Our local zpizza started selling their new gluten free pizza. My 15-year-old son was very excited to try it out. When we called at 5pm, they said they were out of gluten free pizza. Well after being extremely disappointed, we gave it another try after waiting 4 days. We rotate the foods we eat every 4 days. This time I called before lunch to make sure one would be saved and was told their shipment of gluten free crusts had not arrived but was due in today, call back later. Argggg. How hard is it going to be to get this pizza and is it worth it? So, being the wonderful mom that I am, I called back and they had come in so I placed my order. We went to pick up our two gluten free pizzas, one plain and one with pepperoni. I thought I better get some while I can and maybe freeze the leftovers.
Little background on zpizza. They opened in 1986 in Laguna Beach, CA looking to create a lighter and healthier pizza. Ok, now I know why I’ve always been drawn to their pizzas. They tasted good and I love Laguna Beach. We used to eat them all the time before going gluten free. I need to get talking with this company to create gluten and dairy free pizzas. Hmmm, I wonder what’s in their soy cheese? I’ll contact the company and see what information I can gather. I’ll let you know when I hear back.
zpizza ©Diane Eblin
We watched them put it into the oven to be cooked. I asked how they kept things separated. They told me they used separate pans under the pizza that were only for the gluten free pizza. Now I didn’t get to watch them make it so I don’t know if they have a separate cheese and toppings area. For me, this would be important. If there is any cross contamination, I get very sick. But since I don’t eat dairy, this pizza was for my son and not me, and he doesn’t get sick. He eats 99% of his meals from my dedicated kitchen so an excursion out is a risk he’ll take.
The pizzas came out of the oven and instead of heading home, he decided to taste a slice at the shop. Well a taste turned into eating the entire pepperoni gluten free pizza. I only managed to get this photo of the plain gluten free pizza when we were home. There was nothing left to freeze. His comment was, “This tastes like regular pizza.” Now he keeps asking, every four days, if we can order another gluten free pizza from zpizza. That is high praise from a teenage boy. I also asked which one he thought tasted better, Uno’s or zpizza. He said he liked the gluten free pizza from zpizza better.
So tonight he’s asked for another pizza. He’s having a friend over and he now he can have “normal” friend over food. I’m not sure if they have any crusts left but if they do, they’ll be eating gluten free pizza for dinner!
Yeah, I had that problem too. I'm glad that they got the pizza crusts in when they did, for you. The first few times I must have just gotten lucky because then when I desperately wanted some pizza (I just got jaw surgery and now I can't chew for 8 weeks) they didn't have any. I called ahead and they said they would have more on Monday, but then they either didn't get it or it was all eaten up by Tuesday. So it's a bit of a pain, but it is very good pizza so I will probably go back anyway.
Yeah, I had that problem too. I’m glad that they got the pizza crusts in when they did, for you. The first few times I must have just gotten lucky because then when I desperately wanted some pizza (I just got jaw surgery and now I can’t chew for 8 weeks) they didn’t have any. I called ahead and they said they would have more on Monday, but then they either didn’t get it or it was all eaten up by Tuesday. So it’s a bit of a pain, but it is very good pizza so I will probably go back anyway.
Pizza. Universally most missed comfort food by Celiacs.
This one looks fantastic. In the bakery, the Pizza crusts are a weekly sell out and we cannot make enough.
Here are some pictures:
http://theceliachusband.blogspot.com/2009/01/glut…
Christa- Wow, jaw surgery and living gluten free. You'll have to share your strategy for eating during these 8 weeks.
I'm going to talk with the folks at zpizza and see what info I can gather from them.
Christa- Wow, jaw surgery and living gluten free. You’ll have to share your strategy for eating during these 8 weeks.
I’m going to talk with the folks at zpizza and see what info I can gather from them.
I'm happy for your son that he got to have his GF pizza! But, doesn't it make you wonder why if there's such a demand that they don't keep well stocked? The same is true for GF beer at the Total Wine store. I am not much for beer, but lots of my friends enjoy one now and then and they are always out. This is when restaurants/stores just don't have good sense, so it's hard to be sympathetic when you hear about them not doing as much business because of the economy. The demand is there!
No zpizza near us. We do have an UNO half hour away and there is a Pizza Fusion near my son at college. But he went recently and got his pizza and two GF beers and the bill was $42. Yikes. UNO is better in that regard. Their GF pizza is $12.99 if I recall. It's more than enough for one IMO. My son hasn't tried them yet. They only carry Redbridge beer which he isn't crazy about. Being a 21-year old, he does like to enjoy beer with his pizza.
