Kate’s Corner: Katie’s Kitchen the Stop for Gluten-Free, Allergen-Aware Meals

When Katie Rodriguez discovered that her oldest daughter had Celiac Disease 13 years ago, she found herself faced with the challenge of navigating her way through nutritional labels. The task was daunting and Katie soon learned that there were few options available to victims of the immune disease that can causes distress on the small intestine if the patient ingests gluten, a protein that is found in an abundance of food products, including, wheat, rye, and barley.

“It was quite a challenge finding anything convenient, let alone kid friendly,” said Rodriguez, who had always found joy in cooking for family and friends and a passion for nutrition.

Her love of cooking and her passion for presenting more healthy options to even the pickiest eaters is what initially drove Katie to launch “Katie’s Kitchen,” where she’s been dishing up healthy goodness since 2017.

“I’ve always loved food, and making healthy twists, and loved the challenge of changing up recipes we all loved without the indulgence. Healthy cooking doesn’t have to be bland or mundane. I absolutely love getting my pickiest eaters in the crowd to find a love for a vegetable or dish that they would try to refuse. I knew there was a demand and we were lacking a spot for gluten free, the allergen aware, and overall healthy meals made accessible.”

Started in her tiny home kitchen, the business has since moved to 18 Bartlett Road, tucked in the heart of Winthrop Center. Knowing that Winthrop would always be her home base, Katie found her perfect location, and credits her success to several other local business owners who helped guide the process.

While she knew that she had a plethora of customers needing her healthy, allergen-safe meals, she soon found her network branching off into the greater Boston area. With the help of many friends and local business partners, Rodriguez saw her dream come to fruition, and today the shop offers ready-made meals available to grab and go. The Katie’s Kitchen website allows shoppers to preorder and plan for the week ahead and have meals delivered right to your door for the week. Preorder is also available to corporate offices and businesses with deliveries for those wanting our healthy but delicious prepared meals for larger groups.

“Our ever-changing menu keeps healthy eating fun, and we make sure to listen to the feedback from the shop frequenters and choose favorable items for our online sales in other communities.”

Rodriguez believes that Katie’s Kitchen is the product of a community project and she would’ve never had the steppingstones to launch the business if she didn’t start with the support in Winthrop, where she was born and raised.

“This community was our foundation, and I am so proud to have a place of production, and a presence in our Center. I believe in the importance of investing in The Center,  its potential, and like so many other “townies,” I hold onto the significance and nostalgia of what it once was.”

For more information, or to prepare you menu for the upcoming week, check out:

katieskitchenprep.com

Katie’s Kitchen has been making the lives of locals and beyond easier every day of the week.

“Katies Kitchen has completely saved me,” said resident Andrea Cirelli. “I work two jobs, have two young boys and just opened a business – I have no time! Her meals are exactly what I need to eat healthy. It’s all done and ready for me. The convenience that she creates gives me no excuse not to eat good. I feel better inside and out and her meals taste delicious. She’s always got new ideas and awesome menus.”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.