You Had Me At Eat

Episode 42: Gluten-free dorm room, gluten-free Tucson, You Had Me At Eat nominated for best GF Podcast, and Erica in the Healio Disruptive Innovator awards

• You Had Me At Eat • Season 2 • Episode 42

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Something on your mind? Erica & Jules would love to hear from you!

Welcome back to You Had Me At Eat season 2. Jules and Erica had a quick break while Jules moved her youngest with a specialty diet into the college dorms! Jules and Erica also took a trip to Tucson, Arizona where they explored Erica's favorite gluten-free bakery, and visited the Desert Sonoran Museum in 107 degrees.
You Had Me At Eat is also nominated for Best Gluten-Free Podcast in the Gluten-Free Buyers' Guide Gluten-Free Awards for 2024, and Erica was nominated for the Patient Voice award for the Healio Gastroenterology Disruptive Innovators award! Listen in and welcome back!

RESOURCES:
Spokin Food-Allergy-Friendly Colleges
Gluten-Free in College by gfJules
Dedicated gluten-free bakery in Tucson, AZ
Gluten-Free Buyers Guide gluten-free awards 2024 - be sure to vote for Erica for best gluten-free personality, gfJules for everything else, and You Had Me At Eat podcast!
Healio Gastroenterology Disruptive Innovator award - Erica was nominated!

Contact/Follow Jules & Erica

Thanks for listening! Be sure to subscribe!
**some links may be affiliate links; purchasing through these links will not cost you more, but will help to fund the podcast you ❤️

Erica [00:00:13]:

Hey. I'm Erica,

Jules [00:00:14]:

and I'm Jules. Most people have at least one thing that they can't or won't eat.

Erica [00:00:19]:

Now we're definitely like that.

Jules [00:00:21]:

When we started this podcast to talk about the gluten free food industry,

Erica [00:00:25]:

like new products and some of the stories behind your favorite brands.

Jules [00:00:29]:

And living life with a specialty diet and also some important health care topic.

Erica [00:00:34]:

since we're basically both broken inside. You had me at eat. Hi, everyone, and welcome back to you had made it. Hello. Hi. Season 2.

Erica [00:00:54]:

You know, are you ready for season 2? I am.

Jules [00:00:56]:

I I've missed you. Although, I

Erica [00:00:58]:

can see last night. Just saw you last week in person

Jules [00:01:02]:

in physical form.

Erica [00:01:03]:

I know.

Jules [00:01:04]:

Yes. Which was great. I was so happy.

Erica [00:01:07]:

It was wild. For those of you who have not been following us on the Instagram, Jules, which is what we're going to talk about today in our first episode back on season 2, such an important topic, sent one of her children off to college. And happened to actually pick a college within my state. A lovely university. I love it so much, so I had an opportunity to drive and actually see her family, drop off the last kid of school. Bye bye. I didn't see her cry. about the feeling.

Jules [00:01:42]:

Yes. You know? You feel the emotions.

Erica [00:01:45]:

Wonderful. Yeah. So, Jules, would you like to kick us off today and talk about how first of all, wild it is that you're old enough to have, like, your last child go to school. 2nd off, that she chose an amazing university. So that's it. I don't know how you did it. how she chose an amazing university in my home state and how weird it is that she's across the country from you Mhmm. And then also, of course, how she is managing with a specialty diet and with, having a mom who's gluten free visiting her all the time.

Jules [00:02:18]:

Yeah. Well, there's so many questions there, Erica. So many questions.

Erica [00:02:22]:

It's could be a whole episode. Never thought you should be.

Jules [00:02:25]:

