Ever since I met my future wife just over three years ago, I’ve become much more familiar with the world of “Gluten Free (GF)” and the Celiac Disease. She’s only gluten-intolerant, but the challenges are still there to find viable substitutes for the many wheat products we take for granted every day.

At the beginning, there seemed to be so few places offering options. For example, my favorite pizza place thought a crustless pizza was a perfectly acceptable GF option. Fast forward three years and new options seem to pop up every day. One of the vendors at this year’s Gluten Free Expo in Schaumburg told me that the event has doubled in size from last year and tripled from the year before. For many, it has become less of a necessity and more of a dietary choice, and many are the suppliers of all things edible who are lining up to be a part of it.

In the meantime, though, this still feels a little like a secret society. I work at a restaurant that has embraced GF enthusiastically, and this often grants me the opportunity to wait on guests who have come in specifically for that reason. In so doing, I always feel compelled to share the best options I’ve come across and hope they do the same. It’s all part of the process of getting the word out and ensuring, as the awareness grows, that the options will, too. This will continue to give my wife, and the many, many others out there who deal with gluten issues, the chance to enjoy food as much as I do. Enjoy!