January 30, 2025 • 23 mins
Dining out can be one of the biggest challenges when you’re living a gluten-free lifestyle. Whether you’re celiac, gluten-intolerant, or just choosing to avoid gluten, eating out safely can feel like navigating a minefield. But it doesn’t have to be stressful!
Today, I’m sharing my top tips for eating out safely, so you can enjoy your meals without the fear of gluten sneaking in. These are the strategies I’ve used for over 12 years as someone with celiac disease, and I promise they can make a world of difference for you, too!
Mentioned Resources:
Find Me Gluten Free*
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Come join us in our free Facebook Community, The Gluten Free Engineer.
It’s a space where you can connect with others living gluten-free, ask questions, swap tips and recipes, and get support from people who truly get it. Whether you’re newly diagnosed or a seasoned gluten-free pro, you’ll feel right at home.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Quick reminder before we get started on this episode.
This podcast is based on mypersonal experiences and isn't
medical advice.
Dining out can be one of thebiggest challenges when you're
living a gluten-free lifestyle.
Whether you're celiac glutenintolerant or just choosing to
avoid gluten, eating out safelycan feel like navigating a
minefield.
I know, sometimes for me itcertainly feels that way, but it
(00:21):
doesn't have to be thatstressful.
Sometimes for me, it certainlyfeels that way, but it doesn't
have to be that stressful.
And I'm going to give you sometips in this episode on what
makes me feel very safe, whatmakes me feel safer when I'm in
a pinch because sometimes we dohave to choose a place that's
maybe not the most ideal andwe'll give you some tips on what
we and our family and myselfhave been using for over 12
(00:43):
years to help us minimizegetting gluten accidentally.
So let's dive in.
Welcome to the Gluten-FreeEngineer podcast.
I'm your host, keri Saunders.
In 2011, I was diagnosed withceliac disease, a moment that
changed everything, but I wasdetermined not to let it hold me
back.
With my two engineering degrees, I set out to reverse engineer
(01:07):
the gluten-free lifestyle,breaking down recipes, safety
tips, travel hacks andeverything in between to rebuild
a life I love.
Whether you have celiac disease, gluten intolerance or simply
choose to live gluten-free, thispodcast is for you.
Join me each week as wesimplify the gluten-free
lifestyle, make it fun and provethat you don't have to miss out
(01:27):
on anything.
Welcome back to the show.
Today, we're talking about howto dine out safely and with
minimal risk to hopefully norisk and what I want to first
encourage you is to do yourresearch beforehand.
This is something that hassaved us so many times.
When we're going on a tripwhether it's just a weekend trip
(01:49):
or a day trip, or whether it'sa whole week's vacation's worth
I will spend the time toresearch the restaurants near
where we're going to make surethat I can find ones that seem
to be very gluten-friendly.
I want you to always check therestaurant's menus online ahead
of time.
We've done this since our kidswere like in sixth grade and
(02:11):
going on trips to Washington DCwith their class.
Talk about stressful whenyou're sending your sixth grader
off to a trip in their celiac,because you know you're going to
have to pack snacks, becausemany times it's the meals
included in the hotel forbreakfast, right and you know
(02:32):
you're going to have to packbreakfast for them.
But doing that research aheadof time is going to ease your
worries so much more, and alwaystalking with your kids.
If you have kids with celiac orgluten intolerance or need to
be gluten-free for other reasons, it's always great to talk to
your kids about this too, sothat they can learn as they get
older.
Now I feel confident that mykids that are now in their 20s
(02:55):
two of them are in their 20s andone of them's almost 18, as the
recording of this and I feelpretty confident that they can
go somewhere by themselves andbe relatively pretty darn safe.
It's pretty rare that they getsick anymore.
So I want you to be lookingahead at restaurants menus
online.
I want you to look forgluten-free menu options or
(03:15):
dedicated gluten-free sections.
Usually, if there's a dedicatedgluten-free section and or
markings of gluten-free onspecific items, that's usually a
good indication that they're atleast paying a good bit of
attention to how they'repreparing your meal and what
they have in it.
Now what I also want you to dois to ask around.
(03:41):
If you know somebody that'sgluten-free and lives in the
city that you're going to askaround to trusted friends.
And if you don't have any ofthose.
Our free Facebook group is agreat place to ask others as
well.
You can find the link to thaton our website,
theglutenfreeengineercom.
Always welcome to join thegroup and jump in and ask
(04:03):
questions like this.
I have found in all the yearsasking trusted other individuals
is one of the key ways toreally helping yourself be a lot
safer.
You can also read reviews fromother gluten-free diners on
platforms like Yelp or Find MeGluten-Free, and as a bonus,
I've actually partnered up withFind Me Gluten Free.
(04:25):
It's something we once we foundthat I would say probably eight
or so years ago.
It has been a lifesaver whenwe're traveling and we just
recently decided to get theirfamily plan because it's
actually pretty reasonablyaffordable for the year.
