Please Help Me Find The Hidden Gluten In My Dinner

[tiffjake]

Ok, so I LOVE outback and go there pretty often. They know me as the "glucose girl" because they can't remember gluten and the manager always checks on everything and asks if it came out ok......so tonight I did the to go thing. I got a new york strip, baked potato with butter and sour cream, and salad with tomato and cheese (no dressing, I know the gluten free menu said that their dressings are ok, but I have gotten sick there before, so I thought I would try getting it without the dressing and just using my own at home). I was sick 2 days ago, but that had pretty much cleared up (if you know what I mean...no more d). And about an hour after my dinner I got BAD D. I can't figure it out!?!?! Maybe the sour cream? Maybe the steak was cooked on part of the grill where they had teryaki sauce? I am just not getting it....Any ideas???

[GreySaber]

Ok, so I LOVE outback and go there pretty often. They know me as the "glucose girl" because they can't remember gluten and the manager always checks on everything and asks if it came out ok......so tonight I did the to go thing. I got a new york strip, baked potato with butter and sour cream, and salad with tomato and cheese (no dressing, I know the gluten free menu said that their dressings are ok, but I have gotten sick there before, so I thought I would try getting it without the dressing and just using my own at home). I was sick 2 days ago, but that had pretty much cleared up (if you know what I mean...no more d). And about an hour after my dinner I got BAD D. I can't figure it out!?!?! Maybe the sour cream? Maybe the steak was cooked on part of the grill where they had teryaki sauce? I am just not getting it....Any ideas???

You used your own dressing at home? Have you tried this dressing before with good results?

I was making my own dressing... Ranch with those packets of spices? Made me horridly sick. I firmly beleive it was the MSG. (Some say MSG is safe, I disagree quite firmly.)

[tiffjake]

You used your own dressing at home? Have you tried this dressing before with good results?

I was making my own dressing... Ranch with those packets of spices? Made me horridly sick. I firmly beleive it was the MSG. (Some say MSG is safe, I disagree quite firmly.)

No, I didn't make my own dressing I am soooo not that good! I meant that I made my salad at home with my own dressing, hidden valled lite ranch. I have used it before with no problems....so I don't think that is it....

[jerseyangel]

Hi Tiff--my first thought that it could have been CC from the grill or something in their kitchen--that's always a possibility. The other thing is that possibly you were not completely over the last gluten episode. I react for a week or two each time--but the symptoms like D can seem to ease up for a day or so and then act up again. Kind of takes a couple "false starts" for everything to really work smoothly again.

[Guhlia]

Every time I go to Outback there are always little crumbs from the croutons in my salad. It doesn't look as though someone picked croutons off of it, it just looks like cheese is stored near the croutons. Maybe that's how you got sick. I feel glutened from there occasionally (we eat there all the time).

[teankerbell]

If you are still recovering it could take 5 days or more for it to get through your system. I try to avoid restaurants until I know I am o.k.

[Lauren M]

Every time I go to Outback there are always little crumbs from the croutons in my salad. It doesn't look as though someone picked croutons off of it, it just looks like cheese is stored near the croutons. Maybe that's how you got sick. I feel glutened from there occasionally (we eat there all the time).

At the Outback where I work, the croutons are stored nowhere near the rest of the salad toppings. I think Outback takes adequate precautions, but maybe training for the servers could be better. I would bet that the crumbs you saw in your salad were not because croutons fell into the cheese, but because a server grabbed some croutons for one salad, and then grabbed cheese for your's. Just a guess, but I would really emphasize that they need to mix your salad in a CLEAN BOWL (which is actually the suggestion on their gluten-free menu on their website anyway).

- Lauren

[penguin]

I got glutened at an Outback, also. I had their shrimp appetizer and by the middle of my salad I was sick. SO annoying. I think the sauce probably got contaminated.

Also, when I get glutened, almost everything I eat for a few days makes me feel glutened. I think the body just goes hyperactive after glutening. Maybe the steak didn't agree with you...

[GreySaber]

No, I didn't make my own dressing I am soooo not that good! I meant that I made my salad at home with my own dressing, hidden valled lite ranch. I have used it before with no problems....so I don't think that is it....

That seems suspcious to me.... I have a vague memory of that being chock full of modified food starch and or MSG, but it's been awhile since I read the label on it.

Pretty much anything labeled 'lite' is only lite because they remove 20 percent of the product and replace it with 20% filler, often wheat.

I sometimes find that my D. get slowed down or delayed if I have a lot of fiber in my system.

[Fiddle-Faddle]

If they use a wheat-containing seasoning blend on some of their steaks, it's possible the cook either put the wrong steak on the dish or the waiter gave you a plate that was meant for someone else.

[Mango04]

Between the butter, the sour cream, the cheese on the salad and the ranch dressing...that's a LOT of dairy. Maybe too much dairy too soon after being sick a couple days ago? Even if dairy doesn't usually bother you, you could be temporarily intolerant due to recently being sick. Just a thought.

[Judyin Philly]

Between the butter, the sour cream, the cheese on the salad and the ranch dressing...that's a LOT of dairy. Maybe too much dairy too soon after being sick a couple days ago? Even if dairy doesn't usually bother you, you could be temporarily intolerant due to recently being sick. Just a thought.

I totally 'DITO' mango04...This would be ME esp after a precious gluten.

I would bet the 'possible seasoning from another steak on the grill' or the above.

Glad you 'were' doing better than the other day.

