If you have a Coeliac child

[PalmTreesAndWarmSeas]

How do you handle eating out? We are having to stay away from home next weekend and I'm panicking about my DD. She is 5 and we have known she is coeliac since she was tiny. I worried much less before covid as we never had a problem, but it has been so long since we last ate in a restaurant and it is now giving me huge anxiety as she got glutened at school recently and was very, very ill. I can't stand the thought of it happening to her away from home.

Research restaurants in advance, mention it when booking and always ask for an allergen menu on arrival.

We find that a lot of chain restaurants are really good and have separate gluten free menus - Zizzi, Pizza Hut, Frankie and Benny's, etc. They might not do gluten free on the children's menu but you might be able to order a smaller adult meal. If you're on Facebook there's a good group called Coeliacs eat out too, and if you say where you are people will recommend coeliac friendly places.

The Facebook group sounds great, I'm looking for it now, thanks!

I have found it harder to research online since covid as many places have closed. I try to check reviews on Tripadvisor but that is full of horror stories

@Lalallama the Facebook group is excellent, thank you!

My 2 granddaughters both have coeliac, and DD always asks to talk to someone in the kitchen rather than a waiter/waitress. That way, it doesn't get missed and you can be very specific ie they don't tolerate any trace of gluten (which you shouldn't really have to verbalise but you do).

Some places have taken us by surprise and really gone above any expectations but sadly they have also been made very unwell.

Research. Use the coeliac uk guide. Stick to chains that are certified pizza express for example.
Call restaurant first .
The lounge chain are great

thelounges.co.uk/locations/

I’m a coeliac and a lot of places offer gluten free meals. Just let the restaurant know or call them in advance. Most places are pre book now due to covid anyway so ask them in advance.

Thank you all.

Can I also ask - if you are coeliac, do you take emergency food supplies? We really struggled in France a couple of years ago and were very glad we took GF bread with us. My poor DD is getting very anxious about eating, she won't eat at school at all.

Pizza express is extremely reliable - they have very clear cut policies around gluten.

Where will you be staying? It might make it easier for people to make recommendations?

Spain and Italy are great for coeliac
France have found gf past bread easily

I don't have a coeliac child, but I am coeliac.

Always, always take your own snacks. Cake bars, cereal bars, gluten free crisps, pots of veggies and dips, nuts seeds and dried fruit are always with me. If I'm going away I'll simply pack things like bread or rolls or whatever I most use.

Re: restaurants it isn't as bad as it used to be, just ask if they have a gluten free menu or stick to the larger chains, which often do, we (used to ) often eat Bill's or Zizzi or pizza hut.

Coeliac UK has a postcode finder for accredited restaurants and there is also a gluten free on the move app.

Also recommend 'theglutenfreeblogger' for tips, recipes, restaurant reviews etc

Thanks all, really appreciate it. We are going to Skegness which unfortunately doesn't have too many chain places. I think there is a Pizza Hut. We are also off to the US next year and I've been trying to read up.

@dontgobaconmyheart thanks for your tips. Do you know of any GF cereal bars that are also nut free? DD is also allergic to nuts

My anxiety comes from a stay at a hotel near Legoland that refused to cater for her as the chef was "too busy". She was only 3 and the best they would offer was a salad!

As a coeliac, the best thing I know in Skegness is that the Skegness Rock Shop do fresh GF doughnuts! And the Atlantic Fish bar restaurant have a massive GF menu, and it gets very good reviews on the GF fish and chips group I'm on in FB for really being a safe place to eat.
These days I tend to just google

Doves Farm Freee choc chip flapjack bars are nut free and GF as well as their apple, banana and apricot ones - all are nice but I like the choc ones best.
Theres a few other bars coming up on Ocado with their gluten and nut free filters on, but I haven't tried them

Trek cereal bars are GF and the flapjack ones are nut free (but they say 'may contain'). GF cereal bars are so expensive though so I tend to make a batch of flapjack myself for me and DS (both coeliac) and take that if we go away.

I've not been but the Atlantic Fish Bar in Skegness does a kids GF menu. Doesn't look particularly fancy but seems to be very highly recommended.

As a coeliac, the best thing I know in Skegness is that the Skegness Rock Shop do fresh GF doughnuts

I'd love a gluten free doughnut, we sometimes go to Gibraltar point so might have to call in for a doughnut when we pass.

Are you self catering OP? I normally only bank on a couple of meals out a week as I find eating out way more stressful than cooking. Evening meals are easier than light lunches/snacks.

Thanks for the GF bar recommendations. I have never seen those so will look for them.

We are not self catering (I would prefer to) as it's just a quick 2 night trip for a family event. It's a hotel. I'm definitely going to head for the fish bar and rock shop. Possibly Pizza hut too.

It's so hard isn't it! We have fortunately not had many incidents but the recent one at school was awful and we still have no idea how it happened. Poor DD was constantly vomiting for hours.

Has anyone been GF in New York? This isn't until next year but I'm secretly terrified.

New York is amazing for GF, there are a few totally gluten free restaurants and bakeries. But there are also a lot of places that are really good for GF - I love the PF Changs chain for GF chinese for instance and they are super careful, even having different plates for GF.
If you search for a health food store near where you are staying you'll be able to pick up some muffins etc for snacks. Hotels usually have an egg station where they can make a fresh omelette, but some have been fab with gf bread, cereals etc

Don't be terrified. You don't need to be.
Vomiting sounds like food poisoning ?
Research.
When you get to NYC buy a few snacks.
Look at blog posts

nationalceliac.org/blog/email-newsletters/gluten-free-in-new-york/

Whole foods and supermarkets stick gf snacks bread etc

www.glutenfreefollowme.com/restaurant/pizzarte/

People have beaten me to it with the FB group and also the Skegness doughnuts - the woman will sell you the mix stuff as well to take home!

I don't know any actual restaurants in Skeg sorry. But my advice in general for going away is take plenty of safe snacks, and yes generally we will go to chain restaurants.

www.edisonhotelnyc.com/eat-drink/friedmans

And dd vomits for hours after eating gluten, other end as well. Some people have more extreme reactions than a bit of tummy ache. DD is affected almost mentally as well, she appears drunk, slurs her words, falls over and has to go to bed for at least 24 hours.