Anyway, positive strides are being made! 🙂 Oh, BTW, UNO did make dairy-free, GF pizza for us when our support group went (they comped the entire meal for 12 of us!). They did not guarantee its GF status because it wasn't on the menu, but members enjoyed it. No cheese at all, just the crust, sauce and veggies. Nothing spectactular, but still nice of them.
Shirley
I’m happy for your son that he got to have his GF pizza! But, doesn’t it make you wonder why if there’s such a demand that they don’t keep well stocked? The same is true for GF beer at the Total Wine store. I am not much for beer, but lots of my friends enjoy one now and then and they are always out. This is when restaurants/stores just don’t have good sense, so it’s hard to be sympathetic when you hear about them not doing as much business because of the economy. The demand is there!
No zpizza near us. We do have an UNO half hour away and there is a Pizza Fusion near my son at college. But he went recently and got his pizza and two GF beers and the bill was $42. Yikes. UNO is better in that regard. Their GF pizza is $12.99 if I recall. It’s more than enough for one IMO. My son hasn’t tried them yet. They only carry Redbridge beer which he isn’t crazy about. Being a 21-year old, he does like to enjoy beer with his pizza.
Anyway, positive strides are being made! 🙂 Oh, BTW, UNO did make dairy-free, GF pizza for us when our support group went (they comped the entire meal for 12 of us!). They did not guarantee its GF status because it wasn’t on the menu, but members enjoyed it. No cheese at all, just the crust, sauce and veggies. Nothing spectactular, but still nice of them.
Shirley
I'm an allergy mom w/out gluten issues but what I love about this post — PIZZA! It is truly the holy grail for out generation of kids. My child can't have dairy or soy and so eats a crust and sauce variety – and even then…it's always "worth it."
I’m an allergy mom w/out gluten issues but what I love about this post — PIZZA! It is truly the holy grail for out generation of kids. My child can’t have dairy or soy and so eats a crust and sauce variety – and even then…it’s always “worth it.”
Pizza. Universally most missed comfort food by Celiacs.
This one looks fantastic. In the bakery, the Pizza crusts are a weekly sell out and we cannot make enough.
Here are some pictures:
http://theceliachusband.blogspot.com/2009/01/glut…
H.Peter- Thanks for the info. Your pizzas look good but it would be a long drive there from VA. Thanks for the comment!
Susan- Pizza with no cheese, I guess that's one way to eat it. I'll have to give that a try. I can't have dairy or rice and I'm not a fan of soy cheese. Have you tried rice or almond cheese? It may have casein so you would need to check. Thank you for leaving a comment!
Shirley- You wonder when these companies are going to figure out that people who eat gluten free are willing to buy gluten free products. It's hard for someone to understand that you can't have something. It's not like you decided to go on some crazy fad diet. This is a matter of health and sickness. That's amazing how much your son's pizza dinner costs. Yikes! He needs to get cooking himself.
I'd like to try the pizzas out but I believe they contain rice, which is another item on my list of no's. I see that as a good thing. It forced me to stop eating so many products from a box. I never thought about the fact that I was now eating so much rice by eating gluten free processed foods. So, I just need to get into my kitchen and make my own pizza crust. I'm just lazy these days. Maybe that will be my summer project. Thank you for your great comments!
H.Peter- Thanks for the info. Your pizzas look good but it would be a long drive there from VA. Thanks for the comment!
Susan- Pizza with no cheese, I guess that’s one way to eat it. I’ll have to give that a try. I can’t have dairy or rice and I’m not a fan of soy cheese. Have you tried rice or almond cheese? It may have casein so you would need to check. Thank you for leaving a comment!
Shirley- You wonder when these companies are going to figure out that people who eat gluten free are willing to buy gluten free products. It’s hard for someone to understand that you can’t have something. It’s not like you decided to go on some crazy fad diet. This is a matter of health and sickness. That’s amazing how much your son’s pizza dinner costs. Yikes! He needs to get cooking himself.
I’d like to try the pizzas out but I believe they contain rice, which is another item on my list of no’s. I see that as a good thing. It forced me to stop eating so many products from a box. I never thought about the fact that I was now eating so much rice by eating gluten free processed foods. So, I just need to get into my kitchen and make my own pizza crust. I’m just lazy these days. Maybe that will be my summer project. Thank you for your great comments!