Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Where Your Contribution Counts!
    eNewsletter
    Support Us!

Should I Cheat? Olive Garden..


BarbieGirl

Should I cheat because apparently the gluten free pasta there is no good?  

14 members have voted

You do not have permission to vote in this poll, or see the poll results. Please sign in or register to vote in this poll.

Recommended Posts

BarbieGirl Newbie

What do you think? From online it seems like the gluten free pasta if a microwaved small serving dish. I don't want to embarrass myself in front of my eldest sister's boyfriend by ordering something GLUTEN FREE. Would refusing breadsticks seem rude? Pre-gluten intolerant I loved Olive Garden, I'd eat two baskets of breadsticks it seemed, all by myself. Not to mention the food, oh lordy! Someone help me, the temptation is too much. My sister decided on Olive Garden because she was going to take us kids out for dinner to meet her boyfriend, however, now my dad is tagging along. There's no way to "change restaurants".

Help,

confused teen

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



kareng Grand Master

Let me talk to your dad. What father would allow/ encourage a child to do something medically inadvisable? It's Medical Neglect if not full child abuse.

Now you Miss Barbie -

Apparently your parents and older sibling haven't grown up. They can't think of what will keep you healthy and well. So....you will have to be the grown- up. Don't go. Or eat the gluten-free option. Or eat before you go.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
psawyer Proficient

Let me talk to your dad. What father would allow/ encourage a child to do something medically inadvisable? It's Medical Neglect if not full child abuse.

Now you Miss Barbie -

Apparently your parents and older sibling haven't grown up. They can't think of what will keep you healthy and well. So....you will have to be the grown- up. Don't go. Or eat the gluten-free option. Or eat before you go.

What Karen said!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
AzizaRivers Apprentice

Someone who is celiac or gluten-intolerant should NEVER cheat. Never. Never ever. You should be aware that each time you cheat you're doing physical damage to your intestinal lining and raising your risk of developing serious complications later in life, including a few types of cancers.

Your family should understand this too, and as the above posters have said, your father especially should not allow you to do that.

Also, what's so embarrassing about your food being gluten-free? I don't really get it. Just order the gluten-free food, it's not a big deal, I promise. You're going to dinner to socialize with family, no one should be so hyper focused on what your food is called that it matters you order something gluten-free.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
allergyprone Contributor

DO NOT GO TO OLIVE GARDEN i had their gluten free pasta and within a half hour i was dying i was on a band trip and luckily my mom was there and drove me home because i couldn't sit up i had be glutened

Link to comment
Share on other sites
beebs Enthusiast

Last time I cheated I ended up violently with intersussception and in ER - now that is embarrassing!! I would not go -especially as previous poster said they were glutened by eating their gluten free pasta!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
pricklypear1971 Community Regular

Get the mixed grill, specify gluten free. You can eat the salad, no croutons.

I've had it and it was fine. And good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



AVR1962 Collaborator

While experimenting with my diet at first I decided to try some gluten intolerance aides.....as far as the bloating and gas they worked but it did not help with my balance issues which for me will be the very sign for me. I was so sick, it took me 3 weeks to regain my balance after that incident so I will stick to salads mostly when I eat out. I especially like the rice pasta!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Skylark Collaborator

You are worrying far too much about what people will think. It's one of the more painful parts of being a teenager. You will be much happier in general once you stop caring so much. Be true to yourself and everything else will sort itself out.

Would you think poorly of a friend with a peanut allergy who ordered carefully to avoid peanuts? I bet you wouldn't give it a second thought. I haven't tried Olive Garden's gluten-free food but I'm sure it beats getting sick while you're meeting your sister's boyfriend. If he asks, just say you've learned that gluten disagrees with you and leave it at that.

It is NEVER rude to refuse food like breadsticks at a restaurant. You're paying the restaurant for the service, not the other way around.

