Advice please ladies - what do you say when eating out?

[wangle99]

Went out today for FIL's birthday meal at a carvery.

DS has a wheat intolerance - diagnosed by a long elimination diet and we def know this is what is causing it.

I watched the chef dishing up use the same cutlery for cutting meat (no wheat), dishing up yorkshire puddings (wheat). It appears DS is very sensitive to any form of wheat even wheat starch which doesn't normally cause a problem with people.

What do you say? Do you ask for people to use new cutlery to serve? Avoid these places?

I feel if I say DS has a wheat intolerance it sounds a bit wishy washy especially in recently days/weeks when it has been in the paper about the new 'fad' of food intolerances.

Sorry if this is a bit garbled but just not sure what to do!

[williamsmummy]

yes, do ask, and try to find some 'allergy cards; these do help even if they are in english. lots of web sites do these food allergy cards.

This is important and speaking from a classic food allergy point of view,asking and demanding safe food is a life saver.

[gigglewitch]

i have just turned into a 'bossy' mother over the years, i'm sure i never used to be like this. I have 2 DS with dairy allergy.
I just explain to waitress/chef/ whoever that they can not have anything related to milk at all, and most places have been very helpful. from hotels serving wedding buffets to the local chinese restaurant! they usually go and read up their own info and then come back to check it out again with me. our worst bug-bear is the restaurants who do ice cream as the dessert for every childrens meal on the menu ... usually they produce a very posh fruit salad when we explain the difficulties.