Recently we asked a simple question on Facebook:

Q: If you could ask our Chairman & Founder Mary Waldner for advice on one thing, what would it be?

I was humbled by the number of questions fans wanted to ask me and intrigued by the variety of questions they asked. Our Resident Nutritionist Valerie helped to answer a few questions since we received so many, and below I’ve compiled several responses that I’d like to share:

Ruth B., Ruth L., Diane, Lisa, Salma & Adoree all asked me similar questions so I thought I’d answer them together. The process of starting our business—going from making a product in my kitchen, to manufacturing on a large scale—was a long journey. The decision was in 1999, after I’d been making the crackers by hand for many years and seeing that people loved them. Not just gluten-free eaters either, but everyone, from kids to teens and adults everywhere I went. I knew I was watching an unusual response and decided we needed to make them on a bigger scale. I also knew that even if I gave everyone the recipe, no one would bother to make them because they were labor intensive, so I had to make them for everyone! I’ve always enjoyed feeding people healthy food. My crackers are unique too so I also knew we had something special.

From 1999 until 2004, when we actually launched the company, was a very busy time. My husband worked on a business plan and I learned about the right equipment to turn my hand-made process into something more automated. We also looked for investors, learned about the food industry and distribution, packaging, designs, how and where to buy bulk ingredients, naming the company, developing a logo, talking to lawyers about corporate structure, and tried to find a manufacturer who could make the crackers in a gluten-free facility for us. We made lots of cold calls and asked lots of questions to very generous people in the industry who took the time to explain. Any time someone suggested we call someone, we did. I look at my notebook from back then and some of the contacts I made are still people we are doing business with today. Perseverance was the name of the game. We were committed to our vision and did whatever it took to make it happen!

As far as what I would say to women wanting to start their own business, some of it is the same as what I’d say to men: do your homework, know your market, understand why your business or product is needed in the world, and identify why and how it will succeed. Think BIG because you are going to be working really hard to make this happen. The world needs optimistic, big visionaries!  DON’T do this alone. Make sure you have lots of support. As far as special advice to women: you deserve to be successful and have the right to take up space and create your vision, just like men do all the time. Women tend to feel less deserving or entitled than men, so beware of that in yourself.  Know what your skills are and what areas you will need help. I could not have done this without my husband Dale — his skills are completely different than mine, so we made a good team.

Shannon, I tried to answer the first part of your question above; however I did not have to substitute ingredients in our industrial version of the crackers. We only had to change the process a bit and add more water to the recipe to get the dough to flow through the specialized equipment. I originally fought the change in the water amount, but it turned out to produce a better cracker!

The first gluten free cracker I made at home was the Original Cracker and I do not make them at home anymore, thankfully! It’s much easier to open a box from our dedicated gluten-free facility! I eat the Mary’s Gone Crackers® love Cookies® (which are vegan) out of the box too, but I still experiment with new flavors and new ingredients in my home kitchen.

Daphne, That cute guy is my son! I am a lucky mom.I’m still leading new product categories although I have input from our sales and marketing teams, data experts, and our employees. I’m always motivated by what I want to eat, what ingredients I want to use, and what we can make that is unique to the market. I want to make quality products that people are looking for and need to nourish their mind and bodies.

Angela, Going gluten free is an opportunity to eat more healthfully! But start with the good, healthy basics like protein. Studies have also shown that when people eliminate gluten from their diets they often lose fiber and don’t replace it with gluten free whole grains and beans – this is important. It’s essential to make sure your family is getting enough fiber every day.

When you decide to buy gluten free packaged foods, look at the nutritional label and notice the fiber content and the sugar content. Cereals often claim to be whole grain but don’t actually have much fiber in them. Ideally, we should be eating a minimum of 35 grams of fiber per day. Use brown rice or quinoa pasta. Stay away from GMO ingredients like corn, soy and canola unless they are certified organic.

