Ruby Tuesday

[Lauren M]

Hi, I'm fairly new so forgive me if this is a repeat.

I've been pretty lucky eating at my local Ruby Tuesday from the salad bar. I was just wondering if others eat there, and if so, what do you get?

Also, I've had some Celiacs tell me that they would never eat at a salad bar or any other place where you serve yourself b/c of the risk of cross-contamination. For me, I'd rather see it with my own eyes, that way if I see that a crouton has fallen into the shredded cheese container, I won't take any! Am I being naive to think that it's possible to safely eat from the Ruby Tuesday salad bar?

- Lauren

[tarnalberry]

Also, I've had some Celiacs tell me that they would never eat at a salad bar or any other place where you serve yourself b/c of the risk of cross-contamination. For me, I'd rather see it with my own eyes, that way if I see that a crouton has fallen into the shredded cheese container, I won't take any!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What about the crumb that fell off the crouton as it bassed over the cheese container? Can you see it? That type of thing is my biggest concern, and why I'm hesitant about most salad bars.

[KaitiUSA]

I am also hesitant like Tiffany. Anywhere you eat out even where they have gluten free menus there is always a risk for cross contamination unless all they serve is gluten free food. I try to avoid eating out at most places.

[terri]

I worry about when they put the food out. Do they grab the croutons and put them in the container and then grab the lettuce? How about when they chopped the stuff? Did they use the same knife for the cucumbers that had already cut the croutons? Did they use the same cutting board? There are so many ways a salad bar can get contaminated that I feel it is a huge risk and stay away from them. Heck, they could put soy sauce in the marinated veggies and we'd never know. At least we wouldn't know until we got sick! You can still eat at Rubys, just talk to the waitstaff and manager and opt for a safe choice.

[Lauren M]

Siiiighhh

Thanks for the responses.

Now this question is totally innocent and not meant to offend... but what do you guys do, never go out to eat? What do you do when friends want to meet out for dinner? Business luncheons? Vacations? I too feel much more comfortable preparing my own food at my own home, but sometimes eating away from home is inevitable! How do you do it?

I try not to have too much anxiety and remind myself that "it could be worse," but sometimes this is sure frustrating!

- Lauren

[ryebaby0]

Lauren:

Well, this is going to generate a wide range of responses. My husband is celiac, and we eat at Ruby Tuesday's frequently. We go off-peak, and they have always been extremely helpful with any special things he needs. Generally, I do a scouting trip to restaurants, to save him and our son from the tedious explanations and inevitable discovery that there is no gluten free food to be had in many places. We got a "restaurant card" from GIG (we have several) to send to the kitchen as a reminder for the cooks. When he knows there is a business lunch, he eats before they go, and then just has something to drink or a bowl of fruit. Or sometimes his coworkers (there are several with celiac) choose Ruby's or Outback, and they all eat. Vacation (what's that?) we bring all their food with us, a microwave and a toaster. (And we splurge on cheap plastic tableware, which we pitch rather than struggle to clean safely)

Some people never eat out. Some people are too sensitive to take that chance, or don't feel the work involved is worth it, and they have a point! A choice we made was when everyone wants to eat out -- we have everybody here, and we have a dinner party. An old-fashioned idea, but you get the socializing and food without the stress. ......

Good luck

Joanna

mom/wife to celiacs, but not one herself.

[happygirl]

Extremely sensitive to gluten, also. I went to a few places that I was interested in eating at, talked to managers/kitchen staff, so that there are places that I know I can go to. Of course, when I get there, I still grill them with questions But, this way, I have an idea of what to expect, what I know I can have, what my options are (i.e. substitute x for y). I think you will find very many people on this forum that eat out a fairly normal amount.

[Lauren M]

Thanks for replying, you guys are great.

I'm tired of bringing a protein bar and watching other people eat the good stuff at restaurants! And it's even worse to eat before and sit there, having others think that I just don't eat, period! (and at 5'7" and about 100 lbs, they assume things...)

Outback and Austin Grill are 2 places that have published gluten-free lists and I feel fairly comfortable going to. There is also a Thai restaurant near me that completely understands celiac disease and actually has quite a Celiac following. But there are times when I'm with other non-Celiacs who want to go to other restaurants, and I just try to make the best of it. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

This is interesting to read other people's theories on eating at restaurants (and ordering from a menu vs salad bars, etc). Please continue sharing!