I know. Well, this is the season, and I know so many other people are sending their their children off, last week this week. And, and actually even into September, I have some friends whose whose kids don't start college until September. So, it's a this is the season for back to school of all ages, but right now, I guess, we're focusing just on the college situation. But, yeah, it's crazy. I can't believe I have someone who's old enough to be in college, but it, yeah, it's it's an interesting selection situation, like how they pick where they wanna go. I know a lot of a lot of people are picking based upon, you know, how friendly the universities are towards dietary restrictions. That was not our situation. My daughter has a dairy allergy. And hers is a little bit easier to plan around than some other peoples, but I have a friend whose son has celiac and that actually did figure into the mix. We, you know, helped a little bit in deciding which schools to go to for him and, I think it's great that there are schools now that are actually actively, you know, seeking out students, you know, based upon that their ability to serve that that student population. And it was neat because that didn't really figure into our decision yet. When we landed on campus, we were immediately, you know, we did wanna find out, like, how is she gonna be able to find you know, the food that she needs in in the, dining halls and things. And they have an app there at this is at University of Arizona and they have an app and you can just plug it right in and say, these are the things that I can't eat. And every single meal, they'll tell you all the the the the foods that you can eat and they gray out the foods that you can't based upon what your dietary restrictions are. and they'll list every single ingredient in every single food item there. Amazing. Can you imagine? I mean, I, you know, I when I've been posting about this, on Instagram, Facebook, and other places. I've had all these people DM me about their children's college experiences in years past. and how different it is now than then. You know? And, I mean, just how many advances have been made? And, obviously, we're still talking about. Some schools are way better at it than others. and it's so much easier with something like that. I mean, this is how these kids this is our language. Right? Like, give me an app, put it in my hands. I'll do it myself. You know, I don't wanna go talk to somebody, although that's still what we advocate for people to do. And and that's what she and her roommate were gonna do. Her roommate has, celiac. And so they were talking to the dietary. the special dietary services people there and the dining hall services people there as well because they need to make sure there's no cross contact even though they list everything out, still have to cross all the the ts and make sure everything is is taken care of for her. So still have to go to extra efforts there, but it, you know, there's some of these universities are just knocking it out of the park. They're doing such a great job for these kids, and they should because, you know, these kids are winning on campus. And they're paying so I'll tell you

Erica [00:05:44]:

how much money you're paying. much money.

Jules [00:05:46]:

You're paying so much money because I'm paying it. It's very much money. but the food, I mean, goodness. Those those dining halls, they are getting some really good food there. And to be able to see all the ingredients and to see what they can and kinda eat, it's I mean, it's awesome. but that doesn't also doesn't replace the fact that, you know, we also, armed her with a toaster oven and a refrigerator and all of that in in their room so that they can also you know, buy extra food and make food there, for themselves. And there's also a kitchen right down the hall. And so they they have plans for kinds of other food that they're gonna supplement with. But, you know, they're set. I'm I'm really I'm not worried for them. And so when you hear about some of these nightmare scenarios where people are in other schools that just are not getting it. It's just like you you could be doing so much more and should be doing so much more.

Erica [00:06:37]:

yeah, Spokin, just released some of their best, like, dining hall reviews or whatever, like, the best dining else. And, of course, U of A is on there, which is why when she said that she was choosing that, I'm like, oh, easy peasy. Like, people have told me how easy it is for years to be. Not just now. like years ago when it was difficult still across the country. And so many places have now updated either having a free from dining hall free from area. Yep. But I just went when I was at teen summit. I just did the big dining hall, I did the big off to college disability services, like, what you can get with a disability and, you know, go to disability services, going to the dining hall, like the not restaurant services, but dining hall services. Yeah. And then also seeing a dietitian who usually works with dining services. I actually pulled up a couple different examples at the teen summit and, like, walk through. Here's on the website where you would go to even check it out and who you need to talk to and here is her direct email and her phone number. And they make it so easy to do that because when I was in college, Oh my god. No. Like, of course not, like, back in when you're riding dinosaurs to school. Like, that's not what we had. we had an omelet bar, and I think that's what I ate every single day that was there.

Jules [00:08:02]:

Yeah. No. I mean, that's I I was, first got sick with celiac when I was in college. Of course, they didn't know that's what it was but I'm I'm convinced it's because all I ate, I mean, just put me over the edge. Like, I I had, you know, pizza, bagels, pasta, and more bagels. Like, that's pretty much all I ate in college. And when I was breezing through the cafeteria on my way late to class, all I did was just grab a bagel on my way out. I never sat down and had a meal. I mean, you veg carry in. So I wasn't gonna, like, sit and eat, you know, whatever sort of meat sandwich they were offering or something like that. So I was just like, I'll have plain bagel. It was, like, the worst diet. I was I'm sure I was just nutritionally compromised 6 days to Sunday, but I What did I know? You know? And so I, you know, that's that's what I did. That's all I ate. And, if I had the options available to me now, but they have my It's just just amazing. But, yeah, I was I was really impressed and thrilled that she had so many options. And speaking of which, We had so many options in Tucson. Tucson

Erica [00:09:20]:

I loved it.

Jules [00:09:21]:

Tucson was excellent. I mean, there were I mean, I ate at 2 dedicated gluten free places and one of them with you and they were great. And then the other places that we ate had gluten free menu items, and I felt confident after speaking with them that things were on the up and up. And I, you know, was fine there, and the food was delicious. I mean, it was just it was lovely. I was so impressed, and the town was just, I love it. It was great. It was so pretty. The architecture pretty we went to that Sonoran, Desert Museum. So we all melted into puddles that it was It was really nice.