And since myself and the threekids and we just recently found
(04:46):
out my husband has not ourhusband, my husband has celiac
as well it has really saved uswhen we are traveling and I have
found that especially on FindMe Gluten Free.
People who write reviews onthere are pretty darn thorough.
They let you know if they haveceliac and actually find me
(05:07):
gluten-free recently has createdsome other measures to help it
be even more safe so that youcan trust a certain reviews more
than others.
So there's trusted reviews nowthat they have, and what I've
found is, whenever I'm readingthose reviews on how safe
restaurants are, they are reallydarn accurate.
(05:28):
People who are celiac and savvyon it if you are celiac are
really great at, you know,making sure that that restaurant
makes them feel safe and thenreporting back as to whether
they actually got sick or notfrom it.
And then those that are glutenintolerant also review on there
and let you know how well theyworked out on you know whether
(05:50):
they got sick or not from it aswell.
So it's really great to gaugethe level of gluten-free safety
via reviews from others.
Obviously, it's not perfect.
You know.
We're all human and we can makemistakes and things can change
at the restaurant too.
So I want to encourage you toalways call ahead.
This is another point I want tohave under here.
(06:10):
When you're doing your researchbeforehand, always call ahead
to ask about gluten-freeaccommodations and
cross-contamination protocols,especially if you're celiac.
You need to be asking aboutcross-contamination protocols
and one of the things that Ihave found, too especially early
on.
I feel like it's less so now,but if you're at a restaurant
(06:32):
and you have celiac and theydon't.
They look at you funny when yousay I have celiac and I need to
avoid gluten.
Sometimes I use the wordsgluten allergy, even though I
know it's not actually anallergy.
It's a completely differentsystem in your body that
responds to gluten.
That kind of clicks a bit moresometimes than celiac disease.
So play with that, see if thathelps you when you're eating out
(06:55):
at a restaurant and you want tomake sure there is no
cross-contamination.
If you're celiac and if you'revery gluten sensitive, you also
want to check forcross-contamination and I'll
talk about that a little bithere later in this episode.
And then when we are choosingrestaurants, when we go out to
eat and a lot of people can'tbelieve I can't remember the
(07:16):
last time I ate in a fast foodrestaurant.
I mean, it's probably been 12years or more.
I may have pulled into aspecific restaurant that has
golden arches and gotten a Cokewhenever I was desperate for
some calories, but I can'tremember the last time I
actually ate food in a fast foodrestaurant.
And why I don't is because Ifind that restaurants that are
(07:40):
sit-down restaurants tend tohave a bit more cautiousness
when it comes tocross-contamination.
So places like steakhouse,seafood restaurants,
farm-to-table type restaurants,local restaurants, many times
like the local mom-and-poprestaurants, are excellent at
servicing their customers andmaking sure that they are safe,
(08:01):
no matter what kind of allergythey have or whether they have
celiac disease or glutenintolerance.
So I'd recommend avoidinghigh-risk cuisines like bakeries
or pizza places unless theyhave a certified, dedicated
gluten-free kitchen or they have, you know, very verbose
(08:23):
measures on how they protect you.
There's one restaurant chain,mellow Mushroom, that we
actually can eat safely at, Iwould say 95% of the time or
more.
It obviously does depend uponthe staff, but they have
measures where they'reprotecting your pizza.
They put a splatter shield ontop and they cook it on a
(08:45):
different sheet than they wouldthe gluten pizzas.
So, yes, it's going through thesame gluten oven, but they do
take these extra measures tomake sure that you're safer.
Now what I will say, too, iswhat I found in over the 12
years of you know needing to eatout because you know it's just
life.
Sometimes you're on vacationand you need to eat out and dine
(09:07):
out.
I have found that there aregluten digest pills and I'll
link to those in the show notesthat, if I'm feeling a little
iffy or unsure, maybe it's a newto me restaurant, maybe I feel
decently confident, but stillnot quite sure.
Or I can't even risk, you know,getting that gluten migraine
that I might get or stomachissues that I might get or the
(09:30):
brain fog that I might get.
I'll take a gluten digest pillbefore my meal and after my meal
and I have found that thatactually really helps.
And even if I find like maybe acouple hours later I'm like, oh
, I really did get gluten and Ididn't take the gluten digest
pills with thinner, I'll goahead and take them and it helps
(09:51):
minimize my side effects.
Obviously, you do not want touse these pills to purposefully
eat gluten, especially if you'regluten intolerant or celiac,
but you can use it to helpmitigate any cross-contamination
and it does seem to help for meand my family.
So I'm hoping that this mightbe a great tip that might help
you as well.
Obviously, you know I'm not adoctor.
(10:13):
Please consult your doctor ifyou have any concerns, but I
have found that this does workfor myself and my family.
And then, when we're getting toa restaurant, one thing I have
found is you can't be shy.
You have to be clear and veryspecific with your server,
especially if this is alifestyle that you didn't choose
(10:36):
.
You know you're celiac orgluten intolerant and you really
need to eat gluten-free.
