Gf Restaurant Food

[jknnej]

OK I am paranoid about eating out because how can you make sure your food is not cross contaminated?

Can your chicken be cooked on the same grill as gluten? I don't think so, so how do you order your meat?

Also, can you please tell me the absolute safest restaurant food? Would it be salad if you bring your own dressing?

I'm freaking out b/c I have a trip to NY coming up with my students and we HAVE to eat out.

Please help...I can only fit so much food into my suitcase and I have no idea if I will find a natural foods store in Manhattan that's close enough to walk to.

Jenn

[MySuicidalTurtle]

Manhattan is the best place in the world to eat!!!!!!!

There are loads of natural food places there, too.

Open Original Shared Link I was just there 2 weeks ago and did a little write-up.

Open Original Shared Link Lists a lot!

Open Original Shared Link Has a lot to offer.

I rarely eat out at home but in NYC I will eat out. I only go to the places that have gluten-free menus and that are usually apart of the gluten-free awareness program.

[minibabe]

what are some restaruants that you have been to that you have had sucess with b/c i live right on Long Island and i used to go into the city all the time and eat but have since stopped b/c of celiac disease.

[MySuicidalTurtle]

Open Original Shared Link

[minibabe]

thanks alot that is a really big help

[jknnej]

The problem is, I can't go to any of those places unless they're within walking distance ( a few blocks) from our hotel. We have NO transportation other than our feet. So, I doubt those places will be within reach. I can't get in a cab with 15 high school students!

Any ideas on safest restaurant food?

[MySuicidalTurtle]

The subway can take you anywhere. . .and is cheaper than a cab. . .and great for large groups. If you can't do that a lot of these places do deliver!

Where are you staying?

[jknnej]

We are staying at the Hyatt Regency. I think it's on 42nd St. It's right near Broadway theatres.

The thing is, we cannot simply get on the subway and go somewhere. We are there to perform at Carnegie Hall and will be on a VERY strict time schedule with rehearsals, etc.

There won't be time to just go where we please, unfortunately. Bottom line is, I will HAVE to eat at restaurants that may not serve gluten-free foods and I was just wondering if anyone could tell me foods that are the safest, if there are any.

[judy05]

When I am traveling I can safely eat at Outback's Steakhouse

they have a gluten-free menu. At Denney's I can safely eat hash browns,

scrambled eggs and bacon. Just be sure they clean the grill

beforehand and use a clean spatula. They have been very

accomadating to me, I usually stop at the same one and they

now know me. Also for a quick fix I can safely eat at McDonald's,

usually get a Big and Tasty in a box, that way you get tomatoes

and lettuce, also some fries and a drink.Haven't been to New York

so I can't be specific. Also P.F. Changs and Waffle House are pretty

safe, the eggs aren't cooked on the same grills as the waffles and

pancakes.

I also pack a cooler and sometimes eat tuna fish and egg salad

on rice cakes. If I know there will be a microwave I can take some

Amy's frozen dinners.

[MySuicidalTurtle]

If you are going to eat wherever is scheduled try for (if you eat meat) plain chicken, plain bun-less burger, or plain seafood.

Ohhh, and you are staying at a nice hotel. If you call ahead and are willing to spend the money they will probably will make you glutenfree food.

[jknnej]

Yeah, I'm going to ask the hotel to put a microwave and fridge in my room. I don't mind paying extra if I can stay healthy on this trip! lol

I'm sure there will be a McDonald's within walking distancre-isn't there always?

Thanks for all of your great tips. I'll order plain meat and ask the restaurant to please clean their grill and use a fresh spatula-that's a great idea. and salad, too, with my own dressing. I'm sure it will be ok.

So far I've found that when I do eat gluten accidentally, I definitely know it but I'm not too sick. Mainly uncomfortable with bloating. Hopefully if I accidentally eat trace amounts I will be OK!

[minibabe]

Just be really careful because trace amounts my doctor told me can set me back 6 months medically wise. If you are not sure or anything comes out suspicious always send it back and make sure that you stress how important this is. alot of people who do not have the diease dont realize how severe it is. Hope that you have a wonderful time. Good Luck!

[faithfull]

Iknow exactly what your gong threw my husband and I recently took a vaction and I was really worried about where we would eat, we had a small budget for food, so I knew no fancy dinners. The good news is that you can eat at most fast food resturants. And seeing as your traveling with kids I'm sure that the majority of your meals will be fast food. Here's what I found you can eat at chick-fi-la thier grilled chicken sandwich is cooked seperetly from everything else. The buns are aslo cooked or warmed away from the food. Also thier frie's are put in a seperate oil bin, so you don't have to worry if the chicken tenders were thrown in with the fri's. Don't forget to ask the person handeling your food to change gloves. Another place to eat is Wendy's they have bake potatoes, fri's, salads, etc. The most importnat thing to ask when eating out is if they fry everything in the same oil bin. Almost all fast foos chains have a differn't bin for their fri's. Also if you explain why you can't have the bun, or croutons, the staff will definetly try to help in any way.

