This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Business & Tech

New Bakery Bringing Sweet Relief to Food-Allergy Sufferers

Sensitive Sweets is Orange County's first gluten-free bakery and one of very few in the state of California.

Where do you go to get baked goods if you have a food allergy? Many children and adults have just gone without, but not anymore. Enter Sensitive Sweets, “Orange County’s only dedicated gluten-free bakery,” a cheerful modern-day establishment with pictures of past cake projects adorning the walls and books detailing owner Melanie Hohman's development of tasty baked goods originally put together to help her son.

Hohman set out to develop the perfect gluten-free recipes when her youngest son Bradley was diagnosed with severe food allergies threatening his life. She quickly learned that many Orange County families are faced with similar circumstances.

“My son developed severe eczema from head to toe when I was nursing him,” Hohman said. ”He looked so bad that people thought he had been burned. We went through many doctors trying different treatments without success until the seventh doctor; he had Bradley tested for allergies which showed that he was severely allergic to eggs, dairy products and nuts.”

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Changing Bradley's diet solved the eczema problem, and in one week it was gone completely. But this also meant Hohman had to change her diet as well because she was breastfeeding. This also led to a cakeless first birthday party for Bradley, and that didn't sit well with her. She was determined to find a way to give him a cake for his second birthday, which led to the creation of Sensitive Sweets.

Hohman's family isn't alone. Food allergies have become more common as diagnoses are readily available and the medical community is more aware. A recent survey published in the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics says that 8 percent of American children have a food allergy; that amounts to approximately 5.9 million of America's kids.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Symptoms of food allergies for a child could be a tightness in their lips or feeling that there is something in their throat and their stomach might feel bad during or after eating. Symptoms of a gluten allergy range from upper respiratory tract problems to anemia and behavior problems.

To help people in their efforts to eat healthier, Hohman developed Sensitive Sweets. Sensitive Sweets specializes in baked goods for those who have food sensitivities or dietary restrictions. Fresh breads, cupcakes, custom cakes, breakfast muffins and cookies are wheat- (gluten) free, dairy- (casein) free, egg-free, soy-free and nut-free. This bakery has the distinction of being one of the only ones in Southern California to offer baked goods for those with allergies.

So what is their best selling cake? “Red velvet,” Hohman said, smiling. “But we sell out of our bread every day.” Sensitive Sweets bakes 20 fresh loaves a day, which are quickly snapped up along with many of the bakery's other goodies. Most visitors are families who are suffering from food allergies, and healthy eaters, which is good news for vegans as most of their offerings fall into that category.

Another added benefit of running her bakery is the ability to help children who are restricted from eating sweets. They come into her bakery and don't even look in the cases, Hohman said. Then their parents tell them they can have whatever they want, and she gets the joy of seeing their faces light up. Because of the experiences she has had with her own family, she can offer other food advice to parents struggling with children who are food restriction-challenged.

And recently it has been found that a gluten-free diet helps arthritis: it helps painful swelling go down. So now Sensitive Sweets can help even more people get their sweet cravings without jeopardizing their well-being.

Sensitive Sweets Bakery's grand 0pening is Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m., and the public is invited to help celebrate with free samples, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, prizes and more. It will be a big celebration welcoming those in the community who enjoy a healthy diet, and families who eat gluten-free as a necessity because they live with celiac, severe allergies, autism or other health-related issues.” The bakery is also donating 20 percent of the evening's proceeds to non-profits close to Hohman's heart: 10 percent to Talk About Curing Autism and 10 percent to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?