Traveling

[Googles]

I am traveling for the holidays. I haven't seen my friends from my home town for a number of years. Almost none of them know about my Celiac since eating hasn't come up. But now I am going to be meeting with them and a number of them I will probably be meeting for meals. I can totally take my own food if we end up somewhere I don't think I can eat, but how do I describe what I need over the phone? I have found a couple of restaurants that have gluten-free food. Should I just suggest those places? How do I explain it to the people I am staying with?

Thanks.

[lynnelise]

I would call your hosts and just say that you wanted to give them the heads up that you have recently been diagnosed with celiac. Tell them not to worry about finding food for you because you will go to the store upon arrival and buy yourself neccessities. Also buy disposable foil baking pans and the like to avoid CC. If you make it sound like no big deal and display confidence in yourself attending to your needs then they should be cool with it!

[Emilushka]

Suggest the places you know, ask if there's anywhere else they'd like to go to, then call ahead. That way everyone gets input and you can feel more confident in knowing what you need to worry about bringing. If the place they suggest is no good for you, eat first and then go out to socialize with your friends.

If you can keep it low-key, I don't think anyone else will mind. My magical phrasing is to say, "I have Celiac disease, which is like a wheat allergy. I also can't eat any dairy." That way you get the magical A-word (restaurants understand it better than "wheat intolerance" in my personal experience) but you're not lying about what you have, and if they know about it they'll have a chance to say, "Oh, you can't have gluten?"

[jenngolightly]

I am traveling for the holidays. I haven't seen my friends from my home town for a number of years. Almost none of them know about my Celiac since eating hasn't come up. But now I am going to be meeting with them and a number of them I will probably be meeting for meals. I can totally take my own food if we end up somewhere I don't think I can eat, but how do I describe what I need over the phone? I have found a couple of restaurants that have gluten-free food. Should I just suggest those places? How do I explain it to the people I am staying with?

Thanks.

Many restaurants are sensitive to Celiacs. I would definitely call ahead and tell your hosts about your gluten intolerance. They may not understand. I usually use the word "allergy." Suggest that you can eat at most restaurants with American food, but need to stay away from ethnic food restaurants (Italian has pasta, Mexican has flour tortillas, pizza has uber-gluten, chinese/japanese has soy sauce, etc.). That is, unless those restaurants have gluten-free menus. What's even better - ask if they know where you'll be dining, then you can call ahead to prepare (as another poster mentioned). If you aren't sure about the restaurant, most carry salads. You can find individual packets of gluten free salad dressing to carry with you. I found mine at Sprouts - it's like Whole Foods. Carry seeds, craisins, and raisins to add to the salad in case it's too plain.