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Dear fellow Celiacs:
 
I am proposing a different way of approaching our need and desire for more  
gluten-free foods and restaurants with gluten-free items.
 
I am not sure of the sure of number of Celiacs in the United States,  but the 
reality is that many of us do not dine alone or buy groceries for one. I  
think as we write to manufacturers or restaurants for gluten free  information 
every letter should begin with that statement.
 
Our diets have an exponential effect which we should exploit. Every time  you 
choose one product  or your friend chooses a product for you, many more  
people than Celiacs are using that product, i.e., Newman's Own  dressing over 
another brand.
 
If we choose Burger KIng or Wendy's over McDonalds we may bring 5  people 
with us.
 
It is very easy to discount us as a small number of diners or purchasers.  
But, the reality is we take our families with us.  When I go to Wildfire, a  
local restaurant with a gluten-free menu, I take my family with me. When I buy  
Lays Stax instead of Pringles it is for my whole family. Everyone here  eats 
the Kozy Shack pudding.
 
Recently, I wanted to buy sauces from the Barefoot Contessa, they all  seemed 
to have gluten in them. My letter to the manufacturer began with this  
thought, "Why limit your market. Not only will I not buy it but people who know  me 
and would use it to make dinner for me won't buy it either."
 
Food for thought.      No pun intended.
 
Diane Smith

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