Coeliac or Gluten Intolerant? Here Are 10 Tips to Follow When Going Out For a Meal

                

Nervous about eating out with Coeliac Disease or an intolerance to gluten? We've all been there, follow these tips to help boost your confidence...  

Phone a restaurant or café before you go. Although many places advertise a gluten free option (GF bread, pizza base etc.), occasionally you will arrive and they may have run out.

If in doubt about a restaurant, its helpful to find the customer reviews on Trip Advisor and then search ‘gluten free’ in the results or ‘coeliac’. Often people list bad experiences which helps take away risk.

 

When making plans with friends, always try and suggest places you are confident cater for coeliacs. Even if your friends have their eyes set on a place, it’s worth politely explaining to them that its best to go somewhere you ALL can enjoy and where you don’t have to stress falling ill from.

Always notify any staff immediately that you have ‘coeliac disease’, not that you are gluten free! Don’t presume they know what it is and be prepared to tell them it’s a medical condition preventing you from digesting gluten – not a fad diet- and could they do whatever possible to avoid cross contamination (e.g. different knives, boards, fryers etc. ) If the staff do not seem clued up, its probably best to avoid the risk and go somewhere else.

 

Lookout for this specific symbol. This GF graphic on menus, websites or doors symbolises a ‘Coeliac UK’ accreditation. This means that Coeliac UK deem the practices and cross contamination prevention to be safe for Coeliacs. The Coeliac UK website (Click here) has a postcode search to inform you of local accredited venues. 

The most common risk factors to make restaurant staff (and yourself) aware include wheat flour (often to thicken sauces or soups), breadcrumbs, croutons, certain stock cubes/powders and oil used to fry foods that contain gluten.

If the meal comes with chips (or anything fried), even if labelled ‘GF’ on the menu, check they are fried in a separate Gluten Free fryer. When other foods containing gluten are fried in the same oil as “gluten free” alternatives, it defeats the purpose as the GF food will be contaminated. Often places ignore this when labelling menus.

When the food arrives, ask the server “can I double check this is the gluten free one?”. There is no harm in this and on a rare occasion there may have been a mix-up in the kitchen and you have been sent the gluten-full version!

                             

Be careful where you sit. There have been occasions when a table of coeliacs have been 'glutened' because they were sitting near an open pizza oven/kitchen. When pizzas are being made flour gets tossed around which can be airborne and potentially contaminate your plate. 

If you have a reaction after eating somewhere, phoning the establishment and discussing what happened may prevent it happening to another coeliac in the future. 

Have a laugh with GGF:  

I'M A COELIAC GET ME OUT OF HERE: 10 Common Struggles  Faced by Coeliac and Gluten Intolerant People  

Check out my favourite spots to eat (lunch & dinner edition coming soon):

Find your perfect brunch spot in Glasgow: You Had Me At Brunch 

To see more updates on my gluten free tips, treats and habits.. Go and Follow @GlasgowGlutenFree on Instagram and TikTok!