Gluten Free Dining: Tips

Gluten free dining presents many challenges, but 2024 could not be a better time to be gluten free. The myriad of options in grocery stores, ranging from gluten free bread to gluten free pasta make it easier than ever to cook according to this special diet.

However, dining at restaurants is a different story. There are many establishments that cater to gluten sensitivities, allergies, and Celiac Disease. However, most of these places are either in larger cities or only have options that are gluten free; these can come with a high risk for cross contamination. Cross contamination is a major issue that people who are sensitive to gluten face when they assume their meal is gluten free. Today, I will be discussing ways to limit your chance of accidentally eating gluten contaminated foods when you are out.

I am not a healthcare nor dietary professional. Everything I write about is from my own personal experience with Celiac Disease. Please see my disclaimer at the footer of this website.

Choosing the Right Place to Eat

Unfortunately, participants in the gluten free diet have to do slightly more research when deciding where to eat than others do. This is okay though! With enough preparation, it is possible to find the perfect place.

 

• Be cautious of fast food. The high volume of orders combined with the speedy prep time makes it less likely that your food sensitivity will be correctly addressed. There just is not time to clean the grill, prep the fryer, etc. to ensure someone is correctly eating gluten free. If you do choose fast food, look into what exactly is put into the fryers. Because french fries are typically naturally gluten free, many gluten free eaters assume they are the safe option at a fast food place. This is not the case. Look at the menu and see if they also sell onion rings, wings, or anything else with a layer of breading. They are most likely going to be fried in the same place, in the same oil. This creates the perfect environment for cross contamination. More on cross contamination below. 

• Higher end establishments, where catering to the guest is of utmost importance, may be more willing to accommodate a gluten free diner. This is especially true when you inform them about your needs while you make a reservation. Some restaurants are more diligent than others. Speaking with the management ahead of time increases your chances of a safer dining experience. These places also tend to put more time and effort into their cooking, so they may just take the extra time to clean the grill and exercise other cross contamination prevention methods.

Sometimes, You Have to Make the Boring Choice

• Salads can be the safest option sometimes. Salads may be the obvious, but boring choice for a gluten free meal. You may be in a situation where you are not the one who chooses the restaurant. If someone chooses a place that is not very gluten friendly, salad may be the best choice. Restaurants typically have more interesting salads than one would make at home, so you could definitely find something deliciously gluten free! That being said, simple can be best. You could see a salad with ingredients that make you skeptical, such as a sauce aside from the dressing or meat that is suspiciously crispy. These may very well have gluten. While you do want to let your server know about your issue with gluten, it is important to be an educated consumer. The server may not know the severity of your gluten intolerance and not know of the hidden places gluten may lie. This is another reason to call the restaurant ahead of time.

Know the Sources of Gluten Cross Contamination

Disclaimer: Cross contamination does not only refer to gluten contamination. However, we are only talking about its relationship with gluten in this article. This can also be referred to as “cross-contact”. 

• Fryers. As previously mentioned, fryers are one of the top cross contamination sources. Take a look at the menu. If you see that the only fried things are non- breaded french fries and other naturally gluten free items, it may be safe. As always, double check with the restaurant staff. 

• Grill. This may be surprising, but imagine you are dining at a place that serves cheesesteaks. Typically, when making a cheesesteak, the chef will face the bun down over the meat and cheese and then scoop it all up together. When the bun comes into contact with the grill, it leaves crumbs on the grill making it a perfect place for cross contamination. Remember, gluten is a protein, not a bacteria that can be killed in the heat of cooking. This is one example of grill cross contact, but continue this way of thinking when making your dining choices. 

Easily Overlooked Sources of Cross Contamination

• Pizza Oven. This is a big one. Many places that sell pizza also offer a gluten free crust. This sounds great! But not so fast. Wheat flour is present all over the pizza prepping surfaces. This means that this crust is most likely being placed on top of tons of flour while being prepped! Even if the prep took place on a safe surface, the pizza oven will inevitably be coated in flour. As previously mentioned, gluten cannot simply be burned away. 

• Toasters. Many restaurants offer gluten free bread for breakfast toast or sandwiches. If you are ordering gluten free toast with your breakfast, you may want to attempt to be content with regular gluten free bread. Toasters are full of crumbs. As soon as non- gluten free bread goes in a toaster, it is no longer able to make gluten free toast. If a restaurant offers gluten free sandwiches and they offer to toast your bread, the same rule applies. Here, you are not missing out as much since the gluten free bread is contributing to a delicious sandwich, not just toast. 

• Other. Containers of butter or other spreads are not necessarily safe either. Double dipping a knife into a spread that was just placed on gluten containing bread potentially leaves crumbs behind. This is another commonly overlooked source of cross-contact. This is mainly something to consider if you are Celiac or extremely sensitive to gluten. 

Sneaky Flour

Gluten free eaters know that corn starch can make for the perfect thickener in a recipe. Unfortunately, flour is also a thickening agent for the gluten eaters. 

• Sauces, soups, and other thick things. When ordering something like a steak, it is wise to note whether or not it comes with a sauce. The sauce potentially contains flour to thicken it up a bit. This is an easy fix. You can ask your server to find out if the sauce does contain flour or another source of gluten. If it does, simply order without the sauce. At establishments with experienced chefs, the protein you order is usually cooked and seasoned so beautifully, that the sauce is not even necessary. Soups are also something to be aware of. Again, just politely ask your server if they can find out if there are any gluten-containing ingredients. All in all, be on the lookout for liquidy items that are suspiciously thick in texture. 

Gluten free dining recap

Now, you have read about many areas of dining out that can be hazardous for the gluten free eater. There can be cross contamination in fryers, grills, and prep areas, and even sneaky places where gluten lies. There are a lot of things to think about when dining out. Personally, many of these things have been learned the hard way. Other things were learned by working in kitchens throughout the years. There are many different reasons someone may want to switch to a gluten free diet. Your adherence to the advice above may vary depending on the severity of your reason. Either way, eating completely gluten free is a journey. There are just so many factors in this diet than people who can eat gluten may not initially realize. Remember this and do not be too hard on yourself if you have recently switched to a gluten free lifestyle.

More about gluten free eating at linasglutenfree.com