HER STORY ⟡ Liz Fetchin
Hey there, I’m Liz, a mom, media relations consultant and allergen-free food blogger from Pittsburgh, and I’m so excited to be debuting my first ever e-cookbook, An Octofree Thanksgiving, TODAY! It’s the culmination of 15+ years of perfecting recipes for a completely allergen-free Thanksgiving feast for my family. It includes top-8-allergen-free recipes for all of the classics, from roast turkey and gravy to pumpkin pie, plus time-savers such as a full shopping list, a timeline and tips.
WHY I STARTED:
I come from a family with a ton of food allergies, intolerances and other dietary restrictions. Luckily, I also love cooking, so I’ve been creating top-8-free meals for more than 15 years. I’m also a media relations consultant, and when the pandemic hit, a number of my clients were forced to cancel their contracts with me, which I saw as a great opportunity to share my love for allergen-free cooking with the world. I started Octofree (which means free of the top 8 most common food allergens: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat) in early 2021, and I’ve been on a mission ever since to make living with dietary restrictions easier, tastier and more fun.
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT BEING A BUSINESS OWNER:
The flexibility, the ability to choose how I work, and the ability to support and collaborate with other women as my businesses grow.
WHAT TYPE OF IMPACT I WANT TO HAVE:
I hope that the people who interact with me on social media and purchase my products feel empowered and hopeful. Having dietary restrictions can be stressful and overwhelming, and there are not a lot of convenience options for us. Takeout, pizza delivery, meal kits and convenience foods are almost always out of the question because of potential hidden allergens. Which means we have to cook – a lot. So, I offer shortcuts, like make-ahead options, easy recipes, and product reviews for quick and easy items I’ve tried and recommend (and I’ve probably tried just about everything on the market). It can be quick, it can be tasty, and it can be safe.
WHO OR WHAT INSPIRES ME:
Getting out in nature, getting lost in a good book, movement, art, music. On Instagram, I’ve been especially inspired recently by food creators such as @wishbonekitchen, @kalejunkie and @emcdowell. You can feel their joy for cooking in their content, and that authenticity encourages me to keep going.
MY FAVORITE QUOTE:
“Do it anyway.”
WHAT BEAUTY MEANS TO ME:
Beauty is vulnerability and authenticity. I see it around Pittsburgh all of the time, in genuine smiles, kind words, a little joke shared among strangers. There’s so much beauty in human interaction and connection.
ADVICE I'D GIVE MY PAST SELF:
Take time for transitions. Owning your own business means switching gears a lot, so make time to switch from family mode to work mode and back again. Also: relax, you’ve got this.
An Octofree Thanksgiving is on sale for $15 (which is 25% off of the regular price of $20) today through Nov. 7. Purchase your copy.
CONNECT WITH ME:
Instagram: @octofree
Purchase An Octofree Thanksgiving: octofree.com/shop
liz@octofree.com
octofree.com
Sign up for weekly emails: octofree.com/subscribe