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Gluten-Free Restaurant Menus: Alabama

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff

Looking for gluten-free restaurant menus in Alabama? Whether you live within the state or plan to travel there in the near future, it is good to know in advance which restaurants offer gluten-free menus to the Celiac community.

Here at Celiac-Disease.com, we are dedicated to trying to maintaining updated lists of restaurants in each state that offer gluten-free menus. Here is what we’ve found for the state of Alabama:

Note: This list is updated as new gluten-free menus are discovered. If you know of one we are missing, please contact us so we can update our list!

Alabama Gluten-Free Restaurant Chain Menus

Local Alabama Gluten-Free Restaurant Menus

For gluten-free menu information for other states, check out our Gluten-Free Restaurant Menus page, which is broken down by individual state.

Alabama Gluten-Free Supermarkets and Grocery Stores

For gluten-free grocery information for other states, check out our Gluten-Free Groceries page, which is broken down by individual state.

Bonus: Food costs have never been higher. Looking to save money when shopping for your gluten-free products online? We recommend purchasing gluten-free groceries in bulk online.

Review: UNO’s Chicago Grill Gluten-Free Restaurant Menu

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff

There are a number of great restaurant chains in the United States that offer a gluten-free menu. One of the more popular pizza restaurants within the Celiac community is UNO’s Chicago Grill. Most of their locations throughout the United States offer gluten-free pizzas (cheese or pepperoni), as well as many other gluten-free foods (examples include a gluten-free sundae, a top Sirloin Steak, Chop House Classic, Lemon Basil Salmon, and a Baby and Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Mango Salsa).

Official Website Menu Information: UNO’s Chicago Grill Gluten-Free Menu
Location Finder: Find a UNO’s Chicago Grill Location Near You

When Celiac-Disease.com was created, one of the things we wanted to do was feature restaurant reviews found around the web. One recent review we ran across over at gluten-free Inspired reviewed a recent visit to UNO’s Chicago Grill:

I was apprehensive about ordering the gf pizza, because after 44 years on the gf diet, I still thought, “What if they get the pizzas mixed up and I get one with gluten. I can’t afford to get sick!” I always tell the hostess that I want a gf menu which saves time and works out best from my experience. The hostess whipped out a colorful gf menu. I then explained my apprehension to my waitress. She assured me that the manager would serve my gf pizza, which should dispel my greatest fears! The manager not only served my gf pizza, but he assured me that UNOS has a dedicated corner of their kitchen just for preparing gluten-free meals in order to avoid cross-contamination. That was great news!

Never in my wildest dreams could I envision 44 years ago that you could go into a national chain and order gf pizza and one so reasonable. The cheese pizza was $11.49.

Sounds like Jane had a great experience at UNO’s Chicago Grill. Have you tried any of their gluten-free menu items yet? Share your experience in the comments!

Recipe: Gluten-Free Chocolate Orange Cupcakes

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff

Are you in the mood for a gluten-free cupcake? I just came across this delicious gluten-free recipe for chocolate orange cupcakes that I think you will enjoy! Give them a try and let us know how they turned out in the comments.

If you’d like to check out other recipe ideas, check out our gluten-free recipes page!

Gluten-Free Chocolate Orange Cupcakes Recipe

Cupcake Ingredients:

  • 3 Tbsp  cocoa powder
  • 1/4 C. hot water
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 C. organic cane sugar
  • 1/2 C. sour cream
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • zest of one orange
  • 1/4 C. butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 C. gluten-free all-purpose flour (bob’s)
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp. xantham gum
  • 1/2 tsp. salt

Cupcake Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease 12 standard muffin cups or line with paper liners.
  2. In a small bowl, stir the cocoa powder into the hot water until it dissolves; set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until well combined.
  4. Add in the sour cream and vanilla, then the dissolved cocoa and orange zest.
  5. Add the melted butter, then the dry ingredients.
  6. Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full.
  7. Bake until the cupcakes are puffed and a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes.
  8. Let cool completely before removing the cupcakes from the pan.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Frosting Recipe

Frosting Ingredients:

  • 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (Scharffen-Berger)
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 2-3 Tbsp milk

Frosting Directions:

  1. Melt the chocolate & butter together.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine confectioners sugar and melted chocolate+butter, adding milk until you have a nice spreadable consistency.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Gingersnaps

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff

Looking for a gluten-free recipe for gingersnaps? There are a few good recipes, but here is my favorite recipe I’ve found for gingersnaps. Give it a try and let us know how they turn out in the comments below.

