As an experienced sufferer of coeliac disease it can be expected that there have been some hiccups over the years! When eating out I have got used to believing that when something is labelled GF then it is and when I am told it is GF then, likewise, it is. At times this has proved to be a rather foolish move on my part! I will share my experiences and perhaps this may help you to not be glutened in the future.
I went Christmas shopping with my mum one Saturday a few years ago and decided a GF sandwich would be just the ticket for lunch. I went to my favourite place to get it and found a good selection to choose from. All the GF sandwiches were in a red packet which was different to all the other non GF. I picked up a turkey sandwich on white bread. While wandering around the shops I ate my sandwich without a second thought. When I finished I said to mum “that was the best sandwich I have ever eaten” which made me think why was it so good?! My heart sank looking down at my empty sandwich packet realising this red packet (which must have been put in the wrong section) didn’t actually have a GF label on it anywhere. Shopping trip ended abruptly as needed to get home before things got bad! Plans for that evening were cancelled also!
We had been really looking forward to an ‘all you can eat pizza night’ at a farm site where my boyfriends sister had recently got married. A group of four of us enjoyed about enough pizza for 16 people or more that night! I wondered how this would work as I would obviously need gluten free. So basically I could choose two different toppings each time which they would fit on one base. So in total I had two whole pizzas with four different toppings. They were very good at ensuring I got what I needed and it really was delicious. It wasn’t until on the way home that I began to feel really cold. Like I was coming down with something. When we arrived home I went to bed wrapped up in my pyjamas and dressing gown. An hour into falling asleep I ran to the toilet and was violently sick for a good couple hours and slept for most of the next day. The only thing I questioned was whether the GF pizzas had been cooked separately to the non GF. Having my doubts for obvious reasons I contacted the chef who stated that he didn’t realise I had coeliacs and just thought I wanted gluten free and that next time I should make that clear as all their pizzas are cooked in the same place. Clearly my mistake and there won’t be a next time!!
A cake and coffee date with friends one sunny Saturday afternoon. When selecting which cake to have (choice of 3) I noticed a GF White chocolate millionaires shortcake which is something I had never tried before. So decision made but when ordering I got the cashier to double check that it was GF as I couldn’t believe my luck that this was an option for me to have. The lady said “well if it says GF on the label then it is”. The label was a handwritten one next to the dessert. So I took her word and bought it. It wasn’t until I took my first bite that the waiter came running over to tell me that he had put the wrong label next to the cake and that it was not GF. I spotted a bin and ran over to it spitting out as much as I could to save the rest of my weekend being ruined. Thankfully my £2.50 was returned.
A last minute meal out with my family at a pub ten minutes drive away from where I live. I chose the clearly labelled GF pork belly that came with mashed potato, veg and gravy. It was noted that the meal had to be GF when the order was taken. We had a lovely meal that night, no complaints at all. When I finished my meal, in true Somerset style I ordered another cider at the bar. The bar man asked “how allergic to gluten are you?” which took me by surprise. I replied “very, I have coeliacs.” The barman explained that the chef had poured the wrong gravy on my pork belly making it not GF. He only realised when I already had my meal and didn’t want to interrupt me eating. I was gutted, the evening was going so well! The cost of my meal was taken off the bill.
Recently, when asking if something is gluten free I have explained that the reason I am asking is because I have coeliacs disease and will become very ill if I eat something containing gluten. Having to explain that is new to me. It makes me wonder if when people choose to go on a fad diet does this make it riskier for people with intolerances and allergies to eat out?
A few things to remember:
If something looks too good to be true….it probably is so check.
If it states it is GF then it still might not be so…. check!
When eating out in a restaurant ask the waiter to double check it really is GF before digging in!
If it states it is GF then double check where it will be cooked and explain cross contamination could also make you ill.
