A few years ago I was fortunate enough to cross paths with Jennifer Thai. The mom of a child with food allergies, she decided safe and delicious food should be more than a necessity. It should be a joy! Jennifer decided if she couldn’t find food to fit the bill, she would make it herself. And she did.
And then some.
Later this spring, Awesome Bites Co. will open up a storefront in Houston which will allow Jennifer to share her gift in the kitchen with thousands of Houstonians. Help me wish her all the best and be sure to check out her store when it opens!
Blessings,
Kimberly
*Disclosure: I received no monetary compensation for this post. The opinions above are my own. The following press release and picture below were provided to me courtesy of Jennifer Thai.
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Awesome Bites Co. Brings Magically Healthy Baked Goods to Houston
Houston, TX – February 18, 2019 – After selling more than 100,000 Super Muffins – the nation’s only muffins made with whole fruits and vegetables instead of sugar – at farmers markets, Awesome Bites Co. is excited to bring their magically healthy treats to their first brick and mortar location in the Heights at Sawyer Yards in April 2019. More than two years were spent perfecting recipes for healthy baked goods that actually taste so delicious even the pickiest toddler won’t realize the nutritious ingredients hidden inside. Along with their popular Super Muffins, and brownies and blondies made with organic beans, Awesome Bites’ expansion into a new storefront will feature some new surprises like handcrafted, allergy friendly, and lactose free ice cream plus gluten free waffle cones.
Dedicated to creating better and safer delicious treats for all, Awesome Bites’ allergy friendly baked goods push traditional pastry boundaries by replacing eggs, butter, and refined sugar with clean, premium, non-GMO ingredients without sacrificing taste. An estimated one in 13 children in the United States now have food allergies that result in visits to the emergency room every three minutes[i] and more schools implementing nut free policies. The addition of an allergy friendly establishment in Houston to keep its community safe and healthy is long overdue. Awesome Bites Co. is committed to fulfilling this need by reinventing treats and creating an allergy friendly, 100% plant based, dairy, egg, soy, and nut free menu.
“What sets us apart is not just removing a particular ingredient from our treats; our entire menu and facility is completely free of dairy, egg, soy, peanuts and tree nuts[ii]. Even our ingredients, which took over a year to source, are free of potential cross contamination,” said Jennifer Thai, founder and chief innovator of the Awesome Bites Co. “Creating allergy friendly treats is a complex process requiring an unwavering commitment to food safety.”
Beyond being allergy friendly, Awesome Bites Co. creations are perfect for anyone looking for healthy and convenient snacks for themselves or their kids. They also meet a variety of dietary needs as all treats are vegan and free of cholesterol, lactose, casein, preservatives, and artificial ingredients. Gluten free and no added sugar options are available as well. Awesome Bites’ magical treats will include:
- No added sugar Super Muffins in a variety of flavors like the best-selling Oatmeal Chocolate Chip muffin, which is sweetened only with yellow squash, sweet potato, pears, apples, coconut and dates. Each pack of four mini muffins boast a full serving of fruits/vegetables.
- Gluten free and vegan blondies and brownies made with organic chickpeas and black beans for an extra boost of protein and fiber.
- The country’s only top eight allergen free, refined sugar free cookie cake, which pairs perfectly with scratch made, dairy free and nut free, coconut flaxseed mylk.
- Allergy friendly and vegan ice cream served with gluten-free waffle cones.
- Made-in-house syrups and nitro cold brew from Houston’s Boomtown coffee.
“We launched Awesome Bites when I couldn’t find safe healthy foods that my daughter, who had food allergies, would actually want to eat. At Awesome Bites, we’re beyond allergy friendly or healthy. We are focused on inclusion and pioneering, one-of-a-kind clean treats that everyone – with or without food allergies – can eat together worry-free,” said Thai.
Awesome Bites Co. was the winner of the 2016 City of Houston’s Lift Off Business Plan Competition and fan favorite award. “I had the opportunity to try the muffins from Awesome Bites and they were delicious. I was amazed that all of the ingredients were natural and included no added sugars. I wish Ms. Thai continued success,” stated Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner.
The new 1,600 sq ft. brick-and-mortar will open in April 2019 at the highly anticipated Sawyer Yards (2313 Edwards St. Ste 185, Houston, TX 77007) and includes a patio for customers to enjoy their treats.
About Jennifer Thai
Jennifer Thai is a born and raised Houstonian, who graduated from Rice University with a BA in Economics and received her MBA from Duke University. She devoted more than two years inventing the recipes for Awesome Bites’ baked goodies, and five years building the nation’s first allergy friendly, health conscious bakery and ice cream shop. She trained with Max Torres of Houston’s Cake & Bacon as well as the popular Austin vegan ice cream shop, Sweet Ritual.
The Food Allergy Mom 