Scared Of Lunch

[jkmunchkin]

So I'm starting a new job next week (same company but going to another magazine), and I'm praying they don't want to go out to lunch as a welcome thing. Obviously at some point I'm going to have to share the celiac thing (I went there for a few hours today for training and already was refusing Snackwells), but I just don't want to have to go into it in my 1st day.

I find it just becomes such a focal point for people and they always want to ask a million questions. I don't mind that; I just don't want that to be one of the first things they know about me.

Has anyone found themselves in this situation? What did you do?

[Viola 1]

I know what you mean. Any time you go to a new place and food is involved it becomes a conversation piece. I really don't know the answer to that. The whole human social and work scene seems to revolve around food. Funny I never noticed that years ago when I was eating "normal" Guess because we took it for granted.

I hope it doesn't become a real issue for you.

[Phyllis28]

Welcome lunches are not the norm where I work. Below are a couple of thoughts for your consideration:

1) Contact the departments' OA (Office Administrator aka secretary) and ask although I expect you'll will have to explain why you need to know. The OA should be able to find out.

2) Have the names of several safe restaurants in the area available so you can suggest them. You could suggest them to the OA if you call.

I am not sure if I was any help. Good luck in your new job.

[allison]

I started a new job a few months ago, and I spoke to the person who arranges such things before we started so that she (the organizer) was the only one that knew and she arranged for there to be options (we went to a place where there were options and even the waiters knew but didn't say anything). I'm sure not every situation would work so well, but if you can find out who the main person is who arranges these things...it worked well for me! (And get this--another person who was starting at the same time ALSO WAS A CELIAC! CRAZY!!!)

Good luck!

[gymnastjlf]

Not quite the same situation, but I took a summer internship for a large NYC company this summer. Well, of course a couple weeks in, we start with the intern luncheons... meet 'n greets, etc. The first time, the menu was pizza. I brought my own food; before the pizza was even served, it comes up in conversation that the supervisor is celiac as well! Needless to say, he said next week's lunch was going to be Chinese, a place he knew and trusted to do gluten-free.... :-)

[Carriefaith]

I have been in a similar situation. I decided not to mention my problems at work related dinners/lunchs and just eat my own food before/after or at the meal. I did this because I don't like my problems to be the center of attention. However, I have found that if I don't mention that I have celiac disease and/or food allergies from the begginning that people start assuming things that aren't true. Like that I'm a vegetarian, have an eating disorder, or other things. This has happened more than once! Now I've decided to tell people from the start about my problems because I don't want them thinking things that aren't true.

(Sometimes I just mention that I have many food allergies, which is true, and not mention celiac disease because most people have no idea what it is and I usually end up explaining. Most of the time though I mention that I have celiac disease and food allergies. I am embarrassed sometimes about all the foods I can't eat)

[GFinVA]

I agree with Carrie - better to get it out on the table than allow people to assume things. We went out to lunch on my first day of work - fortunately I work in a department of only 5 other people. I ordered a burger of some sort without the bread and of course some of the people asked why. I just said that I was allergic to wheat. The boss said "Oh, I'm allergic to peanuts so I have to be careful about what I eat as well." Nothing else was said and we moved on with the conversation. Once I got closer with my co-workers I explained Celiac to them and they have all been very supportive and frequently mention if they hear something about Celiac on TV or read about it in the newspaper.

Best of luck with the new job - I'm sure things will work out well!