P.S.

Don't even go to KFC, subway, or pizza hut. Even if you find a gluten free item in these places the cross contamination is to high. Hope you have fun

[MySuicidalTurtle]

I would stay away form salad. Some places have to make yours in a fresh bowl if you want it gluten-free. . .so you would have tomention that ahead oftime.

Have fun in NY!

[albapsyche]

I can give some answers to anxious travelers. I work as a server at Bennigan's. The only problem I've ever had is handling the rolls or when the cooks are prepping breaded items in the kitchen. I even recently waited on a customer with celiac disease at the restaurant.

Here's the skinny from the back of the house. Burgers and buns are kept separate. A toasted bun is never grilled. The only concern has to be for other meat products one is trying to avoid. Nothing breaded is ever put on the grill. Most, if not all, items that are breaded are fried. Therefore do not eat the french fries. You can always ask your server to go in back and check the ingredients. They are usually very nice and helpful about it. You may want to avoid salads for other reasons. Salads are mixed in a large bowl and for example the cook at my restaurant doesn't wear gloves Gross, I know. Croutons and other things are added on top and can usually not be added on, except in some cases of a caesar salad that comes premixed. Also, dressings are usually made from a dry mix that has milk or water added to it. Atleast that's what my college cafe was like. I have always been able to tolerate Ranch dressing out fairly well.

Traveling with celiac disease is a lot easier than most people think. I went for a month to Greece and Turkey and had minimal issues. Honestly, the safety of the restaurant depends largely on the type of food it prepares. Bennigan's does a lot with fried food because it is Irish American cuisine. A chinese restaurant is completely different. For example, East China Inn in Northern Illinois makes there sweet and sour chicken with a rice flour breading, i think because that's what it tastes like and it has never bothered me. Just ask when you get there. Most places want your money and want you happy and well feed. Most servers will bend over backwards to make you happy because they want a good tip. Remember to always tip well, if your server really tries to help you with this. Most servers don't know anything about the gluten-free diet, so treat them like they're stupid. Happy eating and good luck.

[hapi2bgf]

I'm in the south so maybe things are a little different here, but I just had to make a long drive with the family. We stopped at a Denny's and I started my regular instructions to the server. "I have food allergies and need to know if there is anything added to __ or is it marinaded . . . " Well the server gave me the funniest dumbfounded look and said " I didn't know you could be allergic to food". She was serious.

That was a first for me. Hope your meals in NY are better

[Boojca]

You should read the thread in this forum from last fall by ConcernedChef....it was conducted by a student at the New England Culinary Institute and he had some great advice. But read the whole thread bc he posts several times.

Bridget

[elizabethd]

Hey there. I have had celiac disease my entire life and have traveled all over the world. Here is my strategy: I go into a restaurant (any restaurant) and try to find something on the menu that looks like is likely gluten-free or can be made in a way that is gluten-free. Then, I tell the waiter "I am allergic to wheat, barley and rye, which are in things like flour, bread, pasta, orzo, and soy sauce." I then tell the waiter what item i am thinking of and go through all of the possible hiding spots for gluten. ie "I would like the salad and the duck. In the salad, please make sure there are no croutons. If you make the dressing here, make sure there is no wheat in it. If it is premade, I would like oil and vinegar instead. In the duck, pleace check if there is any flour or soy sauce involved in its preparation or in the sauce." I usually also find out exactly what is in any associated sauces. I end with a big "thank you! I appreciate your help since even a tiny amount of wheat would make me really sick"

I do have vinegar since it is distilled, a process that leaves protein (gluten) behind, and the American Dietetic Association (who have excellent Celiac recommendations) have not found gluten in vinegar or distilled alcohols that have not had anything added back in post-distillation.

I take on contamination in the restaurant kitchen from other foods as a small risk, but from having worked in several restaurants, I know that they keep food from separate orders quite separate. They don't want bits of other food in your food anyway because it would taste bad. I worry much more about this issue when eating at friends' houses.

I get very sick when I have even trace amounts of gluten and using this strategy I eat out a lot and very very rarely get sick. I also know a lot of people use restaurant cards like the one on glutenfreerestaurants.org. I hope this helps.

[ccunnally]

I want to share an experience I recently had at TGIF Fridays in Massachusetts. They claim the french fries are gluten-free. However, I spoke with the manager who in fact stated that the fries were gluten-free. I followed up with a question, "So that means nothing breaded is put in the same frier?' He said, "No, sometimes we have to put breaded items in the same frier if we are busy and need an extra frier." I informed him that the fries would then be cross-contaminated. He wansn't getting it. So as a warning to everyone, just because a restaurant claims its gluten-free, always follow up with questions. The guy honestly believed the fries were ok. He didn't understand the issues we have with cross-contamination.

[jknnej]

I actually think my biggest concern is ordering meat. Most restaurants use a grill baste or seasoning on their meat that is not gluten-free. Therefore, wouldn't they have to cook your meat in a completely separate place? Or can they just clean the grill, then slap on your burger?