Reimagining Eating Gluten Free

[Dhiggins]

Hello, I’m a college student out in the Midwest (gluten free, lactose intolerant, and peanut free (by choice)). I just joined the group and love all the camaraderie and feedback on different topics. As I spent another day complaining about the lack of options around me, on and off campus, my friends asked me quite bluntly well if you had it your way what would you want…and I didn’t like that I really didn’t have an answer.

 

So, I wanted to throw out this hypothetical and philosophical question(s):

HOW MIGHT WE RE-IMAGINE AND IMPROVE OUR EATING EXPERIENCE*?

*Eating experience – at home, at restaurants, at parties, at work, around family, around friends, etc.

 

 

Follow up questions to get the conversation going:

WHY would we want to improve the eating experience?

What do we REALLY want to change about our experience?

What about your eating experience is most frustrating?

Most fulfilling?

Most satisfying?

 

How might we improve the experience dining out at restaurants?

Finding a place, ordering, menus, staff, paying, portion size, how we feel after

 

How might we improve the eating experience so we feel happy and thankful about our diets?

 

It is the student in me, but I am curious.

 

Best,

Dhiggins 

[mommida]

I would want a discount. (If a restaurant has a "normal" meal option ~ the gluten free version usually omits the gluten parts of the meal.)   I would want to have a gluten free menu.

[LauraTX]

I would like the gluten free gods to wave their magic wand and I could magically go anywhere and eat anything.  Unfortunately, that isn't going to happen so I think awareness and education of everyone is the key to more safe dining options. 

[Dhiggins]

I would like the gluten free gods to wave their magic wand and I could magically go anywhere and eat anything.  Unfortunately, that isn't going to happen so I think awareness and education of everyone is the key to more safe dining options. 

 

Who would everyone be? Staff, waiters, family members, co-workers?

What would do you feel is most important for them to be aware about? 

Is there anything else you see as important as safety? 

[kareng]

Who would everyone be? Staff, waiters, family members, co-workers?

What would do you feel is most important for them to be aware about? 

Is there anything else you see as important as safety? 

 

 

Maybe its because you are "gluten free, lactose intolerant, and peanut free (by choice))"  , but why are you asking these odd questions?  These sound like things you would think are important, too?   

[Dhiggins]

Maybe its because you are "gluten free, lactose intolerant, and peanut free (by choice))"  , but why are you asking these odd questions?  These sound like things you would think are important, too?   

 

Absolutely, safety is important, yet there are so many different definitions of safety and people value food differently. 

 

I like your quote because it really gets at why I am asking these questions, "We need to give [our young people] the chance to become the next generation of scientists and engineers and entrepreneurs."  I ask these questions because my generation will have to create these solutions, and being able to fully articulate the problem has value to this respect.

[kareng]

Absolutely, safety is important, yet there are so many different definitions of safety and people value food differently. 

 

I like your quote because it really gets at why I am asking these questions, "We need to give [our young people] the chance to become the next generation of scientists and engineers and entrepreneurs."  I ask these questions because my generation will have to create these solutions, and being able to fully articulate the problem has value to this respect.

Honestly, you sound like a marketing guy. If you really were a Celiac, you would have most of the answers to your odd questions. You are free to read, on this forum, about the multiple good and bad dining experiences others have had. Maybe that would give you some idea about what people who really need to eat gluten-free want.

[GottaSki]

Hello, I’m a college student out in the Midwest (gluten free, lactose intolerant, and peanut free (by choice)). I just joined the group and love all the camaraderie and feedback on different topics. As I spent another day complaining about the lack of options around me, on and off campus, my friends asked me quite bluntly well if you had it your way what would you want…and I didn’t like that I really didn’t have an answer.

 

So, I wanted to throw out this hypothetical and philosophical question(s):

HOW MIGHT WE RE-IMAGINE AND IMPROVE OUR EATING EXPERIENCE*?

*Eating experience – at home, at restaurants, at parties, at work, around family, around friends, etc.

 

 

Follow up questions to get the conversation going:

WHY would we want to improve the eating experience?

What do we REALLY want to change about our experience?

What about your eating experience is most frustrating?

Most fulfilling?

Most satisfying?

 

How might we improve the experience dining out at restaurants?

Finding a place, ordering, menus, staff, paying, portion size, how we feel after

 

How might we improve the eating experience so we feel happy and thankful about our diets?

 

It is the student in me, but I am curious.

 

Best,

Dhiggins 

 

When I first read your post I dismissed it for two reasons.

 

First, you sound like you work for a marketing firm.

 

Second, this is not a philosophical issue for those of us that did not choose to remove gluten.  It is a physiological issue.  We cannot ingest gluten - period.

 

Imagine gluten is broken glass...now answer all the questions you posed based on what you would do to assure you are avoiding all broken glass and not being satisfied that "just a little" is flowing through your digestive system each and every time you step out to a restaurant, friend/family member's home or attend a business meeting.

[LauraTX]

 this is not a philosophical issue for those of us that did not choose to remove gluten.  It is a physiological issue.  We cannot ingest gluten - period.

 

 

This.  Try to think empathetically in other people's shoes.

 

Now that others have said it, it does sound a lot like a marketing research grab or are you possibly trying to write a paper and need help or something to plagiarize off of?  I just threw in my snarky "I wish the whole world was gluten-free" reply because I felt bad you have no responses.  You really can get all the answers to questions you have by reading through the forums.  If you really are someone who eats gluten-free for a medical need, please feel free to actually join our discussions and let us know a little about your background.

 

Also to answer your question "Is there anything else you see as important as safety?" The answer to that should be very obvious.  People with celiac disease and gluten intolerance eat strictly gluten-free because it is unsafe for them not to.  To have a question like that asked is a bit insulting to me and everyone who gets harmed by consuming gluten.  Every person who pushes a lackadaisical attitude when it comes to safety and actual gluten-free status of gluten-free foods is part of the problem.  You can read about the problems of dining out as a Celiac here on the forum.