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Hello, has anybody any suggestions for gluten free options at LAX airport, specifically terminals 2 and Tom Bradley International?   I saw there's a Built Burger.  Has anyone been there?  Thank you!  

Just warning you all that Cheezels are not longer gluten free by ingredient.    My daughter has eaten them for years with no problem as they were gluten free by ingredient.   They did have a may contain statement but we often buy products with a may contain and have had no negative reactions whatsoever.   Today I just happened to look at the ingredient listing on the Cheezels box which I haven't done for a long time and noticed it contains barley!   This is just wrong as there would be many people who don't check the ingredients each time they buy the product. Why would they change the formulation and add another allergy causing ingredient?  I am going to complain of course.  The lesson to be learnt here is to regularly check ingredients on products that were previously gluten free.

That's quite strange. If it had gluten in it you would think they would have it in the contains statement.  I will go an have a look today when I am at the supermarket.  Maybe the breadcrumbs were made of soy if that is what it had in brackets.  Legally if a product contains an allergy causing ingredient such as wheat, milk, nuts, eggs etc. it must be listed.   Does it say gluten free on the packaging at all?  It if does say gluten free than you are fine as they are not allowed to state gluten free unless it is gluten-free. 

Why would you need gluten free hairspray?   Firstly I would be surprised if hairspray had wheat in it and secondly unless you ingest gluten it cannot have any effect on you.   Shampoo, moisturisers, makeup etc. does not absorb into your intestine through your skin and therefore is safe to use.  You have to orally consume gluten for it to have an effect on you.  The only products you would need to worry about is toothpaste and mouthwashes etc.  and the majority would not contain gluten.    I worked for the coeliac society for five years and this is what we informed our members.  

Italy is in fact great for gluten free.  There is very good awareness of celiac disease there as they have the highest rate in the world.  We had no problem there.  Greece will be fine too as  a lot of the food is naturally gluten free.  The UK should not be a problem as awareness is quite good there also.  Also Spain was pretty good too.  Can't comment on the others though.     Come to Australia or New Zealand if you want the easiest places a celiac to eat.

We were in the US a couple of years ago (from Australia) and my celiac daughter ate the fries and had no problem.  People need to realise if they are saying there is no detectable gluten than they are fine to consume and they are always in dedicated fryers here in Australia and I assume the same over there.   There are ingredients that are derived from wheat but due to processing the gluten is eliminated such as wheat glucose syrup.   We will be in Hawaii in a couple of weeks and I just popped in here surprised to see the topic  "are McDonalds fries gluten free" still going two years later. 

Hi,  apparently the gluten free weetbix will be in store this week in Coles and Woolworths. Check out their facebook page for more info.  

Good to hear!  We have also been on two Royal Caribbean cruises with our celiac daughter.  One was to the Mediterranean and the other the Caribbean.  Both were very good with gluten free awareness and availability.  On our last cruise 2 years ago gluten-free was marked on the menu which was even better.  The bread wasn't great though.  Shame about the airline food, what airline was it?   We have had good experiences with Singapore Airlines and Air New Zealand even if the meals all seemed to be the standard rice with chicken. 

I remember looking at this place a few years back. It is a chateau in France which specifically caters for those on a gluten free diet.

www.chateaudevillars.com

The awareness of gluten free in Europe is very good in  places like Italy and Scandinavia plus the UK and Ireland.    You need to narrow down where you want to go and then do some research about those places.  We went on a Mediterranean cruise which was also a great idea as the cruise line (Royal Carribbean) were very good with gluten-free.   When we visited cities in Italy we had no problem in finding gluten free. Make sure you take translation cards which you can get online.  We didn't use them as the waiters all  knew what it was in the places we visited.  Italy and Ireland have the highest rate of Celiac in the world so therefore the awareness and availability is higher than some other European countries.    If you go to Italy the gluten-free free products are mainly found in  pharmacies rather than supermarkets.

