Guide to Eating Out with Food Allergies
Eating out at restaurants can seem super overwhelming & frustrating sometimes (or even most times). I’ve REALLY struggled with it over the years ever since I was diagnosed with a severe case of Celiac Disease. I’ve been stressed about trying to order the healthiest items on the menu, I’ve been stressed about having enough gluten + dairy free options to choose from, and I’ve definitely been stressed about the chance of me getting extremely sick from cross contamination or kitchen mistakes. I was constantly worried about being that girl who had to ask a ton of questions about the menu, make alterations to almost every meal, and send meals back when I noticed the order was wrong. These stressors took over for a long time and really took away from the experience of dining out with family and friends. There’s always going to be a chance of cross contamination and/or kitchen mistakes with gluten free dishes, unless it’s a 100% gluten free restaurant, but it has gotten so much better over time now that celiac disease/gluten allergies have become more common. The beauty of cooking at home is that you know exactly what is going into your meal and you have complete control over what you’ll be eating. When dining out, you’ll never really know what’s going into your food behind those kitchen doors, but there’s a ton you can do to make healthier choices and avoid any food allergies along the way. After 10 years of being diagnosed with celiac disease, I’m happy to share my tips for eating out with food allergies!
Eating Out with Food Allergies
Do your research! I don’t think I have ever gone out to eat at a restaurant without looking at their menu beforehand to make sure they will have something on the menu that I can eat + enjoy. Check out their menu online to see if they have options safe for your food allergy &/or call them to ask directly.
Always speak with your waiter/waitress to address your food allergy. The biggest mistake I see people with food allergies make is the assumption that what is stated on the menu is exactly what is in the dish. NO! The dish listed on the menu is a summary of what’s included, but usually never has all of the actual ingredients. I can’t tell you how many times in the past I have ordered a house salad to start and when it comes to the table there are croutons sprinkled on top (menu never mentioned it had croutons). Always always always speak directly to your waiter/waitress to explain your allergy, emphasize the severity of it, and ask what options are safe for you.
Never assume your waiter/waitress has education on your allergy. This is one that I’ve picked up over time, but a very very important one. While I believe waiters/waitresses in a restaurant should be educated on the major food allergies, many of them know the bare minimum. It’s been 10 years now that I’ve been eating out with celiac disease and I can usually tell very quickly whether or not my waiter/waitress really understands what my condition means, how severe it is, and all of the items that need to be avoided. There are many times that I’ll ask about a specific menu item and they come back with “oh yeah there’s no flour in that dish.” I’ll usually just clarify that gluten is in a lot more than flour and I’d love for them to check with the chef &/or manager to make sure it’s still a safe dish. This is your health at risk, so don’t be afraid to take all the necessary steps to ensure you have an enjoyable meal without getting sick!
Struggling to find a dish that is allergy free & something you’ll enjoy? Ask to create something of your own! I used to feel like such a pain doing this, but I honestly have no shame now! If the menu has limited options for my allergy and I feel like I won’t enjoy any of them, I ask to create something of my own. It’s very rare that restaurants push back on this and they are usually happy to help! You just have to ask. I see what foods they have on the menu from other dishes and go from there. When I’m in this situation, I usually always ask for a vegetable + rice combo and it never fails me.
Traveling to a country that doesn’t speak your language? Carry an allergy translation card! An allergy translation card is a small sized document that you can give to the restaurant staff that will indicate your allergy needs in the language and dialect of the location you'll be traveling in. These cards will typically state the particular food or ingredient that you’re allergic to. There are a few companies that you can order these cards from - AllergyTranslation.com, DietaryCard.com, and SelectWisely.com.