We all know how difficult it can be to eat out with a food intolerance. There is always an edge of uncertainty: will this make me sick? Why can’t I ever find anything to eat? I’ve experienced it, and I’m sure you have too. So I’ve put together a list of things that make it easier for me to eat out if I have a severe food intolerance. It can be so daunting and frustrating to eat in restaurants or cafes when options are limited, but I’ve found that these little things can go a long way.
Do your research before you leave home
Look up the menu of the restaurant you want to go to and figure out whether or not you think there will be a number of options that are right for you. Don’t rely on just one option because if there are unsuspected allergens on your plate, you could go hungry! If you’re traveling a distance to a certain restaurant, call ahead to discuss the menu with the staff, so you can be sure you’ll have a meal to enjoy once you get there!
Call ahead and make a reservation, informing the staff of your diets on the spot.
This is polite and often necessary to do anyway, but it’s best to let the restaurant know of your diets before you arrive. This allows the chefs time to prepare, rather than surprising them with a list of three intolerances when you arrive. Kitchens are much happier to work with diets when they know about them in advance.
Ask lots of questions, especially when eating at a food court.
Particularly if you have severe intolerances, it’s a good idea to clear everything up. Allergens can lurk in the most unsuspecting places, for example milk solids in rice. If you are not sure that the staff is 100% sure of the products, ask to see the table of ingredients that every restaurant should have. This will allow you to order with confidence. If they don’t have a diet sheet, I don’t eat there!
When going out with friends, it can be better if you choose the place.
Most of the time, our friends ask us to pick a restaurant where we know we can eat the food, and they will sort it out. If your friends are just as understanding, this will save you a lot of time and hassle once you arrive.
Find out about your particular intolerance or restriction
By knowing the ins and outs of your intolerance, you can communicate clearly with staff who might be less knowledgeable than you. This is particularly important for intolerances like fructose, where the general public knows much less than those affected. It may be necessary to explain in detail what you can and cannot eat, so it is important that you are able to communicate this to a variety of people.
Know your body and your intolerance
Some clients I meet in my hospitality work are happy to eat certain ingredients within particular components of dishes, but not others. For example, they can eat tomato and onion in a certain sauce, but they need to remove the tomato and onion from the salad on a plate. This all comes down to the severity of your intolerance.
If you have an allergy, it is very important to let the staff know how serious it is so they can take care of it.
Your allergy/intolerance level will dictate what you can and cannot eat, and knowing this can give you more flexibility in eating out.
good advice
The poor waiter has just returned to the kitchen for the third time to clarify something on the menu with the chef. He never hurts to verbally and fiscally communicate your gratitude to whoever is taking care of you. Yes, restaurants should take care of us Freaks just as much as the general public, but we also know it can be extra work for them to do so. Saying thank you goes a long way.
Stay calm and maintain a positive attitude
It is very easy to become overwhelmed by the amount of work that sometimes goes into eating out with dietary restrictions. Remember, try to stay positive. It can be helpful to keep a mental list of places that make it easy for you to eat and make friends with the staff there. You’ll know you can come back here again and again and be served with a safe meal.
Above all, remember us Monsters can eat many delicious, interesting and healthy foods. We are also much more aware of what we put in our mouths and the effects that different foods have on our body and mind. That is definitely something to be thankful for!
-B