing me to have this experience with them!

I’m so excited to host this event again next year. Based on requests, I think I’m looking at Fall 2013 (September / October 2013) to host this. If you’re interested in attending next year, you can let me know your preferred dates on the survey at the end of this post. An official date will be determined in the coming months.

For more pictures from the event, you can visit the Facebook page or the Pinterest Board. I wish I had more photos to share, but I ended up not taking very many due event obligations. If you attended the event and have some photos to share, I’d love to see them!

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It’s almost Wyatt’s birthday month & to celebr It’s almost Wyatt’s birthday month & to celebrate, we got them the Chewy birthday box! Omigosh did Wyatt absolutely love the confetti toys! He promptly carried them all to the bedroom! 😹 and Cactus was getting in on the birthday toy fun too! I cannot believe Wyatt is almost 2!!! 🥳🎉 
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#cats #cat #catsofinstagram #cats_of_instagram #chewygoodybox #birthdaycat #mainecoon #polydactylcat #theadventuresofwyattandcactus #latergram #kittybirthdayparty
The teeny tiniest little skillet filled with glute The teeny tiniest little skillet filled with gluten free & dairy free chocolate deliciousness. The pioneer chocolate cake from Whispering Canyon Cafe is super tasty. Even @pikaroth had to ask if it was really gluten free! Yum! 
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#glutenfree #glutenfreedisney #celiac #whatceliacseat #foodie #nomnomnom #dairyfree #dairyfreedisney #nutfree #foodallergies #foodallergy #disney #disneyworld #disneyresort #disneyrestaurant #disneyfood #waltdisneyworldfood #waltdisneyworld #wdw #disneywildernesslodge #whisperingcanyoncafe #chocolatecake #latergram
Now that’s a skillet! The signature skillet at W Now that’s a skillet! The signature skillet at Whispering Canyon Cafe at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort is gluten free & so delicious. The BBQ options are great and very flavorful. And, the have GF cornbread! If you’re dairy free, they can easily modify the potatoes and vegetables for DF options! 
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#glutenfree #glutenfreedisney #celiac #whatceliacseat #foodie #nomnomnom #disney #disneyworld #disneyrestaurant #disneyresort #disneywildernesslodge #whisperingcanyoncafe #bbq #dinner #latergram #waltdisneyworldfood #waltdisneyworld #wdw
My funny Valentine’s... ❤️😻😻😻 My funny Valentine’s... ❤️😻😻😻
The gluten free & dairy free chicken stir fry at K The gluten free & dairy free chicken stir fry at Kona Cafe at Disney’s Polynesian Village resort is really tasty! Such a great option at the restaurant. 
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#glutenfree #glutenfreedisney #celiac #whatceliacseat #foodie #dairyfree #dairyfreedisney #stirfry #ricenoodles #disney #disneyfood #disneyrestaurant #disneyresort #disneyworld #waltdisneyworldfood #waltdisneyworld #wdw #disneypolynesianresort #konacafe #latergram
Another great bottle of @skywalker_vineyards Pinot Another great bottle of @skywalker_vineyards Pinot Noir from our welcome wines from their wine club. Both @pikaroth & I agreed that this was even better than their Somitta Pinot Noir (though both are great!). Looking forward to our February wine shipment of Rose! 🍷 
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#skywalkervineyards #skywalkerwine #skywalkerwines #skywalkerwinery #wines #wine #wineclub #starwars #starwarswine #pinotnoir
Happy 20th anniversary to Disney California Advent Happy 20th anniversary to Disney California Adventure! The last time we visited was 2017 & we are so looking forward to planning another trip when we can travel more again! 
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#disney #disneyparks #disneyland #disneycaliforniaadventure #dca #disneyphotography #disneyphoto #travel #california #latergram
Breakfast to go from Kona cafe at Disney’s Polyn Breakfast to go from Kona cafe at Disney’s Polynesian Resort was perfect for Sunday brunch! I got gluten free macadamia nut pancakes & all the tropical pancake trimmings including pineapple! 🥞🍍
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#disney #disneyfood #disneyworld #disneyrestaurant #disneyresort #disneypolynesianresort #waltdisneyworld #wdw #konacafe #pancakes #breakfast #glutenfree #glutenfreedisney #celiac #whatceliacseat #foodie #nomnomnom #latergram
Caturday is wild when you get a new kicker from @s Caturday is wild when you get a new kicker from @spacekittyexpress!! Wyatt went absolutely bonkers for the new leopard print kicker we got this week! 😻
