Restaurants claiming to offer gluten-free meals....

chewynut

I'd definitely complain if the meal was specifically marked as gluten free on the menu but was still contiminated!

What would have happened if the meal had been marked as nut-free and somebody with a serious nut allergy ate it and the worst happened? Peoples' reactions would be different, I imagine

daisiegg

chewynut wrote: »

I'd definitely complain if the meal was specifically marked as gluten free on the menu but was still contiminated!

What would have happened if the meal had been marked as nut-free and somebody with a serious nut allergy ate it and the worst happened? Peoples' reactions would be different, I imagine

I suppose the difference is, the 'worst' for someone with a serious nut allergy eating nuts is death - the 'worst' for someone with coeliacs eating gluten is a terrible night ...horrendous if it's you but not such bad press for the restaurant involved!

OP, it's a shame but I think it's just something you have to accept and put up with. I have a severe allergy to dairy, eggs and nuts (though nuts is never a problem because of the extreme awareness of just that particular allergy!) and, like wheat, you wouldn't believe the amount of foods that contain dairy and eggs, particularly in restauants. It actually often annoys me (sorry) that restaurants seem more aware of gluten intolerance than they do of my allergies - there are often 'gluten free' items marked on the menu and even things like gluten free cakes in Starbucks etc. However now that I realise these items are not necesssarily as safe as they make out, I won't feel so jealous!

I do think the restaurant industry in this country is coming on in leaps and bounds since I was younger. As a child, my parents basically could not take me out to eat (nope, burger and chips wasn't even safe - often egg in the burger, milk in the burger bun, milk in the coating on the chips. Oh yes, the brands of baked beans used by restaurants and catering companies often contain milk too, although the ones you buy in the supermarket rarely do). Now, for chain restaurants you can often look up the allergy info on their website before you go - I usually print it out and take it with me. Failing that they almost always have a big book of allergy information. Of course, cross contamination is a different issue - my egg allergy is so severe that it can be a big problem for me - but I suppose you have to try and use your common sense. I'll never order something fried in a place that serves fried eggs as I just can't be sure they're not using the same equipment, for example.

Anyway, this is a subject very close to my heart and I've ranted on , so apologies! It's a really frustrating issue but I do think it's very slowly improving. I also don't think we can blame restaurants etc for not understanding the ins and outs of all of our different needs and conditions (although if they have actively ADVERTISED something as gluten free, that's a different story!) Particularly as, as you say, lots of people don't realise how severe coeliacs can actually be (me included). What you describe your husband as experiencing sounds horrible but I've known a few people with the condition who 'get very bloated' when exposed to gluten. The two reactions seem to be a world apart!

As a side note, I just got back from California and they seem to be SO much more aware over there than they are here (possibly because of the huge claims culture?!) But I suppose we can't all move to the USA!

Mingle

I'm coeliac too and this really does annoy me! I think the problem is when you go into a restaurant and ask if the food has any gluten in it, they read that as carbs and that you're on a faddy diet rather than having a medical condition.

rachhh

If you have a really specific allergy, such as gluten or nuts, I don't know if any of you do this, but call in advance and warn the place you plan to eat at.
I work at a hotel restaurant, and if guests warn us, we can ensure that the allergen is contained for that whole shift, and do our very very utmost to prevent cross contamination. When someone just walks in and doesn't warn in advance, it can be very hard to prepare the food in the expected time we have to meet, AND ensure it's completely free from the allergen.