Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Having Trouble Eating Out

Guest dreams25

By Guest dreams25
in Coping with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

Guest dreams25
Guest dreams25
Posted

I was diagnosed celiac disease in August, and am fine at home but still struggling with eating out, can anyone give me some hints..

As no one treats it serious.. been out twice both times meal was glutened ..

So help..... :(

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


jkmunchkin Rising Star
jkmunchkin
Posted

I'm a big advocate of continuing to eat out and enjoy this aspect of life, however given how recently you were diagnosed, you might want to give yourself a couple months to heal and really learn about the restrictions.

I successfully eat out pretty often and I find the keys are:

1) always be very nice (very important)

2) don't be afraid to speak up. Let them know your restrictions

3) Let your server know why you are ordering the way you are, but in laymens terms. A lot of people don't know what celiac is, and even less people are going to understand what you mean if you say you have a wheat and gluten intolerance. But I find it very effective to say, "I'm really sorry to be a pain, but I'm allergic to anything with wheat or gluten in it, so if you can just make sure they are really careful I'd greatly appreciate it."

I find if you acknowledge that you are asking for them to go above and beyond makes them take the opposite mindset of that's it's no big deal to help you out and they don't want to see you get sick.

Also you may want to order a set of these dining cards. I only used them once but found them to be very effective.

Open Original Shared Link

Guest dreams25
Guest dreams25
Posted

Thanks for that... the cards are a good idea but as i live in Australia.. wouldnt be any good, maybe they have something like that here, will have to investigate ...

Just takes time i guess to get used to all this.. but will get there.. looking forward to feeling better thats for sure.

2wheels4eyes Explorer
2wheels4eyes
Posted
...

3) Let your server know why you are ordering the way you are, but in laymens terms. A lot of people don't know what celiac is, and even less people are going to understand what you mean if you say you have a wheat and gluten intolerance. But I find it very effective to say, "I'm really sorry to be a pain, but I'm allergic to anything with wheat or gluten in it, so if you can just make sure they are really careful I'd greatly appreciate it."

I'm very newly gluten-free myself, and have only eaten out a few times yet (and survived the Minnesota State Fair!) But I'm already finding with friends and restaurant staff alike, that calling it a kind of wheat/grain "allergy" simply isn't doing the trick. People listen a lot more carefully and seem to take it more seriously when I say it's a disease, or an autoimmune disease. I.e., friends who a month ago saw me chowing down on waffles and panini are no longer asking why I can't just 'have a little", etc. I could be wrong, but I think restaurant staff are also more careful when they realize it's a big deal. (You probably could go overboard here and make it *too* big of a deal, in which case you might not get served at all because of liability fears. It's a fine line I guess.)

Have other people found this to be the case? Or is going the "allergy" (rather than "disease") route generally considered a more effective way to convey the gist of gluten-free to a general audience?

Carriefaith Enthusiast
Carriefaith
Posted

You may be better off staying away from restaurants until you heal beacuse of the high risk of cross contamination. The average time for individuals to feel better on the gluten-free diet from polls on this board seems to be about 3-4 months.

Guest cassidy
Guest cassidy
Posted

Eating out can be very tough. I have found that when I'm in situations that I have to eat out with other people the restaurants don't mind if I bring my own food. I always ask and no one has minded. At first I felt funny, but I won't let myself feel pressured to eat out if I don't want to.

When I do eat out here is what I have found to be successful:

- I only eat in restaurants with chefs. Upscale restaurants where everything is made there - not places like Chilis or Applebees where things may be pre-marinaded.

- I ask the chef to come to the table. I ask if they can prepare gluten-free food. If so, how do they do it. I always say "as you know" it is very important that my food be prepared in a clean dish with clean utensils since a crumb will have me sick for days. Sometimes they say they didn't realize that they had to be that careful. I stress how much I'm trusting them and ask them to do their best.

- I usually order plain meat - chicken, fish, steak and steamed veggies. I've started asking for 1/2 the veggies when everyone else gets their appetizer or salad - this way I don't starve. I don't get a salad because they get me sick every time. I think kitchens think that nothing in a salad has gluten so they don't have to make a special one.

