ABOUT

Well hello there! My name is Reanna – A.K.A. the Friendly Foodie. Welcome to my site!

The Friendly Foodie is food, health and travel blog featuring vegan, vegetarian, and allergy-friendly foods and finds. Here you’ll find recipes, product reviews, and even restaurant reviews of my favorite “friendly” foods and products I’ve discovered over the past few years. Each list is growing: I’m constantly on the lookout for new products or trying out new recipes in the kitchen to share with family, friends, and now, you! In addition, as my love for traveling grows, my need for friendly foods on the go becomes even more important. My mission is to find and provide food recommendations for special eaters on the go, wherever they may be!

(Fun fact: Chicago is an especially accommodating area for a variety of diets, including vegan and gluten free ones!)

I’ve had a passion for food and health all my life, but my attitude towards food changed when I became a vegan in late 2012. While my interest in health began to peak, my love for food began to dwindle and was instead replaced with confusion and frustration. Being a vegan was a lot harder than I thought it’d be; without the use of dairy or eggs, I didn't know how to go about baking anymore, which was something I’d been immensely passionate for since I was a child. Packing lunches for school and preparing dinner at home became increasingly difficult – salads and peanut butter sandwiches became a staple in my diet and I was not at all happy about this. I felt stuck, and with the little experience and knowledge I had then, I often had slip-ups with non-vegan dishes and sweets. Things were rough and I felt out of control; I was trying to make a difference for both myself as well as for the well being of others, but reaching my goals didn't seem very plausible those days.

Today, things are MUCH different.

Fast forward two years later and my attitude towards food has once again shifted  – except this time, for the better! I’ve learned so much and gained so much new insight that I wish I’d had back when I first made this change to my lifestyle. Eating, cooking, baking, shopping, and traveling have gotten significantly easier and far less stressful than they were two years ago. That being said, today I’m here to share my experiences and tips to make your experiences more fun, memorable, and delicious – the way they should be!

Food adventures have both their ups and their downs, and I’m here to share both with all of you. Learning from failure is how we grow – whether it come from messing up a recipe, wasting money on new products or restaurants, or having slip ups on your worse days. If I’ve learned anything over the past two years, it’s that every experience is a learning experience, and no mistake should ever discourage you from picking yourself back up and trying again. Whether you are:

- new to a vegetarian, vegan, or allergy-restricted lifestyle,

- looking to cook or accommodate a friend following these lifestyles,
- interested in achieving better health through supplementation or a plant based diet,

- or just curious to these different lifestyle choices,

this site has something for you! Over the years I've found a variety of meat-free, egg-free, dairy-free, wheat-free, soy-free, and animal-product free products and recipes, all of which are just as delicious as their non-friendly food counterparts. Trust me – you won’t be disappointed!

Thanks for stopping by!

- Xoxo, the Friendly Foodie ♥