Erica [00:10:03]:

It was really cool. It was a 107 degrees out. And she's like, we're we're gonna we're at a museum to meet us. And I'm like, okay. Or she's like, we're at a museum. I'll meet you later. I'm like, well, I'll come meet you at the museum. What museum? I was thinking -- That was an indoor museum. --

Jules [00:10:17]:

by the way, I did not say come meet I was not pulling you into the void into which I was, like, puddling.

Erica [00:10:23]:

So -- Cause halfway through, I'm like, I think this is outside, and I'm wearing normal clothing. And I get there, and they're all wearing, like, athletic, like, itty bitty teeny weeny, whatever, full of sunscreen. And I'm just like, the pail is version of myself without a hat. And I'm just like, I should not be

Jules [00:10:39]:

out of doors. -- too. Yeah.

Erica [00:10:42]:

that has now since not done well since that day.

Jules [00:10:46]:

No. I'm so sorry.

Erica [00:10:48]:

I love this place. This place is the most amazing outdoor wildlife. It's so beautiful and, like, so gorgeous with vistas over looking Tucson. It's in the middle of the Saguaro national forest, gorgeous, but it's very hot. And everyone's like, I'm so happy to be here. It's so lovely outside. I'm like, this is awful. Why are you doing this? Why are you doing this to yourself? Why are you doing this to me? this is horrible in your life.

Jules [00:11:15]:

Yeah. We're not trying to do it to you.

Erica [00:11:17]:

I was just -- Thank you.

Jules [00:11:19]:

You know, we were we were there.

Erica [00:11:21]:

Sounds pretty, though. --

Jules [00:11:22]:

to be you know, hotter than Hades, but we had no control over that, and that's what we were there. So what do you do? You're in Tucson. You do the Tucson thing.

Erica [00:11:32]:

When you went there, I was like, this is precisely why so many tourists die hiking in Phoenix because you're like, this is wonderful. This is great. I'll be outdoors and everyone's like, why would you do that? And you're like, I'm not from here. Like, oh, this is why people get, like, stuck on Camelback Mountain. I need to be like med-evad'd and that's like 114. To be fair,

Jules [00:11:54]:

we were very close to water fountains and air conditioned building the entire time. We just sort of, like, did circles around it. We were not on Camelback Mountain. not that stupid.

Erica [00:12:08]:

If you would have been, like, going hiking, I would have been, like, I'm not surprised. And I should

Jules [00:12:12]:

go ahead. You're not.

Erica [00:12:14]:

called paramedics in advance now.

Jules [00:12:16]:

Notify that. Yeah. No. No. We weren't. And and -- But y'all

Erica [00:12:19]:

have, like, camelbacks and sunscreen. You all had it. down. So you guys were good. I was the 1 -- I was wearing it. -- mostly unprepared.

Jules [00:12:27]:

I was wearing it. Yeah.

Jules [00:12:30]:

In fact, we should make that as our little avatar thing for this episode. Just a picture of us.

Erica [00:12:36]:

I'm in. With me

Jules [00:12:36]:

in the hat.

Erica [00:12:38]:

You're up there. Matt got back and Matt's like, you got sun. I'm like, yeah. Sure did. because I put on sunscreen. but, like, not right around my, hairline. So, like, my whole hairline is just, like, bright red. It's like I'm wearing a skin mask. because it's all burned. So yeah.

Jules [00:12:56]:

Again, not my fault. It's so beautiful. But I do take it as a sign of how much you love me that you wanted to spend as much time with us as possible that you even went out in a 106 to reach

Erica [00:13:07]:

him. Anytime you can get me in a zoo. I'm in. So you're like, I'm after the museum. I'm like, I'm in. I wanna talk about, natural wildlife.

Jules [00:13:16]:

So sure. Yeah. Yeah. The best comment ever though was when we went into the Hummingbird aviary, and you're like, I'm not throwing shade here. but there are more hummingbirds in my backyard that are in the hummingbird here because it was so hot. The hummingbirds didn't even wanna

Erica [00:13:32]:

come out. No. but also to be fair, I have a very intense and aggressive population of how many birds in my backyard right now that now go up to me when I'm sitting on the hammock and they're like, what's up here in my backyard? I'm like, bro, it's my backyard, and they're like, wanna fight. And then the other 2 come and then they have hummingbird fights all the time. So I do actually see a lot of hummingbirds in my back here. gorgeous. It's like the best combination of, like, a zoo, an aviary, and also, like, botanical gardens, which is one of my favorites here because I love aquarium.

Jules [00:14:08]:

Those eels were so free. I've never seen eels do that. I've described in multiple plays and I've never seen eels do that before.

Erica [00:14:16]:

Yeah. It's a desert museum in

Jules [00:14:18]:

the middle.

