Our Story - Better Batter Gluten Free Flour

An answer to prayer...

Ever wonder why Better Batter got started? Here’s the inside scoop!

The handsome young man you see on the right of this picture is my oldest son. When he was young, he was diagnosed with (low functioning) autism. Because he seemed to be in physical pain and growing sicker every day  – but was unable to communicate, despite intensive speech and other therapies  – I couldn’t pin exactly what he was feeling. I didn’t know what to do. I asked our pediatrician to help me…

Having just come from a class about this ‘interesting thing called celiac disease,’  the doc  suggested that perhaps gluten intolerance was the issue. Sure enough, testing revealed that he was suffering from celiac disease – and a very bad case of it, too!

We immediately put him on a gluten free diet and saw a huge improvement in his health. And then a miracle happened –  at 6 weeks into the gluten free diet, he said his first full sentence! – “Mommy, I love you.” Needless to say, we were shocked, and delighted to have this bonus.

Fast forward ten years, and a strict adherence to a gluten free diet has helped my oldest live a healthy life as a celiac and – along with adherence to a strict dietary protocol (no gluten, dairy, or food color)  and LOTS of therapy – to function at his best  with autism.

But that isn’t the whole story…

In 2004, my second child – that mischievous young man on the left –  began to exhibit signs of gluten intolerance. By this point our doctor knew what to do, so his intolerance was caught before there were further complications.

Six months later, I found out where all those Silly genes were coming from and began to heal, myself.

And then multiple food allergies hit multiple members of our family. Holy cow – there wasn’t much available gluten free… but there was REALLY nothing available that was top 8 free at the time!!

With three people diagnosed with multiple food allergies, it made sense for the whole family to eat the same – safest – way.   Something Would Have to Be Done.

I started baking my own breads and goodies, using the information and recipes available at the time. Now, this was back in 2006, and there really wasn’t anything out there.It was all rice cakes and recipes that didn’t work, and I was fed up with not getting fed.

I wanted a flour that would work in my mom’s old recipes, look right, and taste right — and BE FOOD ALLERGY SAFE. I know it’s hard to believe – but there wasn’t anything like a cup for cup flour available at the time, and I didn’t even know if it was possible! One late night, I threw up a desperate and very sincere prayer to the Almighty and went to bed. That night I had a dream.

Yes, really – a dream!

In it, I was mixing up a formula for a new kind of flour. Waking up, I took this idea – this formula – and literally ran down to the kitchen, concocted the flour mix, and made my mom’s famous apple pie.

I finally had a cup for cup flour! A friend liked it so much she offered to buy it. A friend of the friend asked if she could buy it, too, and I figured “why not?”. Soon word spread that “Naomi Poe’s flour for making a better batter” was for sale.

And the company’s been growing ever since!

We’re still a small, family owned, mom-run company – I call this company my third baby! – and I’m still having a blast helping other families like mine – with multiple food allergies  – find their groove again.

Recently, we launched our very own Allergy Friendly Youtube channel, where I post allergy friendly recipes several times a month. It’s growing rapidly – check it out!

But enough about me….

You have a story, too. If Better Batter’s been a part of it, I’d love to hear from you. Drop me a note, any time – I read all of them! – and thanks for making my family business a trusted part of your family’s baking.

Our Philosophy…

At Better Batter, we believe that you should eat freely.

We believe that everyone should eat real-tasting food, using regular recipes, as safely as possible.

We’re committed to developing and marketing the very best in gluten free, allergy friendly products, and we pledge to do everything we can to help you meet your dietary needs – no matter what your budget needs to be.

When you buy Better Batter products, you’re not going to find any top eight ingredients, GMOs, hidden complications (like the need to add your own xanthan gum or fat) or chintzy portion sizes – when you order our products, you’ll get a full sized product that will be good enough to feed anyone without apology.

When you watch our videos or use our recipes, you’re going to be empowered to easily make great food that is cup for cup and works for a broad variety of ingredient and ingredient alternatives. And hopefully you’ll have fun, too!

When you talk with our staff, you’re going to be talking with people who live this life and/or have loved ones with food allergies, developmental difficulties, or dietary restrictions. We’re going to take care of you, or find someone for you who can.

At Better Batter, we believe that we should give freely

What would it profit us to gain a fortune and lose our souls?

We  donate at least 10% of our net profits to social and charitable causes.

We encourage our employees and customers to present us with a wide range of causes to support to partner with us in finding ways to make a lasting impact in this world. We give particular weight to causes that promote our values of providing for and protecting the poor, widowed, orphaned, or oppressed.

Better Batter leaderships’ core faith and value system motivate everything we do. At Better Batter we prioritize three key areas of giving:

1) The Exploited and Excluded

We are passionate about changing the world and we believe strategic partnerships with key organizations can help us feed, clothe, educate, and support the destitute and those with no voice (the orphan, the widow, the poor, and the oppressed).

We currently support Worldvision’s water projects and plan to increase our giving and partnership with them as we mature as a company, to include other key areas of need.

We are partnered with The Burma Project, a prototype solar power project, through Need organization, which  enables students within an extremely isolated environment to have access to technology and electricity in order to learn critical skills to teach their villages sustainable, economically supportive farming practices.

We also partner with Blair Hope for families to provide financial aid to foster care families to allow their families to provide childhood experiences beyond simple food and clothing – things the government programs don’t provide funds for – such as family trips or christmas gifts, and to provide financial aid for those wishing to adopt U.S. children but unable to afford the fees.

We support the Food Equality Intiative (food banks) as well as take care of families through our own, internal Financial Aid Program.

2) Our Autism Community

Because of our founder’s personal family history, we are particularly focused on autism  – allowing those in the autism community to advocate for the health care needs and social acceptance of their own community’s condition is something that we are increasingly passionate about. We are support  the Autism Self Advocacy Network.

We also give Financial Aid Assistance to those with autism through our Financial Aid program.

3) Our Food Allergy Community

We currently support connect with local and national celiac groups, allergy free food banks, and volunteer led allergy free fundraisers and bake sales, through direct financial contributions and donations of products as well as provide direct financial aid for those on fixed/low income who may have multiple food allergies.

Our Commitment To You…

Here at Better Batter, you’ll find someone to listen, help finding the resources and products you need.

Feel free to contact us at any time with questions, suggestion, or new recipe requests. We look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks!

Naomi and the Staff

 

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