Parents Love To Go Out To Eat

[trilobitian]

I live away from my parents and currently live in Rochester Minnesota which houses the Mayo clinic so the amount of gluten free awareness in this city is abundant. (Which is really nice!) My favorite is Chipotle and has so far been the safest place for me to eat and I have not gotten sick.

However, when I go home, I'm going to a much smaller city (~30,000) people and my parents absolutely love to go out to eat. They consider it to be a treat to take me out to eat when I come home to visit. However, pretty much every restaurant at home when told I can't have gluten say to me "What's gluten?" and it's the biggest danger sign that I can face! I have to explain very in depth to them but I have yet to eat at a place at home that seems to "get it right" Always getting sick!

I've asked told my parents that if they want to treat me the best thing is to cook at home. They truly understand what's going on with me (even though I've only been diagnosed for half a year) and I can eat great food, worry free at home! Unfortunately, they still want to go out to eat all the time. We don't have any outback steakhouses and chipotles at home and I'm not home enough to make a big deal out of it to restaurants I'm going to visit once or twice a year. Any suggestions?

[kareng]

You may just have to put your foot down. But first, try once more explaining that going out to eat and getting sick is not a treat to you. A treat for you would be to cook with your mom or dad. If they still insist, you could refuse to go- " No, thanks. You go. I'll stay here and have...". Or eat first and just get a drink and refuse to order food. I don't think your parents are being mean, I think they may still be a bit clueless. My parents are your grandparents age but I tell them " my doctor said or the info I got from the Mayo clinic or Univ of Chicago says to be very careful and that it is better not to go to restuarants."

I know you don't want to be mean, but you have to stick to what is good for your health. If you had high blood pressure, they would support you taking the medicine. The right food is our medicine.

[GlutenFreeManna]

Is it possible they consider it a treat for them to go out to eat as well? I know with my in-laws that is the case. They would rather go out to eat than cook, especially when they have people staying with them. They don't like to waste time cooking and cleaning up; they would rather spend that time with the people visiting them. Perhaps your parent just want to spend more time with you. Do you help your parents with the meal when they cook for you at home? Perhaps you can make something special for them (that also happens to be gluten free)? Go to the grocery store with your mom and get some gluten free foods. You are just going to have to be firm with them about not eating out.

[Tina B]

I live away from my parents and currently live in Rochester Minnesota which houses the Mayo clinic so the amount of gluten free awareness in this city is abundant. (Which is really nice!) My favorite is Chipotle and has so far been the safest place for me to eat and I have not gotten sick.

You don't need a special menu. I was diagnosed 20 years ago and there were no special menus. Doesn't mean I never eat out. On the contrary, even ate out for 2 weeks in Europe last year. Just look for things on any menu that were never intended to have toppings or sauces. Plain grilled fish ( I always ask to have not breadcrumb topping or flour coating), grilled steak, veal etc.(unmarinated) with sides of baked potato and vege. Other choices, boiled lobster, shrimp cocktail, salads, no croutons. (caprise salad is great). I had to learn to ask specific questions, no one knew what gluten was then but if you ask specifically about , flour and breadcrumbs it's different. I have never had a problem with a waiter not wanting to go ask the chef specific questions.

[Juliebove]

My parents like to eat out too. They hate eating at home. We do eat at their house once in a while. Sometimes I will cook dinner. Or we might have things that don't require cooking. Like hummus with baby carrots, fruit, cheese or boxed tomato soup.

But mostly we dine out. We eat at a few restaurants and my daughter and I tend to order the same things over and over so they remember us. Makes it hard because we have multiple food allergies.

[Tina B]

I live away from my parents and currently live in Rochester Minnesota which houses the Mayo clinic so the amount of gluten free awareness in this city is abundant. (Which is really nice!) My favorite is Chipotle and has so far been the safest place for me to eat and I have not gotten sick.

Many restaurants, even local ones, now have menus on line. You could also take a look ahead of time and even if they don't have a seperate gluten-free menu you'd have an idea of what dishes to ask about.