Erica [00:14:18]:

--

Jules [00:14:18]:

a desert, ALSO some moray eels.

Erica [00:14:21]:

We don't know why we have but they're in this, like, little side room. We're like, okay. Okay. There you go.

Jules [00:14:27]:

And they're really freaked out too, which is why they're digging in the sand.

Erica [00:14:32]:

So that's what Jules and I did. but we had a lovely, a lovely, lunch slash dinner meal, dedicated bakery, which is one of my favorite places in Tucson. It's LGBTQ friendly. super amazing people that run it, like, so, so great. And their food's amazing. They have a ton of vegetarian and vegan options, which is why I like it. Gourmet Girls gluten free is great too. They just don't have as many, like, vegan options.

Jules [00:15:03]:

No. So

Erica [00:15:04]:

if any -- -- like a thumbs, I'm always say yeah. I always say to go to dedicated. Yeah. But there's like a glutenfree Chinese food place down in Tucson. I have had their food before at an event, a gluten free event that I did down there. but I haven't been in forever. And, like, of course, they have all of, like, the Fox Restaurant Concepts that we have here in Phoenix. It's like flower child, and like true food and, you know, all the things that we have that are safe for, people who are free. They also have down there. So I don't know. It's quite a love Arizona. I mean, it's horrible here, and I can't go outside ever, but we have so many great things

Jules [00:15:42]:

here. When you do venture outside, you eat it's lovely.

Erica [00:15:46]:

Yeah. There's so many saguaros. It's great.

Jules [00:15:49]:

Yeah. that I was just fascinated by all the cacti. It was really cool to see, but I'll be spending a lot of time in, visiting back and forth to Tucson, apparently, in the next 4 years. So

Erica [00:16:01]:

-- Yeah. So did you but one thing about the dorm or the residence hall that I think is interesting is she was allowed to have a toaster oven -- Mhmm. -- or wild. We weren't even allowed to have microwaves because people would blow stuff up all the time. Yeah.

Jules [00:16:22]:

No. They they let them have various things. They can't have candles. But, yeah, I don't know. I mean, it's interesting. certain dorms and certain colleges have different rules. Like, you know, other kids, we were looking at the list of things that they couldn't could not have. And maybe other dorms wouldn't let you do different things because this is a very new door. Like, I mean, I think it was less than five years old or something. I mean, it looked brand new. Everything looked brand new there. It's just it's beautiful.

Erica [00:16:49]:

It looks like an she's in an apartment.

Jules [00:16:51]:

Yeah.

Erica [00:16:52]:

They had more storage.

Jules [00:16:53]:

She had so much storage

Erica [00:16:55]:

than our house is combined. Oh, yeah.

Jules [00:16:58]:

her she had so much storage. She has leftover storage.

Erica [00:17:01]:

Not cool.

Jules [00:17:02]:

Her water closet is bigger than my entire bathroom. and and none of these are hyperbole to your reader. I mean, it's crazy. Yeah. So, I don't know. I I mean, I'm not feeling sorry for her.

Erica [00:17:15]:

I mean, my dorm was, I think, built in the fifties. My house was built in the forties. I have no storage in this house. because there wasn't a lot of things and gadgets in the forties. No. Same with my dorm in the fifties, and it was probably not built to sustained, like, one toaster oven fire, much less -- No. -- 13 floors of toaster ovens. so we weren't allowed to have anything. but I was just like, she's like, and here's where my toaster oven is. And I'm like, you have a toaster oven. It's not an eagle.

Jules [00:17:44]:

Yeah. I know. Right. Well, and then, you know, one of the things that I I've been posting about, like, these are the things I recommend that, you know, you take, like, a refrigerator, maybe, you know, a little, Kettle mini waffle iron. Like, all these things are in my back to school, college post. And it's funny because a lot of people are like, oh my gosh. The mini waffle iron's the best that, you know, that's my kid or me. You know, I that's been my favorite appliance that I've had at college in my dorm. And I thought that's really cool. Like, you know, people, you could just see them rolling out of bed and, like, whipping up. because, you know, like, with my pancake mix, you just dump it in a bowl with some, you know, little bit of liquids, you know, water and apple sauce or whatever and just, like, mix it up. And then you could just see just pouring those off and make a number of people and be so easy even if you don't have the kitchen right down the hall. And that's that's kinda cool. So I I'm I like hearing from people that they're doing those things, and they're having a good time with it.

