Dining Out: How to enjoy and stay healthy

[AnewLiz]

I will be traveling to Vegas soon. This will be my first trip since my diagnosis. I never go to restaurants anymore. I also have food allergies/sensitivities. Gluten specifically triggers flares. I plan on trying Prelief. What are some other tips you use when travelling or dining out? Thanks a bunch.

[egrolman]

Hi,
Although it's not the most exciting solution, you can pretty much get a salad without dressing any place, so as a last resort.......

[Mothergoose]

I have lots of allergies and follow the IC diet very closely, I am quite diet sensative. I travel lots and eat out lots.

When in a resturant I am very specific about my allergies before I order, I then order what I want to eat chicken breast/fish/steak then I am very specicific as to how I want it prepared, I leave nothing to chance or the decission of the cooks, I make sure they know my food has to be cooked on a clean part of the grill or pan, they have to use seprate utensiles when cooking and serving my food.

When in doubt ask, I can't eat margarine so I always ask what the kitchen uses, they can often change this to veg oil if they don't have butter.

I find most places are will to accomadate my needs, most place try very hard to serve me food I can eat. I avoid fast food places as ussally workes don't know ingredience and I don't like it anyways.

Vegas becareful of the buffets, stick to freash fruits and salads that you put together, when in doubt if a food is safe for you ask, but in these places with a gluten allergy my guess is everything made in the same kitch and pans they won't be able to guarentee you there won't be any gluten in the food.

I also always get a room with a fridge and keep foods I can eat in it, and I carry foods I can snack on in my bag incase we end up at a resturant that I can't find anything but a salad to eat, then I don't ruin everyone elses meal.

Resturant are more aware of peoples food requirments all the time, only very rarely do I come across a resturant who won't serve me.

If there is nothing on the menu I can see that I can eat I tell them what I can't eat and do they have anything that they can prepare for me.

Have a great trip, drink bottled water.

MG

[Mothergoose]

I forgot to say if I am attending a function where a meal is being served I call a week or 2 a head of time explain my situation and ask to have a meal prepared for me, yes I get different food than everyone else but I can eat it.

Last night I went to a breast cancer fund raiser, I just let the organizer know about my food needs, while everyone else was going through the buffet line, they brought me out a good meal prepared just specifically for me. I got pretty much what everyone else got, mine was just plain.

The thing is I still got to go and enjoy the evening, I got to eat a meal I had paid for. Lots of time we have paid to go to a function and then had to eat prior to going, or going hungery all evening.

[Calinda]

Traveling

I usually have certain things that I pack for a trip. I take dates, almonds, and dried coconut. If I'm going somewhere and not sure I can find something on the menu I will pack an almond butter and blueberry spread sandwich just in case. I also always bring peppermint tea bags with me and ask for hot water. For breakfast I will bring my own cereal and then just get milk. In my room I will have canned pears and if I can get to the store buy some cottage cheese or white cheese.

I can eat a Subway sandwich because I can tell them what to put on it. I can eat a baked potato and broccoli from Outback. I did find a restaurant that served a white pizza I could have. At mexican restaurants you might try a quesadilla.

It is a challenge and we don't eat out hardly at all. Thankfully but also not. My husband got sick last time he ate out with someone else--so he is off eating out.

It's hard though when you have to travel and plus you have additional restrictions. I hope it goes okay for you.

[Bladderella]

Re: Dining Out: How to enjoy and stay healthy

I created an Interstitial Cystitis Chef Card with a list of food intolerances that I will be using for the first time when my family goes out to dinner next week. I still need to get the double sided card-stock to print them on and will do that tomorrow. I can't wait to see who well they work out.