This is a list of GF restaurants by the Huffington Post, my question is: Are they Celiac-Safe?
As many of you know my quest is to get restaurants regulated so when they put GF on the menu, there is also the knowledge and the responsibility going along with it. Gluten-Free does NOT mean celiac-safe and cross contamination is a huge problem.
Coming together as a community is what needs to be done to spread the word about what restaurants are safe – do take the extra precautions necessary, and what restaurants do not. This can be accomplished through tweets, yelping, facebook, blogging… to weed out eateries that are using GF merely to bring in more customers and bump up their sales. It’s up to us to say, This is Not ok, you cannot put GF on your menu unless you are responsible with ingredients & cross contamination.
As well as giving shout outs, appreciation, and our business to those restaurants all over the world that do.
We are the consumer and in our money driven society, we choose where to spend that money. Lets choose wisely, share information, changing the world we live in to create a safe eating environment.
Change starts one person at a time… the community starts the domino effect bringing that change.
http://t.co/UsP5cqVwR3
After reading the Huff. Post article and a lot of comments after it, I just know I will stick to eating where and what I know for certain is trustworthy. I will also endeavor to learn others dietary rules and not be so hateful about them. I just do not understand why people who have to avoid gluten get made fun of or why others just are so intolerant more than any other food allergy. You do not hear people with fish, nut, or any of the other allergies being made fun of. I think it has to do with the fact that we don’t drop dead after eating it. And that it has become a fad to diet like this. (So, all you celebs out there, thanks for wrong publicity.) But that is where people are so wrong about this. I have had relatives tell me that if they had celiac they would not avoid wheat. And they all say it with this inflection in their voice like a drug addict… That’s why I decided I was seriously going to stay away. We are a society addicted to bread. Seriously! Does anyone else get this response from others?
But, I agree with you GlutenFree Gal! If the waiter/waitress doesn’t seem to have a clue, even if the menu has options, then I assume the managers, chefs and cooks are clueless as well. Because, a real dedicated restaurant educates each employee and practices what is right for all allergies concerned.
I absolutely love eating at PF Changs! Although, we did have one waiter that seemed stupid one night. But I have yet to see him again. But besides that, our experiences are that the wait staff will actually say enough to you to let you know that he/she knows what celiac is and what needs to happen. I actually had one waiter who’s wife had celiac. I felt so releaved because I am sure he knew what was good/bad etc. And he did! And PF Changs people do not seem put out to have to know this information.
After reading the Huff. Post article and a lot of comments after it, I just know I will stick to eating where and what I know for certain is trustworthy. I will also endeavor to learn others dietary rules and not be so hateful about them. I just do not understand why people who have to avoid gluten get made fun of or why others just are so intolerant more than any other food allergy. You do not hear people with fish, nut, or any of the other allergies being made fun of. I think it has to do with the fact that we don’t drop dead after eating it. And that it has become a fad to diet like this. (So, all you celebs out there, thanks for wrong publicity.) But that is where people are so wrong about this. I have had relatives tell me that if they had celiac they would not avoid wheat. And they all say it with this inflection in their voice like a drug addict… That’s why I decided I was seriously going to stay away. We are a society addicted to bread. Seriously! Does anyone else get this response from others?
But, I agree with you GlutenFree Gal! If the waiter/waitress doesn’t seem to have a clue, even if the menu has options, then I assume the managers, chefs and cooks are clueless as well. Because, a real dedicated restaurant educates each employee and practices what is right for all allergies concerned.
I absolutely love eating at PF Changs! Although, we did have one waiter that seemed stupid one night. But I have yet to see him again. But besides that, our experiences are that the wait staff will actually say enough to you to let you know that he/she knows what celiac is and what needs to happen. I actually had one waiter who’s wife had celiac. I felt so releaved because I am sure he knew what was good/bad etc. And he did! And PF Changs people do not seem put out to have to know this information.
Good for you for doing your homework!! I’m starting a wall of shame page and GF restaurant recommendations, so please feel free to send any safe places as well as post bad ones as well
You are right! There is so much cross-contamination due to lack of training. I usually take the time to go to the restaurant before exposing my kids to the menu. It takes a lot of homework to stay safe.
Good for you for doing your homework!! I’m starting a wall of shame page and GF restaurant recommendations, so please feel free to send any safe places as well as post bad ones as well