- Lauren

[tarnalberry]

Siiiighhh

Thanks for the responses.

Now this question is totally innocent and not meant to offend... but what do you guys do, never go out to eat? What do you do when friends want to meet out for dinner? Business luncheons? Vacations? I too feel much more comfortable preparing my own food at my own home, but sometimes eating away from home is inevitable! How do you do it?

I try not to have too much anxiety and remind myself that "it could be worse," but sometimes this is sure frustrating!

- Lauren

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't eat out often, but still do.

The first thing I'll try to do is get people to go to PF Changs or Outback. They've got gluten-free menus, and are supposed to have trained their staff in what to do about it. (The effectiveness of this seems to vary by location, but so far I've had all good experiences.)

The second thing I'll try to do is find the most basic item at a restaurant that's really hard to mess up and talk to the manager, away from the table, about it. For instance, the last time I went to Claim Jumper, I didn't want to deal with the grill and the rest, so I had a plain baked potato and steamed vegetables. Nothing spectacular, but it was a tasty potato. :-) Or at a Chinese restaurant, for instance, I'll get steamed shrimp and vegetables (no sauce).

The third thing I'll do is evaluate my options. If the menu is full of salads with croutons and bread and fried stuff, then I'll shy away from that, but if the salads are general bread-free affairs, I may try one after a discussion with the server.

Mostly, I don't have the time to risk getting contaminated, so I do my best to avoid any chance, but I will eat out on occasion.

[emeraldskies]

I only eat one thing at PF Chang's, Chang's Spicy Chicken, because it has never made me sick. There are other places that have gluten-free menus, but I don't know if they contain dairy or not, so I can't risk it. I've been recontaminated too many times to count (taking two-and-a-half weeks to recover each time) and not because I cheated. It was because I was informed that certain foods were safe when they actually were not. Now, if something is even slightly questionable, I will avoid it at all costs. It just isn't worth it to me.

[terri]

I eat out when I travel and when something is going on at work. For example today we took my boss out for his birthday. In deference to my needs we went to Legal Seafood where I ordered gluten-free calamari and cajun scallops and broccoli. I ended up going home early from work and am sitting here miserable. My husband said "but you can't be sick! you ate at Legal Seafood!" Well, guess what, even the restaurants with a gluten-free menu can still mess up. Will I eat there again? Probably. Definitely, but I will order what I usually order and have NEVER gotten sick from, which is the garlic shrimp on rice. I can only think they might have used the same spatula from my boss's breaded oysters to scoop up my scallops. Who knows? Anyhow, don't be discouraged. I know it's hard, but you'll get the hang of it and know what is "safe" to order and where. After all, you're not going for the food, you're going for the company. You get much tastier food at home!

[Carriefaith]

but what do you guys do, never go out to eat? What do you do when friends want to meet out for dinner? Business luncheons? Vacations?

I eat out sometimes, but I don't make a habit out of it. For dinners with friends, I try to convince them to go to a place with a gluten free menu or a place that I know is safe. When I eat out with co-workers or business it is usually a very expensive place that isn't busy and doesn't mind accomodating the diet. For vacations, I buy some stuff and eat it in the hotel room and just pick places with gluten-free menus.

[Lauren M]

After all, you're not going for the food, you're going for the company. You get much tastier food at home!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What a positive way to look at it, thanks terri!

[judy05]

Thanks for replying, you guys are great.

I'm tired of bringing a protein bar and watching other people eat the good stuff at restaurants! And it's even worse to eat before and sit there, having others think that I just don't eat, period! (and at 5'7" and about 100 lbs, they assume things...)

Outback and Austin Grill are 2 places that have published gluten-free lists and I feel fairly comfortable going to. There is also a Thai restaurant near me that completely understands celiac disease and actually has quite a Celiac following. But there are times when I'm with other non-Celiacs who want to go to other restaurants, and I just try to make the best of it. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

This is interesting to read other people's theories on eating at restaurants (and ordering from a menu vs salad bars, etc). Please continue sharing!

- Lauren

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

At least once a week we eat at our local Chinese restaurants, I always order the chicken, shrimp, and broccoli with white rice (no sauce) and I've never had a problem. I might start to carry my own sauce and salad dressings whenever

we eat out.