Eating Out with Food Intolerances and Allergies

Dining out is something most of us enjoy and can become scary and stressful when you find out you have a food intolerance or food allergy. It’s great for all of us to have a night off cooking or to be able to catch up with family and friends, but how to do this safely when you have to navigate allergies or intolernaces. I have to say, our family definitely eats out a lot less due to dairy and gluten allergies, plus catering for this with kids because it adds another layer of complexity.

From hidden ingredients to cross-contamination risks, eating out can pose serious challenges. So here are some, trialled and tested tips from our family and my clinical experience, to make your dining experience safer and more enjoyable.

1. Do Your Research - Call Ahead

Before heading to a restaurant, it's essential to do your homework. Call the venue in advance to enquire about their menu options for your specific food intolerances or allergies. Many restaurants are accommodating and willing to customise dishes to meet your dietary needs, if they have a heads-up. By calling ahead, you can discuss your specific requirements with the staff and ensure that they understand the severity of your condition, this helps them and also helps you! And if you have any reservation about their knowledge or willingness to accommodate your needs, then I suggest you keep looking.

2. Don't Rely on the Menu (online or at the restaurant)

While some restaurants may have allergen-friendly options listed on their menu, it's essential not to rely solely on these codes. Ingredients and recipes can vary, they can change what they put on the plate the night you visit, due to what ingredients are available. Also, we have had many instances, where it says GF (gluten-free), instead of GFO/GFA (gluten-free option/gluten-free available), but the meal was NOT gluten-free as it came, we had to specify that. For this reason always just double-check. There is also a risk of cross-contamination, even with supposedly safe dishes which is very important with allergies, so communicate directly with your server or the chef to discuss your dietary restrictions. And just keep asking questions till you feel confident they have understood you.

 I always joke around with the staff at the start (as we have 2 of us GF/DF and 2 GF), “Hi, just letting you know we are going to be that painful table, asking about all the meals as we have lots of allergies in our family!!!” For me, this has always resulted in a laugh and a positive response from our waiter.

3. Suggest the Restaurant or Cafe to Friends

If you've had a positive experience dining out with food intolerances or allergies, don't hesitate to recommend the restaurant or cafe to friends and family, when deciding on where to go. Even if it's not your birthday etc., you can just let them know a list of safe places for you. Family and friends generally want the experience to be fun and safe for you too!!

Encourage your friends to mention your recommendation when making reservations or ordering their meals. This can prompt the staff to be extra attentive to your dietary needs and provide a more accommodating dining experience.

4. Take Enzymes (not for allergies)

For some people with food intolerances, taking digestive enzymes specific to their intolerance can help alleviate symptoms by improving digestion of the food chemical they have an issue with. Enzymes such as lactase can assist in breaking down lactose, while others can aid in the digestion of histamine or FODMAPS. This is not an option for food allergies unfortunately.

While enzymes can be a helpful supplement, they should not replace a balanced diet or proper medical treatment for food allergies or intolerances. With intolerances, you also want to investigate the underlying cause of the food intolerance.

Dining out should be fun and safe for all of us and over the years I have found planning ahead and calling the restaurants has made the biggest difference. Then when you have a list of your favourite and trusted places, you tend to stick to them, which definitely takes the stress out of dining out!!

For more help and support with food intolerances and allergies, you can work with me in clinic and book a free discovery call here:

 Or check out my Tummy Rescue Hub Membership and  join the waitlist here:

And to get started right away, grab my free E-book “5 ways to reduce bloating, pain and gas” here:

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This guide is easy to understand, so that you can begin implementing changes today and  
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A bit about me!

 I am Danielle Elliott a qualified Naturopath and the owner of Tummy Rescue.

I have been helping kids & adults improve their health for over 16 years, with the last 11 years concentrating on helping patients with any kind of gut disorder. I began focussing on everything gut related after my husband was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease. And lucky I did……as my husband and both our kids have Coeliac Disease and my daughter has a dairy allergy.

So…. I am well and truly where I am meant to be!

I love being able to help people to soothe and calm their symptoms, investigate the causes and support and improve their gut function.

I also get to write educational pieces to train practitioners and am often interviewed for podcasts and summits, which is another really rewarding part of my work. I love educating people (this is something I do in every consult), because I do believe knowledge is power. It gives you the tools to make the changes you need to!

So, when you opt-in to my E-book, you are beginning on a journey of learning and discovery, of how you can reduce your symptoms of bloating, gas & pain and improve your gut health.

I would be honoured to help you along the way.

Danielle xoxo