Ugh - I'm Swearing Off Eating Out For Awhile!

[notme]

last month we had my bff and her daughter come for a visit.   my daughter had some time off from school, so we took a trip to nashville.  my friend got a suite with a kitchenette i'm sure so that i would be able to fix myself something to eat.  (i didn't - i brought sandwich meat and bread, etc)  but everyone was so *hungry* all the time <the girls) that after the first day, i just said "ok - here's a bunch of restaurants in the area that have a gluten-free menu"  and let them choose from the find me gluten free app on my phone.  we had lunch at wild horse saloon, and dinner at margaritaville.  2 days later, i can't keep my balance, i have a headache and can't keep my eyes open, so obviously i got cc from one of those places, being as i only ate out on one day (two meals)  so, chalk one up to no research done on either place.  i am dumb.  suffer 2 weeks.....  so then my oldest daughter was here visiting and we decided to go to the red robin THAT I  ALREADY RESEARCHED AND ATE AT AND IT WAS FINE!  ugh - i am back in gluten-head hell again!  the place was soooo much busier the first night i ate there, and i quizzed the server like it was my first time eating there (even though i knew they had a dedicated fryer)  i guess it's always a crap shoot......... 

 

the places in nashville both had gluten-free menus, so i guess that doesn't mean they know what they're doing.  the girl at the red robin answered all my questions like she knew what she was talking about.  you would think after 3 years of gluten-free i wouldn't fall on my head anymore - ughhhhhhh   

 

i am always the one telling everybody to watch out eating at restaurants and now i am eating my words.  oh, well, i guess i will since they're gluten free lolz 

[GF Lover]

Dang Arlene.  Great Big (((Hugs))) for you!  It happens so don't beat yourself up too much. 

 

Colleen

[IrishHeart]

Poor baby. ((hugs)) Having been hit by CC in a restaurant that I ate in once and it worked out fine, but not the second  time

and had to utter the same "wth? I ate here before and nothing happened! " ( and then a bunch of swear words.) I can say

I understand your disappointment and frustration.

Here is what I know: The Find Me Gluten Free app is only as good as the reviewer's street cred. LOL

That site lists anything in the area with a G F menu. This does not mean a real live

celiac has gone in, sat down, eaten and reported to the site that they did not get hit,'

I post reviews on there and I always say "I have Celiac. I ate there and I did not get sick."

To me, reading those words from a fellow celiac, that's about as close as it gets as promising (with fingers and toes crossed) that it won't happen to me too.

 

But, there's always the chance that someone, somehow will screw up and we suffer the consequences.

 

I'll tell you what helps me: lots of water, double probiotics for a week and eat plainly.

Sorry, cookie....I know it's not fun to be hit. xxoo

[Marilyn R]

Hope you feel better soon.

 

I'm with Irish, It seems like half of the reviewers are just the fad dieters.  I learned that the hard way with a supposed gluten-free wrap at a local restaurant. 

 

My temporary reprieve from glutening is Epson salts bath with baking soda and peppermint oil.  Soakarooni.

 

(((  )))

[cyclinglady]

You have my sympathies!  I was glutened at a Red Robin too.  They do have gluten free procedures in place, but it's up to the employees to adhere to them.  Red Robin was very nice and did apologize (after a scathing review on Yelp and FindmeGlutenFree).  However, I'm going to re-gift the card they sent me.  It's not worth taking a chance again.

 

I find that I do much better at very expensive restaurants.  The manager and chef will come out to talk to me.  I guess it's worth the additional cost and we so rarely eat out anymore.  

 

I went away for a weekend with friends this past month and just packed my Go Picnics (to be carried in my purse) and an ice chest full of yummy food.  Ate at one chain that offered gluten-free food and I had eaten there before, but it was scary!  I lucked out though and did not get sick.  The rest of the time, I headed to the car and tailgated it or brought in my food.  I'm a worrier to begin with and I didn't want to ruin the trip for the rest of the gluten eaters!  

 

 

Hope you feel better soon.

[IrishHeart]

Totally agree that upscale places are much, much better at this.

They cook from scratch and they want to make you happy. It's their primary concern.

Those chefs (like my best friend who is a chef, for example --she has cooked for me many times in her home and has not glutened me yet) know full well that gluten is not a necessary ingredient in delicious food.

We all can't afford to always go to those places, of course, but I can honestly say that the places that are vetted by other celiacs and

the places that are more high-end have never let me down. Not once.

