Jump to content

  • You are not alone. Join Celiac.com for trusted gluten-free answers and forum support.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

gluten-free Options In Gluten-Using Restaurants

josie656

By josie656
in Gluten-Free Restaurants

Recommended Posts

josie656 Newbie
josie656
Posted

So,

With all the talk of cross-contamination on here, am I right in assuming that gluten free options in an otherwise glutonous restaurant are out? Because of cross contamination. Gluten free burger bun option, gluten free pizza base option in the fast food chains and just gluten free options at other places. Even at a breakfast joint, if they offer gluten free bread - how do we know if they are being careful with chopping board, toaster, knife etc.

I cook mostly at home but it's nice to go out and be social now and then.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted

You have to choose your restaurants wisely, make the right arrangements sometimes, try going at off peak hours so they can pay more attention to your food, inform the maitre d', the manager, the waitperson, whoever, of your needs and how to prepare your food, usually order your food without sauces or dressings (or have oil and vinegar on the side for salads) and I have even been invited back into the kitchen to discuss my needs with the chef (that was with my sister where we both needed special attention). And then you hope. :)

Tim-n-VA Contributor
Tim-n-VA
Posted

I think the way to think about it is that risk is not a yes/no question but a scale.

If you cook in your home and have a totally gluten free house, the risk is very low but if anyone leave your house or visits, opportunities for contamination start to creep in. If humans work in the production of your gluten free ingredients, there is some level of risk.

If you get something gluten free from a business that uses flour directly, you have lots of risk. If all of the flour based products are prepared off site, the risk for their gluten-free options is somewhere in between.

The best you can do is get lots of advice then make informed decisions about what you are being exposed to.

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

As Tim said, you need to evaluate on a case-by-case basis.

Any restaurant will almost certainly have something with gluten.

I know of only one restaurant that is 100% gluten-free, Open Original Shared Link in suburban Albany, NY. Sherry is a sensitive celiac.

Kate79 Apprentice
Kate79
Posted

I first search for restaurants with gluten free menus and see what (if anything) they say on their website. Ironically, I feel more comfortable with a restaurant that has some kind of disclaimer about cross contamination, shared fryers, etc. - because at least then I know that they understand that it IS a problem. If the restaurant looks like it might be ok, I call ahead of time and ask about their practices. If I get a 'gluten, what's that?' response, I won't usually go there. Even if it sounds like they know what they're doing, I always ask questions at the restaurant when ordering, too. Do they cook the gluten free pizza in a separate oven? Do they use a different area of the kitchen for gluten free items? And so on.

If a restaurant does a good job, I'm definitely a repeat customer. There's an Indian place that we frequent that has a gluten free menu and does a good job with it. Now they know us when we come in and I feel almost as safe there as at a totally gluten free place.

Juliebove Rising Star
Juliebove
Posted

Well you just never know. We try to find places that cook from scratch and it helps if we can speak to the chef. We also eat a very limited diet when it comes to restaurants. Things like a hamburger patty, maybe a steak. Steaks aren't always safe. Daughter once got one with gravy on it! Who does that? I've been told that they don't know if the seasoning is safe. So sometimes we tell them not to season. Daughter prefers chicken but that isn't always safe. Salads aren't always safe because we will sometimes find croutons in the middle or bottom of the bowl/plate. Plain baked potato. Fresh fruit. If there is hummus we will try to get that with fresh veggies instead of pita.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. RMJ
      - RMJ replied to Ginger38's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      5

      The Struggle Has Overtaken Me

      Ginger38, that sounds very difficult. Each dietary restriction makes it harder to figure out what to eat. Before my celiac diagnosis I already watched out for my cholesterol level and migraine triggers, but those are much easier than diabetes restrictions. One “bad” meal isn’t that much of a problem for cholesterol levels, and my migraines only happened if I ...
    2. Aretaeus Cappadocia
      - Aretaeus Cappadocia replied to Ginger38's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      5

      The Struggle Has Overtaken Me

      Reading the original post on this thread made me think of "How To Eat An Elephant". The key point is that a whole, big problem can seem insurmountable but if you break it into bite-sized pieces it is much easier to accomplish. Here is the google description. It's not bad: If you're facing a daunting goal, you can use these steps to "eat your elephant...
    3. Aretaeus Cappadocia
      - Aretaeus Cappadocia replied to Xravith's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      1

      Gluten challenge - Need some guidance

      I don't know the answer to your question any better than a google search, but I am sure someone else will step up and answer. I am popping up to recommend that you keep a careful diary (in case you weren't already). Try to catalog what you are eating and experiencing. Bring a copy to your next visit (and if you have access to the Dr, also send a copy...
    4. Xravith
      - Xravith posted a topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      1

      Gluten challenge - Need some guidance

      After few months going gluten free, I decided to reintroduce gluten in my diet so I can do a proper diagnosis for Celiac disease. During the gluten free period I felt incredibly good. I stopped having hypoglycemia symptoms, I gained some muscle (Still, I am considerably underweight) and my anxiety totally disappeared. I felt totally like a new person...
    5. cristiana
      - cristiana replied to cristiana's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      3

      Low iron/high normal haemoglobin

      V. interesting. It might well explain the tiredness, and the increased headaches, then. I'm trying to get my TTG numbers down a bit by avoiding eating out. Hopefully then if I've healed more I guess I will be able to absorb more iron. Will find out at the next blood test in the autumn. Thanks so much for your help.
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      134,179
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      10,442
    Nancy sirois
    Newest Member
    Nancy sirois
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.7k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Who's Online (See full list)