I'd eat 'just' plain foods...boring i know, but you want to be 'healthy for hubbys return'

PS i know that 'stress' is always a REAL TRIGGER FOR ME & IF I ADD DAIRY...BETTER WATCH OUT

hUGS, jUDY IN PHILLY

[michelle-wattier]

So much good advice! I know everyone is diff but...I know if I eat any salad at all, particularly iceberg lettuce, soon after being sick I get D all over again, and I KNOW it was the lettuce that didn't get digested!! LOL. Seems worse if I eat it with any caffeine....goes thru my system lots quicker Too much roughage I guess!

Michelle,

gluten-free in IA

[tiffjake]

The other thing is that possibly you were not completely over the last gluten episode. I react for a week or two each time--but the symptoms like D can seem to ease up for a day or so and then act up again. Kind of takes a couple "false starts" for everything to really work smoothly again.

That makes a lot of sense!! I didn't think of that....guess I was just soooo excited about feeling better! LOL

Every time I go to Outback there are always little crumbs from the croutons in my salad.

I have had that problem several times, and I have talked to the manager SEVERAL times, thats why they know me so well.......so I look now, REALLY hard, for crumbs.....

[tiffjake]

If you are still recovering it could take 5 days or more for it to get through your system. I try to avoid restaurants until I know I am o.k.

I didn't know that....and it makes sense because I am still "healing" and maybe I need to do that...take a break from restaurants for a while after getting sick! Good advice!

Just a guess, but I would really emphasize that they need to mix your salad in a CLEAN BOWL (which is actually the suggestion on their gluten-free menu on their website anyway).

- Lauren

Lauren, I am sure that you are an awesome server, but I have told them that every time, and I think some people/servers just don't care. I waited tables for four years, and to be honest, some days I didn't care either, you know? Now I have a new reason to care!!!

I got glutened at an Outback, also. I had their shrimp appetizer and by the middle of my salad I was sick. SO annoying. I think the sauce probably got contaminated.

Also, when I get glutened, almost everything I eat for a few days makes me feel glutened. I think the body just goes hyperactive after glutening. Maybe the steak didn't agree with you...

All of these sound like they could be it...thank so much for your help!

That seems suspcious to me.... I have a vague memory of that being chock full of modified food starch and or MSG, but it's been awhile since I read the label on it.

Pretty much anything labeled 'lite' is only lite because they remove 20 percent of the product and replace it with 20% filler, often wheat.

I sometimes find that my D. get slowed down or delayed if I have a lot of fiber in my system.

The Hidden Valley? I checked their website, it said that it was ok?!?! And I haven't had a problem with it before....hm.....maybe they changed their formula?

Between the butter, the sour cream, the cheese on the salad and the ranch dressing...that's a LOT of dairy. Maybe too much dairy too soon after being sick a couple days ago? Even if dairy doesn't usually bother you, you could be temporarily intolerant due to recently being sick. Just a thought.

Ah...you know...didn't think of that....great advice people!!!

So much good advice! I know everyone is diff but...I know if I eat any salad at all, particularly iceberg lettuce, soon after being sick I get D all over again, and I KNOW it was the lettuce that didn't get digested!! LOL. Seems worse if I eat it with any caffeine....goes thru my system lots quicker Too much roughage I guess!

Michelle,

gluten-free in IA

Don't want to get too graphic, but I KNOW what you mean!! Good call!!!!

[NicoleAJ]

Personally I always avoid the salad, partially because the only dressing I'd really like to eat--the tomato viniagrette--is not gluten free. I find that they're always willing to do substitutions, so when I get the sirloin; instead of getting salad and a side, I get two sides--steamed veggies without seasoning and a potato with sour cream and butter.

By the way, does anyone know if the bacon they use on the potatoes (for loaded baked potatoes) is gluten free?

[MallysMama]

I'm no expert on Outback, by any means (I've only worked there 7 months - and only at one outback that is new). But here are a few answers to some of your questions (not all outbacks are the same though - since they all have different propreitors).

Tiff - There could be a number of reasons that you got sick - some of which have been mentioned numerous times. I think a great possibility (if you're really sensitive to CC) is that even if you didn't see the crumbs from the croutons - they could have used the same gloves to grab the cheese for your salad that they used to put croutons on someone else's salad. Our croutons are in a pull-out "bin" right over all the salad toppings. Not very safe - I realize that now. I don't know about your Outback - but at our's the people who make all the salads and appetizers are not always english speaking employees. They are so very hard to communicate with at times - so at my restaurant - I always wonder if they understand the importance of "allergy" written on a piece of paper (especially when they get busy).

Chelse - The reason you could have gotten sick from the shrimp is that it normally comes on a peice of "toast"....and even though you probably requested it w/out the bread - maybe they accidently put it on top of the bread and then removed it when they realized the mistake. If I remember correctly - you get sick easily from CC - so that could have been the trouble with your experience there.

NicoleAJ - I'm sure the bacon is fine - it's real bacon (I've never heard of real bacon containing gluten - but correct me if I'm wrong)... they chop it up real small every day. As for the hands that touch it - who knows what else they've touched beforehand! That will always be an issue in any restaurant.

Someone said something about the seasonings on different steaks - it's the SAME seasoning on every steak. They use 17 different seasonings in a blend on their steaks - but supposedly it's gluten free. When you put that many seasonings on one thing - there's probably a good chance it doesn't always agree with your stomach. (I think my hubby is finding this out - as he sometimes gets "sicker" than I do when we eat there...and he isn't allergic to any known food.)

So - yeah. Any restaurant can pose a risk with sanitary issues for normal people and CC issues for us. You never know! I'm sure each restaurant does it's best to be as safe as possible - but it's not possible to keep an eye on every empolyee in the place - and maybe there are some who just don't care as much as they should about the safety of what they're serving. (Unfortunately!)