Smashburger joins growing market 'trend'

Image/Udi's Gluten Free

The fast-casual restaurant chain Smashburger has added gluten-free burgers (and buns) to its menu, thanks to a partnership with Udi’s Gluten Free and a reformulation of its meat seasonings.

In a formal announcement made last month, Smashburger spokesmen said Udi’s gluten-free buns will be available at all U.S. locations, which includes 20 in New Jersey. 

Smashburger’s founder and chief concept officer Tom Ryan cited the gluten-free lifestyle as an “emerging consumer trend” in the food service industry, and a desire to meet the demands of those potential customers. According to the company, the gluten-free market has grown more than 200 percent since 2010.

Appetite for Awareness? Yes, please!

The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness is hosting its annual Appetite for Awareness event on Sunday in Philadelphia. This is an awesome smorgasboard of gluten-free goodies.

I attended last year's event and loved every minute of it. It may have been the first time in 13 years I walked into a room full of food and could eat EVERYTHING!

There are a bunch of Philly-area restaurants cooking for the crowd and offering plentiful samples of their wares. Most are based in the city, but Jersey is well-represented. The participating restaurants include BRIO Tuscan Grille (Cherry Hill), Casona of Collingswood (Collingswood) and Pasta Pomodoro Ristorante Italiano (Voorhees), which is where I once enjoyed a very tasty dish of freshly-made GF raviolis.

There's also a children's area with kid-friendly foods and entertainment, a GF beer garden, chef demonstrations and lots of swag. Last year, I went home with a resuable grocery bag stuffed with free GF breads, snacks and coupons that were not left unused.

The cost of admission may be pricey for those on a tight budget, ($50 in advance, $75 at the door for adults) but it's worth the expense. For more information, follow this link to the NFCA website: http://www.celiaccentral.org/a4a/