I speak to the chef and the first response is. I don't use wheat flour in these dishes : ______ and I can take good care of you".

Love that!

 

 

As for "chains", I will be honest:
I was glutened at a 99 Restaurant (but not the week before, in the exact same place)

But never at Bonefish Grille

why? well, it could  be  how the personnel are trained and if they give 

a shyte about taking care of people or if they are in a hurry just to pump out food and make $$.

 

I have  dined out in many places in the Boston area, on Cape Cod, in Western Massachusetts, NH, in NYC, in St. Augustine, Key Largo and I have had great luck.  I was terrified to take those leaps, but once I got the knack of vetting the chefs, I found more confidence.

 

Sometimes, it's a crap shoot. I got bitten in a small "vegan/G F/all natural " place in NYC. They assured me the items were G F and that they

understood what G F means. The only thing I can say is: a gluten free menu does not mean they "get" CC and why it is just murder on us if they prepare things in the same space as gluten.

[Nikki2777]

Sometimes, it's a crap shoot. I got bitten in a small "vegan/G F/all natural " place in NYC. They assured me the items were G F and that they

understood what G F means. 

 

 

Irish - Curious which place?  Was in UWS?  I got glutened in one of these very proud-of-themselves small vegan places, too.  And when I called them to let them know that what they claimed was gluten-free wasn't (I only ate one thing there), they were downright rude.  I really was only doing it to suggest they change their claim to save others from getting sick, and I was nice about it but it meant nothing.

[IrishHeart]

No, it was closer to Chelsea Market. (hint, hint)

 

If I were 100% certain it was their fault, I'd state the name right here, but I would hate to do that JIC.

 

I did talk to them about it, but they were "sure" it could not have been them. (okay, sure)

 

anyway. what's done is done and  I'm not one to point a finger unless I can prove it.

 

I am very cautious and in this case, I was the dope who took the chance.

 

I can vouch for Bistango!  

[nvsmom]

(HUGS) I hope it's getting better!

 

I've pretty much given up eating out. Even on vacations, I make sure I have a kitchen. Boring but I haven't been cc'ed by others in well over a year now. I have ordered things like a smoothie and a pumpkin spice latte, but I ask for new or clean equipment each time.... That's all I've eaten out.... Now I feel socially lame!  LOL 

 

.... I would eat out more if my kids weren't such picky gluten-free eaters. Often times if I can't get them fries, they are out of luck.  LOL

[Adalaide]

I've sworn I haven't given up on eating out, but other than a gluten free bakery and a place with a gluten free kitchen I haven't been out since a pizza incident. It's my own fault, I went out on a Friday night at dinner time to a pizza place which is against my own rules. I've been to the same place on weekdays at non-peak hours with no issues so I know they can give me safe pizza but I just felt like a pizza on a Friday and it bit me in the butt. I don't blame them, but I'm too scared to get another pizza. Even though I've wanted one from them again terribly since then. It almost seems better to drive half an hour and pay $10 for a pizza that is more like 4 meals instead of 1 if it means I know for a fact I'm 100% safe. But who wants to drive that far for pizza? 

 

Eventually I'll cave and it'll be a weekday and everything will be fine again. Until then, it's just me and my occasional In N Out excursion. Nothing keeps me from them, not even my waistband. 

[notme]

thanx, y'all.  i made it out to our river property yesterday because my friends were all like 'you don't love us anymore'   so they made a big bonfire and we burned stuff.  it's been a long time since i have been so dumb eating (over and over) so my poor buddies aren't used to me being knocked down very much anymore.  on top of that, my immune system must be limping, because i caught a cold.  the good news is, it went from my chest to my head and i hope it finds it's way gone!  my brother just had the same thing and the doc gave him z-pak megadose antibiotics, which i DON"T want.   i am doubling up my probiotics and trying to eat stuff that is non-irritating. 

 

i'm bumming because i found a restaurant in knox vegas that (not a chain) i was hoping to take my sis and bil out to eat at.  now i am chicken.  we do have a bonefish, though........  i don't know.  maybe i'll just eat my chex in the corner    (ow - it hurts to think about drinking OR chocolate LOLZ) xxoo

[Adalaide]

You'll find your guts to go again. It'll just take time to get feeling better than time to find your backbone again. 

 

I'll have your share of chocolate. You know, to ease your pain. Just trying to do my part.