Going To Memphis

[elonwy]

So its travelling to see the family these holidays, and our new years stop is in Memphis with BF's dad and step-fam. I'm going to email her in the next few days, to get her prepared mentally for me being the one with the weird diet, and I was hoping that someone on here knew where some good health food stores in Memphis are where I could get gluten-free stuff. I've never been there before, and god knows they don't know where the health food stores are. At this point in travels I will have run out of whatever I'm packing with me, we'll be in Memphis on the 28th and start the journey on the 13th (Going to Hawaii and San Diego first.). Someone also posted a letter on here once I think ( or perhaps it was in a book I read) that they sent to relatives to warn them before they showed up. This particular group has not dealt with these issues with me yet so I want to throw a nice heads up thier way ( that includes a I can take care of myself statement).

Anyway, Memphis anyone?

Elonwy

[jenvan]

this might help... go here to locate wild oats and whole foods in memphis or on the way there--use zip or city/state: Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

[pokerprincess]

So its travelling to see the family these holidays, and our new years stop is in Memphis with BF's dad and step-fam. I'm going to email her in the next few days, to get her prepared mentally for me being the one with the weird diet, and I was hoping that someone on here knew where some good health food stores in Memphis are where I could get gluten-free stuff. I've never been there before, and god knows they don't know where the health food stores are. At this point in travels I will have run out of whatever I'm packing with me, we'll be in Memphis on the 28th and start the journey on the 13th (Going to Hawaii and San Diego first.). Someone also posted a letter on here once I think ( or perhaps it was in a book I read) that they sent to relatives to warn them before they showed up. This particular group has not dealt with these issues with me yet so I want to throw a nice heads up thier way ( that includes a I can take care of myself statement).

Anyway, Memphis anyone?

Elonwy

Elonwy,

I used to live in Memphis. O.k. City. Not L.A. Jen has suggested Wild Oats on Poplar already. Loved that store. I can tell you my Favorite restraunt, Pete and Sam's. Old Italian, bring your own bottle place. Houstons on Popular is pretty good. You have to be careful in the south, the love to bread and fry everything! The very best place to be sure that you are not being gluttened, Horseshoe casino Buffet In Tunica Ms. Only go to the salad bar. That will be plenty! Have fun and make sure you go to Beale Street!

Safe Travels,

P.P.

[jaten]

I live about 70 miles south of Memphis, and so far the Wild Oats there has been my #1 supplier for gluten-free (although Kroger in my hometown does a good job, too).

Wild Oats is located at 5022 Poplar. (Poplar is easy for anyone even vaguely familiar with Memphis)

Square Foods (www.squarefoods.com) 2094 Madison Ave. is a market I haven't tried, but will on my next trip to Memphis. Madison will also be easy/familiar to your Memphis hosts.

Because I am very newly diagnosed, just a few weeks, I can't make too many recommendations for restaurants. Outback has several locations in Memphis, and I can personally vouch for the one on Hacks Cross Road. The wait & kitchen staff were very familiar, helpful, and patient. Brought out a gluten-free menu asap. And apologized for my food taking so long to prepare, but were cooking separately, etc. I assured them the wait was worth it to me. Very friendly. I am extremely sensitive and I did not get sick at all, eventhough I was really kind of expecting to

I can't vouch for these personally, but there is also a PF Chang's and two Carrabba's Italian Grill locations. (One of the Carrabba's is at 5110 Poplar). I understand that both of these national chains offer gluten-free menus if you check their websites.

Oh, yeah, and Macaroni Grill is also on Poplar....I hear they are gluten-free friendly, but again, no personal experience yet.

Enjoy your trip to Memphis!

[Merika]

Hi Elonwy,

Good luck and let us know how it goes. Dh has family there, but we haven't been since I've been gluten-free. Would be curious to hear your experiences.

Let me just say, that coming from LA, there's not a lot to eat there no matter what you eat I did go to the wild oats though Best place in town, IMHO.

Merika

(apologies to any natives, it's just a different diet than what I'm used to)

[elonwy]

I totally forgot about this thread, lol. I was there and am now back, actually.

Being scared, and this being in-family that had not been exposed to the diet, I showed up with a suitcase of food. Turns out there was no need really. My boyfriends family lives in Germantown and we went to the local Kroger store, and in their Health/Diet section, what do I see but all kinds of gluten-free goodies, Pamelas mixes, cereals, Frozen waffles and Amy's dinners,etc. More than my local albertsons, thats for sure. I was pleasantly surprised and a little annoyed at everyone being so pitying of me ( the night before they sent out for ribs and I made myself a box of mac & cheese my first ever with the Annies stuff, I'm an addict now) and so I bought a Pamelas pancake mix and blueberries an volunteered to make breakfast the next morning.

They couldn't get enough of them! I totally convinced them to stop feeling sorry for me and had to cut them off cause there wasn't going to be any left for me.

THe one thing the store didn't have was crackers ( the dog ate my rice crackers the first night there) and so we went to Wild Oats which had all kinds of gluten-free stuff I had never seen before. I got the blue diamond nut crackers which I am now in love with and need to find more of, haven't seen them in LA yet, and I got some pamelas cookies to make a crust with. I made a gluten-free pumpkin pie that night, and again, they loved it. I always did smushed cookies for my pumpkin pies before gluten-free, so it makes me happy that the Pamelas stuff worked so well.

I did get glutened at a restaurant though, but it was becuase they brought me the wrong food, I had ordered the rice wraps with grilled shrimp instead of breaded and was so hungry when it got there I just snatched one and started chowing on it and it wasn't until too late that I realized it shouldn't be crunchy. Spent the rest of the time in the restaurant in the bathroom barfing and crying. SOOO much fun. That however, showed them all how serious it was, my reactions are VIOLENT and IMMEDIATE now that I've been been gluten-free for a while, so I think it was a good lesson in all. A lesson for me not to let myself get so hungry I can't pause to check what I've been served too.

We had a New Years Eve party there, which was potluck and I went back to Kroger and got myself a cedar lane mexican bean dip ( says gluten-free right on it!) and some blue corn chips and I had a little place in the kitchen with a bright pink sign that said "Elonwy's DO NOT TOUCH!! Gluten Free Zone!!" and it was really cool. I really pined after the cocktail weenies, but other than that really didn't care much. Everyone was super cool after I explained it all, and it wasn't a big deal at all.

Over all it was a really good trip, despite the one glutening, especially since I'd never really been in the south before and had no idea what it would be like.

You have to go see the Peabody ducks if you're in Memphis. They are so cute I almost cried.

Elonwy

PS- Merika- You're right. I've never seen so much Pork in one store in my life!

[Merika]

Thanks for the report I'll have to remember about the ducks. i LOVE ducks Sounds like a fun trip (well, except for the throwing up part, lol).

Merika