Erica [00:18:40]:

So -- Yeah. That's wild, man. I can't even imagine if I had to go back to school now and live in a dorm and be like, what

Jules [00:18:45]:

am I

Erica [00:18:46]:

allowed to have and what can I make? It'd be, like, that's why there were so many, like, cooking in the dorm and what you can make in a coffee pot and what you can make in it. It's like traveling. It's, getting out of a hotel room. Mhmm. but yeah, it's, it's definitely different. And I think what's unique about college and being gluten free is every single university is so different. Like while you say go to dining services and disability as a dietitian. Some may have some combined. So when you even go to talk to them initially, it's different. They have different dining options for every single thing on campus off campus. Like, ASU has 5 different whatever, like, ASU West And East And Polytechnic And they all have different dining halls. And then also living in a dorm, each dorm is different as far as what you're allowed to be in there, what access they have if they have a kitchen. Like, it's just so there's so many permutations of what can happen to you when you go to college. there's a couple websites like Spokin is one that we talked about earlier that mentioned, U of A, but, GFree Friends is another one that allows to rate their universities, but even kids within the same university will have totally different experiences based on you know, what their needs are, if they're gluten free and dairy free versus just gluten free or what dining hall they live in, if they're on campus off campus, what dorm, I mean, It's just like, it is truly like you kinda have to, like, just live it and see what you've got to do to adjust

Jules [00:20:18]:

just having, like, you know, vegan options. when I went to get a say goodbye to my daughter when I left, she had she was sitting with her friends eating, and I looked at her plate. And she had, like, It it looked like fried tofu squares or, like, air fried tofu squares on our plate. I'm like, they have that here. That's so cool. Yeah. Like, I mean, that's amazing. That's so so hip of them. You know? I was really impressed. So it's very cool.

Erica [00:20:44]:

Yeah. And let's let's not forget that her roommate who's gluten free had to enjoy some amazing GFJules muffins that you can deliver to her. Yes.

Jules [00:20:56]:

I did. Yes. I did. Yeah. And I thought it was so funny, though, because I, you know, I had the whole big container of muffins. And, you know, I travel with these muffins. That's my thing. Right? I just I'm I call them my travel muffins because they stay fresh for 5 or 6 days. You don't have to refrigerate them. You don't, you know, whatever. You just eat them right out of the bag or out of the Tupperware. But I guess that's just so different from other gluten free stuff that people aren't used to that. And so I, like, I left her this big Tupperware full of muffins and I came back the next time, like, where are the muffins? because I was hungry. I was gonna steal 1. And she's like, oh, they're in the refrigerator. I was like, oh, no. They're gonna get dried out. Like, because she just thought that's what you had to do because gluten free stuff is gonna be bad, and you have to put it in the refrigerator, and then you have to reheat it. And then whatever. And I was like, alright. Not with my stuff. Okay? Just leave it out. And then you don't have to microwave it. It's still gonna be soft, but anyway, she doesn't know me yet.

Erica [00:21:58]:

She will. But she will.

Jules [00:21:59]:

She will.

Erica [00:22:00]:

Every time you go there, you're gonna bring her a different gfJules' product.

Jules [00:22:04]:

That's right. But

Erica [00:22:04]:

today, I made you a baguette.

Jules [00:22:07]:

I know. I know. It's funny.

Erica [00:22:08]:

We need to get her baguette. --

Jules [00:22:09]:

stuff. So, like, I have to I have to get the girls some mixing bowls and some stuff because they wanna they wanna make, you know, cookies and and the I left pancake mix and, you know, stuff like that. So I just have to get them some mixing bowls.

Erica [00:22:25]:

Get them a KitchenAid because they happen storage space for it.

Jules [00:22:28]:

Oh my gosh. I totally have enough storage

Erica [00:22:29]:

space for a

Jules [00:22:30]:

a stand mixer. I don't know. Oh. It's something they're gonna be spoiled, but yeah.

Erica [00:22:38]:

They are. we wanted to also talk about amazing GF Jules mixes on a more national scale because miss Jules has been nominated once again, for 1,000,000 different awards for the annual, gluten free buyer's guide, gluten free awards. You have the list up because you have a lot.

Jules [00:23:05]:

Yeah. They're every year, they they seem to come up with new categories, but then there's, I know, which is great because, I mean, lot of times, you know, there aren't categories for some of my stuff. So I was happy about it, but I I was so excited this year. There's Let's see. There's, bread mix, cake mix, cookie mix, corn bread mix, muffin mix, waffle pancake waffle mix. Pizza crust mixes are right in because they have pizza, but they don't have a They don't have a pizza mix. So we're asking you

Erica [00:23:45]:

to write that in. -- good pizza mix. No. No.

Jules [00:23:47]:

There's not. sugar cookie mix, though. That was an add. They they've added that one, I think, this year. I don't think there used to be a sugar cookie

Erica [00:23:55]:

don't think so. I think there was just a cookie mix.

