50 Great Ideas

Certified gluten free

When Tinsley Meloy was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2009, she realized it was going to be hard to enjoy dinner in a restaurant. That’s why she founded Celiebo, an advocacy group that certifies restaurants as welcoming to the celiac and gluten-intolerant community.

The Gluten-Free Restaurant Certification is a three-day program that educates staff on gluten-free practices in every phase of the dining process—from menu development and food prep to service. Certified establishments receive a window decal to let diners know they are gluten-free safe.

This is a growing and so far underserved customer base, according to the advocacy group. Two percent of the population (three million Americans) has celiac disease and even more have some form of gluten intolerance. Consumers spent over $1.7 billion on gluten-free foods in 2010, with a projection of upwards of $2 billion dollars in 2011.

#50 | Using your noodle

#49 | Eat a pita, feed a kid

#48 | Ask the staff chaplain

#47 | I’ll be calling you

#46 | Rolling in dough

#45 | Fried chicken flies the coop

#44 | A penny for your calories

#43 | Better than a lobster bib

#42 | Bending the bento

#41 | Billboard redux

#40 | Dining at the fountain of youth

#39 | Building a better box

#38 | Roll out the barrel

#37 | Mochi Madness

#36 | A toast to Belgium

#35 | Screening employees on the screen

#34 | An Olive Garden customer sat here

#33 | Setting the e-table

#32 | The buck strolls here

#31 | Gin game

#30 | Childhood revisited

#29 | Moveable feast

#28 | Certified gluten free

#27 | Buy a car, eat a meal

#26 | Locating the best Happy Hour

#25 | Local broadcast

#24 | Tabletop taps

#23 | Double the pleasure

#22 | The three Bs

#21 | Cocktails to amuse

#20 | Fans of the grape

#19 | Whole animal accessorizing

#18 | Translucent menus

#17 | Have oven will cater

#16 | Allergic interaction

#15 | Greener produce

#14 | Competing to win at weight loss

#13 | Space saver

#12 | Test kitchen=test market

#11 | Be my guest

#10 | Plug in and eat up

#9 | Rx for pilferers

#8 | Hands free—and clean

#7 | Some like it too hot

#6 | Chicken fried steak gets its day

#5 | The staff that reads together…

#4 | Twinkle toast

#3 | Stick with this

#2 | Stamp of approval

#1 | From seed to fork

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Certified gluten free

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