Ah...how to deal with this??

[shadowkat]

As many of you know - if you've read my lj for the last five or six months, I am gluten-sensitive. This means I cannot eat anything with gluten in it. Gluten = wheat, barely, oats, kamut, spelt, and millet. Also be careful of buckwheat (cross-contamination), oats is controversial.

Here's the problem...I'm considering doing a couple of things that involve lots of activities around food and with people who love to eat foods high in glutens: BBQ sauce, pancakes, pizza, cakes, cookies, brownies, most creative chocolates/candybars, pies, bread, sandwiches, bagels, muffins, smores, beer, some wines (not all, most are fine - particularly California wines are fine), crackers...and some ice creams. Both trips will be in environments where my choices are going to be limited. They group decides. Money is a factor. And one takes place at a conference in a Holiday Inn.

I don't know what to do? Do I bring food with me? I don't want to be an inconvenience or put people out. This has been my fear from the beginning. I *hate* being a bother or a pest. I *hate* being noticed. I'm the sort who goes along with what the group wants to eat - yay democracy. This diet makes that impossible. I will get sick.

Help???

Comments

[ladystarlightsj.livejournal.com]

Like everyone else has said, either bringing some staples with you and/or being careful in restaurant choices wouldn't be a big deal. We all understand what's happening, and I know it's hard to speak up and say "That's a lovely plan, but it doesn't work for me."

We have no problems with taking your needs (because as fresne says "food of death"= bad) into consideration. I know I wouldn't think twice about it at all.

And please come, I'd love to see you again!

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

I'm considering pulling together some sort of gluten-free travel kit. Maybe put small items. Buy containers. Need to do it regardless of whether I do the trip.

I think my difficulty is I hate to impose on others. I was raised to see it as impolite, actually rude. And am embarrassed when I see other people do it. Whenever a friend sent stuff back at a restaurant because it was right in some way or complained loudly about the service, I'd cringe in embarrassment. So here I am - suddenly - having to be that person who complains or asks. I've been told there are ways to work around it though - so I'm going to hunt those ways and have to do it soon, since this problem is not going away. Have to deal with work related social events still - being wined and dined. I really wish not every social activity had to be associated with food. Never realized until now how much that was the case.

[ladystarlightsj.livejournal.com]

Yes, a kit wouldn't be a bad idea.

And I sympathize with the idea of "I'm imposing on these people". It's a hard thing to work around in your head, I know.