Social Situations

[sillyken]

Hi,

I'm an actor and many of the jobs I go on have meals served to us. How should you handle this if it might mean you don't get a certain job because they can't accommodate you?

Also have you ever had a group invite you out for YOUR birthday and then serve a birthday cake you couldn't eat. This has happened two years in a row at a "friends" house and I feel like not going anymore because I feel so left out at my own party. I don't know how to handle this kind of insencitivity.

Ken

[sillyken]

P.S. Yes My friends do know about my allergy.

[tarnalberry]

For the work events: bring your own food. I know it can be a hassle to do it all the time, but you have to do what you have to do. It may require quite a lot of preparation, but that's better than not having a job! :-)

For the birthday events: tell them you'll bring your own cake because you want to be able to have some. They're supposed to be your friends, so be honest, and tell them you want to not feel left out on that, of all, days.

[Guest nini]

for work I agree, just bring your own food. It may be a bit of a hassle, but better than not getting the job.

for dinners with friends, suggest they take you someplace like Outback that has a gluten-free menu WITH gluten-free desserts. For my birthday my family took me to Outback and they made sure when they told the waitress it was my birthday that she brought me one of the gluten-free desserts! And she even said to me as she was setting it in front of me that they made triple sure that dessert was gluten free and safe for me.

OR... like you said, bring your own cake... Nothing wrong with that really. Ultimately you are the only person who HAS to be responsible about your diet, not your friends. Too bad that they just seem to be oblivious.

[Merika]

Hi Ken,

Yep, you need to bring your own food. Maybe cook up a big pot of something Sundays and freeze it in small portions? And bring your own cooler, or ask the caterers to stash it somewhere safe.

Personally, I would not eat anything not wrapped or loose in a bowl from craft services. I've questioned the catering truck folks too on sets. They've been really nice and helpful and informative and I've still gotten sick from it - come to think of it,almost every time, lol! Of course, bananas, gluten-free candy bars, etc would be fine.

I know it must be an enormous PITA to contemplate. I would never turn down a job for it though. Get creative. Get up to date on gluten-free junk food (which always seems to be in abundance - junk food, not gluten-free) and bring trail mix, dates, dried fruit, nuts, etc that are easy to carry, don't bruise, and don't go bad.

Good luck,

Merika

[jenvan]

Ken-

re: the cake. Can you discuss a gluten-free cake with them? Do you have a whole foods or bakery that would make you a gluten-free cake nearby? Depending on where you live, Whole Foods markets can do that. You could also tell them no more cake, and to sub with something like ice cream sundaes, root beer floats or something...

for work I'd bring my own food, or request prepackaged food you know is gluten-free in advance if you can. I know that might seem hard for some people, but if you don't make a big deal out of it, I don't think other people will either (well, most of them at least)