Do You Eat Out? - Poll!

[Nantzie]

I'm getting some data together to write something about eating out, travel and celiac disease. Not quite sure what I'm going to do with it yet. But it's been bouncing around in my head.

I'd love to hear any experiences about how your dining life changed after going gluten-free as well. Were you a fast food/frozen food junkie (me!) and had to go cold turkey? Were you always doing lunch for business and then had to start eating food out of the cooler in your car? Do you travel for work and have to rely on the kindness and understanding of the room service staff at the hotels you stay at?

I'd love to hear everyone's stories. It doesn't matter if you've been gluten-free for a week or five years. I just want to know how it impacts everyone.

I've got another few polls in mind as I start gathing more data.

Nancy

[mouse]

I ate fast food when I was out running errands or too tired to cook. Then I would have hubby stop by McDonalds for burgers. So, not doing that anymore has not been a big deal for me.

I do eat out several times a month and usually with friends. They all know that I give them a couple of restaurant suggestions and they can choose which one. I dine where it is safe for me to eat.

Yesterday we went on a bike ride with other riders. We went to a very small town south of us and I kept telling myself on the way to the restaurant, that if all I could have was a cup of coffee, then I would deal with it. It became my mantra on the ride. Of course, the longer we rode, the hungrier I got. But, the place was fantastic. Packed to the roof and people waiting to be sitted. The woman manager went over EVERY ingred. and supervised my breakfast. They cleaned a section of the grill and used a clean spatula. She said the next time we rode down to bring my toast and toaster bags as they have done that for others. It was so wonderful.

I am not going to give up enjoying life, because I have Celiac. We take a chance everytime we eat out, even at places we consider safe. But, life is too short to hide away and not spend the time enjoying it.

I also have to say that I have only been glutened 3 times in over a year. One was a pill, one was a restaurant that I have always been comfortable in, but did not have our usual waitress and the last was last week, when I had a latte with a new barista. I don't think she cleaned the spout. The last one was rather a rough time as far as my reactions were. And still I went out yesterday on the ride and ate.

Yesterday, I told the manager first thing, that I was going to be a pain and I did not know if they could accommodate my diet. I always say that I have Celiac and that I am gluten free. I don't want them to think I am on a fad diet.

I also tip way above the norm for the extra effort they go through to keep me safe.

[tarnalberry]

I didn't eat out much before going gluten free, and don't eat out much now either. The only real difference is that I choose from a more limited set of restaurants when I eat out - ones that I do some looking into and feel are safe, and I'm much more of a repeat customer (when the place is deserving) than I used to be (and I always was one).

I never ate 'convenience' meals much either. I prefer not having lots of extra 'stuff' in my foods, and putting in only what I want, so I have to trade off meeting that desire with more work on my part. It works for me.

[lonewolf]

I've never eaten out a lot either. I prefer to cook healthy meals - even before having to change my diet. Now I pretty much only eat out at the salad bar at our health food store. I was glutened 2 out of the last 3 times I ate at a restaurant, so I'm a bit hesitant. I also don't like eating pre-packaged food, so I've never been a fan of things like frozen lasagna or hamburger helper.

[Kaycee]

I've never eaten out a lot, but I have tended to rely on shortcuts to cooking, like a packet to put with the stewing steak for the flavour, it was so easy, but now I have to start the stew from scratch, like nearly all of my meals. It is a bit like learning how to cook again, but the right way.

I am a bit fearful of eating out now and only do it occassionally when I have not much choice, like birthdays. But I get so frustrated at having to cook nearly every meal.

Cathy

[gfp]

Great idea, I can't really fit into the poll boxes though.

I'm not sure how typical or atypical I was but ....

Initially after diagnosis I was determined it wasn't going to affect my life, I would definately be one of those able to eat oats and stuff. My job meant eating out often and even when not the place I work had a resto which I paid for whether I used it or not. (That is food was heaviliy subsidised and hece I was taxed on it)

So I set out thinking I could eat lots of things with hidden gluten, the UK coeliac soc. said in no uncertain terms that small amounts can't hurt so for instance I ate hams with maltodextrine which in Europe is usually derived from wheat and CODEX starches etc.

