Every time we go to Port Stanley, ON, my mom and I make a trip to the beautiful Woodland Cemetery to visit my grandmother. You may think it is morbid to call a cemetery beautiful, but this one really is quite peaceful and calming. Located on Springbank Drive in London, Ontario, this cemetery is still very much within the city limits. Shockingly, there are deer in the cemetery. I love when my mom tells me how much my grandparents would be thrilled to know there were deer there.
After visiting my grandparents plot, my mom and I were pleasantly surprised to see a huge “GLUTEN FREE BAKERY” sign across the street at a strip mall. My grandma used to live less than 2 miles from this storefront and I know she would be beyond excited to know that it is now there, just a short walk away from her hosue. Even with more than 500 miles between us, my grandmother joined a local Canadian Celiac support group to learn all she could about Celiac Disease.
As we entered Healthy Creations, I was excited to learn that they were only open a few weeks. Not only do I love going to new gluten-free places, but I love when I am one of the first ones there. After talking to the owners, though, I realized I wasn’t one of the first people there. Apparently only a few days before our visit, the A Channel was there and by the next day the gluten-free stock of Healthy Creations was almost sold out! The shelves were a little bit bare, but my mom and I still managed to buy a loaf of sorghum bread, peanut butter, cranberry lemon, and chocolate chip cookies, blueberry and chocolate chip muffins and a package of wraps. I told you we eat a lot on vacation!
Healthy Creations London is actually the bakery’s second location. The original location is in Windsor, Ontario, which originally opened in 1998 as a made-to-order buisness. Chris Brecka, the founder of the bakery, has a son with Celiac Disease. As I feel my diagnosed saved my life, Chris also felt her son’s diagnosis saved his life. Two years after Chris’s son was diagnosed, so was her youngest daughter. I always feel like the best gluten-free products are baked out of love and Healthy Creations was a true testament to my belief!
Both the London and Windsor locations are 100% gluten-free so there is no need to worry about cross-contamination at either bakery. In addition to gluten-free products, Healthy Creations also has some products that are sugar-free, low sugar, nut-free, corn-free, egg-free, yeast-free, and casein-free. Lucky for me I am only gluten-free, so I was able to enjoy everything that we purchased that day.
Out of everything I tried, I loved the cranberry lemon cookie the best. I wish I bought more than one. I also really liked the wrap which resembled more of a pita bread than a wrap. Unfortunately, those got crushed in my bag on the way back to New York City so I only enjoyed two full wraps while in Canada. My sister and her kids try to avoid many grains, but the all enjoyed the sorghum bread. Overall, we really enjoyed the Healthy Creations assortment that we picked up that day. We will definitely go back on our next visit to London, ON.
Healthy Creations: Gluten Free Bakery
502 Springbank Drive
London, Ontario N6J 1G8
519-472-0111
Healthy Creations: Gluten Free Bakery
333 Dougall Square
Windsor, Ontario N9G 1S7
519-250-4272
I went here for the first time today. they had sold A LOT already as the counters were pretty bare. I got some honey flax bread and some yummy banana muffins which i sat in the parking lot and ate and enjoyed. When you can’t have straight bread and someone gives you something that tastes that good and you can eat it knowing there will be no consequences it is like heaven.
The owners/workers were extremely nice and I plan to head back very very soon.
Tanya, I think the key is going early in the day on a day they are baking. When I went the shelves were pretty empty too but the news report gave them a lot of good publicity. I also ate stuff in the parking lot! 🙂
lol I was there at 10am and thats about as early as i can make it..
but i will keep trying
Oh and they also advised me of all the new stuff that was coming. Sounds delicious
Just so you know, Chris (the founder/owner) is a woman! She is my aunt =) You made reference to her as if she was a man 😉 Glad you love it!
Thanks for letting me know!