Almost 10 years ago when I first came down with in my 50s, no one here knew what celiac was, including me. As a sometimes chef, i had to do a lot of learning. Later as president of the ACF chefs group on the big island we could develop some educational programs which I liked to think worked.  I know DK and have been to one of his places, HIroshi which has a lot of asian veg dishes which they can do with tamari gluten free soy sauce which more and more places stock. That or braggs aminos.  I usually go to the Asian places since they  always have fresh veggies and will steam them without sauce. I carry a little spray bottle with braggs.   I tend to go to Town and 12th Ave becasue they will always fix something special and they specialize in using locally grown produce.  Hope you havea great trip

I think many people would thank you for your contribution to the education of chefs on the islands.  Education is definitely the key in improving awareness.  When our daughter was diagnosed celiac 15 years ago we could quite easily get gluten free foods but awareness was hit and miss. There weren't that many places that had gluten-free menu's etc. but the improvement since then has been amazing.  The celiac society in each of the states have been great in educating the public and restaurant industry.  Actually celiac awareness week was in March right across the country.  I think this education has been the key to this country probably been the most gluten free aware in the world so keep up the good work as obviously what you have done has made a big difference so far and it can only get better. Thanks again for your great suggestions and we are definitely looking forward to our trip and will do a report on our gluten-free experiences when we get back.

There are some great restaurants there that have gluten fee means. Still it's always good to call and let them know.

12th Ave. Grill  and Town both in the kaimuki section of Honolulu are my favorites. In oriental restaurants the choices are often more limited except for steamed  veggies -- just stay away from all the soy sauce.  Chef mavro's  is very good and they will make an outstanding gluten-free meal but they are VERY expensive. 

 

There are 2 whole foods on Oahu as well as local health food chains Down to Earth ( good buffet with some gluten-free) and Kokua Market which has more of the gluten-free staples if your doing the cooking.  The revolving restaurant in waikiki is  a gimic but the food was always  pretty good and they had a few selctions. They did get a new chef so i would call first. There is a place called the fat greek with great salads. A few good Indian places and dozens others

Alan Wongs and Roy Yamaguchi's would be ok but call first for sure.  Now if you come to Kona too, let me know!

Thanks for your reply Ken and apologies for the late reply.  Thanks for all your helpful suggestions.  I have done some research myself and found a few places in Waikiki that we can eat at some of which have a gluten free menu. I like the look of DK Steakkhouse which has a gluten free menu.   One thing I have noticed at restaurants in the U.S.A  is that I have never seen (gluten-free) next to an item on a menu.  Here many restaurants and cafe's will have (gluten-free) next to items on the menu that are gluten free.  I wonder if it is because they think that the diners will wonder what it means and be put off if they don't understand what gluten free is so they just have a separate menu.  I think that is probably where it was at here about 10 years ago or so but now most people know what gluten-free means.  I will check out those places that you listed though.   Soy sauce is a real nuisance, there would be so many more options if it was gluten-free.  Some places here use tamari or gluten-free soy sauce which is readily available but unless it's Thai we tend of avoid Asian places.    There is a new restaurant which has just opened in Waikiki called Bills Sydney Waikiki.  They don't have a website yet but have a facebook page.  He is an Australian chef who has a restaurants here (in Sydney) and in Japan and London and has just opened over there last week I think.  I am assuming they will be as gluten free friendly at the Waikiki restaurant as they are in his restaurant here so maybe check it out if you get the chance. 

Hello,

We are thinking about visiting Hawaii later on this year from Australia.  Our 17 daughter is celiac and was wondering if anybody has any suggestions re. eating gluten free around Waikiki and Oahu in general.  We have been to the US before (Disneyland, New York) and managed okay by doing a lot of research beforehand.   Awareness of gluten free is much less in the US than it is in Australia and I have been told it is even worse in Hawaii.  We will be staying in a condo with a kitchen so if I go to a grocery store in Hawaii will I be able to purchase gluten-free bread, cookies, cereal, pasta etc. or do we need to search out health food stores such as Whole Foods?   I know that places like PF Changs and Outback Steakhouse have gluten-free menu's but we don't fancy eating there all the time.  Is anyone else aware of other eating out options?  Any amazing gluten free discoveries?  Any suggestions would be most welcome.  Thank you!!