I love making pesto, which adds a nice flavor to vegetables and fish. I also use lots of onions and fresh or dried herbs in my cooking. The cleaner my food, the more awake my taste buds have become. Lots of times I’ll use just a little sea salt and let the fresh flavors of the ingredients speak for themselves.

As I changed all my cooking to gluten free I thought about all the food that I’d loved and instead sought out a way to make gluten free versions, or improved versions. When I really want some great bread I’ll use breads from Anna’s bread mixes. (Lots of fiber and great ingredients.) I’ve served rolls made with her mix at Thanksgiving that no one knew were even gluten free! I’ve developed my own flour blend that I use, but Bob’s Red Mill and Arrowhead Mills have good versions as well.

Don’t be afraid to experiment. I’ve made some heavy, leaden baked goods on the road to developing something delicious. Try to sneak in bean, coconut or nut flours into whatever you are making—adds more fiber, protein and a deeper flavor. Remember to have fun with your food and teach your husband (and kids) to have fun too — you’ll be cooks for life!

Jennifer, I loved going to Virgin Gorda, a little island in the British Virgin Islands. I also loved going to Ecuador—to the mountains and the rain forest. There we visited some of our quinoa growers in the mountains! I love going to our friends’ land in far up-state New York where it’s quiet and beautiful and we can play in the river. I also love visiting Manhattan. I guess I’m flexible!

Thank you to these fans who shared their comments and questions with me on Facebook! I’ll be answering more fan questions soon, so if you have questions for me, make sure to post your question below in a comment on my blog or on our Mary’s Gone Crackers’ Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/MarysGoneCrackers

In good health,

Mary

(Image Credits: © 2013 Facebook and © 2013 Mary’s Gone Crackers, Inc.)

Image Credit: © 2013 NPR.org – Gluten Goodbye: One-Third of Americans Say They’re Trying to Shun It

I’ve been eating gluten free for 19 years now and as I like to say, I’m a different person than I was before. I had been struggling with fatigue, regular bouts of digestive pain, low level depression (and more) without even knowing because it was just normal for me. I began to realize that something was wrong in my late 20s and started on my healing path. I was 43 before I found the answer.

Many doctors and alternative healers later, the answer came from my chiropractor! I would’ve never had the energy and effort that it’s taken to shape and grow Mary’s Gone Crackers before going gluten free.  I’m younger and healthier and happier the older I get! I have certainly found my fountain of youth.

When I see the “fad” or gluten free trend these days, (something I could never have imagined 19 years ago) I feel gratitude on some level for the incredible increase in awareness that has happened in our country. I watch and read the media’s response and see how once in a while they get it right, but not most of the time unfortunately. An important lesson when reading other stories in the media — if they’re getting so much wrong about gluten free, what are they missing about Genetically Engineered Organisms (GMOs) or environmental degradation or Afghanistan?

I’m saddened for the people who are jumping on the gluten free bandwagon without understanding or purpose; People assume they’ll lose weight, feel better, and be cooler and trendy. The reality is they’re probably unknowingly eating gluten in a sauce or another product and not changing their dietary habits at all.  Others simply replace gluten-filled
foods with other unhealthy items or gluten free junk food — may be an improvement if gluten is an issue, but not really on a healthful path.

However, I also know that there are lots of people on a journey like I was — people who’ve been sick for a while, whose doctors have not been able to help, and who read, listen and think that maybe gluten might just be their problem. They research more and take the plunge. I meet lots of those people and they’ve been transformed. “This inflamed, itchy, flaky scalp I’ve had for 20 years — GONE! Body aches and brain fog — GONE!” Chronic diarrhea, migraine headaches, psoriasis, liver problems, anemia, thyroid disease, osteoporosis…. the list is endless really. How wonderful is it that more people will be able to discover the source of their pain and eliminate it from their lifestyle?  It’s wonderful that increased awareness about what we eat is often the source for most (if not all) of our health issues!

