Gluten free in OBX

[Anonymous]

First time traveling to OBX since family member was diagnosed with celiac. Sharing a large house with others and will not be able to keep the kitchen free of cross-contamination. I did not see any exclusively GF restaurants. I’m thinking about cooking special meals here and bringing. Should I consider any other options?

[Anonymous]

Haven’t been to OBX but travel with celiac family members. Check Findmeglutenfree website or app for restaurants with gluten free options and reviews.

If you are cooking group meals, lots of options that are gluten free. Grilling can be celiac friendly, but lots of other meals too. Clean before cooking and put utensils on clean plate/other surface while cooking to avoid cross contamination. For condiments, we either have regular and gluten free or take some out of container with clean utensil so container stays gluten free. It’s totally doable.

[Anonymous]

Miller's has a great reputation for handling food allergies/gluten free requests. So does Barefoot Bernie's. We've also had great meals at Tale of the Whale.

[Anonymous]

There are a ton of fresh seafood options, no?

How does she normally eat when there are restaurant options? I don't understand what IBX has to do with it. It's not like there aren't options or grocery stores.

[Anonymous]

As someone with celiac who has been to obx twice your idea is a good one. Pack lots of meals, bring lots of snacks. It was very hard for me to find consistently safe food there. I can’t remember where i ended up ordering from but I remember a lot of salads.

[Anonymous]

I’d pack snacks. NC Coast in Duck has a lot of GF options. If you search there are a few other places with options too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are a ton of fresh seafood options, no?

How does she normally eat when there are restaurant options? I don't understand what IBX has to do with it. It's not like there aren't options or grocery stores.

Well for one anything out of a shared frier will make them sick. Lots of places dust with flour or use commercial sauces(soy, bbq, etc) that have gluten. So the kitchen is cross contaminated. Beach restaurants staff usually do not understand or care about gluten because they are usually summer workers. Many restaurants will only one gluten free option a salad. It really kills the enjoyment of eating out specially if you are a kid.

Also it is nice to be able to go out to a restaurant and take a break for cooking every meal.

[Anonymous]

Prep what you can. Bring cutting boards and a colander. I’d stay away from the grill. Who knows who put burger buns on it in the past. I’m celiac and I’ll put foil on cookie sheets and use the oven.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thank you for the great advice! We are fairly new to celiac, so still learning. For ex, we have mostly tried exclusively GF restaurants but the closest ones seem to be in Norfolk. We have only travelled to larger cities with at least some options. OBX will be a new challenge because of limited GF restaurants and sharing the house with friends who will not be eating GF. Appreciate the suggestions.

[Anonymous]

cross-contamination? This is not a shellfish allergy.

[Anonymous]

Don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as you need at any restaurant and if possible, go onto their website and check out their menus before you go. They don’t want you to get sick either.

I haven’t been down that way in a long time so I don’t have a really good direct suggestion but did not get sick last time I was there. If adults are celiac remember to only get bottled cider unless bartender is confident no beer has gone through the line. And really I’d avoid any draft cider or gf beer - stick to bottles or cans on that one. And make sure your shellfish isn’t steamed with beer too / that’s prob going to be on menu - always ask if you aren’t sure of something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:cross-contamination? This is not a shellfish allergy.

I don’t know about this particular individual, but some people can have anaphylaxis from gluten or wheat cross contamination, depending on their sensitivity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:cross-contamination? This is not a shellfish allergy.

I don’t know about this particular individual, but some people can have anaphylaxis from gluten or wheat cross contamination, depending on their sensitivity.

And even if it’s not as serious as anaphylaxis, it can be an issue. For instance, I get extreme ideas and migraines that last for a few days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:cross-contamination? This is not a shellfish allergy.

I don’t know about this particular individual, but some people can have anaphylaxis from gluten or wheat cross contamination, depending on their sensitivity.

And even if it’s not as serious as anaphylaxis, it can be an issue. For instance, I get extreme ideas and migraines that last for a few days.

Laughing at my own typo… Ideas was supposed to be IBS - although might prefer ideas!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:cross-contamination? This is not a shellfish allergy.

No, no one's going to die of anaphylaxis, but a celiac's reaction to gluten doesn't resolve quickly. Think projectile vomiting for hours, diarrhea for days, migraines, and a ruined vacation. So cross-contamination is a big issue.

When we rent a group beach house, I bring my own toaster oven/air fryer. It makes it so much less painful to cook things separately and it's not a big deal to pack it when we're already loading up everything. I haven't been to OBX, but we go to Emerald Isle every year where restaurant options are not great. I've never had a reaction to a well-cleaned grill at a rental, and I'm pretty sensitive. There are only a couple of restaurants I trust there and it's usually simple proteins and salads. Dedicated fryers are no where to be found.