By All means, come back to hawaii -- If you visit the Big Island I'll make sure my chef friends take care of things-- Ohau too for that matter. When i was first Diagnosed almost 8 years ago, none of the chefs here including me knew a thing about celiac -- only peanut or shellfish allergy which was rare then too. Now, 12% of the guests at resort hotels require some dietary need like gluten free or vegan etc. etc.

I tend to agree that the US is behind, They know its in vogue but they dont know what it means, hence you have to be careful. Still I can almost always find something I can eat. There are a few places i dont go into where there is flour in the air etc. bakeries and pizza places etc. Almost everyplace has Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese places where I can get plain steamed veggies/tofu and a hot sauce which is fine by me. Being vegan complicates things at times but Im used to it now. -- In any case, hope you can make it here next year and pick up that beach towel. We've been talking about coming down there too. Been darn near everyplace else for work ..

take care

Thanks Ken. It's great to hear that Hawaii is improving in awareness. We might not get there next year as we had our big trip this year and it can get costly but we definately plan on going sometime soon. The 12 hour flight is not too bad either. If you do come to Australia I can give you advice on where to go for gluten free though I am no vegan expert.

Thanks much, good to know about Swissotel. Our hotels in Hawaii average about 15% of the guests have some special dietary requirement. When I was first diagnosed almost 8 years ago it was less than 1%

take care

I have one more question re. McDonalds.

Has anyone had the McFlurry's? We noticed you can get Reese's McFlurry's there which sound delicious as we don't have them here. The website says it is gluten free and are a couple of the other flavours. What has been your experience with McFlurry's??

Thanks!

Amber,

You're welcome....and my daughter is a permanent resident of Australia--she lives in North Bondi, so I know how easy it is to eat gluten free there in Australia. I love your country! My daughter is currently visiting here for a few months, and she took an Aussie friend of hers to Vegas yesterday. Even though it's great having her home for a bit, it's nice when she's in Oz....so that I can come visit!

Hi, I have spoken to you before on these forums It must be hard at times having a daughter living on the other side of a huge ocean but you seem to have a really good attitude and see it as a positive thing in that you can go visit her. Bondi would be an interesting place to live especially in Summer. It is a great people watching beach.

Have you considered ChickFilA? Their Frys are always gluten free, no matter what store. They cook them seperate than the chicken. Their grilled chicken is also gluten free, also many of their salads are safe, including the green salads, the coleslaw and carrot salad. Their ice cream is safe too. Just ask to talk to a manager, ask them to prep it seperately to prevent cross contact, and change their gloves. They do a great job! Check out their website and you can see everything they have that is gluten free.

Here is their gluten free page

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Good luck!

Thank you! I have heard of them and I will definately check them out.

I've been to Carl's Jr. restaurants all over California and have NEVER been glutened a single time. I always order the Star burger wrapped in lettuce with fries. I always let the manager know that I have celiac, and he/she usually makes the order for me (puts on gloves, places paper down on the counter, etc.). The ketchup for the burger and fries is also gluten free. In my opinion, the second safest fast food restaurant is Wendy's, and I agree that In 'N Out Burger is also a good option. Usually, Mexican restaurants tend to be fairly safe; however, don't bother going to Chevy's in California--there's nothing to eat there.

Thanks Rosetapper. My sister was in Las Vegas and she said it was a diffcult place to find much that was gluten free so she had to resort to the burgers wrapped in lettuce with fries at Carls. She did enjoy them though a bit too much! I will check out the websites of Wendy's and In n Out burger. THANKS!!

Hello!

Not sure where in the US you are headed - just re-read your post...maybe someone else can help with eastern states.

I'm in California and the best bets are In & Out and Wendy's.

McDonalds - problem with fries, never tried their shakes (I have ordered their salad safely as it is prepared offsite).

Carl's Jr. - we went there a few times for low carb burgers when first dx'd, but stopped after two glutenings (likely cross-contamination &/or increased sensitivity to gluten the longer we were gluten-free).

Have a wonderful trip!

Thank you, I will check out In & Out's website.

We will be in the USA in September (in L.A., New York and Florida) and I have looked that the McDonalds website and there are many items that are gluten free by ingredient. According to the website the fries are gluten free as are the hash browns, shakes, frappes and several other products. These items are also gluten free in Australia and my 15 year old celiac daughter has been eating them for many years and had no problem.

