Dairy Queen Madness

[kimis]

Last night I took my daughter to Dairy Queen. She got a heath bar blizzard and I got vanilla in a cup. I live next door to dairy queen so this is something my daughter and I do frequently and I have never gotten sick. She usually lets me have a taste of hers before she starts to eat it (if it is gluten free) so I took a big spoonful and another big spoonful and then realized they had given her a cookie dough blizzard by mistake. You really can't tell what's in that cup after it's all blended up. The worst part is I didn't get sick so now I am thinking I could be glutening myself every time I go there and no know it cause I didn't get sick. So I think I will stay away from DQ from now on.

[Poppi]

Oh wow. That's scary.

We've had great experiences with our local DQ and I most definitely get sick at even slight cc so I know they've been good.

I wouldn't write them off entirely but definitely talk to the manager, our DQ takes allergy issues very seriously.

[AMom2010]

I would worry about CC with the blizzards b/c I don't know if they clean out the equipment in between orders. I just went there Sat. night and got the hot fugde sundae. Yummy!

[Roda]

I would worry about CC with the blizzards b/c I don't know if they clean out the equipment in between orders. I just went there Sat. night and got the hot fugde sundae. Yummy!

This is the reason I haven't braved the blizzards either. Next time I am there I may ask about this very thing and ask if all of the stir ins are next to each other.

[pugluver31902]

This is the reason I haven't braved the blizzards either. Next time I am there I may ask about this very thing and ask if all of the stir ins are next to each other.

I go there a lot. Like a lot a lot Im totally addicted. Anyways, they told me that you need to make sure they clean the stiring stick in the machine, AND the metal ring that they put in the blizzard cup while they stir bc it is usually rinsed in a large bucket and could have been rinsed with a gluten containing one before that. Also make sure the candy is well seperated or get it from the back and you should be good to go.

[Darn210]

Or stick with the prepackaged dilly bars.

Now, I know that people aren't a big fan of McDonald's here, but their McFlurries are very blizzard-like and a bit cheaper. Now, they don't have near the flavor options, but what the do have going for them is that the "mixer" for the flurry is actually the spoon that you get to eat it with so each one is made with a new mixer/spoon.

[Roda]

Or stick with the prepackaged dilly bars.

Now, I know that people aren't a big fan of McDonald's here, but their McFlurries are very blizzard-like and a bit cheaper. Now, they don't have near the flavor options, but what the do have going for them is that the "mixer" for the flurry is actually the spoon that you get to eat it with so each one is made with a new mixer/spoon.

I've been known to eat a few too many M & M Mcflurries myself. As for Dairy queen my son and I will get the icecream in a cup, frozen slushy-like drinks, dilly bars or buster bars. Yum!

[CeliacMom2008]

We don't do blizzards, but we do do sundaes, cups, and even take in our own cones. Ours is great about filling our cones with the ice cream. Funny story though...a couple weeks a go we ordered a banana split and I gave the usual info about not laying the banana down directly on the counter (the prep counter usually has a few blizzard crumbs and I never know what they are). The guy had never helped us before and he came back with the banana split minus the banana and handed me the banana! He said he didn't understand and he didn't want to mess it up. Better safe than sorry! We assembled it at the table.

[suziq0805]

I used to work at Dairy Queen. I personally wouldn't eat a blizzard if I had celiac. (I am currently in a gluten challenge so I'm cherishing every blizzard I eat in case it's my last!) I'm definately not trying to discourage people from eating at DQ, but I think blizzards would be risky for someone with celiac. It's very easy for ingredients to get stuck on the mixer. They are cleaned throughout the day, but things like carmel, hot fudge and cone coating do tend to stick in places where it's difficult to get clean (not impossible, but during a busy time they may not be scrubbed as much). The blizzard ingredients are right next to each other and it's very easy to have candies fall into the wrong container when making orders. So having worked there for a few summers I definately wouldn't feel comfortable eating a blizzard...not because DQ is unsanitary or anything, but just because there's too many opportunities for cross contamination in the blizzard-making process. I don't think it's impossible to get a safe blizzard, but I personally wouldn't risk it. If I do have celiac I will still be a DQ customer but just eat plain ice cream.

[Poppi]

last time I got a banana split blizzard from the DQ close to us the manager made it, brought out unopened packages of toppings and mixed it up at a machine they have in the back that is only used to make blizzards for people with food allergies/intolerances and is well cleaned in between.

I won't go in if it's busy though, I like to catch them when I'm the only customer waiting so I know they will take their time. We always get birthday cakes from there and so far they've done a great job for us.

[suziq0805]

I go there a lot. Like a lot a lot Im totally addicted. Anyways, they told me that you need to make sure they clean the stiring stick in the machine, AND the metal ring that they put in the blizzard cup while they stir bc it is usually rinsed in a large bucket and could have been rinsed with a gluten containing one before that. Also make sure the candy is well seperated or get it from the back and you should be good to go.

I would say there's a pretty good chance the metal ring was rinsed with one that was used with a gluten-containing blizzard. I used to work at DQ. Cookie dough, cheesecake, and oreo blizzards were the most common ones we made. Our rings were rinsed in a small sink and the rings were often stacked on top of each other. The sink had water constantly running and draining but there did tend to be crumbs in the water and multiple times per day we drained, cleaned, and re-filled the sink. I would even ask for a spoon that is right out of the box. If they keep spoons by the toppings or mixers it's possible they could be contaminated also by crumbs flying out of the mixer (it happens!).