Advice On Speaking To A Nutritionist & Salad Bars

[elonwy]

I work on a college campus, and sent the nutritionist for the food service an email explaining that I was newly diagnosed with celiac disease and could she tell me what on campus was gluten-free.

She sent me back an email that she was all eager to meet with me and could I give her resources so that she could best help me, as she's not that familiar with it.

I'm going to send her here, but wondered if there is anywhere else ( this is the only place I found people) or any specific literature I should recommend her to.

Also, I love salad bars, especially the one here on campus. There are croutons and crunchy chowmein noodles in bins in the salad bar. Am I safe?

I'm going on my first big gluten-free shopping trip tonight at Whole Foods. I have two books,printouts from this website, and a list a mile long ( I have to replace ALL my bathroom products).

I figure it'll take me at least two hours . I really like the items you hate list, that is super-helpful. I've decided that this is a scavenger hunt, and every time I find something gluten-free I like I get to celebrate ( mostly consists of jumping up and down). It was way too depressing thinking about everything I couldn't eat.

I'm glad I found this place.

Elonwy

[lbsteenwyk]

Here are some resources your dietitian may find helpful.

Two articles in a recent issue of Gastroenterology that deal specifically with diet guidelines. The first is by Shelly Case, who is an RD well-versed in celiac disease; she has written a couple of books.

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Other good/reputable resources include:

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

This site has an excellent slide show on Celiac Disease as well as a good beginners guide called The Gluten Free Diet Guide for Families.

There are other resources out there, but these should get her started. You may find them helpful as well.

[Jnkmnky]

Keep in mind that WholeFoods is great, but pricey. I once stated here that if I had a limited budget, the only things I'd buy from the "specialty" shops would be Tinkyada Pasta and Kinnikinnick bread. All other products can be found gluten free in your local regular shopping store and they have coupons for those! It's great if you can go to town on the wholefoods experience. I just hear college and those days of poverty come rushing back to me! Did you say you have a safe and forbidden list? Take that with you! Also, Wholefood's staff is fabulous. You can ask for someone to escort you around the store and point out the gluten free products. Call ahead and make an appt if you think you should, or just show up and ask for someone to give you a gluten free tour. They are so helpful. WholeFoods actually holds Gluten Free faires every year. So they really know what's what.

[elonwy]

I talked to the nutritionist, and she was very helpful. She had a list all ready for me with the different places on campus and what everything has in it. She also told me that all the workers are aware of this, because a bunch of students have it and that they are always open to requests to clean the grill and stuff like that. It was very heartening. I also sent her all those links, which hopefully will help her. She did mention sprouted wheat bread, to which I replied that I was pretty positive that isn't ok on a gluten-free diet. She did give me the ingredient lists to everything, not just what they had on thier approved lists, so in case there is any misinformation I can make my own decisions. Sofar everyone has been really helpful, which is very heartening.

Thanks for all the help.

Elonwy

[terri]

As to your question about the safety of salad bars, as you pointed out they have bins of croutons and chow mein noodles. Some people will use the scoop for croutons and then grab something else and it gets crumbs in it as well. Also, when the servers prepared the salad bar, did they pick up the croutons and then pick up some lettuce, or zucchini with the same gloves, thereby getting crumbs on them as well? I know it may sound picky, but all it takes is a crumb for your gut to be in trouble. So, sorry, but I would strongly advise against the salad bar. I also speak from experience. Just after I was diagnosed, I thought "well, thank goodness I can still have a salad bar" and did and got quite glutened from it..

[elonwy]

Yeah, I went over to the salad bar about an hour ago. They also have a Wok Crazy ( fill your bowl then they wok it for you). There were crumbs and noodles and what-have-you everywhere! Just looking at all the mixed up food made me kind of queasy, so I bought some Edamame ( soybeans, salt) and some kettle chips ( potatoes, olive oil, sea salt) and gave up. The shared food thing just isn't going to work. Time to bring in lunches!

Its really funny, I never even noticed it before.

Elonwy

[terri]

You'll get used to it in time. I went down to the cafeteria yesterday and stood in line to get a bottle of tea and all around me were baked goods and sandwiches being made, and steak and cheeses being grilled, lasagna being dished out and I wasn't even fazed. Instead, I was scoping out the bananas and apples! That's what happens after a year in this lifestyle, your body doesn't even want the gluten filled stuff anymore. You'll find this is a far healthier diet and much better for your body. So, hang in there and don't despair.

[jams]

I talked to the nutritionist, and she was very helpful. She had a list all ready for me with the different places on campus and what everything has in it. She also told me that all the workers are aware of this, because a bunch of students have it and that they are always open to requests to clean the grill and stuff like that. It was very heartening. I also sent her all those links, which hopefully will help her. She did mention sprouted wheat bread, to which I replied that I was pretty positive that isn't ok on a gluten-free diet. She did give me the ingredient lists to everything, not just what they had on thier approved lists, so in case there is any misinformation I can make my own decisions. Sofar everyone has been really helpful, which is very heartening.

Thanks for all the help.

Elonwy

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Has anyone else been told that sprouted wheat should be okay? I was just talking with a co-worker yesterday and she told me there is no protien in the sprouts. I know nothing about this. I didn't even know that wheat grew sprouts. I thought only beans and rotten potatoes did! I am not a very good chef! LOL. Any thoughts or experiences?

[elonwy]

Many plants sprout from seeds. Actually anything that grows from a seed can be sprouted. When something has been "sprouted" its usaully grown on a gel or spoungelike substance instead of dirt to make it clean. The problem I see with Sprouted wheat is, its basically immature wheat plants. For people that don't have gluten problems, its healthier because it has all those baby nutrients. For people that have gluten problems, a wheat plant is a wheat plant, whether adult or infant. I wouldn't mess with it.

Elonwy

[ianm]

I can't say I've ever had a problem with a salad bar. I eat at them quite frequently because I have to travel for work. I may have been glutened a time or two at one but I can't say for sure.

[uclangel422]

I agree, i eat at salad bars a lot without any problems. I am selective about my salad bar though. I steer clear from small salad bars and the ones in the markets because there is nobody really in charge of them. I eat at Souplantation a lot and they usually have 2-3 people behind the salad bar who is watching people and making sure they do not mix up spoons. I even saw them remove a whole thing of cheese because someone had tried to mix them up, i felt a lot better after that.