I know that for many, their journey will end there, but my real hope is that this increased awareness will take us on a deeper exploration to discover the real problems and real dangers in our food — factory farming, GMOs, highly refined and processed ingredients, pesticides, synthetic fertilizers — all the POISONS in our food and water! I’m imagining that this trend to say “goodbye to gluten” is just the first step in a deeper awakening and remembering how we are supposed to be eating. How our grandparents and great-grandparents ate not that long ago. Everything was organic.  Most was local.  Food was safe and nutritious and nourishing — not part of our entertainment, not something to stuff in our mouths while we are busy doing something else. Food was something we enjoyed with others, something we prepared ourselves; we took time to attend to it because it’s important, life affirming and it’s about love.

So look out all you gluten free-ers! You’re on your way to being the leaders of the new Conscious Eating® movement in America!

As spring starts to make itself apparent all over the country (whether that’s a “warm” 40 degrees in Burlington, VT or a warm 72 degrees here in Northern California) our planet is bursting into song —bunches of flowers exploding everywhere, green and red leaves emerging from seemingly dead branches, sweet fragrances floating on the breezes. When we take a moment to look around, stepping away from our daily routine to appreciate the bounty that is bursting forth all around us, it’s hard not to notice the abundance that is our earth.

Conscious Eating® helps us to remember that we are creatures of and on this earth, as dependent on the delicate balance of life as all other beings. Like all animals, we eat what grows on the earth to stay alive. It may be hard nowadays to recognize that the food we are eating was once a living plant or animal from the earth. Read the labels of what you are eating and drinking and see if you can identify their sources. If the list of chemicals is longer than the actual food ingredients, or if you have to work hard to even figure out what the origin of the “food” is, you might want to make different choices. Look for food that is as close to the sources as possible — whole, ancient grains, fresh plants, unprocessed meats.  Take a break from meat and dairy for one meal, or one day. Play with new ingredients — we’d love to offer suggestions as to what to do with those unfamiliar vegetables! Post your questions on my blog or our Facebook Page!

This Earth Day, remember that your real home isn’t a house, city, state, or country, but a PLANET!  Little steps towards reclaiming your true nature as a human being will make a big difference in the quality of your life!

Love,

Mary

I was in the bank severalweeks ago opening a new account, and got to talking with the woman helping me. She had watched her mother “become a new person…have all kinds of energy” after removing gluten from her diet. She knew it was an issue for her but she was terrified of changing her diet. Why? The process of making something fully conscious − we talk about “Conscious Eating®” − can be challenging. Something can float around in our awareness for a long time; we know it’s there, but don’t fully acknowledge it or admit it to ourselves. We’re rocking the boat, and who knows where that will take us?

This 37-year-old woman I was speaking to was about to have a biopsy done because she’d been so sick. In fact, she had debated even coming to work at the bank that morning because she felt so terrible. She was experiencing brain fog, exhaustion, digestive pain, bloating, flu-like body aches — the list went on. Nevertheless, she was hesitant to change her eating habits. “Just the idea of change… having to give up the food I like…” she said.

It was a feeble explanation however, because in the next breath she commented on how many gluten-free food options there are, on her mother’s delicious homemade gluten-free meals, and eventually admitted that she knew there wouldn’t be much she would have to do without. Yet her anxiety was real.

Some action – a change in behavior – is required though if we are to face the thought of Conscious Eating® fully. Maybe we project onto our loved ones that they won’t accept us if we change. We try to talk ourselves out of paying attention or being fully present with who we are, our truth. The mind wants safety, stability, familiarity — even if we are in pain, are ill and KNOW in every fiber of our being that we need to change.

There’s still hope though; that hint of desire to push through the fear and to overcome, or a willingness to step into the unknown. (Isn’t life fun?) All we have to do is listen to our inner truth and trust and change can be good!

The woman from the bank called me a few days ago. She had a long talk with her husband and they decided to go gluten free as a family. She has already lost 10 pounds in three weeks and she feels great – can’t believe how great! She wanted me to know that her four-year-old daughter isn’t begging just for cookies all day anymore. Instead she asks for our crackers, pretzels and love Cookies®!