I spent 6 months in denial feeling really cr** and not really getting any better. Indeed my MD in France refused to accept my UK diagnosis because "its impossible its only a childrens disease" ...

I did all the cheating stuff like McDo's fries and even trying to remove crumbs etc. cooked non gluten-free for others and had gluten in my kitchen.

Needless to say .. it didn't work and then I finally decided I had to do something, my life was miserable, I imposed restrictions but they weren't helping...

So I decided to go 100% gluten-free... really 100% and prepared all my own food from scratch.

3 months later I was feeling so much better... and I then started adding things back...

Now I have resto's I can trust where I know the owner and staff... I quit my job because I couldn't travel and keep gluten-free...

Convenience food.... well that's the thing... I never ate anything like Hamburger helper anyway... but I do have convenience food like frozen burgers and frozen fries I'll just make steak and chips or confit de canard and something simple...

Its every bit as convenient as hamburger helper... which is why I don't understand people using stuff like this.

I take a jar of config and stick it in a casserole and stick it int he oven for 15 mins... meanwhile sticking some frozen fries on or just make fries... (not all frozen fries are gluten-free) but basically this is convenience food... as is my freezer where I have frozen extra portions of most of what I eat during the week... Ive usually got a few curries, soups and stuff like that..

Eating out I only usually go to places I know the owners and chef's. Its an increased risk because thier kitchens are CC'd but mostly they take extra care and I'm fine... but if not then I have my own gluten-free haven I can retreat to....

[wolfie]

Before going gluten-free we did eat out or do fast food more than we probably should have, it was just easier with the kids and busy lifestyles. We used to get McD's or Wendy's or something along those lines. Or we would order pizza/wings.

Now I do a lot more cooking at home from scratch. We do still eat out on Wednesdays after ice skating, but usually go to Cheeseburger in Paradise and they know us very well. The server doesn't even need to ask me what I want anymore, it comes out perfectly everytime. She & the management staff have been so helpful and even bring me the ingredient lists if I want to try something new. From time-to-time we will eat other places, but I usually only do places where I know they are familiar with gluten-free or have a gluten-free menu. If we are traveling and have to eat someplace new, I do have my Triumph Dining Cards and usually do something plain...burger, baked potato, etc. I prefer chicken, but am leary about marinades a lot of restaurants use.

[jerseyangel]

Before going gluten-free, we ate out quite a bit on the weekends--I rarely cooked on Saturdays and Sundays! We'd get pizza on Friday night, too.

When I first was diagnosed, I thought I could order "carefully" and be fine. As time went on, and I learned more about the diet, cross contamination and the rest of it, I just kind of stopped eating out altogether.

I think the last time I ate out was about a year ago--we went to Fridays and actually had a great experience.

As far as fast/convenience foods--I would do those if pressed for time or involved in a project like painting or working outside. That's what I miss the most--the convenience of ordering take out as opposed to having to stop and make something to eat.

[ravenwoodglass]

Before finally being diagnosed I was always so sick and so tired that real cooking was out of the question. We ate a lot of convience foods, it didn't help that my DS had been seriously addicted to wheat since he had his first taste of it at under a year. He refused to eat a meal that did not include a pasta of some form. We ate a lot of noodle mixes back then. If I had only known the damage I was causing him and his sister.

Fast food was often the only thing I had energy for then. Until diagnosis I was so sick every damn day that I couldn't eat myself until after 8 pm when I knew I was going to be home and not have to go out again. This went on for over 10 years while I worked 60 hours a week and my medicince cabinet got fuller.

I had to stop eating in restaurants long before I was diagnosed because I never knew when the explosive D would hit. I tried eating out twice since gluten-free once a few months after, and once again last year. Both times I was severely poisoned. I never eat out now, it's not worth the pain.

[SunnyDyRain]

I've been gluten free for one week today (save for some french fries that had an onion ring included in them! - i didn't eat it, just was pissed off that I didn't notice that they had onion rings cooked with them) It's been hard for me to cook. I live in a tiny apartment, with a tiny kitchen with no kitchen space. I would normally order out for lunch (pizza, mc d's, subway, kfc) then make something easy (pasta, burgers, pizza) or go out to eat (ruby tuesday's, chinese, olive garden, mexican, a steakhouse) for dinner.

