Living with coeliac disease does NOT mean an end to eating out!
It is becoming easier, with most restaurants now have gluten free options available.
To assist the hospitality industry to provide genuinely gluten free options , Coeliac Australia has developed a Gluten Free Standard for food service providers. This standard outlines the best practice for gluten free food preparation, with practical guides available to help food businesses. A Gluten Free Accreditation Program for food service providers has also been launched.
You can be confident when you see the Coeliac Australia ‘GF’ symbol that these businesses prepare gluten free food using best practice guidelines. All restaurants that are licensed to use our ‘GF’ symbol have undergone an in-depth document review of all their practices, passed an onsite audit, provided laboratory testing results to show ‘no detectable’ gluten in their gluten free menu items and provided proof of staff training.
Choosing a restaurant
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You may like to access our Member Referred Restaurant Directory in the Members Area of the website that provides a list of restaurants where other members have had a great dining experience.
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You may find it helpful to research ahead of time. Many restaurants have their menus listed on their website. If there are no gluten free options marked on the menu, you could give the restaurant a call to see if they have appropriate options or are able to alter some of their menu options to make them gluten free. Note: If you do decide to phone ahead, try to call at a time when staff are less likely to be busy (perhaps between lunch and dinner service).
On arrival and when ordering
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When ordering, politely explain that you have coeliac disease and need a gluten free meal. Confirm that the meal you have selected is gluten free or can be made gluten free for you.
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Be realistic with your expectations – not everything on the menu will be gluten free, particularly items that contain bread and pasta, or are crumbed, but many restaurants will try to accommodate where possible as they love to keep their customers happy..
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Inevitably, you may have to pay more for certain dishes (such as pizza), as it costs the restaurant significantly more to source these gluten free alternatives. Try not to interpret this as ‘punishment’ or unfairness, instead recognise that they have taken the care and fore-thought to cater for you and ensure their gluten free patrons don’t ‘miss out’.
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It’s a good idea to confirm your meal is gluten free when it is delivered. Dishes can often be mixed up, but the wait staff should have been instructed which meal/s are gluten free. Bonus points if they announce your meal is gluten free without being asked!
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If something doesn’t seem right, don’t be afraid to question it. For example, if you have ordered soup as a meal and it comes served with crusty bread on the side that does not ‘look’ gluten free, double check that the bread is gluten free.
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Finally, if you had a great gluten free experience, please take the time to send your thanks to the chef, or even leave the restaurant a positive review. This helps raise awareness of coeliac disease AND encourages restaurants to keep doing a great job.