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

How To Handle Kids At Banquets


confused

Recommended Posts

confused Community Regular

Ok my son is helping out at a tournament on wednesday and they want me to send 5 bucks for an buffet. It will be at the college. Should i call ahead and see if they can accomadte him, or jsut pack him a lunch. Then next week he is getting an award for reading an million words, and it will be at an banquet. I will be there or my husband, only 2 people can go and i have no sitter or just one of us will go. But should i call ahead for that also. Or just tell my husband how to handle stuff. Plus how do i go around in telling them. Do i need an note or do you think places will just accomodate me anyway. I am really stressed already about these 2 things., So any help would be appreciated.

paula


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Ursa Major Collaborator

Paula, for the tournament I would just send a lunch, and some money to buy drinks. It will be easier for everybody, and you'll have peace of mind about what your son eats.

The banquet is trickier. Try to find out who is in charge of that, and see if you can talk to that person. If they don't seem to understand, you might need to send his food again. I would never count on anybody being willing or able to accommodate the gluten-free diet. It depends on who is in charge. If you don't want your son to be miserable at the banquet, in case there is nothing to eat, you better make sure he won't go hungry somehow.

Eriella Explorer

There will be little to nothing for him to eat at a college buffet and the cc is a nightmare; however, you cannot bring in outside food. I would send him with both a lunch to eat before he gets there and then money so he can be part of the crowd and get ice cream or something.

As far as a banquet, have fun. I had great luck last weekend at the one which served prime rib and grilled veggies and horrible luck at the one with an italian buffet. My mom's advice was eat a small meal before you go and eat what you can.

Good Luck!

happygirl Collaborator

Bring your own food.

Juliebove Rising Star

For sure call ahead of time and find out what they will be serving and if they can accommodate him. If it were me, I'd find a way to go and not let my husband handle things. But then I don't know how your husband is. Mine doesn't understand things like cross contamination or that there might be things that are not visible. He will see chicken and think... She's not allergic to chicken! He will never stop to think that it might be prepared with something she is allergic to. In our case we have more to watch out for than gluten.

confused Community Regular

He will be at the college from 8-3. So he cant eat lunch before he goes. Today when I sign his permission slip I am going to ask the one in charge to call me today, and see what we can set up for him. I am sure if they cant accomodate him, they will let me send him a lunch. I spent 6 yrs at this college, so they better lol.

I was going to let my husband go to the banquet with him, since I am only the step-mom. But i did talk to my mom last night and she said she would try to come watch the other kids, so I can go to. But I am still afraid to eat out. I havent been brave enough to do that even for myself yet.

He cant have ice cream either, he is casein intolerant. I hate that he has to go to places like this and not do what all the other kids are doing, it breaks my heart. Even last night he went to a friends house and stayed for dinner. But the mom was aware of the circumsances and made him steak and stuff that was safe for him to eat.

paula

Ursa Major Collaborator
I was going to let my husband go to the banquet with him, since I am only the step-mom. But i did talk to my mom last night and she said she would try to come watch the other kids, so I can go to. But I am still afraid to eat out. I havent been brave enough to do that even for myself yet.

Paula, you shouldn't think you are 'only' the step mom! If you are raising him, and love him to the best of your ability, and he loves you, you have every right to be there!

If both of you are going, and you both have celiac disease, that is double the reason to call and make it work.


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



gfgypsyqueen Enthusiast

I would call ahead and talk to the food manager or the chef. I would talk to them in a way that makes it clear, they will accomodate your child or you will be bringing all the food you want with you. They can't tell you not to bring food if they cannot provide safe food. (And I am not sure I would trust them to provide safe food, but that is just me :P ) If necessary get a note from the doctor stating a medically necessary diet and then pack your foods. I have been known to bring hot baked potatoes and diced BBQ chicken to restaurants when I have to go and have no idea if I can eat anything there. I pack ice cream and desserts too. I always bring my own sauces.

The way I look at it is the event is to celebrate something your son did and that is the reason you are going, not the food, so just handle it matter of factly.

BTW: I think it is kinda cool that you have celiacs and so does your step son. What a neat way to bond and connect. My kids have allergies and I have Celiacs, so they see me enforcing the correct way to handle our food issues every day. And yes, we have our battle about it too.

confused Community Regular
Paula, you shouldn't think you are 'only' the step mom! If you are raising him, and love him to the best of your ability, and he loves you, you have every right to be there!

If both of you are going, and you both have celiac disease, that is double the reason to call and make it work.