This woman pushed through her fear, got support from the people who love her, and in return she grew personally. She chose life, forward movement, increased awareness – she chose Conscious Eating®! It’s a process, an evolution.

As I write this, today is my 62nd birthday. I never envisioned my life as I am today, but here I am! I’m still growing, paying attention, and choosing to learn what choices I have yet to make still. It’s easier to trust myself and it’s easier to listen, but the evolution is ongoing.

Where is your challenge, your cutting edge, your truth? Sit with yourself for five minutes today and see where you’d take yourself! And share your journey — I’d love to hear from you.

Love,

Mary

Another huge benefit for me has been the elimination of cravings and more clarity of mind.  Sugar is so pervasive in our diet—probably even more so than gluten.  It is far from the “special treat” that it used to be in our culture not that long ago.  I imagine most people in the U.S. eat sugar every day, if not all day long. It’s in everything from sweetened drinks to cereals, catsup and spaghetti sauce, snack crackers, breads—the list is endless.  Take a look in your cupboards to see where sugar is hidden in your food, and give your body a break and go sugar-free for a day!  I’d love to hear where your “Conscious Eating” journey is taking you this year, and I’m glad that Mary’s Gone Crackers is part of your path.

In good health,

Mary

As we approach Earth Day, there are hundreds of suggestions every year as to how we can change our behavior to be more gentle on the earth: bring reusable shopping bags with you; use reusable water bottles instead of buying plastic bottles of water; eat less meat—everyone eating vegetarian or vegan just one day per week would have a huge impact on the earth; drive less; buy products with less packaging; recycle; use environmentally friendly lighting. The list goes on. We all do what we can and I suspect many of us feel sad that we are not able to do more.

My wish for you this year and going forward is that you add something loving and positive onto your list; something that will re-establish your relationship with Mother Earth. Take a few minutes every day to sit outside, put your feet on the earth, and breathe in deeply. Even for just 10 minutes, when we connect to the earth and appreciate her beauty and bounty we are healing ourselves and the earth. Our misguided and destructive habits didn’t get established overnight. They have come over hundreds of years and many generations of being disconnected: from our communities, from our bodies, from our history, from our ancestors and ultimately, from the earth. Bringing back a connection, even in small ways, is the path back to our true nature, which is one of relationship and love. We don’t have to know all the answers to the mess we are finding ourselves in on this planet, but as we lead with our hearts and connect with gratitude and love, our next steps will be revealed. What a shift in the planet it would be for everyone to take this time each day to express gratitude and feel what Julia calls “true love.”

Let me know what shifts take place in YOUR life as you incorporate this little action into your day.

Happy Earth Day fellow earthlings!

Love,
Mary

Many countries including Egypt, China, Japan, Australia, United Kingdom, Spain, France and Italy have banned GMOs altogether, and the following states and regions in the U.S. have made strides to regulate GMOs in food:

· Maryland has banned genetically engineered (GE) fish
· North Dakota and Montana have filed bans on GE wheat
· The Municipalities of Burlington, Vermont declared a moratorium on GE food
· Boulder, Colorado bans GE crops
· City and County of San Francisco urged the federal government to ban GE food

And if you want to stay away from genetically modified food, be sure to buy organic versions of crops that are most commonly genetically modified in the U.S.: soy, cotton, canola, corn, Hawaiian papaya, zucchini and yellow squash, and Quest brand tobacco.

As always, awareness changes behavior, which is why it’s so important to require labeling for genetically engineered food. Mary’s Gone Crackers is all about CONSCIOUS EATING!

Thank you for reading!