Jules [00:23:57]:

Yeah. The cookie mix. So all of those were nominated this year. And then, of course, the flour, which I'm always, like, so grateful that that's nominated because -- For real. That's correct. The thing about this that always just makes me so excited is that You know, my company is a very little company. I mean, it's a woman owned, you know, tiny little

Erica [00:24:20]:

Oh my god. You're woman owned????

Jules [00:24:20]:

It's woman owned. Yes. It's a woman owned company. Did you not know that? I should have told you earlier, but it's a small little online company. And most people haven't heard of it, and we're not on store shelves all over the country, you know, next to these big brands. And so when we're nominated for these awards, it always just such an honor to me that, you know, my customers and fans take the time to nominate and vote and we win, you know, a lot of the the categories, even though we're not these big brands with big ad budgets and we're not on store shelves, and most people still haven't heard of it. So it means that our customers care and love and are passionate about about my products enough to take the time to do it. And that's that's really so much to me. So Yeah. So, yeah, those are those are, they were all nominated. And then, of course, a couple of my books and my blog. So I'm I'm excited. Like, hey, if I win anything, I'm stoked. Right? I'm so excited. And. And what's most relevant for this, this, genre that we're in right now is that you had me at each podcast is nominated, of course, because it is the best gluten free guess.

Erica [00:25:36]:

because this just was talking about things that we love. Yes. It is the best.

Jules [00:25:40]:

Because we're fun and because we talk about relevant things and we're gonna need. And we're a woman owned. We should have told you guys earlier. We should have told you.

Erica [00:25:50]:

There are some really great, like, so my favorite, like, others, gluten free bagel, category, gluten free beer brand.

Jules [00:25:58]:

Yes. Yes. I would say gluten free beer brand always mystifies me because why aren't there more in that category.

Erica [00:26:05]:

Yeah. Anyway. Great Question. I put Holidailyy on there. And I know that you have your favorites from you have Aurochs that you like.

Jules [00:26:13]:

Yeah. But it's not national. So I understand that you can't order that anymore. You know? So but I love Rx, but yeah, Ghostfish, Glutenberg, Holidaily, like, Yeah. I mean, there's there's some

Erica [00:26:31]:

--

Jules [00:26:31]:

Yeah. -- Ground Breaker Brewing There's some really, really amazing gluten free beers out there, and Aurouchs is amazing. It's just it's a very regional. Fear. I hope that it gets more distributions too.

Erica [00:26:42]:

And Ghostfish isn't even on here, which I think is really interesting. To me,

Jules [00:26:46]:

to me, they have some of the most unique savers, and nobody knows that they're gluten free when

Erica [00:26:54]:

you taste them. Cranberry hibiscus gose. Oh my god. That's the thing is why I love going to Seattle's because I come home with approximately 100 lbs of gluten free beer because it will take 2 empty suitcases and stuff them full because I cannot get them in Phoenix. So I just buy the most wild kinds. Like, we did the Ghost pepper Saosin, or whatever. Oh my god. So Matt and his friend who's has crohns and is also gluten free. they love trying all the different ones that I bring home from Seattle. Yeah. So best gluten free blog, I will make the caveat. We're both nominated, and I think that you absolutely need to vote for Gf Jules because her blog is actually worthwhile, and I haven't updated mine in 2 years, but it's the thought that counts.

Erica [00:27:42]:

I would honestly hate to split the votes because I do want Jules to win. but again, yeah, well, it's because I'm a good friend.

Jules [00:27:50]:

Another reason why I think that this the gluten free awards are really cool is that let's say you're going in because you're like, okay. I'm gonna give out for You Had Me At Eat podcast. because I'm gonna do them a solid and whatever. Right? And and so you go in there and you're like, oh, wait. There's There's a brand I've never heard of in the gluten free, whatever category. And so you're you're learning about other gluten free foods and and things that are out there that you didn't know were out there. And so you're you're being educated as a gluten free consumer about what other consumers think are really awesome products. And then once this comes out and the the votes are being tallied and once the winners are chosen, this is all published in a book that you can then purchase or download and it's a reasonable price, but it's basically what the community has voted as These are our favorites, and it has a big listing of all kinds of different things in different categories. And you as a shopper, because can then say, I feel confident buying these things because there's

Erica [00:28:54]:

enough people voting for them. Yeah.

Jules [00:28:55]:

Because they're not you're gonna waste your money on these products because enough people have said that they actually tastes good. So it's a really great service that they're doing, and it's fun to, you know, to participate in it. It's we're on to be nominated no matter, you know, whether we win or not for anything. but it's really kind of a and it's good for everybody all around.