And even if you choose to eatgluten-free, you know it may be
very important for you to staypretty darn clean off of gluten.
So when you arrive, let yourserver know about your dietary
needs right away, and many timesI'll ask the host who will seat
(10:56):
you beforehand to make surethat they have, you know,
gluten-free, whether they have agluten-free menu or gluten-free
options or things like that.
I'll even get a vibe from thehostess as well.
And you want to be clear andsay you know I have to avoid all
gluten and allcross-contamination because I
have celiac or, if you want touse the words, gluten allergy.
If that seems like it resonatesa bit better with that
(11:18):
restaurant, then go ahead and dothat, and then I would ask them
to make a note on your mealticket that you have to avoid
gluten.
Many times.
I find so many restaurants,especially the sit-down
restaurants, are very cognizantof this and will want to do
their best to help serve you andmake sure that you're safe.
(11:39):
And there are even restaurantsI've been to that have told me
no, you probably shouldn't eatanything here, and they're very
honest with me and I absolutelyappreciate that.
And then, even if you'regetting items that you think
should be safe let's say grilledchicken for example make sure
you're asking them is thegrilled chicken cooked on the
same surface as breaded items?
(12:00):
There's a local restaurant hereto us that would carry
gluten-free buns, and so I couldactually have a gluten-free
hamburger or cheeseburger,whatever I really wanted to have
.
As far as the burger goes andit was wonderful to actually
have a gluten-free burger that Ididn't cook, right, I'm sure
(12:20):
you can relate and I was findingthat I kind of didn't feel
quite right most of the timeafter eating it and it dawned on
me and I asked the server nexttime.
She was super nice and alwayswanted to be super cautious and
careful, so I knew she wascommunicating to the kitchen
staff, but I asked her.
I said, hey, is my gluten-freebun okay, toasted and grilled on
(12:47):
the same area as gluten buns,on the griddle?
Because I knew they did them onthe griddle, not like in a
toaster.
And she was like you're right,they are.
I said, well, that's why I'mgetting a little bit sick every
time I eat here.
And so from then on, she justthey made sure to not toast my
bun.
So even something as simple asgetting your buns toasted, you
(13:08):
need to make sure where thoseare being toasted to make sure
that you're not gettingcross-contamination of gluten.
And then also, if you're eatingout, you need to make sure
you're asking about things likeFrench fries, anything that's
fried, french fries, tortillas,anything like that.
Many times people don't realizetortillas are actually
generally fried in a fryer atMexican restaurants.
(13:29):
Tortillas are actuallygenerally fried in a fryer at
Mexican restaurants, and so youwant to make sure they're not
fried in a shared fryer withother things like onion rings or
jalapeno poppers or anythingbreaded.
So make sure it's a dedicatedfryer, for sure if you're
getting something that is fried.
And then, when in doubt, stickto simple dishes.
Avoid complex or heavily saucedmeals, as they often contain
(13:53):
hidden gluten.
I recommend going for naturallygluten-free items like grilled
meats, roasted vegetables andsalads, obviously without
croutons or baked potatoes.
Now, when we're going down thesalad route, though, you need to
be making sure that the saladdressing is gluten-free as well.
Many times, wheat is used as athickener in salad dressings, so
(14:15):
we want to make sure that thatis gluten-free as well.
I can't think of anyvinaigrette that I've ever had
that had gluten in it.
So vinaigrette is usually areally safe option if the server
is unsure, and many timesrestaurants I find, make their
own vinaigrette and ask to seethe label.
If they're using some commondressing that's in grocery
(14:38):
stores, ask to see the label.
Don't be afraid, don't be shy.
Be very clear with your server.
Like I said, in all the yearsof eating out with celiac
disease with myself and my kids,and all the years of eating out
with celiac disease with myselfand my kids, you know most of
the time they're not annoyed.
I know I felt in the beginningthat I was being annoying and
being picky and just being apain, but I have found in all
(15:02):
the years that servers really dowant to help you.
They're there to serve you.
That's kind of part of theirjob is to be a server.
They're there to serve you andhelp you and bring you of their
job is to be a server.
They're there to serve you andhelp you and bring you a
delicious meal and make surethat you're happy and so and
they want to satisfy that andwant to make sure that you feel
safe when you're eating there.
Also, obviously skip the breadbasket unless they offer
(15:25):
certified gluten-free bread.
This should be a no-brainer,especially if you're celiac or
gluten intolerant.
But always ask if the soups orsauces use flour as thickener as
well.
Barbecue sauce is a greathidden place for gluten
Sometimes.
We already talked aboutdressings.
We also want to look at soysauce.
(15:46):
You can ask if things are madewith soy sauce and then, if they
say yes, you need to be askingif that soy sauce has wheat in
it.
Most soy sauces in the UnitedStates have wheat in it, also
marinades and gravies.
Also some spice blends.
This can be kind of confusingsometimes, but spice blends can
(16:06):
contain wheat as an anti-cakingagent.
So if you know there's somesort of spice blend or rub on it
, start asking some questions aswell.
