You may think that following a gluten free food diet means that you can't dine at restaurants, but nothing could be further from the truth. You can dine at your favorite restaurants and still maintain a wheat free food diet by planning your meal choices ahead of time and asking plenty of questions at the restaurant.
With fast food, it can be difficult to find foods free of gluten because these establishments simply don't have the time or means to offer specialty foods such as wheat free foods. But many traditional family style or even exquisite restaurants are more than willing to cater to the special needs of customers, whether a person is diabetic, has heart disease, or suffers from coeliac disease.
The key is to know what you can and cannot eat, and ask if the restaurant carries certain types of foods. Here are some tips to make the process easier.
Place a Call to the Restaurant
If you plan to dine out soon, place a call to the restaurant and ask to speak to the head chef or manager. Ask about your possible meal options for gluten free food and if they can accommodate these needs. Perhaps the chef already has a method of preparing food without gluten, or maybe the restaurant offers special dishes specifically for coeliac food needs. It will help ease your mind to know what your options are ahead of time. There are also food items you might want to take along, such as gluten free sauces and condiments, special seasoning, and maybe even your own gluten free snack or dessert.
Pick a Slower Time
Dining before or after the busiest times of the day will allow for more time to select your meal, talk with your waiter about your specific needs, and ensure that the chef has enough time to prepare your meal the way you need it. If you have a dinner engagement for business or other purposes and cannot dine at your own chosen time, be sure to call ahead of time and ask for a specific dish. This will give the chef a "heads up" that you're coming and what type of meal you'll need.
When speaking with a waiter, be sure to explain your needs briefly, but in detail. You might say something like, "I need your help selecting food items. My diet is restricted to foods made without wheat, barley, and rye. Do you have a moment to help or can you suggest some gluten free foods?" To give credibility to your medical claims, you might opt to wear a medic alert bracelet so waiters will take your requests seriously.
Create a restaurant card with questions and/or requests to be given to the chef. This will let the chef know exactly what you need, and you won't have to rely on the waiter's memory or his handwriting!
Problem Foods
Some foods to be very careful with at restaurants are salads, dressings, and marinades, soups and sauces, prime rib or other meats, fried foods, rice, hash browns, and dairy products (non-dairy substitutes particularly). Even gluten free foods may be prepared on surfaces or cooked in the same oil as products with gluten. This means you might still be exposed to the gluten even if eating gluten free foods. It's a good idea to ask the chef if your food items will be prepared separately - on a clean surface, in new oil, etc.
When your meal arrives, be sure to confirm with your waiter that it is the special gluten free food meal you ordered. Tip generously if your waiter has displayed a willingness to help. It does take extra effort to cater to medically restricted diets. Show your appreciation through a great tip!
Whether dining out or eating in, it's good to have extra coeliac foods (or celiac foods) on hand. You can order gluten free food online easily for baking or snacking. Some of the delightful gluten free foods available on the Web include pasta, wafers, pastries, cake mixes, cereals, chocolate snacks, biscuits, flour, gravy, and more. Planning ahead will enable you to dine out at your favorite restaurants with confidence!
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Chris Robertson is a published author of Majon
International. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2008 (Sat Oct 25 2008)
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