Ruth

My husband and I are heading to Bermuda for a long weekend. Has anyone been recently and have dining recommendations? Looking for a bit of everything: Quick lunch, relaxing brunch, romantic dinners, etc.

Thanks!

Just wanted to share our recent experiences in London! We had a great trip: here's where we ate:

Cote Bistro/brasserie: multiple locations throughout the city. We ate at two different locations; Kennsington & near St. Paul's Cathedral. Both have great gluten-free menus and attentive staff.

Belle Italia: also multiple locations throughout the city. We ate at the South Kennsington location. Excellent gluten-free menu. Pizza, grilled chicken salad. All excellent.

Honest Burger: Soho location. This is amazing!! Everything is gluten-free (except the regular buns, but they have a gluten-free bun) burgers, vegetarian fritters, rosemary "chips" (French fries) So good, we went there twice:) also the have homemade lemonade, gluten-free beer, ice tea, etc, YUM!

Brown's: multiple locations, we went to the Victoria Station location. Good gluten-free menu, steak, chicken, etc.

Otto: really unique Gluten free cornmeal crust pizza. Unlike anything we have had before, and really great! It is located in knotting hill, a little out of the way, but worth the trip!

We stayed in an apartment style hotel to accomodate our family of 5. Having a kitchen was good for breakfast and packing a lunch every day. We bought Genius gluten-free bread at the local Tesco market. We also went to Whole Foods in Kennsington, but is wasn't as good for gluten-free as I would have thought. We brought our own cereal, macro bars, and glutinous pretzels.

I'm happy to answer any specific questions of your are planing a trip to London!

Thanks Gemini,

She is going to look at Ithaca this summer. She also heard back from Colgate and Holy Cross dining services people. They both seem very accomdating and are going to meet with us and give us a tour of their facilities this week.

We are feeling much more confident that she will find a school that "gets it."

I'll keep posting as we go for others who may be looking for similar info in the future.

Thank you so much Gemini ~ Ithaca is on her list of schools to visit over April vacation. This info will make her so happy

Did your niece consider any other schools that seemed to "get" the gluten-free thing?

My daughter is a HS junior and has begun her college search. She has been gluten-free for 9 years. She also has other food allergies.

Obviously, the competance of the dining services will be a major part of her college decision. Does any one have any input on what colleges are really good or not good at handling gluten-free diets and food allergies?

She is primarily interested in schools in the Northeast and possibly the mid-atlantic area.

We would love some input from people with recent, first hand experience either attending college or who have recently visited.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

My 15 year old is going to London/Edinburgh for two weeks with a school group. She has celiac and multiple food allergies.

She is very well versed in working with waitstaff and finding food in supermarkets, however, she has never had to do this outside of the US.

I am sending her with emergency food, but would like some easy to find "go to" shops/restuarants/products to list for her.

She is allergic to tree nuts/peanuts as well as carrots, strawberries, peppers So grabbing a salad doesn't work for her.

Thanks for any advice/input.

Ruth

My daughter has been a Girl Scout for 9 years now... we have often thought how great it would be to have a gluten-free Cookie to sell. I give you a lot of credit for starting this campaign. In the mean time.. your daughter may like to do what mine has done. We sell the cookies to friends and family that are not gluten-free and our family buys what we "normally" would, but instead of keeping them in the house we donate them to the local food pantry. We know some happy kids will be pulling GS Cookies out of their lunch box as a treat.. and some mom or dad who is struggling financially will get to bring home this (very expensive) treat!.

Best,

Ruth

I know it sounds trite, but it really does get better. Everyone goes through some level of anger/sadness for having to drastically change their lives. I've cried in the supermarket, mall (looking for makeup), the hairdresser (after they doused me with some hair product containing wheat) No doubt...food is so prevalent in everything social. Its been 6 years for me, and I still get the "why me" /"why my kids" feeling every so often... then of course I remind myself how lucky we actually are.

As for your family, they will come around. Make a pan of Gluten Free Pantry's brownie mix (I believe there is a diary free version on the box). Don't eat them in front of your family...let them have them thinking they are "regular" They will love them. They will then start to realize that gluten-free/DF doesn't always mean gross food. Also... have some regular food that is gluten-free... sometimes it's junk... but at least it makes you feel a bit "normal" (Ice cream, Smartfood, Lays Chips)

Some of my kids' friends like the gluten-free brownies I make better than regular ones... also the kids at school always want the Glutino pretzels that my kids bring in... even though it's expensvie, I always send in some extra, it feels good for them to be able to share.

Some family/friends will never get it.... that's the hardest part.

Post again... let us know how things are going.

My son's severe asthma and excema went away completely after goning gluten-free. No more inhalers, singulair, albuterol, steroids.... it took about 3 months to see full improvement.

It has been a blessing.

I am celebrating my 5th Anniversary as a Gluten Free person!

I just wanted to say thanks... I don't frequent this board daily as I once did... but I do refer to it often, and recommend it to people I meet who are newly diagnosed. It is amazing to me how far the world has come in 5 years regarding knowledge of celiac, products available, etc.

I feel better now, more than ever, and want those who (or whose loved ones have been) newly diagnosed to know that the gluten-free life is incredible, and is worth every minute of the diffculty... for the health and happiness that is the result.

Thank you.

Ruth

Go Celtics! Now.. if they'd do this in Boston it would be great!!