And also, we want to be lookingfor malt vinegar.
Some people don't realize thatmalt is actually almost always
made from barley and barley isone of those gluten grains.
So if you know something mighthave malt in it, you definitely
(16:30):
want to avoid that.
And then another tip that I'veactually never used, but I found
this tip when doing someresearch is you can use
gluten-free dining cards.
These are great when you'retraveling abroad and you can
bring a gluten-free dining cardin the local language and that
can really help your serverunderstand your needs and they
can clearly explain everythingto the server.
(16:52):
And it can be really alifesaver when you're out
traveling abroad, especiallywhen you might have a language
barrier Maybe you don't speakthe language very well.
It's a great resource to havewith you if you do travel abroad
.
Although I have found in a lotof people's comments to me is,
many of the other countries arereally great at gluten-free and
(17:13):
providing great celiac safe andgluten intolerant and just
generally gluten-free items aswell.
But if there's a languagebarrier, grab one of those
gluten-free dining cards that'sin the appropriate language as
well.
And then also trust your gut,and I mean this both literally
and figuratively, because I'vefound many times I'll go to a
(17:34):
restaurant and my gut is tellingme, my brain gut is telling me
I'm not so sure whether I shouldeat here or not, and when I
don't follow that gut, I usuallyget sick.
If I'm eating a meal and my youknow and I've been gluten-free
for over 12 years now as of thisrecording and when I'm eating a
(17:54):
meal, sometimes my brain's likethere's gluten in this and it
basically literally tells me.
I have no idea how it does.
This might sound totally crazy,but my brain and my instinct
will be like there's somethingwrong here.
But think about it.
We're meant to survive and ourbodies are meant to survive, and
my body has learned this issomething that does not help me
(18:16):
survive, and so I have foundthat there's sometimes I'll be
eating and I'll be like there'ssomething wrong with this dish
and either I'll ask the server aquestion or, if I'm pretty sure
it's a minorcross-contamination, then I'll
take some extra digest pills.
But sometimes I'll just stopeating it and back then I used
(18:37):
to just give it to my husbandbecause we didn't think he had
gluten issues like the rest ofus did, but now he does.
So I'm not sure what I would donow, because we just recently
figured that one out, butdefinitely trust your gut.
If something doesn't feel right,if you feel unsafe, then don't
eat there.
Or if your meal comes out andit looks like it might be gluten
(18:58):
and they didn't actually markyour meal right, even if the
restaurant's generally reallygood about it, feel free to
double check with your server Ifyou see that bun on your plate
and you look at it and you goI'm not sure that that's a
gluten-free bun and you thinkthe cooks might have made a
mistake.
Ask there's nothing wrong withasking.
Better than you getting reallysick, right?
(19:20):
And it's better to skip a mealthan get that awful migraine and
whatever other ailments youmight get whenever you eat
gluten.
And then finally, have a backupplan.
I always have a gluten-freegranola bar in my purse or with
me, or some sort of beef jerkyor nuts or something that are
(19:43):
gluten-free.
Always check labels, please,please, always check labels.
There's many of those that arenot, so you really have to check
the label.
But I always have some sort ofportable protein and potentially
with some carbs in it snack togo with me.
So it is definitely importantto always have a backup plan
just in case you get stuck.
I remember one conference.
I was stuck in Orlando, florida, and I didn't really have a
(20:07):
good way to go anywhere and Iwas in this hotel and I
literally lived on potato chipsand peanuts for the weekend.
I was starving when I got homebut I didn't get sick and it was
worth starving for a couple ofdays and being extra hungry,
hungry, hungry than gettingreally sick.
(20:29):
So always have a backup planand just be prepared, all right.
So some key takeaways is wewant to make sure that we're
eating out safely and we alwayswant to be prepared.
That's the best way to eat outsafely.
Make sure that you're talkingclearly to your server, to the
(20:51):
server staff.
Many times restaurants and Ididn't even mention this in the
episode, but many timesrestaurants will even bring the
cook out to talk to you, which Ithink is great and have
confidence when you're talkingabout it.
Make sure they understand thatthis is serious and that you
really need it.
And you're not doing this as afad, because I find that most
people who are celiac glutenintolerant or choose to have
(21:13):
that gluten-free lifestyle, butthey need it for a reason, and
so just make sure you haveconfidence behind your questions
and know that you're important,and if they can't accommodate
you, that's okay.
Use your backup plan and orfind another restaurant that can
accommodate you.
Thank you for listening to thisepisode of the Gluten-Free
(21:34):
Engineer.
If you found value in thisstory, please share it with
someone who might needencouragement on their own
gluten-free journey.
For more tips, recipes,resources and even links to my
YouTube channel.
Head on over totheglutenfreeengineercom.
It's your one-stop hub to makegluten-free living simple, fun
and full of flavor.
(21:55):
And don't forget to subscribeso you never miss out on an
episode, and we will see younext week.
The Gluten-Free Engineerpodcast is for informational and
entertainment purposes only.