Oh i know ursa. I am his mom in every way possible. Its just sometimes i try to take a small step backwards, and if its possible I let hubby do some of the important stuff by himself. I am ussually the one that does every little thing for him. He hasnt seen his bio mom since last july and she is only a few hours away. One of the reasons why his celiac came out full force.

I did just get an babysitter for the night of the banquet, so hubby and I will both be going. I placed an call into the place having the banquet, and I hope they call me back soon. Im thinking since 2 of us are celiac they will try to be accomadating. I have to pay 10 bucks an person, no matter if we eat or not, so they better accomodate us lol.

I also added an note to the permission slip for the buffet at the knowledge bowl, and hope they call me back today. There wasnt a person on the slip to call, or i would have done that. I am really thinking i will probably have to send him some lunch, i really dont see how an buffet will be safe, unless i can get them to make his ahead of time.

thanks all for your help

paula

Nantzie Collaborator

Most of the time, even if there are "rules" in place for not letting people bring it outside food, they will allow people with medical diets bring in outside food. The rules are really in place so some dork doesn't bring in Taco Bell or McDonalds. ;) If you don't get a call back, I'd give him a note to take with him saying he's on a medically restricted diet and can only eat food specially prepared for him, and include your phone number for any questions.

As for the banquet, catering companies are usually aware of celiac, but sometimes only vaguely. You have to verify that they know what they're doing, but it shouldn't be a huge surprise to them.

Nancy

Archived

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

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Recent Activity

    1. - Wheatwacked replied to Scott Adams's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      50

      Supplements for those Diagnosed with Celiac Disease

    2. - knitty kitty replied to catnapt's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      3

      results from 13 day gluten challenge - does this mean I can't have celiac?

    3. - knitty kitty replied to Scott Adams's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      50

      Supplements for those Diagnosed with Celiac Disease

    4. - Florence Lillian replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      11

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

    5. - catnapt replied to catnapt's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      3

      results from 13 day gluten challenge - does this mean I can't have celiac?