I found these listed in the Triumph Dining Guide.

Does anyone have any experinece dining at either of these Restaurants in San Francisco?

Thanks!

Wondering if anyone has any recommendations for eating gluten-free in SF with the family.

Specifically, any places near the usual tourist attractions.

Thanks,

Ruth Ann

In the Woodstock/Quechee area I would recommend:

Restaurants: Simon Pearce (fine dining, great location, understand gluten-free...just let them know in advance)

Bentley's in Woodstock has prepared a good gluten-free steak salad for me. Just let them know when you arrive. The chef seems very knowledgeable, came out and spoke to me.

The Quechee Club Grille Room (weekend evenings) or the Deck(lunches and weekday evenings) Call in advance and let them know. Chef is awesome. Food is great!

Grocery Stores:

Mac's in Woodstock has gluten-free pasta (Tinkanyada) some frozen pizza crusts & Amy's Mac & Cheese. Also in Woodstock, Gillingham's General Store now has a small gluten-free shelf with cookies, crackers, etc..

Shaw's in West Lebanon NH (just over the boarder) has a good Wild Harvest section with lots of gluten-free stuff.

Hope this helps!

Ruth Ann

We are heading to a ball game tomorrow, These are part of the b-day food pack....

Does anyone know if Block & Barrel Potato Chips are gluten-free. it is a subsidiary of Sysco Foods. Couldn't find info on their web site.

Thanks for any help!

The best Arpril Fool's Day joke ever:

My daughter pretending to eat "dried up dog poop" in the yard.... really it was Enjoy Life gluten-free Granola Cereal! She had her brothers soooo grossed out!!

Having people compare their (short,unsuccessful) time on the Atkins Diet with being on a Gluten Free diet! "Oh, I know just how you feel! It's so hard!" GRRRRR.....

Glad you are feeling better. I think as time goes on, most of us get more sensitive to even the smallest bit of gluten. I have determined it was the Heinz shrimp cocktail sauce that made me ill. Usually, I make my own from Heinz ketchup and horseradish... I thought heinz cocktail sauce would be fine WRONG!!

It just makes me wish feeling so bad came from something worthwhile like real pizza or real oreos!!

Oh well....

I'll just ride it out.

Take Care.

Everyone is different. It could take a while...my guess is, since it has been a week, you are probably at the end of it. I've been gluten-free for just over 4 years now... and was accidentally glutened yesterday at Easter dinner. I'm gussing 2 days until the D goes away, 3-4 days for the stomach pains, and about a week for two for the body-aches, headache, fogginess to subside.

Good luck, Hope you feel better soon.

For anyone with gluten-free kids, I highly recommend the book "The gluten-free Kid, a Celiac Disease Survival Guide" Written by Melissa London

My 11yo daughter thought it was great...even reading it 3 years after going gluten-free.

BTW: She had absolutely NO celiac symptoms or any illnesses at all. She had very high positive blood tests and positive biopsy.

Take Care,

Ruth

Happy Valentine's Day!

I bought these for my kids... thinking York Peppermint Patties are gluten-free so these should be too... now I'm having second thoughts. Does anyone know for sure? They are in a round, silver tin with blue writing "York Mints." The ingredients look safe, but there is nothing about gluten on the Hershey's web site.

Thanks,

Ruth

I just wanted to post an update...

My son has been gluten-free for almost 2 years now. Headaches are gone! In addition, his excema, asthma and nut allergies are gone too!

I have no idea if this is related to going gluten-free or not. This was a child that was on all sorts of allergy/asthma medications and using a nebulizer with albuteral/pulmucort for four consecutive days a month (like clockwork!) and missing school b/c of it.

Now, he olny uses his albuterol inhaler if he comes in contact with a dog or cat, and has only used his nebulizer once a year ... when he has had a bad chest cold.

I just wanted to share his success story...

He was never "formally" diagnosed with celiac and never had classic (gastro) symptoms.

This topic has been helpful as I plan our trip to DC.... we're planning on dinner out at Austin Grill and Leagal Seafoods, but I'm a bit stressed about lunch. I did find one Wendy's listed in the area. And I found out Sabrett's hotdogs are gluten-free (sold from carts).

From what I've read, we can't bring backpacks/food into most of the sights, so picnicing will be tough. Any quick lunch ideas? I've called some of the food courts, and I'm not getting anywhere... the Old Post Office Food Court has "mom & pop" vendors. Nothing I can look up in advance!

With two adults and three kids gluten-free now I'm starting to worry!

If anyone is living in DC or who has been there recently, please help!!

Thanks,

Ruth

I saw that too!! After Lester's comment I thought " what a narrow minded jerk".Obviously (at least to most of us) gluten free is not the same as "sugar free" or "fat free." I think the woman from Real Simple tried to put him in his place ... but she didn't have enough time. I'm really glad gluten-free mac n cheese was included!! I will write a "great job" letter to Real Simple for thinking of those of us who can't eat wheat (etc.) ... and a "not so great job" letter to Today.

Katie Couric should have done this segment!!

Boo Lester!!

The Casabe Rainforest Crackers are gross... all the flavors!

But, the plain ones work well for the Thin Mint recipe.

I agree... ANYTHING dipped in chocolate tastes great!

Hope everyone is enjoying their cookies.

(I used semi-sweet too!)