I share my personal experiencesand stories about living with
celiac disease and navigating agluten-free lifestyle.
This podcast does not provide amedical advice purposes only.
I share my personal experiencesand stories about living with
celiac disease and navigating agluten-free lifestyle.
This podcast does not provide amedical advice.
(22:15):
Always consult with a qualifiedhealthcare professional for
medical questions, concerns oradvice specific to your health.
Quick reminder before we get started on this episode.
This podcast is based on mypersonal experiences and isn't
medical advice.
Dining out can be one of thebiggest challenges when you're
living a gluten-free lifestyle.
Whether you're celiac glutenintolerant or just choosing to
avoid gluten, eating out safelycan feel like navigating a
minefield.
I know, sometimes for me itcertainly feels that way, but it
(00:21):
doesn't have to be thatstressful.
Sometimes for me, it certainlyfeels that way, but it doesn't
have to be that stressful.
And I'm going to give you sometips in this episode on what
makes me feel very safe, whatmakes me feel safer when I'm in
a pinch because sometimes we dohave to choose a place that's
maybe not the most ideal andwe'll give you some tips on what
we and our family and myselfhave been using for over 12
(00:43):
years to help us minimizegetting gluten accidentally.
So let's dive in.
Welcome to the Gluten-FreeEngineer podcast.
I'm your host, keri Saunders.
In 2011, I was diagnosed withceliac disease, a moment that
changed everything, but I wasdetermined not to let it hold me
back.
With my two engineering degrees, I set out to reverse engineer
(01:07):
the gluten-free lifestyle,breaking down recipes, safety
tips, travel hacks andeverything in between to rebuild
a life I love.
Whether you have celiac disease, gluten intolerance or simply
choose to live gluten-free, thispodcast is for you.
Join me each week as wesimplify the gluten-free
lifestyle, make it fun and provethat you don't have to miss out
(01:27):
on anything.
Welcome back to the show.
Today, we're talking about howto dine out safely and with
minimal risk to hopefully norisk and what I want to first
encourage you is to do yourresearch beforehand.
This is something that hassaved us so many times.
When we're going on a tripwhether it's just a weekend trip
(01:49):
or a day trip, or whether it'sa whole week's vacation's worth
I will spend the time toresearch the restaurants near
where we're going to make surethat I can find ones that seem
to be very gluten-friendly.
I want you to always check therestaurant's menus online ahead
of time.
We've done this since our kidswere like in sixth grade and
(02:11):
going on trips to Washington DCwith their class.
Talk about stressful whenyou're sending your sixth grader
off to a trip in their celiac,because you know you're going to
have to pack snacks, becausemany times it's the meals
included in the hotel forbreakfast, right and you know
(02:32):
you're going to have to packbreakfast for them.
But doing that research aheadof time is going to ease your
worries so much more, and alwaystalking with your kids.
If you have kids with celiac orgluten intolerance or need to
be gluten-free for other reasons, it's always great to talk to
your kids about this too, sothat they can learn as they get
older.
Now I feel confident that mykids that are now in their 20s
(02:55):
two of them are in their 20s andone of them's almost 18, as the
recording of this and I feelpretty confident that they can
go somewhere by themselves andbe relatively pretty darn safe.
It's pretty rare that they getsick anymore.
So I want you to be lookingahead at restaurants menus
online.
I want you to look forgluten-free menu options or
(03:15):
dedicated gluten-free sections.
Usually, if there's a dedicatedgluten-free section and or
markings of gluten-free onspecific items, that's usually a
good indication that they're atleast paying a good bit of
attention to how they'repreparing your meal and what
they have in it.
Now what I also want you to dois to ask around.
(03:41):
If you know somebody that'sgluten-free and lives in the
city that you're going to askaround to trusted friends.
And if you don't have any ofthose.
Our free Facebook group is agreat place to ask others as
well.
You can find the link to thaton our website,
theglutenfreeengineercom.
Always welcome to join thegroup and jump in and ask
(04:03):
questions like this.
I have found in all the yearsasking trusted other individuals
is one of the key ways toreally helping yourself be a lot
safer.
You can also read reviews fromother gluten-free diners on
platforms like Yelp or Find MeGluten-Free, and as a bonus,
I've actually partnered up withFind Me Gluten Free.
(04:25):
It's something we once we foundthat I would say probably eight
or so years ago.
It has been a lifesaver whenwe're traveling and we just
recently decided to get theirfamily plan because it's
actually pretty reasonablyaffordable for the year.
And since myself and the threekids and we just recently found
(04:46):
out my husband has not ourhusband, my husband has celiac
as well it has really saved uswhen we are traveling and I have
found that especially on FindMe Gluten Free.
People who write reviews onthere are pretty darn thorough.
They let you know if they haveceliac and actually find me
(05:07):
gluten-free recently has createdsome other measures to help it
be even more safe so that youcan trust a certain reviews more
than others.
