Gluten-free food festival

Nicolien Brzesowsky24 May 2016

Frank en Vrij: 100% gluten-free

On Sunday 29 may the very first gluten-free food festival is in the Undercurrent in Amsterdam. With an indoor food and lifestyle market. The nicest kitchens on wheels, lectures, workshops and meet and greets with various food bloggers is ‘Frank en Vrij’ (Franky and Freely) the festival for the gluten-free foodie. Frank en Vrij 100% gluten-free. Both inside and outside, there is a lot to discover and to tests in the field of gluten-free food, healthy eating, healthy living and much more.

What is gluten?

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, spelt, kamut and most kind of oats varieties. It is also present in products made from these grains. Think of bread, cookies, crackers, biscuits, pies, cakes and pastas. But gluten can also, more or less hidden, be found in a product, for example in meat products, candies, bouillon, sauces or ice. Because oftena lot of flours containing gluten are used as a binder.

Gluten-free food

Fortunately, nowadays you can eat gluten-free food much easier. This is allowed:

o fish, meat, chicken, eggs;

o potatoes, fruit and vegetables;

o rice;

o legumes, nuts and seeds (sesame seed, poppy seed);

o corn, popcorn, buckwheat, amaranth, cassava, sorghum, millet, quinoa, teff, manioc (cassava);

o milk, yoghurt, custard;

o soy products.

Most supermarkets and health food shops sell special gluten-free products (also gluten-free bread, pasta, biscuits, crackers, cookies and cakes). This is clearly marked on the packaging. There are also cookbooks with delicious gluten-free recipes. For instance, you can bake gluten free bread or cookies yourself.

Celiac disease month

Frank en Vrij also celebrates the successful end of the ‘Coeliakiemaand Mei’ (May the month of celiac disease). During the month of May gluten-free bloggers committed themselves for awareness of the autoimmune disorder celiac disease. The whole month of May there are various win campaigns, events and street campaigns to raise awareness for celiac disease. Have a look at the website of Coeliakiemaand.nl for current information.