As you may or may not know, Festal Cafe is a paleo-inspired restaurant that features a delicious menu created with 100% gluten-free ingredients. What does this even mean, and why have we chosen to adhere to these standards?
First of all, gluten is a protein found in grains such as wheat, barley, and rye. Since it’s found in grains, gluten is in a lot of go-to processed foods such as cereals, granola bars, condiments, pastas, baked goods, and even some processed meats.
Some people avoid gluten to help manage symptoms of celiac disease. People with celiac disease have an immune reaction to eating gluten, which leaves their body unable to absorb nutrients that are necessary for health. Plus, it can be very painful.
Other reasons to avoid gluten would be because you are sensitive to gluten. This causes symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhoea, constipation, brain fog, rash, or headache, even though there’s less damage to the tissues of the small intestine than what celiac disease creates.
Some scientists believe that the majority of the population is sensitive to gluten and that this is because of the heavy use of pesticides on grain crops. Not only that, but our population relies so much more on processed foods than our bodies can naturally handle. Because of this, our digestive tissues receive a lot of damage, which can create inflammation and eventually turn into disease down the road.
Suffice to say, this is why we have a gluten-free menu at Festal Cafe. Our goal is to support a healthy digestive system for the long-term health of our community - while still serving delicious and enjoyable foods.
A lot of people ask us if gluten-free food is more costly than “normal” food. The answer is that it depends! There are a couple ways to approach a gluten-free diet, and this usually depends on your lifestyle and goals.
If you have a very busy schedule, chances are you will have less time to make your meals, which means you would rely on eating out more and buying pre-made items such as gluten-free packaged foods. These items can definitely add up quickly and tend to cost more than conventional packaged foods because their ingredients are less common and are usually higher quality.
Yes, gluten-free food can be more costly than normal food, but there are some ways to get around this! For example, instead of always buying gluten-free packaged foods, you can start pre-planning and making your own delicious meals using natural ingredients! There are truly so many options that aren’t difficult to make. Plus, you can make lots so that you have leftovers to enjoy throughout the week.
Here are some delicious go-tos that are also easy to make!
· Bacon Frittatas with your favourite veggies
· Salads with protein
· Turkey Chili
· Roasted Vegetables with protein
· Salmon and asparagus
· Taco salad
The more you can incorporate tasty whole foods into your diet, you will start to feel better - plus your monthly costs will go down! We call that a win-win.
If you still feel overwhelmed with the idea of making all your own gluten-free meals, Festal Café, the best gluten free restaurant in Vancouver, is here to help. We offer an array of classics such as pizza, sandwiches, baked goods, lasagne, pasta dishes, salads, and more at very competitive prices! Most people can’t believe that our menu is 100% gluten-free because the food is that good!
