Food ettiquitte for guests.... slight rant.

islandnutshel

I feel for you, as a fellow celiac. I blew up at a restaurant yesterday for having nothing on the menu to eat. I shouldn't have, I have never have before, but I was hungry, and tired, and so frusterated. After apologising to the server, she suggested I could talk to the chef. The chef came out and was completely accomedating and helpful. Needless to say they got a great tip, and I promiced to return. I can imagine you get frusterated too, especialy when you know how attitudes will effect your daughter.
I too bring food when staying with family and friends. I often call to see what I can bring, an excuse to find out what others are bringing. If it isn't inconvenient I ask if some foods can be left unmixed until I get a chance to get a serving of the dish without the sauce. I have also started to make "thank you" cards with a list of foods that contain gluten, that I need to avoid on them. These can be given to friends or servers to help take the mystery out of our diet.
Family is funny. My gym equipment is at my mom's. I go over to exercise in the morining and she cooks bacon for breakfast and invites me to join her, even though I can't eat the bacon fat soaked eggs and potatoes. I can't explain family, all I can say is sorry, and good for you for being a good example for your daughter.

leavinglasvegas

Thank you cards are a great idea! I really like that!

This lifestyle has such a learning curve. Its so much more than counting calories, carbs, and fat. Its so important to my health not just because of obvious health conscious reasons- but because some food is literally poison to us. I guess those who have never experienced what it feels like to have a gluten reaction, or spent the night in the hospital because of an allergic reaction, just won't ever get it. After having a migraine for, like, 2 years straight and then it goes away after cutting out dairy for just 24 hours- hey, its not ever worth it to me to cheat. Even I, before I knew what was making me so sick, never realized just what it means to be allergic. Even I, at a time, thought some people were just too picky. But, after being off of gluten for 4 months now, I can honestly say, that accidentally eating gluten is more than painful. And a night in the ER because of an allergy, well, its a near death experience that I never want to have again. Even my daughter knows, its just not worth it, now that she knows what it feels like to be fully well. A brownie just doesn't taste the same when you have felt what amazing feels like compared to bloating and the runs. Some people would rather have the brownie and take immodium. To each his own. I feel too good ever go back. And my 10 year old feels the same way!

So to put it that way, I do have a right to be picky. But I don't expect everyone to get it.

reneelee

My husban has a great saying and we raised our daughter with it , " eat what you can and don't complain" . I love that saying his father used to say that to him when he was little. Although his dad is no longer with us his saying lives on.

leavinglasvegas

I like it!