This week, I doubled my cost of groceries, and bought a rice cooker. And only ate out twice. The frist time was Fuddrucker's with the onion ring incedent, the second was mexican, made sure the tacos had no filling and I was good to go!

After this first week, I am very frustrated with how so much of my free time is now going to cooking and grocery shopping and trying to plan how i'm going to get from here to there with a stop home to eat because I can't just grab something anymore.

Right now I have to say, it's more frustrating that I can't get something fast from a place, than frustrating what I can't eat any more.

But.. one week down..rest of my life to go.

[missy'smom]

Until recently, We've lived in LA and NY since we got married and DH worked long long hrs. so we ate out all weekend most weekends, even when DS came along. He's so used to it, he still sees rest. as we drive and say's Mommy that place looks interesting. Can we try it sometime? We didn't have time to travel as DH gets very few days off, sometimes not even a week a year, so eating out in these cities was our way of traveling to new places through their cuisines. I'm typing this with tears in my eyes. There are other things in life and we'll find them in time and life goes on. But I still remember our favorite Japanese yakitori in LA with the cooks calling out IRASHIYAIMASE when you walk in the door and the neighborhood greek rest. in NYC where we were among the few non-greeks in the place and many many other places.

I grew up with a grandma who did everything the old way and always admired her and believed in making natural unprocessed food. I'm discovering that I'm more of a modern woman than I'd thought. I like the convenience and spontanaity that products provide. I like cooking from scratch but I'm a slow cook and it can be tiring and time consuming and I sometimes feel confined to the kitchen. With my family it also takes a little more work and planning to make sure that fresh ingredients don't go to waste.

I like the way people shop in Japan, with neighborhood markets ever near and things sold in smaller quantities to be bought fresh more often.

[blueeyedmanda]

I am actually now only starting to go back to dining out. It is usually at Outback or a sit down place. I usually don't go for the fast food. When I am going out to dinner I want to eat something real good and have it brought to me. This is how little we get out to dinner, I want to be waited on.

I think what has helped me come out of my shell a little more is the group birthday lunches at work. Even though I fret about some of their choices, I always tend to walk away glad I went and I have not had any glutening problems that I am aware of. before taking this job the last meal I had out was in 2004...scary!

[alamaz]

Up until about a year ago we ate out and ate convience foods regulary. Then I started getting really sick and went on a diet where I had to adjust to cooking myself but still allowed myself "cheat" days. Eventually I started feeling so good on my diet that I figured it couldn't hurt to eat out a few more times a week than normal (I was "Cured" - I didn't know I had celiac disease at the time). Well, here I am. Sicker than I was before and right back in my kitchen making three meals a day, seven days a week because I have a firm diagnosis. I have my moments where I hate it. That's when I look at DH and say "I'm overwhelmed, will you please help me with x,y,z so I can get everything done today?". He's very good about helping me out. He's doing his best to be supportive but even since I'm chained to the kitchen for now I don't expect him to be and let him know he can go out to eat when ever he needs his "fix". Obviously, it helps that I have him to help with things around the house but it's still overwhelming. I feel better when I cook at home so that's what I'm doing right now. Eventually I hope to eat out sometimes but I need to get back to feeling good. I still participate in things I want to do, I just bring my food. If some one has an issue with it or wants to know why that's fine. Why is my dietary choices any different from some one who chooses to be vegan or vegetarian? Americans esp. are too conditioned by the marketing departments to believe that eating out all this time is faster and cheaper. Obviously many of us are paying the price for "faster" and "cheaper" by expanding waistlines and early onset of diseases never seen before in people younger than my 92 year old great grandmother.

Amy

[tarnalberry]

One thing I've learned from a number of my friends who cook as well - learning to cook fast is both and art and a skill, and that skill takes practice. I know the feeling of "gah, I don't have enough energy to cook", but once you've gotten the lazy-cooking skill down, you CAN make something healthy, from scratch, in ten minutes. You do have to work on it though, as it's those times when you most depend upon your 'habitual skills', so if you don't develop it while you're not busy, you won't have it around when you are.

