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How To Accommodate Food Allergies
By:
Published: August 18, 2006
Dining out when you have a food allergy can be difficult at times. Visiting that new establishment in town, however, will be a little bit easier if you follow some basic guidelines.
• Call ahead and speak with either the restaurant owner, executive chef or the general manager and inform them when you will be visiting the restaurant. Also, include your reservation time if one has been made. Inform the individual that you have a food allergy and ask what they will be able to do to prevent you from having a reaction. It is important to inform them the severity of your food allergy and its potential hazards. For instance, tell them if you break out into hives when you consume tomatoes or if you will go into anaphylactic shock if you eat anything with seafood. It also is important to let the restaurant know whether your food allergy will be aggravated if cross-contamination occurs. This is when utensils or pans containing the trigger food are reused.
• Every good restaurant will have a well-educated wait staff. If you see any form of hesitation in your server when questioning them on ingredients and preparation, ask politely to speak with someone from upper management to assist you.
• Never come off as demanding or irritating. You can express the severity of your food allergy in a calm and respectful tone. A demanding customer will come off as a picky customer faking a food allergy.
• Avoid sauces. If you are allergic to nuts and the tilapia with the pesto cream sauce sounds like something you would like, then order the tilapia without the sauce so you can completely avoid the pesto containing pine nuts.
• Order condiments, sauces and dressing on the side if you have any concerns.
• Have caution when ordering dessert. Keep your sweet tooth simple when dining out. Enjoy sorbet or sherbet instead of indulging in the brownie sundae or cheesecake. Tantalizing and palate-pleasing words are used to describe these types of desserts on a menu instead of listing every ingredient that went into making the delightful little treat. The brownie and the cheesecake may contain peanut paste, which will be deadly for those with a severe nut allergy.
• Individuals with a gluten allergy should be extremely careful when ordering flourless chocolate cake on a dessert menu since the entire product may not be gluten-free. Ask whether the dessert is homemade or brought in frozen by a food purveyor.
If you feel your needs are not being met by the establishment, you should have no hesitation about leaving. Calling ahead during slow hours and speaking with management will give you a feel about how accommodating they may be. Never contact a restaurant and ask to speak with someone in detail during the restaurant's busy hours. You will have management's undivided attention if you contact them between the hours of 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
• Call ahead and speak with either the restaurant owner, executive chef or the general manager and inform them when you will be visiting the restaurant. Also, include your reservation time if one has been made. Inform the individual that you have a food allergy and ask what they will be able to do to prevent you from having a reaction. It is important to inform them the severity of your food allergy and its potential hazards. For instance, tell them if you break out into hives when you consume tomatoes or if you will go into anaphylactic shock if you eat anything with seafood. It also is important to let the restaurant know whether your food allergy will be aggravated if cross-contamination occurs. This is when utensils or pans containing the trigger food are reused.
• Every good restaurant will have a well-educated wait staff. If you see any form of hesitation in your server when questioning them on ingredients and preparation, ask politely to speak with someone from upper management to assist you.
• Never come off as demanding or irritating. You can express the severity of your food allergy in a calm and respectful tone. A demanding customer will come off as a picky customer faking a food allergy.
• Avoid sauces. If you are allergic to nuts and the tilapia with the pesto cream sauce sounds like something you would like, then order the tilapia without the sauce so you can completely avoid the pesto containing pine nuts.
• Order condiments, sauces and dressing on the side if you have any concerns.
• Have caution when ordering dessert. Keep your sweet tooth simple when dining out. Enjoy sorbet or sherbet instead of indulging in the brownie sundae or cheesecake. Tantalizing and palate-pleasing words are used to describe these types of desserts on a menu instead of listing every ingredient that went into making the delightful little treat. The brownie and the cheesecake may contain peanut paste, which will be deadly for those with a severe nut allergy.
• Individuals with a gluten allergy should be extremely careful when ordering flourless chocolate cake on a dessert menu since the entire product may not be gluten-free. Ask whether the dessert is homemade or brought in frozen by a food purveyor.
If you feel your needs are not being met by the establishment, you should have no hesitation about leaving. Calling ahead during slow hours and speaking with management will give you a feel about how accommodating they may be. Never contact a restaurant and ask to speak with someone in detail during the restaurant's busy hours. You will have management's undivided attention if you contact them between the hours of 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
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