Gluten free options

[Anonymous]

My teen needs to do a gluten free trial for 4-6 weeks on the instruction of her GI specialist (cross contamination not an issue for now)

I’m posting here because very “picky” and loves pasta, and has her favorite restaurant go-to foods (smash burgers with cheese, Subway rotisserie chicken with provolone on a toasted roll, fettuccine Alfredo).

She’s expanded quite a bit in the last few years, so this won’t be too hard - she will eat rice and a variety of proteins and is working on vegetables.

She doesn’t eat a ton of bread so the pasta and restaurant favorites will be the sore spots. And maybe snacks at school but she loves chips and Fritos and a lot of the ones she eats don’t have gluten.

Any suggestions from those who have been there for good pasta and restaurant/fast food options?

Of course we are going to do a lot at home to ensure healthy balanced meals but I want to give her good options for the foods she likes when out.

[Anonymous]

I've had celiac for years. Mexican is often reliably gluten free - make sure corn tortillas and don't order anything fried. Most fryers are mixed so stay away from french fries unless at Chick Fil A - their fries are GF and I've never gotten sick. They also will do a grilled chx breast and a GF bun. Tell the cashier its an allergy.

PF Changs is awesome. They have a whole separate line for GF items and an extensive GF menu. Don't trust GF pizza as they make it in the same oven as the regular pizza and often don't change the pizza cutters. However, if you have a Mellow Mushroom nearby, they have good GF pizza and they do separate everything.

Smash burger is prob. ok as long as she brings a GF bun. Let them know to clean the grill and cook hers separately. As for buns, easy to find ones are Rudy's and Udi's. Keep frozen, microwave for 30-40 seconds then lightly toast them. Rudy's are not pre-split (though they look like they are). If she does like fries, she should ask if they are cooked in a mixed fryer with breaded items. The gluten load in a mixed fryer is high, that makes me sicker than anything.

I'm not sure why cross-contamination is not an issue, what I've recommended is trying to keep safe from that. At least with celiac even a crumb or a contaminated pizza cutter will cause an inflammatory response.

Pasta when out can be tricky. A lot of places do offer GF pasta, just make sure they cook it fresh in clean water. First, GF pasta does not last. It turns gross fast. Second, if they warm it up, they likely will dunk it in the same boiling water they use to reheat the regular pasta.

[Anonymous]

Bionaturae Pasta. Made in Italy. Sold at many grocery stores (but not all). You cannot tell the difference. I cross my heart. It’s legit.

[Anonymous]

We have one GF eater in the family and the reliable options for eating out are Indian food, Sushi, Thai, other Asian food (ask for GF soy sauce) and Mexican food.
Italian restaurants often have GF pasta/ pizza.
Sfoglina and Stellina have been hits for GF pasta & pizza respectively.

[Anonymous]

Hangry Burger

Search this forum too. There is endless advice, some of it good!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bionaturae Pasta. Made in Italy. Sold at many grocery stores (but not all). You cannot tell the difference. I cross my heart. It’s legit.

Agree. We get it at Moms most reliably.

Trader Joe’s tagliatelle is also good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've had celiac for years. Mexican is often reliably gluten free - make sure corn tortillas and don't order anything fried. Most fryers are mixed so stay away from french fries unless at Chick Fil A - their fries are GF and I've never gotten sick. They also will do a grilled chx breast and a GF bun. Tell the cashier its an allergy.

PF Changs is awesome. They have a whole separate line for GF items and an extensive GF menu. Don't trust GF pizza as they make it in the same oven as the regular pizza and often don't change the pizza cutters. However, if you have a Mellow Mushroom nearby, they have good GF pizza and they do separate everything.

Smash burger is prob. ok as long as she brings a GF bun. Let them know to clean the grill and cook hers separately. As for buns, easy to find ones are Rudy's and Udi's. Keep frozen, microwave for 30-40 seconds then lightly toast them. Rudy's are not pre-split (though they look like they are). If she does like fries, she should ask if they are cooked in a mixed fryer with breaded items. The gluten load in a mixed fryer is high, that makes me sicker than anything.

I'm not sure why cross-contamination is not an issue, what I've recommended is trying to keep safe from that. At least with celiac even a crumb or a contaminated pizza cutter will cause an inflammatory response.

Pasta when out can be tricky. A lot of places do offer GF pasta, just make sure they cook it fresh in clean water. First, GF pasta does not last. It turns gross fast. Second, if they warm it up, they likely will dunk it in the same boiling water they use to reheat the regular pasta.

It’s not uncommon for Mexican restaurants to use soy sauce in their meat marinades. Always ask.

[Anonymous]

Agree that Mexican restaurants are a safe bet. Most restaurants now have a GF menu that you can check before you go, but dont trust places thst say they have GF pizza.
The celiac.com website has lots of good information..search there for restaurant ideas, including for when you travel. It's become much easier to live with celiac.

[Anonymous]

Find Me Gluten Free (FMGF) and Gluten Dude apps are the best to find restaurants when traveling. And even locally.

[Anonymous]

I have celiac but I also have kids which means I’ve had to learn to work around their restaurants of choice. These days almost all chain restaurants have a website that gives you a breakdown of allergens and substitutions and things to avoid. For example, Red Robin has a great feature on their website that lets you put in the ingredients you can’t have, and it spits out the substitutions or suggestions that eliminate that allergen. Just google the restaurant and the words menu and allergen.

Then the second layer of protection is to make it clear to the server what you are avoiding for medical reasons and to tell them that you got the menu selection from their website.

[Anonymous]

Restaurants are really tough. You really have to ask/inform the chef or manager. Best to call before you go.

A Mexican place like Cactus Cantina has no gluten free items. Asian places you have to know the soy sauce and other sauces are gluten free. Many sushi places will use malt vinegar in the rice vs a gluten free vinegar. Many restaurants will dust chicken and steak with flour. Places that offer gluten free pasta will cook it in the same water as regular pasta.

Try Flower Child, Taqueria Al Lado, Seoul Spice, Bartaco, and BIBIBOP. Also most restaurants that push healthy eating/vegetarian or make everything in house.

Traveling -Europe does a great job with Gluten free. Mexico and Central America are easy. The West coat is fairly good with Seattle and Portland outstanding.

Just an FYI after stopping gluten even a little exposure will cause problems.

https://www.mygfguide.com/gluten-free-washington-dc/
https://glutenfreetraveller.ca/gluten-free-travelling-washington-dc-usa/

[Anonymous]

FWIW - not sure of the reason why your DS needs to do a trial of eating gluten free but hopefully the GI has done the celiac blood panel first because once your DS is off gluten that particular test won’t be accurate if the doctor decides it is needed and a gluten challenge after the fact can often be debilitating.

[Anonymous]

Can't they just test for celiac, and other gastro issues and allergies? I don't understand this gluten sensitivity, bunch of nonsense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can't they just test for celiac, and other gastro issues and allergies? I don't understand this gluten sensitivity, bunch of nonsense.

Okay doctor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can't they just test for celiac, and other gastro issues and allergies? I don't understand this gluten sensitivity, bunch of nonsense.

Consider yourself lucky that you don’t have a gluten sensitivity. Testing is imprecise.