[hathor]

I eat out as much as I did before. Finding out about food intolerances hasn't affected my laziness, er, desire to go out and have quality time with my husband.

I have had to adjust which restaurants I go to, though. My favorite pizza and Italian places have nothing for me now. (I did find a new Italian place a couple days ago with gluten-free pasta, though )Chinese is out, because I have to avoid soy. Thai seems problematic, also due to soy -- it depends on what they have, though. Indian, sushi (I just put the wasabi directly on it), middle eastern, and tapas places seem to work the best. I still have hope to find a local Ethiopean place with injera that is 100% teff.

I used a lot of "add boiling water" cups for lunches, but have had to change that because the ones I had all had some ingredient or other I have to avoid.

I think I've taken to trying to duplicate things at home that I can't eat in restaurants now. For instance, I've cooked quite a bit of Ethiopean recently. But I haven't been brave enough to attempt to make injera from scratch. I've been trying, so far unsuccessfully, to find a source for ordering it online.

[kbtoyssni]

Ironically, I eat out more now. But I'm also well enough to go out and socialize, and I am not going to let celiac get in the way of my social life. But for a lot of lunches out during the week I just bring my food while my friends order restaurant stuff.

[VioletBlue]

Before going gluten free I probably did take out two or three times a week. I'd get something from the local deli for lunch or place a take out order for pizza or Chinese food to pick up on my way home after work.

I live in a small resort town and there are no gluten free restaurants, not even chain restaurants with gluten-free menus. I have no faith in any of the local restaurants and their ability to provide a truly gluten-free meal or even a salad so I don't eat out. I haven't been inside a restaurant since the diagnosis.

I don't think I could handle the fear of walking into a restaurant and gambling on my meal. The thought makes me nauseous. At the same time it gets really old contemplating having to make every meal I ever eat from now on. I think in time I'll have to trust someone to make or try to make a gluten-free meal for me, but I'm not ready to do that yet. I've been gluten free, minus accidental glutenings, since early or mid December.

Violet

[dlp252]

I eat out at just about the same frequency as I did before going gluten free. Before going gluten-free I ate out every Saturday and in addition to that maybe once per month with friends, or a bit more around holiday times.

So now, I still eat out every Saturday morning with my mother and aunt, but WHERE we eat has changed a bit.

The once a month with friends has slowed down a little, but mostly that's just due to everyone's schedule and the fact that I've been sick a couple of times in the last few months and as with my Saturdays, the WHERE has changed. One big difference is that now my friends don't want to cook for me...they're afraid of poisoning me.

[Jo.R]

When my oldest was three, I was making a "real" meal. Had all four burners going and the stove. I didn't realize how long it had been since I had done that until Robin walked in and said she was hungry. When I told her I was fixing dinner. She got a puzzled look on her face, pointed at the microwave and said, "but it's not on". That gives a accurate account of my cooking before celiac.

Now we eat at home all the time. We live in a small town and are limited on choices that would have gluten free food. I miss having easy right now meals when I'm hungry. I now always carry a banana in my van since I can't just hit fast food when I'm out and get hungry. I resent how much of my time is spent in the kitchen now. Everyone always says things like "You'll save so much money now". Whatever. Eating healthy (especially with gluten free foods) is more expensive that eating fast food and easy meals. Most coupons are for less than healthy eating, and I never ate out or went shopping without coupons. I just remind myself that as I get used to cooking it will be easier and we will all be healthier for it.

[Karwei5]

I am answering for my son, He is 18 and has Down syndrome. He was diagnosed just a couple of months ago. I am totally afraid to take him out to eat. He has been so sick and I don't want him to start throwing up again. We live at least an hour from the typical restaurants like Outback.

My husband took him through McDonalds drive thru for fries 1 time I told him to not do that again.

I did about 50/50 with eating out or convenience foods verses cooking a meal from mostly fresh foods.