The reason I am confused is because on this forum there are so many conflicting reports regarding McDonalds. There are people saying they got sick from the frappes, the shakes and the fries. It is not like we intend to frequent McDonalds when we are there but it is handy to get a snack when we are on the go. Sometimes there is nothing else around and it would be good to know that we can just pop into McDonalds or Burger King and get some fries and a frappe or shake. Of course we would prefer healthier options but when you have a starving teenager whining about being hungry you sometimes have to resort to fast foods.

What about Burger King? Do you trust BK over McDonalds?

Also when my sister was there she had the low carb burgers at Carls Junior Burgers. They are gluten free according to the website. What are people's experiences of Carls Jr?

Thank you and sorry for all the questions.

Thanks! We ended up in a boardwalk balcony room on Royal Caribbean.

We are going on a cruise in September on RCI also on the Oasis of the Seas. Having been on a cruise with RCI once before we were impressed with how they handled gluten free on the ship. My teenage daughter is the celiac and she had plenty of food to choose from and they made her gluten free pancakes and french toast for breakfast if she wanted it. Each evening they would bring her the next nights menu and she would point out what she would like and they made a gluten free version for her. She didn't choose the items that were obviously difficult to make gluten free such as those with pastry but many of them items on the menu could be adapted.

Which ship are you going on?

For those who live in Melbourne (particularly in the south eastern suburbs) there is a great gluten free bakery in Moorabbin called Glutenfree4you. They have the usual breads, pies, sausage rolls, cakes etc. PLUS gluten free donuts, jam donuts, canoli and other amazing gluten free goodies. My daughter had her first gluten free jam donut on the weekend and last week she had a yummy canoli.

Here is a link to their website. Check before visting for opening hours.

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I doubt very much they are going to check everyones bag as they leave the ship to see if they have food in there or not. I would definately put snacks in your bags and if for some reason they do find them then explain that you are on a gluten free diet and you need these foods in case you can't find anything gluten free whilst you are off the ship. It seems like a stupid rule anyway and it should in no way stop you from getting off the ship. I am sure that you will find food to eat anyway. I am not sure what ports you are going to but if you are going to Scandinavia they apparently do gluten free well and in Finland they even have gluten-free buns at McDonalds! Anyway make sure you do take your snacks with you, you can put them in your pocket if you have to. I am sure they are not going to frisk you! Have a fabulous cruise and enjoy your shore excursions. Make sure you have a big breakfast before you go and stash a few of those snack bars to keep you going. Do not worry about this minor issue and let it spoil your anticipation of what will be a wonderful experience for you.

I agree--I could LIVE at Disneyland year round and be a happy camper. I wish I could just move into the Disneyland Hotel and take up residence. The gluten-free food is abundant and tasty--and I've never felt safer.

As for reservations, it's advisable to make reservations for dinner at the nicer restaurants. Then the chef can be alerted to come out and speak to you about your special dietary needs. Lunch isn't so much of a hassle since you can eat anywhere you'd like (as long as you have the information from the customer service desk). Really--all you have to say is that you must eat a gluten-free diet, and a specially-assigned chef will be called forward to help you...even at snack shacks). You're going to have the time of your life!

That all sounds fabulous! It's great to be able to go somewhere and not have to stress about where to get food. Disney have done a wonderful job in making the Disney experience a good one for everyone.

Not Rose but I can answer this one I didn't have reservations for lunch and had no problems with that (we went to the Village Haus). It was super crowded (I was there Labor Day weekend) but the person taking my order called over one of the cooks when I said gluten free and he handled it specially. For dinner, we had reservations at Ariel's Grotto because it was part of the package we had for the World of Color. The chef came out to our table to speak to me personally about my order/meal and they substituted some stuff that was on the shared platter.. it was great and I didn't get sick.

Plus the hand out I got from the town hall listed snacks being sold around the place... so I could put myself into a sugar coma on fairy floss and have no way of blaming it on gluten

I could live at Disney, so long as I stayed away from the "It's a Small World Ride" *shudders*

Thank you for you input - sounds wonderful!