Q. I have been eating a gluten-free diet ever since I was diagnosed with celiac disease over a year ago.  I really miss eating out, do you know of any restaurants that serve gluten-free meals?

A. The options for gluten-free dining out are starting to improve.  My favorite recommendation is PF Chang's as they have a dedicated gluten-free menu and their food tastes wonderful.  Their web site lists their gluten free menu, which you can also download.

Here are some helpful resources:

•  Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program's is an exciting new program provided by the Gluten Intolerance Group of North American.  You just enter your zip code to locate participating restaurants in your area.  

•  Gluten Free Registry, lists restaurants by state and city.  They also have customer ratings, which is a nice feature.

• The Essential Gluten-Free Restaurant Guide, is book listing over 4700 restaurants. It's a great resource, but unlike the above sites, there's a fee.

One of the trickiest issues when eating out is being sure that there is no cross-contamination of gluten.  For example, if you ordered scrambled eggs, you need to be sure they are not cooked on grill area where they make pancakes.  Or if you order french fries, you need to be sure they are not fried with breaded onion rings, or other breaded foods.  For specific tips on eating out click on this link: Gluten-Free Dining.

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Copyright ©2008- 2010 by Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD  Published at http://www.EvelynTribole.com

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DISCLAIMER: The information is intended to inform readers and isnot intended to replace specific advice from a health care professional.Copyright 2010 Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD