Miss Roben's Online Store: The Source for Everything You Can't Find!
Written: Apr 01 '04
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| Full Review |
I first discovered Miss Roben's Online Store through the parents at the Yahoo Group POFAK (Parents of Food Allergic Kids). Originally started as a source for those with gluten intolerance or celiac disease, Miss Roben's Online Store now also carries products that are free of other allergens for people with food allergies, and foods that are both gluten-free and casein-free for people who are following that diet.
~&~ A Bit of Background ~&~
My need for Miss Roben's Online Store can get a bit complicated. My older two children have been diagnosed with Sensory Integration Dysfunction (SID). In addition, my middle child has multiple food allergies.
Approximately a year and a half ago, my daughter's occupational therapist suggested that we try something called the gluten-free, casein-free diet with her. Implemented by many parents of children on the autistic spectrum, it has also been shown anecdotally to help some children with SID. As my daughter was showing some symptoms associated with the autistic spectrum (including head-banging, self-stimulation, and some OCD-like behaviors), we decided to give it a try to see if it would help.
~&~ The Basics ~&~
Miss Roben's Online Store is definitely not the prettiest or most professional site you've ever seen. I will admit that I often base my purchasing decisions on how professional a site looks, but worked past that with Miss Roben's Online Store. With all the services they provide, they certainly are concentrating on the right areas; aesthetics can wait.
The front page has links to the recipe index (which contains over 1100 recipes you can make yourself), a brief history of Miss Roben's, and a blurb on how they try to avoid cross-contamination with products containing the major food allergens. Links at the top of the page break the site down into categories such as "Personal Care," "Miss Roben's Mixes," "Ingredients and Substitutions," and "Snacks and Such." Sidebar navigation includes a Product Search, Allergen Code definitions, recipes, shipping and ordering information, and best of all, a specialized "free of" search. Using this search, you can enter what components you are avoiding (for my daughter, I'd use casein and gluten, for my son, I list all his allergens) and up will pop a list of items that are safe for you to order.
If there is something you need, Miss Roben's Online Store undoubtedly has it for you! I've purchased binders for baking (like xantham gum), milk substitutes (like Vance's DariFree), and baking mixes (Miss Roben's Mock Graham Cracker Mix is a favorite; I've even been able to replicate my mother's chocolate pie for holidays!).
Shipping is via FedEx Ground service, and payment is accepted via Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. Gift Certificates are also available.
~&~ Our Experience ~&~
I've ordered from Miss Roben's Online Store several times and have NEVER been disappointed, either with their products or their service. Once you reach $45.00 in products in your order, you can select free items from a list, starting at one free item at $45.00, and reaching additional items as you spend more. This is a great way to try something that you might not want to risk spending money on.
Products are always shipped quickly (usually within one business day of placing your order), are packed securely, and arrive very quickly.
Best of all, however, is Miss Roben's Online Store's customer service. Not only are they probably THE most helpful people on the planet, but at least one of them frequents the GFCFrecipes group on Yahoo Groups, and regularly provides helpful advice for using their products, and suggests products that may be helpful in recipes. While this obviously benefits Miss Roben's Online Store to an extent, trust me when I say that it benefits us parents even more. The suggestions are for products that are often available in my local grocery, and are never put in a pushy "buy from us" way.
~&~ Overall ~&~
I couldn't be more happy that I've found Miss Roben's Online Store, and look forward to ordering from them again on a regular basis.
Some children on the autistic spectrum may benefit from a Gluten-Free, Casein-Free (GFCF) Diet. For more information on the GFCF Diet, visit http://www.gfcfdiet.com/.
This review was written for Autism Awareness Month. Many children on the autistic spectrum also have sensory integration issues. For more information about autism, you can visit the Autism Society of America at http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=allaboutautism.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
pippadaisy
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 - Top 50 |
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Reviews written: 1085
Trusted by: 176 members
About Me:
Divorce seriously cuts into the amount of time for reviewing.
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