I stay away from gluten-free menus with sauces because I feel that there are too many ingredients and chances for cc. I tried the gluten-free menu at Bonefish and just ordered through the server and I got very sick.

nikki-uk Enthusiast
nikki-uk
Posted
Thanks for that... the cards are a good idea but as i live in Australia.. wouldnt be any good, maybe they have something like that here, will have to investigate ...

Here's a link to some cards you can print off and laminate..

Open Original Shared Link

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Corkdarrr Enthusiast
Corkdarrr
Posted

I have been working in the hospitality industry for many years, and I wouldn't trust talking to just the server. And in most restaurants it is difficult to pry the chef from the kitchen, if only because they are busy running the line. (But also because chef's are rather cranky by nature.) So from the restaurant's point of view, PLEASE don't come in on a busy Friday or Saturday nite and start throwing all these restrictions at us. Because we will fail and you will get sick.

My advice would be to come in on a Tuesday or something, and to come in early before the rush has started. Ask to speak to the manager on duty about your restrictions, or the chef if he's available. And be polite - I like both Cassidy's "as you know" talk with the chef, and jkmunchkin's "i'm sorry to be a pain" talk.

Find one or two restaurants in your area that you like and that you visit regularly enough that the management and/or waitstaff knows who you are, and the chef's are familiar with your restrictions. And make sure to leave an above-average tip! You don't want people to fight over who gets stuck with you when they see you coming in the door. And it probably also leads to a better likelihood that something will be cross-contaminated.

I would also defiantely stay away from salads. Especially if it's just a tossed side salad, as most of these are made beforehand with croutons flying wildly about the salad station.

As a newly diagnosed Celiac with only two months under my belt, there are only two restaurants I will eat at. And I know the owners at both of them. The one other time I ate out (at the restaurant I worked at for three years, no less!) I got sick as a dog. Granted, i knew the probability was good. And I REFUSED to throw up my thirty dollar steak. And I didn't. But it still really, really, really sucked.

-Courtney

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,547
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    gizmo1jazz2
    Newest Member
    gizmo1jazz2
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      Taken Seriously

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Your post demonstrates the profound frustration and isolation that so many in the Celiac community feel, and I want to thank you for channeling that experience into advocacy. The medical gaslighting you endured for decades is an unacceptable and, sadly, a common story, and the fact that you now have to "school" your own GI specialist speaks volumes about the critical lack of consistent and updated education. Your idea to make Celiac Disease a reportable condition to public health authorities is a compelling and strategic one. This single action would force the system to formally acknowledge the prevalence and seriousness of the disease, creating a concrete dataset that could drive better research funding, shape medical school curricula, and validate the patient experience in a way that individual stories alone often cannot. It is an uphill battle, but contacting representatives, as you have done with Adam Gray, is exactly how change begins. By framing it as a public health necessity—a matter of patient safety and protection from misdiagnosis and neglect—you are building a powerful case. Your voice and your perseverance, forged through thirty years of struggle, are exactly what this community needs to ensure that no one else has to fight so hard just to be believed and properly cared for.
    • Scott Adams
      Looking for a gluten-free roomie in Denver CO