–Mary
Founder, Mary’s Gone Crackers

While I personally am not a vegan, I feel there is much to be learned from the vegan diet that can be happily incorporated into a healthier way of eating. There are a plethora of studies that show the benefits of a plant based diet—antioxidants, fiber, minerals and other phytonutrients are all abundant and essential to health and longevity. The more we can incorporate organic vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and seeds into our daily fare, the easier it is to let go of, or at least eat less of, the foods that are less healthful for us. I once heard a teacher tell me, “It doesn’t work to go into a dark room and try to get rid of the darkness; you must bring in the light!” So too, it doesn’t work just to deprive yourself of certain foods—first try bringing in more of the better-for-you foods and watch what happens!

Thank you for reading!

–Mary
Founder, Mary’s Gone Crackers

As we were getting ready to go, I walked through their amazing gluten free section one last time and saw a mom holding her young toddler, reading a label on a gluten free item. I asked her if she knew about our products and she said yes, but their family was allergic to sesame as well as gluten and dairy. She assumed that because our crackers and Sticks & Twigs had sesame, that our cookies would be contaminated with sesame as well. What an awakening! OUR COOKIES ARE MADE ON THEIR OWN TRAYS AND PACKAGED ON A SEPARATE CONVEYOR BELT, SO THERE IS NO SESAME OR SOY (TAMARI) CONTAMINATION BETWEEN THE CATEGORIES OF FOOD THAT WE MAKE. We produce them that way because of the tamari in the crackers and Sticks and didn’t want to have to put soy on all the cookie boxes as well. But somehow it hadn’t occurred to me that we should be letting people know about the lack of sesame contamination in our cookies! Thank you to the harried mom in Wegmans who woke me up!

To repeat: There is no cross-contamination between our crackers/pretzels and our cookies!!! So anyone worried about ingredients in our crackers and Sticks that may be an issue, you may eat our cookies with no fear! What is listed on our cookie ingredients is what you get–no surprises!

I recently attended the American Dietetic Association’s annual conference, as an exhibitor and was shocked to see a booth there by Monsanto. (They were handing out soy lip balm—of course the soy used in the manufacturing of that lip balm was genetically engineered by them!) Two of the ADA board members came by our booth to ask if there was any feedback we wanted to give the association and both times I said that I was stunned to see Monsanto at a conference for Registered Dieticians, and that I thought it was extremely inappropriate. Never mind that Coca Cola, Nestle, Hershey and other huge corporations also had booths there and are hardly bastions of nutritional health. But Monsanto crossed a line for me. The first woman smiled and said she would pass that along to the board. The second woman asked why I thought it was inappropriate for Monsanto to be there. For a second, I thought she was kidding, but when I looked at her face I realized she really didn’t understand the problems with GMO food. I explained that I thought genetically altered “food” had no place in anyone’s diet and an organization such as the ADA, who is promoting health through good nutrition (www.eatright.org) should certainly be promoting what’s best for our environment and our bodies—organically grown crops.

Later I had a chance to discuss these encounters with an activist RD who explained that traditional nutritional education teaches that a calorie is a calorie and they really don’t understand the difference, or even see that there is any difference, between organic, GMO, industrial farming, etc. Of course, it doesn’t help that all these big companies spend huge dollars supporting the ADA, which makes it even harder for them to learn the truth. How disturbing and sad. All these thousands of people (mostly women) who are on the front lines of educating people how to eat and they aren’t warning people of the dangers of the food that has contaminated our planet and that is going UNLABELED in our food supply.

This month is non-GMO month and there is a groundswell going on that is very exciting. Check out Jeffrey’s organization, the Institute for Responsible Technology www.responsibletechnology.org and www.right2knowmarch.com. Watch the powerful and disturbing video with Robyn O’Brien who started an organization called Mom’s for Safe Food http://momsforsafefood.net. Stay away from soy, corn and canola oil grown in the US as they are genetically engineered (unless certified organic.) Educate yourselves and demand that we get the GMO ingredients labeled on our food, so we at least have a choice about what we put in our bodies. Most European countries don’t allow GMO crops grown there. Our FDA has decided that there is no difference and has allowed Monsanto free reign in our fields. Lots of people are fighting this and are winning (see www.centerforfoodsafety.org.)

This is what CONSCIOUS EATING is all about!