So there's trusted reviews nowthat they have, and what I've
found is, whenever I'm readingthose reviews on how safe
restaurants are, they are reallydarn accurate.
(05:28):
People who are celiac and savvyon it if you are celiac are
really great at, you know,making sure that that restaurant
makes them feel safe and thenreporting back as to whether
they actually got sick or notfrom it.
And then those that are glutenintolerant also review on there
and let you know how well theyworked out on you know whether
(05:50):
they got sick or not from it aswell.
So it's really great to gaugethe level of gluten-free safety
via reviews from others.
Obviously, it's not perfect.
You know.
We're all human and we can makemistakes and things can change
at the restaurant too.
So I want to encourage you toalways call ahead.
This is another point I want tohave under here.
(06:10):
When you're doing your researchbeforehand, always call ahead
to ask about gluten-freeaccommodations and
cross-contamination protocols,especially if you're celiac.
You need to be asking aboutcross-contamination protocols
and one of the things that Ihave found, too especially early
on.
I feel like it's less so now,but if you're at a restaurant
(06:32):
and you have celiac and theydon't.
They look at you funny when yousay I have celiac and I need to
avoid gluten.
Sometimes I use the wordsgluten allergy, even though I
know it's not actually anallergy.
It's a completely differentsystem in your body that
responds to gluten.
That kind of clicks a bit moresometimes than celiac disease.
So play with that, see if thathelps you when you're eating out
(06:55):
at a restaurant and you want tomake sure there is no
cross-contamination.
If you're celiac and if you'revery gluten sensitive, you also
want to check forcross-contamination and I'll
talk about that a little bithere later in this episode.
And then when we are choosingrestaurants, when we go out to
eat and a lot of people can'tbelieve I can't remember the
(07:16):
last time I ate in a fast foodrestaurant.
I mean, it's probably been 12years or more.
I may have pulled into aspecific restaurant that has
golden arches and gotten a Cokewhenever I was desperate for
some calories, but I can'tremember the last time I
actually ate food in a fast foodrestaurant.
And why I don't is because Ifind that restaurants that are
(07:40):
sit-down restaurants tend tohave a bit more cautiousness
when it comes tocross-contamination.
So places like steakhouse,seafood restaurants,
farm-to-table type restaurants,local restaurants, many times
like the local mom-and-poprestaurants, are excellent at
servicing their customers andmaking sure that they are safe,
(08:01):
no matter what kind of allergythey have or whether they have
celiac disease or glutenintolerance.
So I'd recommend avoidinghigh-risk cuisines like bakeries
or pizza places unless theyhave a certified, dedicated
gluten-free kitchen or they have, you know, very verbose
(08:23):
measures on how they protect you.
There's one restaurant chain,mellow Mushroom, that we
actually can eat safely at, Iwould say 95% of the time or
more.
It obviously does depend uponthe staff, but they have
measures where they'reprotecting your pizza.
They put a splatter shield ontop and they cook it on a
(08:45):
different sheet than they wouldthe gluten pizzas.
So, yes, it's going through thesame gluten oven, but they do
take these extra measures tomake sure that you're safer.
Now what I will say, too, iswhat I found in over the 12
years of you know needing to eatout because you know it's just
life.
Sometimes you're on vacationand you need to eat out and dine
(09:07):
out.
I have found that there aregluten digest pills and I'll
link to those in the show notesthat, if I'm feeling a little
iffy or unsure, maybe it's a newto me restaurant, maybe I feel
decently confident, but stillnot quite sure.
Or I can't even risk, you know,getting that gluten migraine
that I might get or stomachissues that I might get or the
(09:30):
brain fog that I might get.
I'll take a gluten digest pillbefore my meal and after my meal
and I have found that thatactually really helps.
And even if I find like maybe acouple hours later I'm like, oh
, I really did get gluten and Ididn't take the gluten digest
pills with thinner, I'll goahead and take them and it helps
(09:51):
minimize my side effects.
Obviously, you do not want touse these pills to purposefully
eat gluten, especially if you'regluten intolerant or celiac,
but you can use it to helpmitigate any cross-contamination
and it does seem to help for meand my family.
So I'm hoping that this mightbe a great tip that might help
you as well.
Obviously, you know I'm not adoctor.
(10:13):
Please consult your doctor ifyou have any concerns, but I
have found that this does workfor myself and my family.
And then, when we're getting toa restaurant, one thing I have
found is you can't be shy.
You have to be clear and veryspecific with your server,
especially if this is alifestyle that you didn't choose
(10:36):
.
You know you're celiac orgluten intolerant and you really
need to eat gluten-free.
And even if you choose to eatgluten-free, you know it may be
very important for you to staypretty darn clean off of gluten.
So when you arrive, let yourserver know about your dietary
needs right away, and many timesI'll ask the host who will seat
(10:56):
you beforehand to make surethat they have, you know,
gluten-free, whether they have agluten-free menu or gluten-free
options or things like that.
I'll even get a vibe from thehostess as well.