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I had no idea there is a "Louisville" in Colorado!😉 I thought it was a typo because I always think of the Kentucky city--but good luck!
    • Scott Adams
      Allergy medication: cetirizine by the HealthA2Z is it gluten free?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Navigating medication safety with Celiac disease can be incredibly stressful, especially when dealing with asthma and severe allergies on top of it. While I don't have personal experience with the HealthA2Z brand of cetirizine, your caution is absolutely warranted. The inactive ingredients in pills, known as excipients, are often where gluten can be hidden, and since the FDA does not require gluten-free labeling for prescription or over-the-counter drugs, the manufacturer's word is essential. The fact that you cannot get a clear answer from Allegiant Health is a significant red flag; a company that is confident its product is gluten-free will typically have a customer service protocol to answer that exact question. In situations like this, the safest course of action is to consider this product "guilty until proven innocent" and avoid it. A better alternative would be to ask your pharmacist or doctor to help you identify a major national brand of cetirizine (like Zyrtec) whose manufacturer has a verified, publicly stated gluten-free policy for that specific medication. It's not worth the risk to your health when reliable, verifiable options are almost certainly available to you. You can search this site for USA prescriptions medications, but will need to know the manufacturer/maker if there is more than one, especially if you use a generic version of the medication: To see the ingredients you will need to click on the correct version of the medication and maker in the results, then scroll down to "Ingredients and Appearance" and click it, and then look at "Inactive Ingredients," as any gluten ingredients would likely appear there, rather than in the Active Ingredients area. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/   
    • Scott Adams
      Protein or fat?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      What you're describing is indeed familiar to many in the Celiac community, especially in the early stages of healing. When the intestinal villi are damaged from Celiac disease, they struggle to properly digest and absorb fats, a condition known as bile acid malabsorption. This can cause exactly the kind of cramping and spasms you're seeing, as undigested fats can irritate the sensitive gut lining. It is highly plausible that her reactions to dairy and eggs are linked to their higher fat content rather than the proteins, especially since she tolerates lean chicken breast. The great news is that for many, this does improve with time. As her gut continues to heal on a strict gluten-free diet, her ability to produce the necessary enzymes and bile to break down fats should gradually return, allowing her to slowly tolerate a wider variety of foods. It's a slow process of healing, but your careful approach of focusing on low-fat, nutrient-dense foods like seeds and avocado is providing her system the best possible environment to recover. Many people with celiac disease, especially those who are in the 0-2 year range of their recovery, have additional food intolerance issues which could be temporary. To figure this out you may need to keep a food diary and do an elimination diet over a few months. Some common food intolerance issues are dairy/casein, eggs, corn, oats, and soy. The good news is that after your gut heals (for most people who are 100% gluten-free this will take several months to two years) you may be able to slowly add some these items back into your diet after the damaged villi heal. This article may be helpful: Thank you for sharing your story—it's a valuable insight for other parents navigating similar challenges.
    • Beverage
      Diagnosed celiac for 1-2 months ago and everything makes me bloated.

      By Beverage · Posted

      I had a very rough month after diagnosis. No exaggeration, lost so much inflammatory weight, I looked like a bag of bones, underneath i had been literally starving to death. I did start feeling noticeably better after a month of very strict control of my kitchen and home. What are you eating for breakfast and lunch? I ignored my doc and ate oats, yes they were gluten free, but some brands are at the higher end of gluten free. Lots of celics can eat Bob's Red Mill gluten-free oats, but not me. I can now eat them, but they have to be grown and processed according to the "purity protocol" methods. I mail order them, Montana Gluten-Free brand. A food and symptoms and activities log can be helpful in tracking down issues. You might be totally aware, but I have to mention about the risk of airborne gluten. As the doc that diagnosed me warned . . Remember eyes, ears, nose, and mouth all lead to your stomach and intestines.  Are you getting any cross contamination? Airborne gluten? Any pets eating gluten (they eat it, lick themselves, you pet them...)? Any house remodeling? We live in an older home, always fixing something. I've gotten glutened from the dust from cutting into plaster walls, possibly also plywood (glues). The suggestions by many here on vitamin supplements also really helped me. I had some lingering allergies and asthma, which are now 99% gone. I was taking Albuterol inhaler every hour just to breathe, but thiamine in form of benfotiamine kicked that down to 1-2 times a day within a few days of starting it. Also, since cutting out inflammatory seed oils (canola, sunflower, grapeseed, etc) and cooking with real olive oil, avocado oil, ghee, and coconut oil, I have noticed even greater improvement overall and haven't used the inhaler in months! It takes time to weed out everything in your life that contains gluten, and it takes awhile to heal and rebuild your health. At first it's mentally exhausting, overwhelming, even obsessive, but it gets better and second nature.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.