Gluten-Free Events Calendar
If it’s gluten free and happening in Victoria, Vancouver Island or the Gulf Islands, you’ll find it listed here! From tastings to contests, farmer’s markets to food trucks – this is your calendar to Gluten-Free Paradise! Join Victoria’s Gluten-Free Foodies and add a new restaurant – and possibly a new gluten-free friend – to your repertoire!
The CCA’s GF 101 Sessions are normally ‘Members Only’ BUT because we know that so many people need this kind of support, we have opened up the webinar to the public. Everyone welcome! Who is Ellen Bayens?
Communication is the key ingredient to every successful gluten-free restaurant meal. When diners, chefs and servers are able to collaborate on what is required and what can be reasonably delivered, there is cause for celebration!
But where to begin?
The following is a list of suggested questions to help Start the Conversation on Celiac-Friendly Dining©. In very short order, the responses you receive will allow you to gage any given restaurant’s degree of gluten awareness – and willingness. For the very best outcome, call ahead or take your host or server aside before ordering.
NOTE: Restaurants that have carefully researched how to serve us love going into detail. If your questions are met with impatience and exasperation – go with your gut. When restaurants get gluten free right, reward them generously!
Question #1
- Please tell me about the meals you recommend to diners who need to eat gluten free?
Ingredients
- What ingredients will be used to make my order?
- How do staff know whether ingredients are really gluten free?
- Says so on labels?
- Checked product website?
- Called the manufacturer?
- Checked with The Celiac Scene? The CCA?
- Will pure spices, prepared seasonings or soy sauce made from wheat be used to make my meal?
- What other food items are cooked in the oil that ‘gluten-free’ items are cooked in?
- How are sauces and dressings thickened?
Procedures
- How will my server communicate with the kitchen that a gluten-free order has been placed?
- How are gluten-free orders prepared in relation to the regular flow of the kitchen?
- Will staff wash their hands / change gloves / change aprons clean surfaces before preparing my order?
- How do staff ensure that all utensils used in preparing my food are free from any trace of gluten?
- Separate or scrubbed frying pan? Griddle scrubbed? Aluminum foil barrier? Dedicated pots? Dedicated colanders?
- What other precautions do staff take to minimize / prevent cross contamination?
- How will my server confirm with the kitchen that the order they are collecting has been prepared gluten free?
- How will my server confirm that the order they are delivering to me is gluten free?
How did the restaurant learn how to meet the needs of gluten-free diners?
- Through The Celiac Scene? Canadian Celiac Association?
- Registered dietitian? Local health authority?
- Staff members with celiac disease?
- The risk of cross contamination with airborne gluten flour is HIGH. Partake only if strict protocols are in place to protect your safety.
- Are ‘gluten-free’ crusts prepared on-site?
- During regular operations? Before regular production? During downtimes / days?
- See questions in Ingredient section above.
- Are pre-made ‘gluten-free’ crusts purchased from a dedicated gluten-free manufacturer? Who is the manufacturer?
- How are gluten-free sauces and toppings prepared?
- During regular operations? Before regular production? During downtimes / days
- See questions in Ingredient section above.
How do staff ensure that all utensils used in preparing gluten-free orders are free of any trace of gluten?- How are utensils, crusts, sauces and toppings protected from cross-contamination with gluten while waiting to be used?
- How will my order be protected from cross-contamination with gluten once it has been prepared and/or while waiting to be served?
How do staff ensure that all utensils used in preparing gluten-free orders are free of any trace of gluten?If the prospect of grilling restaurants about their gluten-free friendliness feels intimidating, you’ve got options!
Visit The Celiac Scene for restaurants that enjoy an excellent reputation within Victoria and Vancouver Island’s celiac community.
Join Victoria’s Gluten-Free Foodies to dine with a gluten-free group at carefully vetted restaurants. With more than 100 Meet-Ups under our belts, choose from a huge inventory of tried and tested celiac-friendly restaurants.
The event runs Sunday May 5th from 11am – 3pm and is intended for people of all ages and is their yearly kickoff to Emergency Preparedness Week.
Look for their table with food bar samples and sample products. Ask about Certified Gluten-Free Legacy Freeze-Dried Meals.
NEW LOCATION NOW OPEN – 5471 Hamsterly Road – Pat Bay Highway at Sayward – next to Elk Lake Garden Centre.
Hours: Mon – Wed 9:30-5:00 Thurs 9:30 -7 Fri 9:30-5 Sat 11-4 Closed Sundays & Stats
Watch the TOTAL PREPARE Video Here!
TOTAL PREPARE Goes Gluten Free
In the event of a disaster, we may not be able to depend on outside agencies to supply us with food, let alone gluten-free food, for up to seven days – or more. Enjoy peace of mind knowing that your family, especially those with special dietary requirements, will have the food they need to survive. Their Legacy brand of certified gluten-free gourmet entrée options have been designed specifically for those who cannot consume gluten and other food allergens. Ingredients are 100% GMO Free, freeze-dried, easy to prepare – and delicious! Choose from the following products in a variety of combinations and quantities, all with a 25-year expiry date. Click on images below for more information. Complete details here.
