gluten/casein free and eating out

[JennyC]

We are going to Texas for a couple days next month to visit the inlaws, Im nervous about Isa's diet. I can control what she eats on the plane by brining snacks as well as what she eats at their house however I am sure we will go out to eat. What do you do??

[Caryn]

check out this page:

http://gfcf-diet.talkaboutcuringautism.org...g-gfcf-fare.htm

It gives a list of restaurants and ordering ideas.

 

IMHO--- I think it is best to bring your own food. Tigger ate at Burger King and at a local burger place near us (Portillos Chain). Twice I ordered seemingly 'safe' fare, and both times he complained of stomach problems afterwards and subsequently puked, only to feel fantastic afterwards. French fries are not safe, especially McDonald's. Some celiacs buy cards for their servers to read that explain the safety requirements and food preparation rules. (Clean grill, pots, utensils, clean hands, food cannot come in contact with gluten containing food (ie: plates touch in transit to table). I have never bought or used a card. Just yesterday we went out to breakfast with friends. I simply packed my own pre-made pancakes, bacon strips, and sausages for Tigger. I had a small cooler bag that looks like a mini diaper bag. In it I keep a mini thermos that holds hot foods, and the rest of my foods. I explained to the hostess that he was 'celiac' (as anything else they wouldn't understand probably) and she was fantastic about it. Everything we needed she provided, willingly. We ordered him fresh squeezed orange juice and the rest of us enjoyed our 'ordered' breakfasts.

This is usually how I handle it for right now. He is still young, so the social implications aren't there yet. Perhaps in a few years his reactionary levels will raise and he will be able to tolerate minimal gluten without the symptoms. I just don't know that yet and want to be safe rather than sorry.

A friend who has a celiac teenage daughter says her daughter packs food for herself every time she goes out to eat with friends. She usually only orders a drink. (Daughter has multiple allergies.)

[JennyC]

How old is Tigger?

 

Isa is young but I still worry about her feeling left out. Thanks for the link, Im looking foward to reading it.

[faith]

Jenny,

if your are following a really strict diet, especially gluten, I think its best to stay out of the restaraunts for a while, but if you are just limiting, than you could do as Caryn says and bring your own prepared foods. I don't follow a gluten free, but we watch the corn and yeast as much as I can. When we went on vacation to Mexico, it was all-inclusive, but I bought as much as I could, like rice milk, our cookies, ketchup, juice, etc. You could pack stuff that's non-perishable in a little tote bag, and if you have to keep something cool, use a ice pack for traveling. It can be hard, but you'll get the hang of it. Really, it is alot easier once you have practiced this at home for a while. I don't think its gonna be easy starting this and immediately going away. I admit, I will vere off the path if it causes too much stress for my son, its just something I have to deal with. Although he does not show immediate ill effects, so its sometimes confusing for me, I have to just watch and tighten back up if I see anything. I have come to accept that I cannot control everything since he is eight now--I think its easier with a younger child. If you have to go to the restaraunt, maybe she could eat before you go and then just let her munch of the safe foods while there.

 

Good Luck

Faith

[Caryn]

Tigger will be 5 this month and he is so into his diet that he will continually ask if something has gluten or corn in it if he does not know. I always try to make him a complementary treat when his preschool class has party food available. I make and freeze cupcakes, provided an identical looking sugar cookie for his Halloween party that he was able to decorate with the things I provided. I even baked a huge gluten free cake for the school's Christmas party last month, so that he and all the kids ate the same thing together. The teacher is also celiac and she took me aside and said, 'look, they are all eating it and no one is asking 'why does this cake taste so funny?'-- They couldn't even tell the difference.

A large part of the transition is your attitude as parent. I do not keep any food in the house that Tigger can't have. I just think it is unfair to him and makes him feel like he is being denied something. This has really helped him to 'keep the faith' when he goes out. He's had a few bad experiences that have also given him insight. He does not want to feel sick, and so he follows my recommendations when we are away from home. This wasn't always the case. He used to sneak stuff behind my back when he got the chance, like a marshmallow at a bonfire party. I told him he could roast it but not eat it because it had corn in it. Well, let me tell you, he popped that thing in his mouth anyway. I handled it by gently telling him that he would probably develop symptoms. I did not punish him at all. I never do. Sure enough, he did develop symptoms. Basically, he learned by himself, that he could trust my advice as a way to keep him healthy and symptom free. I truly believe he wouldn't be so compliant if he did not feel better himself.

 

The biggest hurdle is making sure you are never in a situation where she is hungry and you've got nothing. That is when bad compromises are made and symptoms result. I've BTDT. I carry my cooler bag like a mother of an infant carries a diaper bag-- everywhere. When in doubt you can always find a convenience store that sells bananas and bottled water. We keep Larabars on hand and when we are desperate I let him have a bag of plain potato chips fried in sunflower oil.

 

One last comment on the restaurant issue: I always bring activity books for my boys. This is really helpful in diffusing the whole 'food-focused' experience. He then has something else to focus his energies on and thus does not concern himself with what we are eating and he is not. It keeps the kids in their seats too, and also gives them something to 'talk about' with the adults at the table.

Caryn

[JennyC]

We wanted the whole family to go gluten free (to see if it may help me too, I get migraines, fatigue, anemia for no reason, reflux etc) but we just cant afford it.

 

Can you send me that cake recipe? Isa's birthday is next month and I dont know what to make her.

[Tattoomom]

We wanted the whole family to go gluten free (to see if it may help me too, I get migraines, fatigue, anemia for no reason, reflux etc) but we just cant afford it.

 

Can you send me that cake recipe? Isa's birthday is next month and I dont know what to make her.

 

 

I always bake a cake for birthdays and I have found that Namaste Spice Cake with Cherry Brooke Kitchen Vanilla icing is DELICIOUS!!!! It's similar to a carrot cake and can fool anyone! No one would guess it's gf/cf.

 

So easy and GOOD!!!!