SGFA June Roundup!

THANK YOU FOR AN AMAZING FUNDRAISER!

Thank you to ECHO Salon and all of SGFA supporters who helped to make our May 31st Cut-A-Thon a fantastic success! The funds raised will support the development of our school program which will educate schools on how to better support and provide options for GF students! THANK YOU!

Restaurant News and Updates

Panera Bread - Panera's does have certain gf items available. They also have an ingredient binder next to the cashier- at least they are supposed to have one in every store. This was confirmed by two of Sybil's grandchildren who worked there. The chicken is safe - it is coated with rice flour, the salads are ok, and some of their soups are gf. In case you get caught eating there when with friends, there are things we can eat besides gazing at the pastries and breads!

Traveling this Summer? Good GF options on the road include: Dairy Queen ice cream is gluten free and Wendy's is always a good choice for safe, fast gf food: you can enjoy the chili, baked potatoes, french fries, grilled chicken/salads and Frosties. Do you have more tips? Send them over...or comment down below!

Restaurant Warnings

Max's chain of restaurants does have a gluten free menu however, we need to put out a disclaimer: "Dine there at your own risk!" The one in downtown Hartford and in Glastonbury so far seem to be ok, but the new burger place in West Hartford evidently is having problems in the kitchen, as several people have gotten sick. Also, be very careful at Uno's if you are going for the pizza -- although we had originally heard good things. In addition, The Fresh Meadow product is supposedly excellent, but something is going on the kitchen to render it nearly inedible. Two complaints so far, one at the site at the Danbury Mall and one In Machester. Also, word has been received that the new grilled chicken at KFC is NOT gluten-free. Beware!

One last restaurant to note. At It's Only Natural in Middletown, they check off items on their menu that are gluten-free. One of those items - the sweet potato fries - are checked off, but when asked for more information, it turns out they are made in a shared fryer. Be sure to tell your server you are celiac and have a severe allergy! [We did try to explain to our server that if done in a shared fryer, they are not GF...but to no avail.] The GF sweet potato enchiladas though - were fantastic!

Article of Interest

• SFGA member, Laurencia Ciprus, recently wrote an article for the Old Saybrook Events Magazine about our group and its origins. The article is on page 42 - you can read it here. Thank you for sharing our story!
  

Product Finds and Discoveries

• In support of Celiac Disease Awareness Month, Jones Dairy Farm will donate $5 to the Celiac Disease Foundation for every gluten-free gift pack ordered during May and June. View all of Jones' Gluten-Breakfast Gift Packs - maybe the perfect GF Father's Day gift? The packages includes GF pancake mix, syrup, and a package of gf bacon, sausage, or turkey breakfast patties! YUM!

• We recently found out that Glutino/Gluten Free Pantry brands are actually owned by the Betty Crocker label. The cake, cookie, and brownnie mixes will be out soon and the Gluten Free Pantry label will be fazed out and the prices should come down. Betty Crocker's website has some more information about the new products -- looking forward to trying them!
  

Upcoming Events

Are you interested in shaping the future of SGFA or getting more involved in our association? Attend our planning meeting in July - more details will be distributed via Sybil's July Newsletter. The date will most likely shift from Saturday, July 18th to Monday evening, July 13th at 5PM - stay tuned for more details! If you can not attend the meeting but have suggestions, don't hesitate to email Sybil or comment below! Thank you for all of your ongoing support!