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,356
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    JAGAPG
    Newest Member
    JAGAPG
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):
  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):
  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Wheatwacked
      Raising you vitamin D will increase absorption of calcium automatically without supplementation of calcium.  A high PTH can be caused by low D causing poor calcium absorption; not insuffient calcium intake.  With low D your body is not absorbing calcium from your food so it steals it from your bones.  Heart has priority over bone. I've been taking 10,000 IU D3 a day since 2015.  My doctor says to continue. To fix my lactose intolerance, lots of lactobacillus from yogurts, and brine fermented pickles and saurkraut and olives.  We lose much of our ability to make lactase endogenosly with maturity but a healthy colony of lactobacillus in our gut excretes lactase in exchange for room and board. The milk protein in grass fed milk does not bother me. It tastes like the milk I grew up on.  If I drink commercial milk I get heartburn at night. Some experts estimate that 90% of us do not eat Adequite Intake of choline.  Beef and eggs are the principle source. Iodine deficiency is a growing concern.  I take 600 mcg a day of Liquid Iodine.  It and NAC have accelerated my healing all over.  Virtually blind in my right eye after starting antihypertensive medication and vision is slowly coming back.  I had to cut out starches because they drove my glucose up into the 200+ range.  I replaced them with Red Bull for the glucose intake with the vitamins, minerals and Taurine needed to process through the mitochodria Krebs Cycle to create ATP.  Went from A1c 13 down to 7.9.  Work in progress. Also take B1,B2,B3,B5,B6. Liquid Iodine, Phosphatidyl Choline, Q10, Selenium, D and DHEA.     Choline supplemented as phosphatidylcholine decreases fasting and postmethionine-loading plasma homocysteine concentrations in healthy men +    
    • knitty kitty
      @catnapt, Wheat germ has very little gluten in it.  Gluten is  the carbohydrate storage protein, what the flour is made from, the fluffy part.  Just like with beans, there's the baby plant that will germinate  ("germ"-inate) if sprouted, and the bean part is the carbohydrate storage protein.   Wheat germ is the baby plant inside a kernel of wheat, and bran is the protective covering of the kernel.   Little to no gluten there.   Large amounts of lectins are in wheat germ and can cause digestive upsets, but not enough Gluten to provoke antibody production in the small intestines. Luckily you still have time to do a proper gluten challenge (10 grams of gluten per day for a minimum of two weeks) before your next appointment when you can be retested.    
    • knitty kitty
      Hello, @asaT, I'm curious to know whether you are taking other B vitamins like Thiamine B1 and Niacin B3.  Malabsorption in Celiac disease affects all the water soluble B vitamins and Vitamin C.  Thiamine and Niacin are required to produce energy for all the homocysteine lowering reactions provided by Folate, Cobalamine and Pyridoxine.   Weight gain with a voracious appetite is something I experienced while malnourished.  It's symptomatic of Thiamine B1 deficiency.   Conversely, some people with thiamine deficiency lose their appetite altogether, and suffer from anorexia.  At different periods on my lifelong journey, I suffered this, too.   When the body doesn't have sufficient thiamine to turn food, especially carbohydrates, into energy (for growth and repair), the body rations what little thiamine it has available, and turns the carbs into fat, and stores it mostly in the abdomen.  Consuming a high carbohydrate diet requires additional thiamine to process the carbs into energy.  Simple carbohydrates (sugar, white rice, etc.) don't contain thiamine, so the body easily depletes its stores of Thiamine processing the carbs into fat.  The digestive system communicates with the brain to keep eating in order to consume more thiamine and other nutrients it's not absorbing.   One can have a subclinical thiamine insufficiency for years.  A twenty percent increase in dietary thiamine causes an eighty percent increase in brain function, so the symptoms can wax and wane mysteriously.  Symptoms of Thiamine insufficiency include stunted growth, chronic fatigue, and Gastrointestinal Beriberi (diarrhea, abdominal pain), heart attack, Alzheimer's, stroke, and cancer.   Thiamine improves bone turnover.  Thiamine insufficiency can also affect the thyroid.  The thyroid is important in bone metabolism.  The thyroid also influences hormones, like estrogen and progesterone, and menopause.  Vitamin D, at optimal levels, can act as a hormone and can influence the thyroid, as well as being important to bone health, and regulating the immune system.  Vitamin A is important to bone health, too, and is necessary for intestinal health, as well.   I don't do dairy because I react to Casein, the protein in dairy that resembles gluten and causes a reaction the same as if I'd been exposed to gluten, including high tTg IgA.  I found adding mineral water containing calcium and other minerals helpful in increasing my calcium intake.   Malabsorption of Celiac affects all the vitamins and minerals.  I do hope you'll talk to your doctor and dietician about supplementing all eight B vitamins and the four fat soluble vitamins because they all work together interconnectedly.  
    • Florence Lillian
      Hi Jane: You may want to try the D3 I now take. I have reactions to fillers and many additives. Sports Research, it is based in the USA and I have had no bad reactions with this brand. The D3 does have coconut oil but it is non GMO, it is Gluten free, Soy free, Soybean free and Safflower oil free.  I have a cupboard full of supplements that did not agree with me -  I just keep trying and have finally settled on Sports Research. I take NAKA Women's Multi full spectrum, and have not felt sick after taking 2 capsules per day -  it is a Canadian company. I buy both from Amazon. I wish you well in your searching, I know how discouraging it all is. Florence.  
    • catnapt
      highly unlikely  NOTHING and I mean NOTHING else has ever caused me these kinds of symptoms I have no problem with dates, they are a large part of my diet In fact, I eat a very high fiber, very high vegetable and bean diet and have for many years now. It's considered a whole foods plant based or plant forward diet (I do now eat some lean ground turkey but not much) I was off dairy for years but recently had to add back plain yogurt to meet calcium needs that I am not allowed to get from supplements (I have not had any problem with the yogurt)   I eat almost no processed foods. I don't eat out. almost everything I eat, I cook myself I am going to keep a food diary but to be honest, I already know that it's wheat products and also barley that are the problem, which is why I gradually stopped eating and buying them. When I was eating them, like back in early 2024, when I was in the middle of moving and ate out (always had bread or toast or rolls or a sub or pizza) I felt terrible but at that time was so busy and exhausted that I never stopped to think it was the food. Once I was in my new place, I continued to have bread from time to time and had such horrible joint pain that I was preparing for 2 total knee replacements as well as one hip! The surgery could not go forward as I was (and still am) actively losing calcium from my bones. That problem has yet to be properly diagnosed and treated   anyway over time I realized that I felt better when I stopped eating bread. Back at least 3 yrs ago I noticed that regular pasta made me sick so I switched to brown rice pasta and even though it costs a lot more, I really like it.   so gradually I just stopped buying and eating foods with gluten. I stopped getting raisin bran when I was constipated because it made me bloated and it didn't help the constipation any more (used to be a sure bet that it would in the past)   I made cookies and brownies using beans and rolled oats and dates and tahini and I LOVE them and have zero issues eating those I eat 1 or more cans of beans per day easily can eat a pound of broccoli - no problem! Brussels sprouts the same thing.   so yeh it's bread and related foods that are clearly the problem  there is zero doubt in my mind    
×
×
  • 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.