I Made My Own Eating-out Card For Restaurants.

[ArtGirl]

Since I'm trying to eliminate, not only gluten, but corn, eggs and milk, I decided to compose my own restaurant card for servers and cooks.

Do you think it is easy to understand? Would you suggest anything else?

________________________________________________

TO: WAIT-STAFF AND COOKS

I am allergic to:

wheat(all breads and breading)

corn (including cornstarch and corn syrup).

dairy (milk, butter, margarine, cream, etc.)

eggs

I will most probably be ordering unseasoned grilled meat*, steamed unseasoned vegetables, salad without croutons or cheese, and plain baked potato.

Because of my food allergies…

do not use any seasonings (other than salt and pepper), oils or butters on my food.

*IMPORTANT: When cooking my meat, please clean the grill and use clean utensils so that my food will not be contaminated from previously grilled foods that may contain foods that I am allergic to. A very little bit can make me very sick.

Thank you for making my food safe for me to eat.

_________________________________________________

[tarnalberry]

you may find that you still get gluten from sauces (like flour thickened sauces and soy sauce) and hidden ingredients.

[ArtGirl]

I ate at Chili's this evening and ordered steamed broccoli plain. It came with butter on it, only I didn't notice it until I had taken a bite. The waitress said she had told them to make it plain. I won't know if I'll have a reaction to it until tomorrow sometime.

That's why I thought a card a server could read and give to the cooks might help. I know others have mentioned using a card about gluten when going to restaurants.

[queenofhearts]

If I were you I'd clearly specify no soy sauce, as it turns up in all sorts of foods in all sorts of restaurants, & nobody thinks of it as having wheat in it. Of course you could say it qualifies as a seasoning, but why take the chance? Also, broth bases are used in all sorts of foods, & some contain gluten, so you might mention that too.

Leah

[ArtGirl]

  queenofhearts said:

If I were you I'd clearly specify no soy sauce,

Thanks, Leah - I've added soysauce to the card.

Since I will be ordering my food without sauces, I'm hoping to avoid hidden gluten, etc.

It's a jungle out there!!!! I've only eaten out twice in the last two months - first time was good, but that was out of town so can't go there again. Next time it will be at Outbacks where so many here have had safe meals from.

[eKatherine]

You also might want to specify pasta and pastries, which everybody thinks is made from white.

[Ursa Major]

You only specified wheat, what about the rye and barley?

Also, there are some pretty ignorant people out there, who seriously think that white flour is NOT wheat.

[ArtGirl]

  eKatherine said:

You also might want to specify pasta and pastries, which everybody thinks is made from white.

I wouldn't be ordering any pasta or pastries or any breads.

  Ursula said:

You only specified wheat, what about the rye and barley?

Also, there are some pretty ignorant people out there, who seriously think that white flour is NOT wheat.

I thought it would be easier for people to understand if I just said "wheat" and didn't try to educate them about where gluten comes from, since, as you pointed out, there are some pretty ignorant people out there.

Maybe, though, I could say "gluten" with "all flour and all bread" after that. I'm really only trying to prevent someone putting a roll or a slice of bread on my food.

[Fiddle-Faddle]

I thinkyou also need to add "wheat starch" and "modified food starch," which are in most premade sauces, marinades, and sauce mixes. Somebody might think that a white sauce, for example, would be just fine as it has no bread or bread crumbs in it. Or they might think that "light" ice cream is okay, as there is no obvious wheat in it--until you read the label and see "wheat starch" as the fourth ingredient.

Even many deli meats contain gluten. And it's probably not a good idea to expect a busy chef to stop everything so that he or she can read every label, unless you call in advance.

If you want to prevent someone from putting a roll or piece of bread on your plate, then you will have to specifically say that, and explain why. It's just unfair of you to expect these people (some of whom are obviously lacking in education if not intelligence) to read your mind. Think of all the things YOU did not know before you had to be gluten-free.

[ArtGirl]

  Fiddle-Faddle said:

It's just unfair of you to expect these people (some of whom are obviously lacking in education if not intelligence) to read your mind.

I know. I do tell them. But telling doesn't seem to be enough. That's why I thought the card would help. Talking to the server doesn't necessarily mean it's being communicated to the cook.

  Fiddle-Faddle said:

Iit's probably not a good idea to expect a busy chef to stop everything so that he or she can read every label, unless you call in advance.

If you'll notice on the text of the card, I'm only asking that my meat and vegetables be prepared without ANYTHING on them. This does not require reading a label.

[Ursa Major]

  ArtGirl said:

Talking to the server doesn't necessarily mean it's being communicated to the cook.

Valda, just talking to a server is usually not enough anyway. It is much better to call ahead of time and talk to a manager. You see, a manager will really feel responsible for your welfare. When I still thought that only gluten was a problem and went out (I don't bother now), I had the assistant manager of the restaurant look after me personally. He went into the kitchen and personally supervised the chef while cooking my meal! He made them scrub everything (including their hands )and dedicate a corner of the kitchen to me. I found it somewhat embarassing to be the center of attention (and even more embarassing that my husband told him that all that wasn't necessary and not to worry, because a little gluten wouldn't kill me, after all), but at least I was safe.

And some restaurants serve rolls made from rye. So, if you only specify wheat, they'll think their rye buns are okay, and put them on your plate!

Also, even though you specify they shouldn't put anything ON the meat, what about it being cooked on a grill that has gluten already on it? So, really, that's why it's important to make them really understand.