And you want to be clear andsay you know I have to avoid all
gluten and allcross-contamination because I
have celiac or, if you want touse the words, gluten allergy.
If that seems like it resonatesa bit better with that
(11:18):
restaurant, then go ahead and dothat, and then I would ask them
to make a note on your mealticket that you have to avoid
gluten.
Many times.
I find so many restaurants,especially the sit-down
restaurants, are very cognizantof this and will want to do
their best to help serve you andmake sure that you're safe.
(11:39):
And there are even restaurantsI've been to that have told me
no, you probably shouldn't eatanything here, and they're very
honest with me and I absolutelyappreciate that.
And then, even if you'regetting items that you think
should be safe let's say grilledchicken for example make sure
you're asking them is thegrilled chicken cooked on the
same surface as breaded items?
(12:00):
There's a local restaurant hereto us that would carry
gluten-free buns, and so I couldactually have a gluten-free
hamburger or cheeseburger,whatever I really wanted to have
.
As far as the burger goes andit was wonderful to actually
have a gluten-free burger that Ididn't cook, right, I'm sure
(12:20):
you can relate and I was findingthat I kind of didn't feel
quite right most of the timeafter eating it and it dawned on
me and I asked the server nexttime.
She was super nice and alwayswanted to be super cautious and
careful, so I knew she wascommunicating to the kitchen
staff, but I asked her.
I said, hey, is my gluten-freebun okay, toasted and grilled on
(12:47):
the same area as gluten buns,on the griddle?
Because I knew they did them onthe griddle, not like in a
toaster.
And she was like you're right,they are.
I said, well, that's why I'mgetting a little bit sick every
time I eat here.
And so from then on, she justthey made sure to not toast my
bun.
So even something as simple asgetting your buns toasted, you
(13:08):
need to make sure where thoseare being toasted to make sure
that you're not gettingcross-contamination of gluten.
And then also, if you're eatingout, you need to make sure
you're asking about things likeFrench fries, anything that's
fried, french fries, tortillas,anything like that.
Many times people don't realizetortillas are actually
generally fried in a fryer atMexican restaurants.
(13:29):
Tortillas are actuallygenerally fried in a fryer at
Mexican restaurants, and so youwant to make sure they're not
fried in a shared fryer withother things like onion rings or
jalapeno poppers or anythingbreaded.
So make sure it's a dedicatedfryer, for sure if you're
getting something that is fried.
And then, when in doubt, stickto simple dishes.
Avoid complex or heavily saucedmeals, as they often contain
(13:53):
hidden gluten.
I recommend going for naturallygluten-free items like grilled
meats, roasted vegetables andsalads, obviously without
croutons or baked potatoes.
Now, when we're going down thesalad route, though, you need to
be making sure that the saladdressing is gluten-free as well.
Many times, wheat is used as athickener in salad dressings, so
(14:15):
we want to make sure that thatis gluten-free as well.
I can't think of anyvinaigrette that I've ever had
that had gluten in it.
So vinaigrette is usually areally safe option if the server
is unsure, and many timesrestaurants I find, make their
own vinaigrette and ask to seethe label.
If they're using some commondressing that's in grocery
(14:38):
stores, ask to see the label.
Don't be afraid, don't be shy.
Be very clear with your server.
Like I said, in all the yearsof eating out with celiac
disease with myself and my kids,and all the years of eating out
with celiac disease with myselfand my kids, you know most of
the time they're not annoyed.
I know I felt in the beginningthat I was being annoying and
being picky and just being apain, but I have found in all
(15:02):
the years that servers really dowant to help you.
They're there to serve you.
That's kind of part of theirjob is to be a server.
They're there to serve you andhelp you and bring you of their
job is to be a server.
They're there to serve you andhelp you and bring you a
delicious meal and make surethat you're happy and so and
they want to satisfy that andwant to make sure that you feel
safe when you're eating there.
Also, obviously skip the breadbasket unless they offer
(15:25):
certified gluten-free bread.
This should be a no-brainer,especially if you're celiac or
gluten intolerant.
But always ask if the soups orsauces use flour as thickener as
well.
Barbecue sauce is a greathidden place for gluten
Sometimes.
We already talked aboutdressings.
We also want to look at soysauce.
(15:46):
You can ask if things are madewith soy sauce and then, if they
say yes, you need to be askingif that soy sauce has wheat in
it.
Most soy sauces in the UnitedStates have wheat in it, also
marinades and gravies.
Also some spice blends.
This can be kind of confusingsometimes, but spice blends can
(16:06):
contain wheat as an anti-cakingagent.
So if you know there's somesort of spice blend or rub on it
, start asking some questions aswell.
And also, we want to be lookingfor malt vinegar.
Some people don't realize thatmalt is actually almost always
made from barley and barley isone of those gluten grains.
So if you know something mighthave malt in it, you definitely
(16:30):
want to avoid that.
And then another tip that I'veactually never used, but I found
this tip when doing someresearch is you can use
gluten-free dining cards.
