Staying Gluten Free At A Buffet?

[kirstny]

I'm having a buffet lunch for work at a local Greek restaurant tomorrow. I called the restaurant and they said there will be lots of gluten free items at the buffet.

First time at a buffet since my diagnosis. Should I be worried about it?

[mushroom]

Yes, buffets are a minefield of gluten contamination. Some persons can't resist using the same utensil for different dishes, pieces of food drop from spoons onto other containers of food, and unless you are the very first person through the line for each dish you are very likely to be cross-contaminated. I would bring my own plate of buffet food

[kirstny]

I was kinda thinking that...

I do have the option to order off the menu and they have a gluten free menu.

Just didn't want to make it an issue, but I guess it is! Thanks!

[Juliebove]

I guess it would depend on what was on the buffet.

I was watching some cooking show the other day where there was hummus on the table. People were dipping triangles of pita in the hummus. I know that's what it's for but it made me cringe.

If I were you I would order my own meal.

[Emilushka]

It also depends on the buffet. At a Vegas-style buffet, where food items are more separated from one another and individual cooks are on hand at the stations, you can trust the foods more to not be mixed. At a Chinese buffet-style place, where the dishes are snug next to each other, you're heavily likely to have cross-contamination.

If you're a more sensitive person who's going to have symptoms, I'd just order a separate meal.

[BethJ]

I've had pretty good luck at salad bars where all the greens, veggies and fruit are on one end and the dressings, croutons and gluteny things are on the other end. Everybody moves in one direction and it would be difficult to contaminate the greens from the opposite end of the bar - unless it was done in the kitchen which is an entirely different worry.