- A Word of Wisdom from Reva: “We were evacuated during the Fort McMurray wildfire. Due to road closures we were forced to head north to “nothingness” While the oil sand site was amazing and fed everyone steak dinner from their cafeteria, they had nothing gf except juice boxes. My then 3 year old only had juice for 24 hours until we lucked out and made it south through a 15 minuted window where the fire stopped crossing the road and it was opened. The evacuation centres were fantastic with providing gf food once they knew it was needed, but that only helped when we could reach them. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE learn from my mistake and have ready to eat gf food handy to grab at a moments notice. We now have a stash of energy bars, sesame snaps, etc that are high energy, but light and easy to transport. Don’t assume you will have access to electricity for preparing things. I will forever have mom guilt for putting my little one in such a precarious situation.”
Prepare for Tomorrow – Play Today! A New Way to Think About Total Prepare!
You may not know it but plenty of West Coast Trail trekkers, kayakers, campers and island-hopping sailors do! Take advantage of having Canada’s #1 Emergency Preparedness Purveyor right here in Victoria!
Head on over to their retail outlet and let staff amaze you with their comprehensive inventory of emergency preparedness survival gear that is also perfect for camping, hiking and sailing. Think of it as a great way to make good use of these innovative, smart products while they stand ready to go into action should there be a disaster. Check the slider above for pictures.
Freeze-Dried Emergency Food
Total Prepare also carries a large selection of single-ingredient, freeze-dried fruits and vegetables and plain canned meats that contain just chicken and/or beef and salt that transcend any need for gluten-free certification. Great as school snacks, holiday nibbling or the convenience that processed foods offer – but with the quality of freshly-picked, flash freeze-dried produce. What’s not to love about freeze-dried strawberries, blueberries and more. See Freeze Dried Emergency Food.
Backpacker’s Pantry is the world’s foremost producers of freeze-dried meals, bringing inspired cuisine to the furthest reaches of our planet. Used by backpackers, sailors, extreme athletes, explorers, the military, hunters, campers, vegans and even the US Ski Team, Backpacker’s Pantry has added gluten-free to their line up of delicious meals. Tested to a 20 ppm threshold and with a certified gluten-free seal on the front of the packaging, all are easy to prepare in a cook-in-pouch. Learn more here.
Backpacker’s Pantry – Shepherd’s Pie with Beef
- Looking high and low for a filling gluten free comfort food that will stay with you throughout the day? Try the Shepherd’s Potato Stew with Beef from Backpacker’s Pantry! Packed with all-natural ingredients and real freeze dried beef this is a family favourite for all ages. Solid meat protein and hearty, feel-good potatoes make up the bulk of this meal, and are complimented by tomato, onion, cheese, and butter.
Backpacker’s Pantry – Santa Fe Style Chicken with Rice
- Send your taste buds south of the border to enjoy the full tastes of this Santa Fe Rice with Chicken. Full of fresh flavour this entrée option is packed with protein and real, all-natural ingredients. Bring a fresh avocado on your adventure to dice on top! Yum!
Backpacker’s Pantry – Pad Thai
- A best seller from Backpacker’s Pantry, this Vegan Pad Thai is high protein and comes with optional lime & siracha sauce so you can spice it up to suit your tastes. The protein in this meal comes from organic non-GMO textured soy. Dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan!
Backpacker’s Pantry – Chicken Cashew Curry
- Take this easy to prepare cook-in-pouch meal with you whether you’re bugging out or hitting the trail. Packed with real chicken, cashews, onions, mushrooms, and celery, this meal is full of excellent healthy calories, fats, and protein that will stick with you throughout your trails and adventures.
Enchilada Beans and Rice
Cheese and Broccoli Bake
Cheese and Broccoli Soup
Cheesy Potato Soup
Potato Soup
Vegetable and Rice Soup
Spicy Corn Chowder
Classic Chili
White Bean Chili
Additional Features:
- Average of 320 calories per serving
- Manufactured in controlled setting with strict cross contamination measures
- Simple to prepare – just add water
- No MSG, No Trans Fat, Low in Fat, No Cholesterol, Good Source of Fiber
- Lowest cost per serving and calorie in the food storage industry
- Meals come packaged in 4-serving Mylar pouches with an Oxygen Absorber and a Nitrogen Flush
- Mylar pouches stored in a stackable, heavy-duty, BPA-free plastic bucket
Total Prepare is Canada’s #1 Source for Emergency Preparedness, Self-Reliance and Longterm Storage
Living in an earthquake zone that is also vulnerable to tsunamis and wild fire, it is critical for those living in Victoria, Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands – or anywhere else for that matter – to take the time to put together a supply of water and food for emergencies. Everyone needs to put together a grab-and-go bag that will last for 72 hours. In earthquake zones (that’s us!), we need supplies for 7 days.
- Water purification kits and tablets.
- Heat and shelter: foil sleeping bags and stoves in a can.
- Light and communication: crank flashlights and radios.
- First aid and complete toilet set
- Store your supplies in your car, office, camper, outside in a shed, or at the front of your garage. NOT in the basement, which you may not have access to.
- Don’t forget food and supplies for your pets.
TOTAL PREPARE offers a wide range of other survival products and can put together a package to meet your particular needs. Their personal attention can’t be beat. You owe it to yourself to visit Total Prepare (48 Crease Avenue in Victoria), or check out their website for online orders at https://totalprepare.ca.
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- 72 Hour Emergency Survival Kit
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- Flood Prevention
Review in Canadian Celiac Association Newsletter, Victoria Chapter. July 2015
