Ep 231 Daiya Foods Gives Back
Let’s start the blog with the show notes for this Episode –
On this episode I speak with Dave Savage of Daiya Foods. Daiya Foods is a Canadian food producer based in BC and supplying both Canada and US with gluten free, soy free, dairy free and vegan products. Recently, Daiya Foods set up an allergen food pantry in a food bank in Toronto to be able to supply allergen friendly foods to clients who require it. If you require the services of a food bank, or wish to donate to this food bank that is serving the allergen community you can contact them at:
Our Daily Bread Food Bank
191 New Toronto Street
Etobicoke, ON
Phone – (416) 203-0050
I also mentioned that Dave was able to provide us with links to their newsletter, for product information and coupons. Here’s the link – Your Partner in Plant-Based Living. Get The Newsletter (daiyafoods.com) .
As well, Dave has provided my listeners with coupons for Canada and the US.
Canada: https://ppod.io/s/OIsGhX1OfAGEUueH
USA: https://ppod.io/s/8GHZnjip6WkKmmiL
Valid until December 31, 2022
Sue’s Websites and Social Media –
Podcast https://acanadianceliacpodcast.libsyn.com
Podcast Blog – https://www.acanadianceliacblog.com
Email – acdnceliacpodcast@gmail.com
Celiac Kid Stuff – https://www.celiackidstuff.com
Baking Website – https://www.suesglutenfreebaking.com
Instagram – @suesgfbaking
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUVGfpD4eJwwSc_YjkGagza06yYe3ApzL
Email – sue@suesglutenfreebaking.com
Other Podcast – Gluten Free Weigh In – https://glutenfreeweighin.libsyn.com
My Thoughts –
My bakery closed more than five years ago (I’ve lost all calculation of time over the past 2 ½ years). While I operated the bakery, I often had people come and ask for baked goods made without dairy, or nuts, or soy, or eggs. I was torn, because I realized the need these people had for breads, cookies, desserts and even pizzas. I struggled with how to handle this situation.
My struggle was made easier, by a saying that my husband often used – “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should”. I prided myself in being able to reconstruct a recipe that would be gluten free. The challenges of being other allergen free was interesting for me, but I had to face reality. Making a one-off dessert of bread would not keep a roof over my head at the bakery and I knew it would suck time from our already important commitments to customers.
At the time, gluten free foods in regular grocery stores were notable for their scarcity and hit-and-miss quality. I knew my mission was to stay on my gluten free path and service the customers I could. Then a new trend started. I began to see foods that were gluten free as well as free from a list of allergens. Great! This was now going to be a solution for those who asked about specific free recipes. What I began to notice, as I tried some of these foods is that once the mandate becomes removing often common ingredients, you can make a food that fits the bill, but is often neither tasty, nor pleasing.
What I’m saying is at the time, I could make a gluten free, or dairy free, or vegan food that would be very good, but once I had to be both gluten and dairy, or vegan, my options for suitable ingredients was shrinking to the point that yes, my cake or cookie, or bread would work out and look okay, but the taste and texture just weren’t there – a result of too many compromises.
It’s obvious that we’ve come a long way since the days of my bakery. Daiya Foods has unlocked some amazing strategies and techniques allowing them to produce allergen free foods that meet the mark. Many home bakers have developed recipes to suit the restrictive needs of their families, but here is a company producing foods for a mass market. Quite an accomplishment! And yes, I did develop a gluten free, dairy free, egg free chocolate cake that was a hit with my customers and became the only chocolate cake made at the bakery. Here’s a link from my baking show
to the home recipe –