Erica [00:29:17]:

It does. A couple other ones I wanna point out is number 31, which is best frozen pancake or waffle. I'm telling you, low past point, they're they're blueberry waffles that are frozen. Oh my god. They are my favorite. And then best gluten free canola, the only one on here that I believe is purity protocol oats which is ZEGO organic oats, which is their muesli. And I love I love their oats. I love their muesli. I love whatever they do. obviously Colleen and I are buds and she goes to your

Jules [00:29:44]:

amazing company. Is that woman owned?

Erica [00:29:47]:

It's also woman owned. It's also with B Corp. She's great. Mhmm. And then on here, taste republic, I put in there a dairy free tortellini slash tortelloni, as for best gluten free pasta because, my gosh.

Jules [00:30:03]:

Yeah. We yeah.

Erica [00:30:04]:

So good. We

Jules [00:30:05]:

had that at expo, so that was cool.

Erica [00:30:07]:

Oh my god. And then I am nominated for best gluten free personality.

Jules [00:30:11]:

Yes.

Erica [00:30:12]:

You are. There are a lot of other big personalities on there, but if

Jules [00:30:15]:

you want to remain -- -- as big as you are, You're one of the -- -- fills the room.

Erica [00:30:20]:

Number 45. Please vote for Erica. That would be great. Yeah. And that's, that's what I want to call your attention to. I don't even see where podcast is on it, but we already talked about that. It's very important for you too.

Jules [00:30:33]:

It's number 49. 49. There are

Erica [00:30:36]:

62, 62 different categories that you can go for. what was wild is that I made Matt take his own survey. And, like, the whole time, he's like, mhmm, best sugar cookie mix. Okay. Okay. We like Jules. Right? I'm like, yeah. He's like, okay. Okay. Okay. Best Bagel. Well, I like these and, like, well, those were nominated, so you have to have a second choice. I was like, okay. you spend anything really good at recognizing, like, what brand is what. So, yeah.

Jules [00:31:04]:

Yeah. Well, and speaking of fact that you are such an enormous gluten free personality, and you should win for best gluten free personality. You were also nominated for something else, Erica. Weren't you? Wild.

Erica [00:31:19]:

So I'm happy to be a part of patient advocacy community and just, work for other brands and help them build their online influences, but also you'll see me like a digest disease week and all these other events, you know, advocating for people with IBS people with celiac disease and just getting to have a one on one communication connection with your gastroenterologist and getting those colonoscopies because we're all of that age now. so Jules and I collect them like we're getting a punch card where we get the point 3, but, unfortunately, it's not free. Yeah.

Jules [00:31:52]:

If you have any questions about your mutual

Erica [00:31:54]:

and ask me,

Jules [00:31:55]:

feel free to DM, Erica, or me, give you

Erica [00:31:57]:

a lot of time about it. --

Jules [00:31:59]:

information about how to

Erica [00:32:00]:

-- how to do that. Right?

Jules [00:32:02]:

Or something as it were?

Erica [00:32:03]:

It's really nice. to be able to be a resource for people who have, like, genuine concern about their bodies and be like, hey. I'm having issues here. Who do you recommend that I see her? Like, do you have any background, or can you point me to your resource for this? And I I really really enjoy that. And thankfully, I am finally being nominated by the gastroenterology community as a whole, which is incredible because they're massive and they're full of doctors that are way smarter than I am and they're finally seeing the validity and the need for patient advocates in the digestive disease community. so Healio, which is a journal. Healio Gastroenterology is like a journal that publishes all the major research research updates for gastroenterology. They have awards every year, and it's called the Disruptive Innovator Awards. So, like, the all the hot new doctor influencers of GI, and it sounds when I'm talking about these two people, they're like, this is a thing. And I'm like, oh, yeah. It's a thing.

Jules [00:33:02]:

Yeah. I've got medical Twitter.

Erica [00:33:05]:

Oh my god. Med Twitter. Hashtag med Twitter. so they have a patient advocate, or patient voice nomination. And this year, I am nominated. I am, like, nominated with these patient advocates that are, like, mind blowing-ly incredible that, like, I would I can't even imagine. I mean, there's there's to be clear, there's absolutely no way that I am winning this. No way I have. I am, like, Kentucky derby horse that, like, tripped his way to number 1 to get in even to get into the Kentucky Derby, like, the odds are against I'm perfectly fine with that because it has been an honor just to be nominated with these amazing group of, like, five or six people that I want. And it's just, like, wild. So we had to, like, promote to med Twitter. I'm like, hi. You may not know me, but I talked, about celiac disease, and I have, like, a book and I've been doing this for way too long and like, hi. You wanna meet me? You know, like, let's be friends. So, just getting nominated and having that exposure to the medical, Twitter, and medical online community for GI's has has been really, really huge. And really cool. And it just kinda confirms the fact that, like, this is where I wanna be. This is where I need to be, and it's just nice.