These are great when you'retraveling abroad and you can
bring a gluten-free dining cardin the local language and that
can really help your serverunderstand your needs and they
can clearly explain everythingto the server.
(16:52):
And it can be really alifesaver when you're out
traveling abroad, especiallywhen you might have a language
barrier Maybe you don't speakthe language very well.
It's a great resource to havewith you if you do travel abroad
.
Although I have found in a lotof people's comments to me is,
many of the other countries arereally great at gluten-free and
(17:13):
providing great celiac safe andgluten intolerant and just
generally gluten-free items aswell.
But if there's a languagebarrier, grab one of those
gluten-free dining cards that'sin the appropriate language as
well.
And then also trust your gut,and I mean this both literally
and figuratively, because I'vefound many times I'll go to a
(17:34):
restaurant and my gut is tellingme, my brain gut is telling me
I'm not so sure whether I shouldeat here or not, and when I
don't follow that gut, I usuallyget sick.
If I'm eating a meal and my youknow and I've been gluten-free
for over 12 years now as of thisrecording and when I'm eating a
(17:54):
meal, sometimes my brain's likethere's gluten in this and it
basically literally tells me.
I have no idea how it does.
This might sound totally crazy,but my brain and my instinct
will be like there's somethingwrong here.
But think about it.
We're meant to survive and ourbodies are meant to survive, and
my body has learned this issomething that does not help me
(18:16):
survive, and so I have foundthat there's sometimes I'll be
eating and I'll be like there'ssomething wrong with this dish
and either I'll ask the server aquestion or, if I'm pretty sure
it's a minorcross-contamination, then I'll
take some extra digest pills.
But sometimes I'll just stopeating it and back then I used
(18:37):
to just give it to my husbandbecause we didn't think he had
gluten issues like the rest ofus did, but now he does.
So I'm not sure what I would donow, because we just recently
figured that one out, butdefinitely trust your gut.
If something doesn't feel right,if you feel unsafe, then don't
eat there.
Or if your meal comes out andit looks like it might be gluten
(18:58):
and they didn't actually markyour meal right, even if the
restaurant's generally reallygood about it, feel free to
double check with your server Ifyou see that bun on your plate
and you look at it and you goI'm not sure that that's a
gluten-free bun and you thinkthe cooks might have made a
mistake.
Ask there's nothing wrong withasking.
Better than you getting reallysick, right?
(19:20):
And it's better to skip a mealthan get that awful migraine and
whatever other ailments youmight get whenever you eat
gluten.
And then finally, have a backupplan.
I always have a gluten-freegranola bar in my purse or with
me, or some sort of beef jerkyor nuts or something that are
(19:43):
gluten-free.
Always check labels, please,please, always check labels.
There's many of those that arenot, so you really have to check
the label.
But I always have some sort ofportable protein and potentially
with some carbs in it snack togo with me.
So it is definitely importantto always have a backup plan
just in case you get stuck.
I remember one conference.
I was stuck in Orlando, florida, and I didn't really have a
(20:07):
good way to go anywhere and Iwas in this hotel and I
literally lived on potato chipsand peanuts for the weekend.
I was starving when I got homebut I didn't get sick and it was
worth starving for a couple ofdays and being extra hungry,
hungry, hungry than gettingreally sick.
(20:29):
So always have a backup planand just be prepared, all right.
So some key takeaways is wewant to make sure that we're
eating out safely and we alwayswant to be prepared.
That's the best way to eat outsafely.
Make sure that you're talkingclearly to your server, to the
(20:51):
server staff.
Many times restaurants and Ididn't even mention this in the
episode, but many timesrestaurants will even bring the
cook out to talk to you, which Ithink is great and have
confidence when you're talkingabout it.
Make sure they understand thatthis is serious and that you
really need it.
And you're not doing this as afad, because I find that most
people who are celiac glutenintolerant or choose to have
(21:13):
that gluten-free lifestyle, butthey need it for a reason, and
so just make sure you haveconfidence behind your questions
and know that you're important,and if they can't accommodate
you, that's okay.
Use your backup plan and orfind another restaurant that can
accommodate you.
Thank you for listening to thisepisode of the Gluten-Free
(21:34):
Engineer.
If you found value in thisstory, please share it with
someone who might needencouragement on their own
gluten-free journey.
For more tips, recipes,resources and even links to my
YouTube channel.
Head on over totheglutenfreeengineercom.
It's your one-stop hub to makegluten-free living simple, fun
and full of flavor.
(21:55):
And don't forget to subscribeso you never miss out on an
episode, and we will see younext week.
The Gluten-Free Engineerpodcast is for informational and
entertainment purposes only.
I share my personal experiencesand stories about living with
celiac disease and navigating agluten-free lifestyle.
This podcast does not provide amedical advice purposes only.
I share my personal experiencesand stories about living with
celiac disease and navigating agluten-free lifestyle.
This podcast does not provide amedical advice.
(22:15):
Always consult with a qualifiedhealthcare professional for
medical questions, concerns oradvice specific to your health.
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