I have the responsibility of making sure Billy has appropriate food to eat. The hardest time was when I was sick and still had to go to work come home and take care of Billy's meals. Also for our experience we were in the middle of a total kitchen remodeling job when he was diagnosed and didn't even have cabinets or a sick hooked up in the kitchen> That about put me over the edge for a few weeks.

I have been disappointed for a few family functions with my family and they all went out to eat. We just joined them later. I did not trust the restaurants to serve him uncontaminated foods.

Like this Easter they all decided to go out to eat for their meal. I don't feel comfortable joining them so I will make a meal for us and then we will join them later at an Aunts house. I do feel left out.

Karol mom to Billy 18 years old Down syndrome, Mitral valve regurgitation hypothyroidism & Celiac disease

[super-sally888]

Hi,

Eating out is a major part of my (single) active lifestyle. I usually only sleep at home and vegetables tend to rot in my fridge. I still eat out, but am trying to find foods that don't make me have problems (gluten free seems to be manageable, but think I am having other food allergy/intollerance that is making things very challenging particularly because i haven't worked out what it is I am reacting to. Guess it is just going to take some time..

I also take quite a lot of snacky things with me when I am out or even for work. I often bring popcorn / corn chips and salsa / fruits / nuts when I go to friend's places so I have food.

[NoGluGirl]

Dear Nantzie,

I never eat out anymore. I will not even chance a baked potato from a place wrapped in foil for fear of being glutened. My reaction is too violent! I do eat some convenience foods like Turkey Spam and Dinty Moore Beef Stew. Cocoa Pebbles is another convenience food, along with Buddig lunchmeat that I like to have. Usually, I will eat the lunchmeat with a baked potato, or some canned veggies or fruit. Celiac is too dangerous. I would rather not risk going out anywhere.

Sincerely,

NoGluGirl

P.S. Homemade Chinese is the best!

[kbtoyssni]

I have been disappointed for a few family functions with my family and they all went out to eat. We just joined them later. I did not trust the restaurants to serve him uncontaminated foods.

Like this Easter they all decided to go out to eat for their meal. I don't feel comfortable joining them so I will make a meal for us and then we will join them later at an Aunts house. I do feel left out.

Have you ever tried bringing your own food to the restaurant? I do this all the time and have never had a problem. If they did hassle me, I'd tell them that if they don't let me eat my own food, I was taking all my friends and moving to a different restaurant. Sometimes I even ask them to heat up my food for me. I'll hand them a grilled cheese in a toaster bag with the instructions "heat it any way you want, just DON'T TAKE IT OUT OF THE BAG!!!"

[Karwei5]

Have you ever tried bringing your own food to the restaurant? I do this all the time and have never had a problem. If they did hassle me, I'd tell them that if they don't let me eat my own food, I was taking all my friends and moving to a different restaurant. Sometimes I even ask them to heat up my food for me. I'll hand them a grilled cheese in a toaster bag with the instructions "heat it any way you want, just DON'T TAKE IT OUT OF THE BAG!!!"

I haven't tried to take him out yet as he is just healing and finally not throwing up all the time. I am going to have to be brave at some point and do it. I wish they just didn't go out for Easter. I am not sure Billy is emotionally ready to see evryone eat what he can not have yet either. I am sure we will get there though. Thanks for the ideas.

Karol mom to Billy ~18 Down syndrome, hypothyroid, mitral valve regurgitation and Celiac and FINALLY not throwing up everyday!

[Nantzie]

Wow. So many of you guys were so much better than I was. I lived off off fast food and convenience foods. I actually made dinner maybe once or twice a week.

I knew the basics of cooking, but didn't actually get very good at it until after I went gluten-free. I never learned how to cook while I was growing up. I didn't even learn how to brown hamburger until I was 20. My mom just never had me help her with cooking. I helped her with baking as young as 4 . I think she thought of baking as fun, but with cooking, she was just trying to get a meal on the table ASAP.

I only eat out now at gluten-free menu restaurants, or when I have no choice. I would say that that's a couple times a month, mostly Pei Wei for lunch when I'm out running errands.

Nancy