Resturant Tips

Restaurants were a bit scary at first. I remember sitting in Texas Roadhouse feeling like I couldn't eat anything and just wanted to cry, I may have actually. (You can eat at Texas Roadhouse by way) There will be places that know nothing about gluten, treat it like a "choice" not a requirement, and even ones that seem to not care at all if you get a crumb or two of cross contamination. You just have to do a few more things before going out, especially if it’s a new place. This is what I do:

1. I check their online menus or nutritional facts for any direction towards a GF list or menu. Sometimes I even print it and take it with me if I have a printer available.

2. If there is no list or menu, I call and ask for a manager to find out what I might be able to have. It all depends on the type of restaurant with this one. If they don’t have a clue, I usually won’t eat there, but here are some of the questions I ask either on the phone or in person.

·         Mexican:

·         Do you make your own chips? If so, are they fried in the same grease as any other fried item?

·         Is your rice GF? Do you use any commercially made broths in your recipes to make the rice, beef, or chicken?

·         Chicken, is it marinated? Believe it or not, I have run into multiple places that use soy sauce, broth, or Italian dressing in the marinade.

·         Beef, check the seasoning. Also can use soy sauce for seasoning.

·         Italian:

·         Do you have any GF pasta available?

·         Bar and grill/Steakhouse:

·         Marinades for Chicken?

·         Seasoning on steak, fish & burgers?

·         Are your fries fried in a community fryer with other fried yummies?

·         If there are veggies on the dish, they often times have these steamed as the seasoning are sometimes contaminated.

·         Dressings, do you make your own or buy it in? If bought, can you check the label? If made, was wheat used to thicken it?

3. ALWAYS tell your server! I get embarrassed or forget sometimes and then it comes out with croutons or a bun and the whole dish has to go back. My husband or family has gotten good at reminding me sometimes if I don’t mention it. Just know that even though you will always have modifications from now on anywhere you go, its ok! This is medically important to follow so don’t be embarrassed to ask for them!

4. Take a good look around before eating! Make sure if you sent it back they understand that this is not a fade diet you’re trying, but a “severe allergy”, so don’t just pick off the bread and send it back to you. If it comes back out immediately I would be suspicious. Side note, even though this is not an allergy for us, it can be easier to explain & understand when talking to a server that may know nothing about celiac disease that it is a severe allergy than saying it’s an autoimmune disease. Sad, but true!