In fact, it is very rare to be in a situation where it is rude to politely decline food, especially if it makes you sick. What's rude and invasive is insisting another person eat something. People don't always like particular foods, they might be full, they might be dieting, they might have an allergy - there are a million reasons for saying "no, thank you" and a polite person simply takes "no" for an answer without asking questions or forcing the issue.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Juliebove Rising Star

What do you think? From online it seems like the gluten free pasta if a microwaved small serving dish. I don't want to embarrass myself in front of my eldest sister's boyfriend by ordering something GLUTEN FREE. Would refusing breadsticks seem rude? Pre-gluten intolerant I loved Olive Garden, I'd eat two baskets of breadsticks it seemed, all by myself. Not to mention the food, oh lordy! Someone help me, the temptation is too much. My sister decided on Olive Garden because she was going to take us kids out for dinner to meet her boyfriend, however, now my dad is tagging along. There's no way to "change restaurants".

Help,

confused teen

They have a new gluten-free menu. The pasta is no longer microwaved and the portion is quite large. Why would it be rude to not take breadsticks? Why would you be embarrassed to order gluten-free? Just ask for the gluten-free menu when you are seated.

You'll have to ask for croutons on the side for your salad.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Juliebove Rising Star

While experimenting with my diet at first I decided to try some gluten intolerance aides.....as far as the bloating and gas they worked but it did not help with my balance issues which for me will be the very sign for me. I was so sick, it took me 3 weeks to regain my balance after that incident so I will stick to salads mostly when I eat out. I especially like the rice pasta!

For me, salads are the riskiest things to get unless I know there are no croutons in the place. I can't tell you how many times I began eating the salad and found a crouton in there. Or crumbs. Or the taste of crouton. I hate croutons to begin with! Often they will start to put them on your salad then realize the mistake and pick them off. Not good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
domesticactivist Collaborator

I agree with the others. On top of that... If you want to be taken seriously about your need to be gluten-free in the future, you need to show that it matters to you by not cheating on the diet.

Definitely eat before you go. You might order something gluten-free to fit in. This is no different from ordering the chicken instead of the fish.

I would not trust olive garden to be safe but I'm on the paranoid side. If asked I'd just say that I wasn't there for the food, I was there for the occasion!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
domesticactivist Collaborator

That is, pre-eat so you won't be actually hungry when the bread comes out, and if you don't like or trust the food it won't be torment!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BarbieGirl Newbie

Thanks! I think I will eat a little something in advance, and then judging by their gluten-free menu, I think I'll play it safe® and go with the mixed grill, all chicken...when I order should I specify gluten free? Or is it assumed that the dish is always gluten free?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
domesticactivist Collaborator

That sounds like a good plan. Definitely specify gluten-free when you order, though! That way they'll be more aware and won't do something silly like put bread on your plate with it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Takala Enthusiast

Before you order, ask for the gluten free menu - you can do this at the hostess station and then repeat it to the waiter/waitress that you will be ordering off the gluten free menu. Then Confirm It when they take your order "I will have the gluten free chicken... gluten free side dish, and NO BREAD, NO CROUTONS." Then when the food shows up, ask nicely, "that is the gluten free chicken for me, isn't it ?" And be sure to tip the waiter well when you are done eating, if they try to get it correctly. : )

Okay, now here is a hint just in case they switch servers or you are in another restaurant some time and the waiter just can't seem to understand "gluten" - start by switching to the phrase "Wheat gluten allergy." Because the phrase "wheat allergy" will get their attention - I know it is not technically correct from a medical standpoint, but lots of times they might then either send out the manager or one of the chefs/cooks to have a chat about what you need to avoid - THEN you can go into regular - speak. For example, at the frozen yogurt place recently, I asked if they had any gluten free and drew a blank look, so I asked if they had an ingredients notebook with the allergens listed... counter help immediately perked up and looked relieved, ( oh "allergies!" ) and took out the notebook they kept at the counter, just for this occasion, which had the detailed ingredients for each flavor. We just needed to get into the same dialect. I also did this at the county fair recently at the potato booth - the older guy at the counter is looking at me like "say what?" when I asked how they are handling the toppings, and what is in the sour cream, so I switched into "can I see the label on the sour cream to see if they put anything in it I'm allergic to" and the younger guy in the back "gets it' and brings it out, and brings out the other packages for the butter spread and grated cheese, too. I ended up with salt and sour cream on the potato, and was fine. (breadless food booths are great for giving me a better chance at not getting cc'd) I pointed out to older guy that his sour cream had "starch, derived from corn," in it (surprise) so I was okay with it. I really think the younger generation has more experience with their companions not being able to eat certain things.

