Most Ridiculous Gluten Comment I've Heard

[Googles]

I had two doosies in the last couple of weeks, both from work. I had a colleague ask me if I could eat fruit salad (only had fruit in it, no toppings). Another situation: I had a supervisor (who has a MA) ask me if I could have white bread because she wasn't sure if it had wheat in it. 

[RainKitty]

I heard this from a friend at school recently after describing how sick I get when I accidentally eat gluten:

You are soooo lucky you have Celiac! I try to go gluten-free, but end up eating it anyway! If I got sick, I'd never touch it!

I didn't even know where to start with what she said, so I smiled and kept my mouth shut.

[jddh]

This is where dieting trends sorta punch us in the face. On one hand, folks are curious and beginning to be mindful about gluten (albeit through a vague notion that it will make them—non celiacs—feel better/lose weight/be smarter, etc). On the other hand, they are deeply misinformed on what it's all about. I try to make those instances "teachable moments" and tell them the deal, although folks' interest in the topic is often not deep enough to listen carefully and learn.

Do any of the celiac foundations have printable snarky business cards with key talking points about gluten? That could be fun to whip out at situations like the above. If not, PM me; I'm a graphic designer. We could make this happen

[notme]

i would *love* a snarky business card    (ok.  snarky anything....   )

[Pegleg84]

That's a brilliant idea actually. Also, personalized "I can't eat a,b,c,d" to give to the server to give to the chef so you don't have to trust them to remember everything.

[Pegleg84]

On a related "stupid gluten comments" note, I recently saw a sign at a local music shop for Gluten Free Guitars. Part of me wanted to go in and yell at them, but I just shook my head and laughed it off as hipster bait.

[moosemalibu]

My boyfriend's mother (a huge cycling enthusiast, high school math teacher, overall pleasant woman) came over on Sunday and promptly announced that she and her hubs were eating gluten free after reading Wheat Belly and Grain Brain. She then proceeds to tell me how they went out to eat at their favorite Mexican restaurant already and of course plan to make Grandpa's dinner Saturday glutenous (she makes country fried steak and mayonnaise cake every year). She tells me that she gets the gluten free granola for her morning yogurt and her hubs has been telling everyone at work (he's an air force chief) that he's been gluten free but she says HIS granola isn't gluten free. So he shouldn't be telling everyone he's really gluten free (implying that she's doing a great job of it herself). Face palm. I'm attending the birthday dinner Saturday (bringing my own food, as usual) and my boyfriend plans to have a talk with her prior. Because otherwise I may go off on her at the dinner table in front of his entire family.

[bartfull]

On a related "stupid gluten comments" note, I recently saw a sign at a local music shop for Gluten Free Guitars. Part of me wanted to go in and yell at them, but I just shook my head and laughed it off as hipster bait.

I sell gluten-free guitars! I own a guitar store and I don't allow gluten foods in my shop.

[BlessedMommy]

LOL bartfull!

 

Are you the only worker there or do you have employees who bring in gluten free lunches? 

[bartfull]

No employees, but I host a weekly jam session and they have all been informed that unless it's gluten-free, they can't bring food in here. As a matter of fact, last year they threw me a birthday party here and the food was Udi's gluten-free chocolate muffins (with candles) and Kettle Brand potato chips. I supplied the Dunkin' Donuts coffee. I also tell the occasional customer who walks in finishing their lunch that I can't allow food in here. They usually finish it outside, then come in and wash their hands before handling the guitars.

[BlessedMommy]

That is so cool!

 

I love Kettle brand potato chips. I take it that they must be soy and corn free, in addition to gluten free.

[bartfull]

Yep. They are cooked in sunflower oil. But let me tell you, if you can find Boulder Canyon Olive Oil chips, TRY THEM!! They are not greasy like Kettle Brand, and they are without a doubt the very best chips I have ever tasted. Plus, being cooked in olive oil, I tell myself they're good for me!

[user001]

OMG YOU CAN'T HAVE DORITOS....DON'T EAT THAT!

 

YES, I can!

 

LMAO

 

edit.. not doritos.. what are those things?? tostitos?

[Nadtorious]

Oh my.....it's been a long time since I've posted on this site but I HAD to after reading this thread.

 

1) Once asked a waitress what salads were gluten free. She pointed them out, then told me a couple I couldn't have because they contained Romaine. Apparently Romaine contains gluten.....? I actually wanted to order one of the salads that had Romaine in it and she refused to serve it to me because she didn't want me to get sick. I finally ordered the spinach salad, and then she brings me a basket full of breadsticks   

 

2) Was in NYC a couple of weeks ago. Hostess says they've got a ton of gluten free options and to just ask the waiter once we're seated. So I do. His response? "Look at the menu, you know what you can eat better than I do". That guy got a cruddy tip.

