It's not secret... I LOVE to eat out! And when I had to eat milk-protein-free, I learned a lot of tips and tricks to make my experiences much less stressful. These will hopefully help anyone suffering from a food allergy or intolerance, across the spectrum of foods, and at different types of restaurants.
Jack eating out with his food intolerance! (2009) - Do Your Homework
If you are venturing to a chain restaurant, most of their menus and food allergen policies are online. Read ahead to see what may or may not be possible. I ate at Outback Steakhouse often because they kept a special part of the grill open to those with food allergies, and their honey mustard was so yummy and I could actually eat it! - Go Where the Pros Shop
I prefer to eat at locally run, ma-and-pa establishments. Many of them go shopping at a local food service grocery store, such as Mainsource. Take a trip one day and read ingredients on many of the commonly used ingredients or foods that you like. Almost every restaurant I've eaten at has used Ken's brand salad dressing. I went to Mainsource and read my favorite flavors to make sure they were acceptable. Then, when I went out to eat, if they told me it was Ken's Honey Mustard, I knew I was in the clear!
3. ASK TO READ LABELS!!!
This may be the most important part of going out to eat. You cannot trust the word of the person serving your meal, you need to be confident and ask to see the label for yourself. For example, I was once told at a popular restaurant that the Italian dressing had no milk products, by-products, or proteins in it. The next day, my son was very sick. Turns out, the Italian dressing had parmigiana cheese in it, but the young server did not realize cheese meant milk!
4. Be Honest - Upfront- About your needs.
Explain to your server that you have an allergy, and the severity. Trust me, no one wanted to hear that I was a breastfeeding mama, but when I explained my situation thoroughly, people were more apt to help me. Make sure you explain it, but in a really nice way, after all, these people have access to your food!
5. Take It With You
Not your meal, but the dips, sauces, and flavors you love... that you can safely eat! Almost any restaurant will do their best to prepare a basic grilled chicken, steamed fresh veggy, or plain baked potato. Unfortunately, most of their toppings are loaded with preservatives and many of the notorious food allergens. So be prepared and pack your favorite honey mustard, sirachi, or margarine so that you can make the most of your meal.
6. Hibachi Steakhouses are your friend!
When in doubt, go to your local hibachi restaurant for a show, and a delicious, SAFE meal. The nice part about hibachi is that they cook right in front of you, so you can be 100% sure that they are making food that is safe to eat. Allergic to soy? Still not a problem! Just let them know how serious the allergy is (step 4 above) and you can watch them carefully prepare your meal on the side of the grill. Best of all, hibachi is traditionally made with healthy, fresh ingredients!
These are just a few of my findings along the way. I look forward to expanding on this topic, including things like eating at weddings, social events, etc.
What would you like to hear about? Is there a specific event or concern coming up? Post a comment and maybe I will write about it!
This may be the most important part of going out to eat. You cannot trust the word of the person serving your meal, you need to be confident and ask to see the label for yourself. For example, I was once told at a popular restaurant that the Italian dressing had no milk products, by-products, or proteins in it. The next day, my son was very sick. Turns out, the Italian dressing had parmigiana cheese in it, but the young server did not realize cheese meant milk!
4. Be Honest - Upfront- About your needs.
Explain to your server that you have an allergy, and the severity. Trust me, no one wanted to hear that I was a breastfeeding mama, but when I explained my situation thoroughly, people were more apt to help me. Make sure you explain it, but in a really nice way, after all, these people have access to your food!
5. Take It With You
Not your meal, but the dips, sauces, and flavors you love... that you can safely eat! Almost any restaurant will do their best to prepare a basic grilled chicken, steamed fresh veggy, or plain baked potato. Unfortunately, most of their toppings are loaded with preservatives and many of the notorious food allergens. So be prepared and pack your favorite honey mustard, sirachi, or margarine so that you can make the most of your meal.
6. Hibachi Steakhouses are your friend!
When in doubt, go to your local hibachi restaurant for a show, and a delicious, SAFE meal. The nice part about hibachi is that they cook right in front of you, so you can be 100% sure that they are making food that is safe to eat. Allergic to soy? Still not a problem! Just let them know how serious the allergy is (step 4 above) and you can watch them carefully prepare your meal on the side of the grill. Best of all, hibachi is traditionally made with healthy, fresh ingredients!
These are just a few of my findings along the way. I look forward to expanding on this topic, including things like eating at weddings, social events, etc.
What would you like to hear about? Is there a specific event or concern coming up? Post a comment and maybe I will write about it!
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