Ever since I have discovered that I am gluten intolerant it has limited my options in social get-togethers. Social outings tend to be centered around eating out. Being a 17 year old and only a year away from college only exacerbates the issue. How does one deal with being celiac or gluten intolerant when going out to eat with friends? Most of the time my friends are fairly understanding about where we eat out, but I know that it is a bit of a burden on them. I can’t eat at places like Olive Garden, Sonic, Subway, Quiznos, Pizza Hut, Panera Bread, etc. (These places either have way too much cross contamination or the menu has literally nothing gluten free) Therefore I have a limited number of restaurants I can chose from. This is difficult socially because I can't just go anywhere they would like to go. Its hard to hear about, let alone see a group of friends eating or going somewhere I can't. Money also becomes an issue. At my age there is a limited amount my friends and I can afford to spend to eat out. Unfortunately in this case you tend to get what you pay for. The majority of restaurants in my area that provide gluten free items on their menu tend to carry a higher price tag. My solution is eating at places like Chipotle (the burrito bowl; no tortilla), Mimi’s, Wendy’s, McDonalds, (usually just the fries), Smoothie King, Waldo’s pizza (they have a gluten free crust as well as regular pizza), a coffee shop (my favorite is It’s a Grind) and Fortune Wok. This way I still go out with my friends and catch up, but I avoid foods with gluten and decrease the amount I spend. Then once a month or so my family and/or friends and I will splurge on eating at a fancier restaurant with a gluten free menu. If it comes down to it I'll eat a salad somewhere when I must, even if its not what I really would like to eat when I'm with my friends. It truly is a sacrifice at times, but I balance it equally with making those foods I really want (pasta, bread sticks, etc.) gluten free at home. In the end I think the easiest solution is just entertaining at home. At least you have full control as to what goes into the food (no cross contamination) and you still maintain the social aspect. My mother has been teaching me how to cook, and I do have to say I quite enjoy it. I have learned to make a variety of gluten free dishes and even bake my own pizza crusts and loaves of bread. If I know that I am going over to a friends place for several hours or to spend the night I try to eat before or I bring a gluten free snack and/or frozen dinner with me and eat vegetables and fruits while I'm there. Amy’s has some truly great frozen dinners. My favorite has to be the brown rice and vegetables one with tofu. It is delicious and almost has a stuffing like taste to it. As for snack bars I really enjoy the Larabars, especially the chocolate coffee one (I have yet to try all the different flavors however) and Mrs. Mays Naturals. The Larabars have a much chewier and softer texture than the Mrs. Mays (they are almost solid nuts). You can find the Larabars at most HyVee’s. I am hopeful that the company that makes the Cliff Bar will soon make their energy bar gluten free. At the moment it is NOT gluten free because of the malt extract in it. I plan to contact the company to see if they can make a change in this. Cliff Bars are available at Wal-Mart, but Larabars are not. Another item I like to bring with me are Vans Gluten Free Waffles. They are easy to heat up, but I would advise heating them in the microwave so you don’t have to use a gluten contaminated toaster. (I have my own separate one at home). So all in all that is a brief explanation about how I handle eating gluten free with friends and family who are not gluten intolerant or celiac. There are a lot of loop holes and issues I haven’t gone into, but if you have any questions please feel free to ask. You are not alone in this. I do understand the frustrations that go along with eating gluten free, especially being 17. In my words "it sucks" and it's challenging, but not impossible. Much love to everyone.

Erica