[poneelovesyou]

Wow! These are some fun ones! I am continously blown away by the ignorance of people especially in the restraunt industry who are confident when they tell you something is gluten-free, and then later you have a reaction and know they were full of s$#&. At a thai resteraunt, I asked the guy over and over, because I was so skeptical. He assured me that 100% of everything on the menu was gluten-free. I thought, well thats odd considering soy sauce is in like almost all thai dishes. I think he was confused with MSG( mono sodium GLUTamate) Similar enough right? Ha!

 

Another ethiopian place I went, online they advterized gluten-free injera bread. We called before going, just to double check. When we get there, I triple check by asking the waitress (who hardlty spoke english) if the injera bread there was gluten-free. I think she thought I was asking if it was free, or extra charge. I went through the next week not understanding why I had such terrible anxiety and eradic brain chemistry. I went back to the resteraunt a week and a half later with a friend, and the new waitress said, "no, there is deff wheat in the bread". Resteraunt fail. Seems like this happens over and over, and people don't seem to understand how their negligence puts me in suffering for weeks.

[Alwayssomething]

I had someone tell me that I could have the brownies she made because she only added nuts, no flour.   

 

This same person saved me the Teddy Graham from the top of a cupcake that someone had made becuase the "knew you couldn't have the cupcake".   

 

I also had eaten a very plain basic meal at a restaurant on several occasions and never had a problem but one time when I ordered that same meal the waitress informed me that I couldn't have the carrots, they had sugar in them.   Gluten = Gluton???? 

[Nadtorious]

Haha, so I'm a dietitian, and I work with other dietitians. Once had a dietitian (an old boss, who has a MASTERS DEGREE in nutrition mind you) give me a bag of chocolate covered pretzels as a gift. "I'm not sure if they're gluten free or not...."

 

They most certainly were not. Let's just hope she's not counseling any celiacs any time soon.

[Noobette]

I had someone tell me that I could have the brownies she made because she only added nuts, no flour.   

  

Maybe she meant the brownies were made with nut flour? There are a million recipes out there for grain-free brownies made with almond flour.

A co-worker brought shortbread cookies to work a while ago which everyone was raving about. She said the secret was that they were made with corn flour. I was feeling sorry for myself since everyone was going on and on about how amazing the cookies were, so my ears perked up. I asked "Corn flour? But they have wheat flour too, right?" And she said "No, no wheat flour." I got pretty excited thinking I just might be able to eat one of these fabled cookies and said "Really, ALL corn flour and no wheat at all?" Her reply: "Oh, and regular flour too." *facepalm*

Turns out she had no idea that regular flour was made from wheat..

[BlessedMommy]

Wow.   

[LauraTX]

Turns out she had no idea that regular flour was made from wheat..

This happens way too often, LOL

[jessiej]

I was in Starbucks recently grabbing a coffee, and noticed they started selling little gluten-free rice krispie treats. I think they must have come out that day or something, because the barista making the drinks was talking to the cashier about how gluten free diets were proven to be unnecessary. He just kept going on and on about how it's all a crock and a marketing trend and how "no one needs to be gluten-free." I don't follow the science on non-celiac gluten sensitivity enough to have a non-anecdotal opinion on it, but I wanted to shake the man and say, "What about people with celiac??!!". That was my most ridiculous run-in with someone lately

[across]

Okay, how about "Most Ridiculous Celiac Comment Ever?"

 

"Oh yeah, we know all about celiac disease. Our son had it. But you know what? He was cured by acupuncture. Now he can eat gluten anytime he wants. You should try it!"

[across]

I went to an Outback Steakhouse awhile back because they are usually pretty good about being gluten-free. I was getting take-out for one, and I was very specific about my dietary needs with the young lady who took my order. She said she understood, and that she would be extra vigilant, and check with the kitchen on everything to make sure I got no gluten. 

 

When she brought the bag to my car (they do curbside delivery), she told me how careful she had been because she really, really didn't want me to get sick. She assured me that there was no gluten.

 

When I got the bag home, I opened it to find a lovely gluten free meal...topped by a huge serving of bread!

[BlessedMommy]

Oh my!

 

I hope that you went back and complained.

[Purpletie3]

Thanks for sharing your funny stories...

 

   My most hysterical moment was last weekend when my boyfriends Aunt said " Hey, we're doing that gluten free thing too" AS she slopped the beer out of her cup. I passed a note to her boyfriend with Red Bridge on it...