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One of the hardest things when you are dining with food allergies is being comfortable in safely eating something that isn’t going to upset your tummy.
After years of experience in the food industry, one of the key things that you need to do is communicate with staff at a restaurant exactly what you are allergic to and what you have with you in case you have a reaction.
More and more restaurants are familiar with food intolerances and in most cases they are happy to accommodate special requirements but it does take time to prepare dishes and ensure that a cross contamination doesn’t occur.
Here are a couple of tips on dining with food allergies to ensure that you enjoy your meal:
Prepare in advance. Look at the restaurant menu on their website first. In most cases they will have nut-free, gluten-free or dairy free items marked on it.
If it is possible to call the restaurant in advance, you can book in as well and this gives you the perfect opportunity to ask any questions you might have of the menu.
Don’t assume that if the restaurant has Gluten-free marked on the menu – then that is always how the meal arrives to the table. Still check to make sure. Most restaurants assume that you aren’t Gluten-free unless it is substituted only when requested.
If you are just walking in, pick a time to visit the restaurant when it’s not to busy so that the staff are able to spend extra time with you. As they seat you, advise them straight away that you might need assistance when ordering. Ask who the best person is to order your meal from.
You may ask for the chef or manager to assist your food selection. They should have the knowledge of the ingredients in all the dishes or what can be substituted instead to give you a tasty meal. This is important if you have several allergies.
At Taste of the Country most of our meals are prepared in house. This enables us to have full control of what goes into each ingredient in a dish. This means that if you are dining with food allergies, there are no surprises or things that you aren’t aware of. Being a full kitchen – we can easily chop and change or eliminate ingredients to suit special requests.
If you walk into a restaurant that is reluctant to look after your needs or unable to change dishes to suit you – walk away and try somewhere else. Chances are they will not have sufficient knowledge to make sure it is safe for you too. Wherever you go – you are just as important as the next customer regardless of what allergies you have.
Happy eating.
Warm hugs from Nana.
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