Visiting Friends

[Googles]

A lot of my good friends live in other states. I want to be able to visit them, but how do I do that with Celiac disease? Do I bring my own food? Do I only invite them to my place? How do I explain it to them? How do I explain it to new friends when I move next month?

Thanks

[tarnalberry]

if something needs to be said about it, I go with "I'm gluten intolerant, so I can't have wheat, barley, rye, or oats."

explained.

if someone who deserves more explanation asks, I say "I have celiac disease, so eating those foods triggers an autoimmune reaction that damages my intestines."

no more explanation needed.

if someone says "well, can't you have just a tiny bit?" I just say "no." .

[Googles]

Thanks for that, but I guess my question was more about how do I deal with eating when I visit? Do I buy and cook all my own food? That seems like it would be awkward. But if I was visiting for a couple of days or more I would need to eat.

[Amyleigh0007]

I am vacationing with friends at their condo for a week with my kids. I am bringing all of our food and I will purchase fresh fruit, meat, and veggies when I get there. It's not a big deal to my friends. I am bringing mostly frozen microwavable food so I don't have to use my friends "contaminated" pots and pans. I will bring foil for the oven so I don't have to set our gluten free pizza on their "contaminated" racks. I will also bring plastic plates, bowls, and utensils.

[Darn210]

When we go visiting . . . we give our host a grocery list prior to arrival . . . regular grocery store stuff, not the specialty items, with the name brands listed. We bring our own specialty stuff like the pasta or bread or brownies/cookies or pancake mix. If it's somebody that you don't feel comfortable asking them to have things on hand already, then just tell them that you are going to need to hit a grocery store when you get there.

I should say that these are all people that understand that my daughter must maintain a special diet. They understand that a lot of her food can be purchased at the regular grocery store as long as the correct brands are purchased.

I help with all meal preparation so that I can keep an eye on everything . . . this is also a good time to "educate" our family and friends on what all it takes to maintain this diet. We are fortunate that our family and friends really do try to do what they can and are interested in learning about Celiac.

[Switch2GF]

Stay positive about it. Don't make it sound like a burden on yourself or your hosts, they will feed off your attitude. I always give a simple explanation... anything natural, such as meats, veggies, and fruits are a safe bet.

[Mango04]

You can always stick a bag of Tinkayada in your suitcase and have a pasta night with your friends. I've done it and nobody ever minds it. People also usually don't mind if you want to run to the grocery store when you get to town. You could also always suggest restaurants such as Outback or PF Changs if eveyone wants to eat out. Easy

Oh and yeah.....have at least some snacks on hand at all times, in case you're in a situation where others want to eat and you can't find anything safe on the menu.

[darlindeb25]

I go to Michigan to visit with family every year. My sister is gluten free, as is our dad, yet I am intolerant of so much, I take my own with me. This year I froze meals, and I always take my own pan along. I can buy food, stores are stores, no matter where you go. At first my family had a hard time understanding why I do what I do, now, they know it's just my way. I have not been glutened on vacation in a very long time, so I guess it works.

[Googles]

Thank you all for your advice. I don't know when exactly I will be able to visit friends, but want to be prepared.