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • RMJ
      The Struggle Has Overtaken Me

      By RMJ · Posted

      Ginger38, that sounds very difficult.  Each dietary restriction makes it harder to figure out what to eat. Before my celiac diagnosis I already watched out for my cholesterol level and migraine triggers, but those are much easier than diabetes restrictions. One “bad” meal isn’t that much of a problem for cholesterol levels, and my migraines only happened if I consistently ate the triggers. After many years I’ve figured out how to bake gluten free but I think many recipes have more starch which wouldn’t work for diabetes. If you go with the elephant eating analogy, I think the first portion to work on would be the diabetes, since the immediate consequences of not being careful (passing out from low blood sugar, or diabetic coma from high blood sugar) are so severe. The next portion would be celiac. The serious consequences aren’t as immediate, but if you have celiac disease, I think of eating gluten like a booster shot - revving up the immune system, but to attack yourself leading to long term damage. It sounds like you are experiencing this damage now. I did a google search on “gluten free food for diabetics” and a number of sites with advice came up.  If your insurance will cover it and you can find one, a registered dietician who knows about both diabetes and celiac disease might help you figure out what to eat safely. Hopefully my post will both scare and encourage you, as requested, with a big dose of compassion because this sounds very difficult and you are clearly suffering.
    • Aretaeus Cappadocia
      The Struggle Has Overtaken Me

      By Aretaeus Cappadocia · Posted

      Reading the original post on this thread made me think of "How To Eat An Elephant". The key point is that a whole, big problem can seem insurmountable but if you break it into bite-sized pieces it is much easier to accomplish. Here is the google description. It's not bad: If you're facing a daunting goal, you can use these steps to "eat your elephant": Identify the Elephant: Clearly define the large project or goal that feels overwhelming. Break it Down: Divide the major task into smaller "bite-sized" pieces. If a piece still feels too big, break it down further. Prioritize: Decide which "bite" to take first based on necessity or impact. Focus on the Now: Instead of worrying about the whole animal, focus only on the single step you are taking right now. Maintain Consistency: Progress comes from taking the "next right step" every day until the task is complete. Celebrate Small Wins If I understood Ginger38's post correctly, you are facing the prospect of a gluten challenge, but you are already eating gluten on an intermittent basis. It also sounds like many of the symptoms you attribute to gluten consumption are in full expression. Step back and take a deep breath. Get a notebook and start a gluten-related diary. Don't try to make it perfect; just record what you can about food intake and what you experience as you go along. Talk to your Dr's office (nurse, Dr, whomever) about the challenge. The most rigorous challenge is for someone who has already gone truly gluten free but now needs a clear diagnosis. Someone who is already eating gluten should not need as much "challenge". Even at that, google describes an example challenge as 1-2 slice of bread or 1/2 cup of pasta a day. If that describes your existing diet you are already there. For the moment, try to focus on getting past the challenge and test. Once you have the results, start planning accordingly.
    • Aretaeus Cappadocia
      Gluten challenge - Need some guidance

      By Aretaeus Cappadocia · Posted

      I don't know the answer to your question any better than a google search, but I am sure someone else will step up and answer. I am popping up to recommend that you keep a careful diary (in case you weren't already). Try to catalog what you are eating and experiencing. Bring a copy to your next visit (and if you have access to the Dr, also send a copy a couple days in advance). Don't assume that they will read it. They might, but they also might be under tremendous time pressure and not get to it. Two other suggestions: if your healthcare provider has a web portal, sign on and search for "gluten challenge". They may have a standard page and Dr assumed you would find it on your own. If that doesn't work, call the Dr's office and ask the office for their official advice. You probably wouldn't need to speak to the Dr directly. There should be some nurse or staff member who could answer that
    • Xravith
      Gluten challenge - Need some guidance

      By Xravith · Posted

      After few months going gluten free, I decided to reintroduce gluten in my diet so I can do a proper diagnosis for Celiac disease. During the gluten free period I felt incredibly good. I stopped having hypoglycemia symptoms, I gained some muscle (Still, I am considerably underweight) and my anxiety totally disappeared. I felt totally like a new person. Now, I almost reached the second week of gluten challenge and all my symptoms are progressively coming back. The first days I was ok, just a bit of acid reflux I could control with medicines. However, after the first week I started to feel real stomach pain and tiredness, my face is growing acne and sometimes (specially when I walk) i feel painful migraines.  I am afraid If I am eating too much gluten or not enough, the "4 slices of bread" indication confuses me. I am actually eating 20 g of bread, 3 biscuits and 40 g of croissant each day. My doctor was not very specific when he gave me the medical order for the gluten challenge, so I invented my own daily gluten menu. Do you have any suggestions? 4 weeks will be enough to do the blood test with my current gluten intake?  Thank you
    • cristiana
      Low iron/high normal haemoglobin

      By cristiana · Posted

      V. interesting. It might well explain the tiredness, and the increased headaches, then.   I'm trying to get my TTG numbers down a bit by avoiding eating out.  Hopefully then if I've healed more I guess I will be able to absorb more iron.  Will find out at the next blood test in the autumn. Thanks so much for your help.  
×
×
  • Create New...