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#cats #cat #caturday #catsofinstagram #cats_of_instagram #spacekittyexpress #cattoys #silvervine #catnip #theadventuresofwyattandcactus #latergram
Now that’s a birthday cake! This year I’ve bee Now that’s a birthday cake! This year I’ve been working on my baking skills & it seemed right to put it all together with an epic bday cake! I used @theloopywhisk’s GF triple chocolate cake & wowza!! The cakes were tasty & I loved the different buttercreams. 🍰
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#glutenfree #glutenfreebaking #celiac #whatceliacseat #baking #glutenfreecake #gf #birthdaycake #recipes #theloopywhisk #latergram #foodie #nomnomnom
Animal Kingdom Lodge is one of my favorite Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge is one of my favorite Disney resorts. I totally wish I was there right now! 🦒
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#disney #disneyworld #disneyresort #disneyphotography #disneyphoto #waltdisneyworld #wdw #disneyanimalkingdomlodge #nofilter #shotoniphone11pro #latergram
Moving on up! The boys have upgraded their cat hou Moving on up! The boys have upgraded their cat house digs from holiday RV to a lovely neighborhood home...custom built, of course! To bad Cactus has already decided the new home needs a reno already! 😹🏠
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#cats #cat #catsofinstagram #cats_of_instagram #gingercat #mainecoon #polydactylcat #catscratcher #theadventuresofwyattandcactus
A few gluten free highlights from the Epcot Festiv A few gluten free highlights from the Epcot Festival of the Arts. Three cheers for the booth in the Mexico pavilion offering 3 GF dishes this year! 🎨
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#disneyfood #disney #disneyparks #disneyworld #disneyfestivalofthearts #disneyfestival #epcot #epcotfestivalofthearts #waltdisneyworldfood #waltdisneyworld #wdw #glutenfree #glutenfreedisney #celiac #whatceliacseat #foodie #nomnomnom #latergram
Channeling our inner butterflies!🦋 . . #epcot Channeling our inner butterflies!🦋 
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#epcot #disney #disneyphotography #disneyphoto #disneyparks #disneyworld #epcotfestivalofthearts #festivalofthearts #waltdisneyworld #wdw #nofilter #latergram
My favorite Epcot festival! 🎨 . . #artfulepcot My favorite Epcot festival! 🎨 
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#artfulepcot #epcot #epcotfestivalofthearts #festivalofthearts #disney #disneyworld #disneyparks #disneyphotography #disneyphoto #waltdisneyworld #wdw #disneypassholder #nofilter #latergram
Our welcome wines arrived from our @skywalker_vine Our welcome wines arrived from our @skywalker_vineyards wine club membership! We enjoyed a bottle of the Sommita Pinot Noir this past weekend & can’t wait to try the Skywalker Pinot Noir next. Cheers! 🍷
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#skywalkervineyards #skywalkerwine #starwars #starwarswine #wine #wineclub #pinotnoir
On this date last year, we were officially sailing On this date last year, we were officially sailing away on the Disney Dream! @pikaroth & I are missing DCL so much! Having to rebook two cruises now has been a bummer but we are so looking forward to the day we get to sail again! 🚢 
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#disneycruise #disneycruiseline #dcl #disneycruiselife #disneycruises #disneydream #castawayclub #cruise #cruising #cruiselife #sailingaway #happymemories #latergram
Caturday naps & jelly bean toes! 😴😻 . . #cat Caturday naps & jelly bean toes! 😴😻
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#cats #cat #catnap #catsofinstagram #cats_of_instagram #caturday #gingercat #mainecoon #polydactylcat #theadventuresofwyattandcactus
This might be one of my favorite magic bands! I lo This might be one of my favorite magic bands! I love the retro vibe, bright colors, and Figment & Dreamfinder! Thanks to @cgaule06 for picking up magic bands for me & @pikaroth! 
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#magicbands #magicband #epcot #festivalofthearts #limitededitionmagicband #figment #disneypassholder #latergram
When your significant other gets you! @pikaroth su When your significant other gets you! @pikaroth surprised me with this mug & how could I not love it?! It’s the perfect cross-section of things I love! ☕️ 
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#coffeemug #themandalorian #librarian #babyyoda #grogu #starwars #thisistheway
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