There is no need to be embarrassed by a special order, many restaurants do this all the time with people avoiding salt or nuts or fish, etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sariesue Explorer

When you order something at a restaurant always specify that you have need your meal to be gluten free. I waitress at a well known chain with a gluten free menu. Meals that are specified gluten-free or with a specific allergy are cooked differently than the same item if it was not specified gluten-free, usually in foil instead of being placed directly on the grill.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      120,507
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    AngieMu
    Newest Member
    AngieMu
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      120.2k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • McNish
      If you're ever in the Peoria IL area - Queen of Squash is 100% gluten-free.   Pekin (just outside Peoria) Whiskey Taco is 90% gluten-free.  The owner's mom is Celiac so they get it!   Just let your server know.   https://thequeenofsquash.com/ https://whiskey-taco.com/
    • trents
      Do you have online access to your celiac panel test results such that you could post them? tTG-IGG is kind of a secondary test. A weak positive in that one could indicate celiac disease but since it isn't as specific a marker as the tTG-IGA it is not real convincing. You could also have NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity) for which there is no test. Celiac disease must first be ruled out. It is 10x more common than celiac disease and shares many of the same symptoms. Some experts believe it can be a precursor to celiac disease. The antidote for both is the same: total avoidance of gluten.
    • powerofpositivethinking
      I haven't been on this forum for a long time, but it was absolutely wonderful during the diagnostic process!  My path for celiac disease diagnosis was the following: -Had normal IgA level, and my only serology positive test was the DGP IgG -Deficiencies in both Vitamins D and K that did not increase at first despite massive supplementation -Diagnosis of fat malabsorption both total and neutral -Diagnosis of severe exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) -Testing was completed to rule out causes of EPI, and the only one not ruled out was celiac. -Both traditional endoscopy and pill capsule endoscopy yielded negative results for biopsy confirmation, but my GI doctor said that both procedures simply could have missed the damaged spots. -EPI and fat malabsorption resolved after taking Creon for 6 months since my EPI was caused by celiac -23 and Me said I don't have either of the two prominent genes for celiac disease   Remember that you might not have 'textbook' symptoms, but you still may have celiac disease.   Also, I am SO incredibly grateful for this site for all the learning it has allowed me to do. I have a senior dog, and these last few weeks with her were very scary! After two hospital stays, she finally received an IBD diagnosis after having gastroenteritis and pancreatitis. I know that celiac disease is not IBD, however, through reading this site, I learned more about it. I was relieved when I found out she had IBD and not cancer this past Wednesday. I know IBD can be managed thanks to what I've learned here!  So celiac.com, not only did you help me, but you helped my pup too! Thank you ❤️  
    • SuzanneL
      It was tTG IGG that was flagged high. I'm not sure about the other stuff. I'm still eating my normal stuff. 
    • cristiana
      Thank you for your post, @Nedast, and welcome to the forum. It is interesting to read of your experiences. Although I've not had TMJ, from time to time I have had a bit of mild pain in my jaw, sharp stabbing pains and tingling in my face which appears to have been caused by issues with my trigeminal nerve.  I read that sometimes a damaged trigeminal nerve in coeliacs can heal after adopting a gluten free diet.  I try to keep out of cold winds or wear a scarf over my face when it is cold and windy, those conditions tend to be my 'trigger' but I do think that staying clear of gluten has helped.  Also, sleeping with a rolled up towel under my neck is a tip I picked up online, again, that seems to bring benefits. Thank you again for your input - living with this sort of pain can be very hard, so it is good to be able to share advice.
×
×
  • Create New...