Meet the Founders Part I: Sandi Kaplan, MS, RDN

“We founded Zing when my oldest was a toddler. He's now a high schooler and he loves the bars as much now as he did then. And I feel as nutritionally confident and comfortable sending him to high school with a Zing bar in his backpack as I did when he was a preschooler!

Having two parents and two teenagers all with celiac disease in the house means that nutrition is a very high priority for our family. It’s easy for gluten free snacks to pose as nutritious options when that's not actually the case. We've taught our kids to read labels so now they don't just appreciate Zing bars for their deliciousness but for their nutritional quality as well.

I so clearly remember being diagnosed with celiac disease in my twenties and scouring the natural foods store aisle to find grab and go snack options that contained a healthy balance of carbs, protein and fat - without ingredients I couldn't pronounce. I recall feeling so discouraged and thinking that a quick option between meals was now out of the question for me. And I saw my gluten free patients experiencing exactly the same issue. No wonder the four of us were so motivated to create a nutritious, great tasting gluten free bar option!

Our family jokes, in these challenging Covid times, that our car's glove box is now full of Zing bars and masks! It used to be just Zing bars.

My almost 80 year old mom nutritionally benefits from and enjoys Zing bars as much as my young great nieces and nephews. Zing bars multi generational in our family now. And you know that family won't just eat something because their dietitian daughter/sister/aunt etc. told them to eat it. They're a tough crowd and the taste, ease and nutritional quality wins them over every time.”