Having celiac disease does not mean that you can no longer eat out, it just means that you have to take the time to talk with the chef/cook at the restaurant you are visiting to ensure they can prepare safe gluten free (gf) food for you. If you know you will be going out to eat, it is always a good idea to call ahead and ask the manager if they can accommodate your dietary needs and further ask to talk with the chef. Consider calling at a time that the restaurant would be less busy either in the morning or after lunch. If for any reason you feel uncomfortable with the conversation, it is best to go elsewhere.
When talking with a restaurant chef/cook be very clear about your dietary restrictions, do not assume that they will know what you are talking with them about. Let them know that you have a medical condition and that ingesting gluten will make you sick. You will know in short order if they have experience with preparing gf food. You may wish to make a few copies of the Medically Required Diet Info and bring them with you. They are a handy guide for those who will be entrusted to prepare you gf food.
If you do not have an opportunity to call ahead and discuss your dietary requirements, do not be shy about letting your waiter know that you would like to speak with the chef or manager before ordering. Always mention a concern about cross contamination of food to ensure they will consider this in the preparation of your food. If you ever have any reservation or concern about a restaurant's ability to prepare a safe meal for you, simply leave. It is better for you to stay well than to risk unnecessary exposure to gluten.
In selecting items from a menu there are two ways to proceed. You may identify two or three items that you are interested in and ask the chef if they can be prepared gf, or you can ask the chef what he can prepare that is gf and will be safe for you to eat. More often than not you will be able to find a wonderful selection to enjoy.
It is important to keep in mind that even with having a discussion with the chef or manager, that the wait staff may not be clued into your dietary needs. Be sure to let them know why you are refusing the bread or returning a salad that comes with croutons. Take a role in helping to educate your server rather than becoming aggravated and perhaps the next person that comes in with celiac (which may even be you) will have a better experience. Always remember to take responsibility for your own safety and if you are ever in doubt error on the side of caution.
Another tip for eating out safely is to bring along some of your own food items. For instance if you are eating out at a place where soy sauce would be used as a condiment, take your gluten free soy sauce. If you are going out for a burger, take along your own gluten free hamburger bun, or if you are going to a place that has pasta, take along your gluten free pasta. Most restaurants will not have any problem with you bringing in your own food products, and if they do just politely remind them it is a medical diet that they are unprepared to accommodate.
While you are becoming familiar with the gluten free diet you may want to choose a full service restaurant because they are likely to be able to accommodate the diet. Some restaurants offer gluten free menus or menu selection. Always ask if there is a gluten free menu available. The more we ask about their availability the more likely we will start seeing more eating establishments providing them. A few restaurants that currently have gluten free menus include:
Remember
For a list of some GF friendly restaurants click here
After a month at college, you are already calling it home. They give you a place to eat, and you should be able to eat something.
If you have not chosen a college yet, remember you will be eating on campus for years. So when you are visiting to make sure you like the atmosphere be sure to make sure the food agrees with you as well. Contact the food service department before you go and tell them you are going to be visiting on this date and you were hoping they could arrange to have something gluten-free for you to eat. Be sure to explain a gluten free diet to them if they have any questions. When you arrive on campus to visit the kitchen staff and make sure they are prepared for you, the last thing you want is to have gluten in your food. If there is any problem with your food when you are served immediately alert the kitchen staff and have them get you something that is acceptable. Remember that they order most of the food weeks or months in advance so they may have a limited selection. It is more important that they are willing to accommodate you, especially if they need to go out of their way to do so. Keep in touch with the kitchen staff and find out when they order food during the summer.
If you have chosen a college then you must make sure they can feed you as long as you are attending. This means that you should talk with the people who order the ingredients and try to get as many gluten-free options as possible. While it is certainly acceptable to have your food served separately when you visit, it quickly becomes a hassle when you are forced to go out of your way for every meal day after day. Be sure to get a menu for all the meals they will serve, including special dinners (when parents or famous alumni visit, holiday dinners, ect) and discuss what is and is not gluten free. Also discuss the potential risk of cross contamination and brainstorm ways to prevent it. Look over the menu and verify that each day you will have something to eat, and talk about having something in reserve, because there is bound to be an accident where even the best chef will accidentally contaminate your food. College is supposed to be fun and you shouldn’t need to worry about food more then anyone else does.
Either way, you may find the Medically Required Diet Info useful.
Eating out may not always be at a restaurant, you may be invited to a party or to a friends home to eat. Once again, you should go. For a party you should let your hostess know about your dietary requirements and offer to bring a gluten free dish to the party. Take something you enjoy and that will be enough to eat should there be no other gf items available. You should even bring some extra if you can, because people are always curious about different food.
The same pretty much will apply when invited out to a friend's home for dinner. Discuss the diet with your hostess and how her meal plan can be modified to be gf. Perhaps offer to bring a dessert, gf of course. Soon you will find your friends will be very accommodating with your diet.