Vent About Olympics & Food Choices

[solarglobe]

Hi everyone,

Just need a good vent here. I am coming up on my 18 month gluten-free anniversary! This is been one of the most difficult journeys for me, a bread-loving foodie -- but also so worth it for the drastic change in health. I still get glutened from time to time, and I went through the what can I eat I am so incredibly hungry phases too.

I was able to attend an Olympic speed-skating event. So awesome. I ate a healthy meal before going. But there was travel time to get there. Once inside the arena, I suffered food-wise. You could not bring any food or drink into the arena. They took away any food or drink at the security checkpoints. And they searched purses, patted you down etc. (in the nicest possible way).

So my vent is this...Every single food option to buy had gluten in it!! All around me people were eating hot dogs, pretzels, pizzas, greek salads wrapped in pitas. I even asked for an ingredients listing for their chili and salad, and they just all shook their heads!

There was a big delay between races -- so I was at the venue several hours. I finally gobbled up a bag of plain M&Ms and some water -- hoping for the best. (I was OK.)

But I am just overwhelmed going to any type of public activity -- baseball game, movies, sports events, etc. There are no choices! OK -- I get that. But I should be able to at least provide my own food and drink then!

How do you all handle this. Thanks and good luck to all.

[CeliacMom2008]

We just explain that due to food allergies there will not be any available food items. As long as you're not bringing in Pepsi when they sell Pepsi or a whole cooler full of food I think most places would be understanding. You may have to ask to speak to a supervisor, but you have a legitimate health issue.

[ravenwoodglass]

We just explain that due to food allergies there will not be any available food items. As long as you're not bringing in Pepsi when they sell Pepsi or a whole cooler full of food I think most places would be understanding. You may have to ask to speak to a supervisor, but you have a legitimate health issue.

I agree. You might want to talk to your doctor and see if you can get a note or something on his stationary or a script form that states clearly that you have dietary restrictions. That might help you get something through the line.

[Nightingale8472]

But I am just overwhelmed going to any type of public activity -- baseball game, movies, sports events, etc. There are no choices! OK -- I get that. But I should be able to at least provide my own food and drink then!

How do you all handle this. Thanks and good luck to all.

Two ways:

1. Go legit. Get a doctor's note and call the venue in advance and ask them to work with you. I used to work for a stadium, and they had a policy allowing diabetics to bring in food and water with a doctor's note, provided they came into our office before the game so one of the managers could walk them through security. Decisions about whether to make exceptions to the no outside food policy were not left to the guys at the gate. No reason to believe it would be different for celiacs or anybody else on a medical diet.

2. Be sneaky...but if you get caught, it's not my fault. Try this one at your own risk, and I recommend trying option 1 first. As a kid/teen I used to sneak food into places all the time because I was an athlete and didn't want to eat their junk food. The trick is to put it where nobody's going to put their hand in a pat-down. Hiding it in your bra works well. No minimum-wage security guy is going to risk a lawsuit grabbing a woman's boob while on candy-patrol. One of the travelers' type money-belts/waist wallets works well for stashing a couple of fruit snacks and a protein bar, because again, nobody's going to make a grab for the zipper in your pants during a pat-down. Once you're inside a venue, usually nobody cares what you're eating because it's not their job to care, and if they do, just give them a blank look like you didn't know about the policy (they're more likely to believe one of their guys made a mistake than you deliberately snuck it in) and throw it away if asked and apologize. Don't confront them or argue.

[Reba32]

I'd get a doctor's note and carry it in my lunch box.