Why the Gluten Free Garage?
When our daughter Lily, 13, was diagnosed with celiac disease we turned our house into a gluten-free zone. We wanted it to be perfectly safe for her to eat at home and we wanted home to be a place of “yes,” a place where we wouldn’t have to say “sorry, you can’t eat that.” Back then, gluten-free products in supermarkets were slim pickings, many people had never heard of or met anyone with celiac disease (certainly not someone Lily’s age), and I shopped for most of our gluten-free food at health food stores or The Specialty Food Shop, a pioneer in gluten-free retail in Toronto (it opened in 1982 at the Hospital for Sick Children to help people living with a variety of special dietary needs, including celiac disease, and is still going strong with many gluten-free products available in-store and online).
That was 10 years ago and, baby, we’ve come a long way! Since Lily’s diagnosis, gluten-free food options have exploded onto the market, but we quickly discovered that quantity doesn’t necessarily mean quality. In my quest for delicious and healthy gluten-free food, I constantly navigate the city and have discovered countless gluten-free gems. At GFG, we gather all of our favourite gluten-free products, people and places for a tasty day of one-stop shopping and learning at Artscape Wychwood Barns.
Nothing brings me more joy than someone eating a dumpling or donut for the first time since going gluten free or discovering a new favourite product. I hope to make the gluten-free lifestyle more healthy and pleasurable, and less challenging, for others. Whether you have celiac disease or gluten intolerance, whether you’re eating gluten free because it makes you feel better, whether you’re gluten-free curious…we hope to see you at the Gluten Free Garage! Come hungry and wear loose clothing! —RonniLyn Pustil, GFG Founder
WATCH HER GROW
Lily (aka Little Miss Celiac) welcoming guests to the inaugural Gluten Free Garage in November 2012
The Gluten Free Garage muse after a hard day’s work—and lots of snacking—at GFG: The Sequel in April 2013
Lily gets the Giggles Fun Dough at Gluten Free Garage #3 in November 2013
Showing off her sign at the Gluten Free Garage Pop-Up at the Green Living Show in April 2014
Wired on excitement and gluten-free sweets in front of the funky Detour Coffee Roasters mobile at Gluten Free Garage #4 in November 2014
Head to toe in GFG swag at Gluten Free Garage #5, which kicked off Celiac Awareness Month on May 1, 2016
Making her guest speaker debut at Gluten Free Garage #6 on May 28, 2017! Lily shared The Top 10 Things I’ve Learned from Having Celiac Disease with a packed house (#4: “When it comes to taste, not all gluten-free foods are created equal”), and then was joined by Almond Butterfly Bakeshop for a cupcake decorating extravaganza!
Gluten-free cupcake decorating extravaganza with Almond Butterfly Bakeshop at Gluten Free Garage!
Lily (centre) was part of the first-ever panel discussion—”Gluten-Free Influencers Help You Live Your Best GF Life”—at GFG #7 on May 27, 2018! She was in such excellent company with Toronto’s top gluten-free influencers: (from left to right) Rafia Kanji (@eatwithraf), Jessica Danford (@gfreewifey), Rachael Hunt (@freedomrachh), Aalia Adam (@seriouslyglutenfree), Tarryn Skuy (@myceliaclife) and Ashley Gismondi (@celiacandthe6ix).