Jules [00:34:19]:

Yeah. No. Congratulations. That's that is a really cool honor, and we do hope that you win this.

Erica [00:34:25]:

It won't happen. And I thank you for that. Thank you so much. Not gonna happen, but appreciate it. just even the fact that, like, they had, video nominations at all the doctors watch and, like, my name was called, and there was a of me. And I'm like, oh my god. Like, I cried. I cried because, like, it's great to be nominated for gluten free stuff. It's fantastic. Yes. I love this community. but also like the medical community is a very different one and I sometimes feel in the gluten free community that we are being pushed out by Tiktokers and people that just have viral reels and viral Tiktoks that we can't ever do. And I feel like I'm losing my voice. And sometimes I get really sad about it. So this was a nice little, like, hype up to be like, alright. Keep doing what you're doing, girl. We got this. So it's lovely.

Jules [00:35:13]:

Good.

Erica [00:35:13]:

It's lovely.

Jules [00:35:14]:

You know what, Erica? Yeah. Keep doing what you do, girl.

Erica [00:35:17]:

Oh, thanks. I'm women owned.

Jules [00:35:20]:

You're welcome. Yeah. Yes. You are. Your voice is woman owned. So, yeah, we will drop a link to the gluten free awards in our liner notes. it's too late to vote for Erica sadly.

Erica [00:35:35]:

It's okay. I'm not gonna win anyway.

Jules [00:35:37]:

It's cool. We're good. Some of you have already voted I did. and we will all stay tuned for October to see if Erica wins.

Erica [00:35:46]:

Yeah. Well, we may not go there. because it is announced in, at the American College of Gastroenterology events, which is, this year, oddly enough, in Canada, because apparently in the American College of Gastroenterology also means North American College. So in, like, Canada, oh, that means I have to have a passport. So when I really figured out that I had to go, I was like, okay, I need to get a passport appointment. Well, those are, not available. I looked everywhere in my state. And everyone's like, go to the expedited passport place in Tucson. I'm like, who doesn't need an excuse to go to Tucson? Right? Well, you can only go there if you're traveling within 14 days. And I'm like, well, I'm not. It's like 12 weeks away. So I got a passport appointment. I got there she's like, you're really pushing it. And I'm like, lady, don't you think I know that? Like, don't you think I wish I could have gotten in the second that I knew that I needed to have a passport? Like, come on. So we will see if I get it. Like, it's not the day

Jules [00:36:50]:

it may come.

Erica [00:36:51]:

--

Jules [00:36:52]:

problem at the passport office, but, yes,

Erica [00:36:54]:

THis is like a government problem.

Jules [00:36:55]:

Yeah. And they don't have the best, customer service. bedside manor, let's just say.

Erica [00:37:05]:

I'm just happy that, like, they give you a website to be like, you can check on your passport. So, like, it actually was, it has been received and we're working on it. But, like, that that I may not go to Canada because I don't know when my passport's gonna get here. It's like a real cliff hanger for what we're gonna do for

Jules [00:37:24]:

October work. Oh, wow. It'll all work out. As my daughter says, it's fine. Everything's fine.

Erica [00:37:30]:

It's fine. Everything's fine as the fire flames are around you and you're just, you know, like, coffee. see, I'm

Jules [00:37:36]:

still gonna see it,

Erica [00:37:37]:

but We'll see about that. But we have plenty of things to do until October, so we'll keep you updated. I know that Jules and I have several things in September and a couple things October that we're actually gonna see each other in just to see something out with, with jewels, in different places across the country.

Jules [00:37:51]:

So We have things

Erica [00:37:53]:

to do. We have things to do. So stay tuned. Next week, You Had Me At Eat, welcome back to season 2. Please, if you enjoy this podcasts continue to share it with your friends. we would like to meet and get to know every single one of you we have plenty of podcast episodes for you to listen to. previously, if you're like, oh my god, I cannot get enough of these 2 women owned women talking about their awards. I love it. And they're times in college when they didn't have toaster ovens.

Jules [00:38:24]:

So, yes,

Erica [00:38:24]:

please. Please come back next week for another episode if you have an idiot.

Jules [00:38:28]:

Like and subscribe and all of those fun things, and we'll talk to you next week. If you liked this episode, make sure you rate it on your podcast provider.

Erica [00:38:43]:

and subscribe so you don't miss any of our episodes.

Jules [00:38:46]:

You had me at eat.

People on this episode

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Erica Dermer

Host
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Jules Shepard

Host