Specialty Food Shop
Main Floor, The Hospital for Sick Children
555 University Avenue

The main foyer of The Hospital for Sick Children is awash in colour and breathes open air. Staring up and around at its tall structure, visible elevators, and larger-than-life toys, it seems meant to inspire a little awe and a little hope. The room looks anything but a hospital, but instead a place of magic from the viewpoint of a sick child.

Down the hall sits the Specialty Food Shop, whose decoration is not so inspired as the foyer’s. But it isn’t the paint job or lighting that draws customers; instead the items on the shelves. This year marks the 25th birthday for the Specialty Food Shop (SFS), providing specialized foods and health advice for children and adults who are forced to watch what they eat.

For many people, eating is less a pleasure and more a challenge.

• Celiac disease is a genetic eating disorder in which a protein called “gluten” causes the body to damage its own small intestine. People who have it must avoid gluten, an uneasy task considering the most common grains have it (wheat, barley, rye and more). It’s believed that just three per cent of people who have celiac disease have actually been diagnosed.

• People with kidney problems often need a diet that controls protein, salt, and phosphorus levels. Protein is the main focus, as the kidneys cannot get rid of the waste left over after the body uses the protein. Patients need to think all day, every day, about protein intake.

• Diabetics must consider their diet as well, eating nutritiously and monitoring the amount of carbohydrates them consume.

The SFS caters to anyone who has to consider what they eat. It is stocked with items low in gluten and low in protein. It is far from all ready-to-eat selections, but instead offers a ton of help in the baking and cooking departments. For those facing the challenge of preparing meals for those with any of the above conditions, this shop is an ideal resource.

That it sits in one of Canada’s premier hospitals means one can consider the products trustworthy. Plus, it’s not only food on hand. The SFS has on staff registered dietitians that respond to all questions, a diet technician that monitors the store’s products, and many other experts in nutrition.

Now let’s get to the interesting array of products they have on hand. One wall contains a small army of pasta and rice low in protein (packages range from $7 to $19). They have an array of breads and pasta promised to be gluten-free, made with grains such as rice bran, buckwheat and quinoa.

For kitchen work, there is icing sugar, baking soda, yeast, bread mix, cracker crumbs, crepe mix, brownie mix, pie crusts, pizza shells, stuffing (for the holidays), muffin mix, pancake mix, cake mix, rolled oats, oat flour (without wheat) and quinoa flakes. There is an “Egg Replacer” made of guar gum, corn starch and potato starch ($5). There is seasoning, broth, beef and chicken flavourings, gravy mixes and milk substitutes.

The food here clearly bends to a youngster’s taste buds. The freezer is stocked with “nuggets” (made of mushroom), cheese singles, pizza, burgers (mushroom again), and ravioli filled with cheese and/or potato. One row offers juice boxes that have been “thickened” for people with swallowing problems. Elsewhere there is mac and cheese (sans dairy), soy nut butter (rather than peanut), biscotti, ice cream cones, pretzels, and a slew of cookies. All have allergies or gluten in mind.

I could detail quite a bit more (liquid fibre in a can, shakes, puddings) but I suppose I have to stop somewhere. Wait: There are boxes of vegetable masala and Moroccan stew. Okay, I’ll quit there. Feel free to check out their online catalogue.

While products like these may be available elsewhere, the professionalism at the Specialty Food Shop makes it the most trustworthy place to shop. It is built for providing fast answers to families or individuals who may suddenly have to face dietary restrictions. Medical literature can be overwhelming and we’re not in med school. People need not panic – let the SFS be the guide to dining solutions.

Not everybody is going to bother with heading to a food shop in a hospital. Not everybody has dietary requirements like this. But life can change and situation can transform – and it is helpful to know that a place like the SFS exists. Those for whom food is a daily challenge, there exists no better tool for improving your quality of life than the products and expertise at this store.