Burgers And Fajitas

[RedRaider11]

I was diagnosed this week with celiac by a routine blood test and am trying to wrap my head around going gluten free. I've seen a lot of posts about cross contamination that make me believe some of my doctors advice about eating out might be a bit lacking in accuracy. I was told "just take the bun off the burger" or "order the fajitas and just eat the meat and veggies out of the tortilla." From what I've been reading, it seems as if the meats have touched the buns so to speak, they are no longer safe? I don't (extremely thankful) have much, if any "noticeable" reaction to gluten (although I now know whats going on inside my body) so I don't know if I would have any idea if I was glutened. Sorry if this is an obvious question. I'll be learning quickly I'm sure! Thanks in advance for your responses.

[kareng]

Sounds like your doctors don't know much about Celiac. Look up " celiac centers" and see what the experts say. They will all tell you that no gluten, even the small amount that sticks to a burger or is in the soy sauce the chicken is marinated in, is safe. Here's one to get you started.

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[1desperateladysaved]

Hopefully, soon your body will be warning you when you make mistakes. Mine took about 4 days of a gluten free diet before it really started bellyaching when I goofed. Other than that you can learn alot here, and in time you will know how to handle it.

Diana

[RedRaider11]

Thanks for the info. I have a lot to learn going forward.

[Juliebove]

Yikes! No, no. You can never do this. Once I got a burger patty to go for my daughter. I told them that I wanted just the patty but they put it on a bun. This was not long after she had been diagnosed. Thinking I could be smart, I took the bun off, rinsed the patty in the sink and reheated it. She got sick as a dog.

You also have to ask about fajita meat in a restaurant. I know it sounds silly but some places use a marinade that contains soy sauce and soy sauce usually contains wheat. You can get gluten-free soy sauce but most restaurants won't have it.

[HowdySunshine]

Hi RedRaider,

I am in the same boat. About a week ago I started on the gluten free diet because of those symptoms.

I've learned so far that you need to be *SURGICALLY* clean about avoiding gluten. Even a crumb of bread will have a reaction.

It makes for dining at a burger place difficult. I guess you could ask them to change their gloves before making your burger, but cross-contamination in that environment seems likely.

[DB12]

(1) please find a doctor who has more knowledge about celiac. They are out there.

(2) you should not "just take the bread off," as it will still be contaminated by gluten. Even if it does not seem to make you sick, it could be damaging your intestines.

(3) There are places to eat out, but you have to do your research. As far as chain restaurants, "Five Guys" burgers is great because they cook the burgers and buns separately and have a dedicated fryer for the fries. Plus their kitchen is open so you can watch and make sure everything is done properly. They automatically change gloves when I request "no bun," and I bring my own gluten-free bun to use. I know people also like Red Robin for good gluten-free practices, but we do not have that in my area. I am fortunate that there are two local burger joints that offer gluten-free buns and have a separate prep area, so I feel safe eating there, too.

(4) Fajitas are tricky, because a lot of them are marinated in soy sauce--again, you'll have to do a bit of research. I learned when going to a work function that the "Uncle Julio's" chain marinates all their grilled meats in (wheat) soy sauce, so I ate at Chipotle beforehand for my mexican fix. I also learned the hard way that some restaurants make their margaritas with beer! Good luck, and you will feel better, I promise.