If you’d like to check out other recipe ideas, check out our gluten-free recipes page!

Gluten-Free Gingersnaps Recipe

Gingersnap Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup butter softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 2-1/4 cups gluten-free flour blend
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon xantham gum
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Additional sugar

Gingersnap Directions:

  1. In a large bowl, beat sugar, margarine, molasses, and eggs until light and fluffy.
  2. Lightly spoon flour into a measuring cup; level off.
  3. Stir in flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg; mix well.
  4. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate for 1 hour.
  5. Heat oven to 350.
  6. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar.
  7. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
  8. Bake at 350 for 8 – 10 minutes or until set.  (When there are cracks on the top I take them out).
  9. Cool for 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets.

Gluten-Free Airplane Travel Guide

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff

Are you someone with Celiac Disease who is planning on traveling on an airline in the near future?  Airlines are notorious for long lines and delays, leaving people on a gluten-free diet in a lot of trouble if they aren’t prepared.

As with any type of travel, the key is preparation, whether you are preparing for delays in the airport or for your time on the airplane itself!

Gluten-Free Airline Meals

Many airlines offer special gluten-free meals (also known as GFML meals). Especially if you are going on a long flight, it is worthwhile to choose a carrier with a gluten-free meal available.  Some airlines only offer special meals on long-haul or cross-continental flights, so just because you had gluten-free meals on a flight from New York to London (for example) don’t assume the same airline will give you a gluten-free meal on your flight from New York to Dallas.

Reserve your gluten-free meal in advance.

You cannot ask for a special meal at the last minute. You must request it anywhere from 24 to 96 hours before your flight. (Consequently, if you change your flight home at the last minute, you’ll probably lose your gluten-free meal!) If you make your reservation far in advance, you’ll want to call back a few days before the flight to confirm that they’re preparing a gluten-free meal for you.

After you’ve boarded the plane, the flight crew will come to look for you to tell you they’ve got a special meal on board for you. If you’ve changed your seat at the last minute, they might look for you at your “old” seat, so let them know where you are.

Don’t assume you can eat everything on the tray.

The special meal will be wrapped and sealed; all the flight crew needs to do is warm it up and place it on your tray. You can safely eat whatever is sealed inside the package. The flight crew, however, cannot be expected to know the dietary guidelines of every disease for which special medical meals are provided. They may “generously” add the regular dessert to your tray, or a roll, or some other unsafe food item. Don’t assume that everything on your tray is gluten-free.  Safe items will be sealed and labeled, and you’ll be unwrapping these by yourself. Everything else is questionable and you’ll need to read labels and the common sense you’ve developed since following a gluten-free diet.

Bring along emergency food supplies.

Unfortunately, despite the airline’s best efforts to provide a special gluten-free meal for you, things can still go wrong. If your flight is canceled and you’re placed on a different flight, or if something is wrong with your original aircraft and they switch your plane at the last minute (after the food service has already loaded the meals onto the original plane), your gluten-free meal is not going to follow you to the “new” plane. No matter how far in advance you planned and how many times you double-checked, there’s always a solid risk that you’ll end up on a plane without anything to eat… unless you’ve brought along some emergency food supplies. Never travel by plane without bringing some food along for yourself.

Get a soft-sided insulated lunch pack and a couple of reusable ice packs

These are typically sold in drug stores to be used for bruises.  You can put this item inside one of your other carry-on bags if necessary. Before your flight home, chill the ice packs again in your hotel’s ice bucket, or ask the hotel to freeze them for you in their freezer.

Place everything in zip-lock bags

Cabin pressure changes can cause even well-sealed items to leak. (Get as much air out as possible before zipping them closed.) The same guideline is true for any food you pack in your checked baggage.

Bring along snacks and light meals that require no extra preparation

These snacks need to be able to be eaten anywhere (the terminal, on the plane, etc.)  If you’re not sure you’ll be able to stock up on these items while you’re away, then remember to bring enough for your flight home, too.

You can find a large collection of these items here. Don’t forget to bring along napkins, plastic utensils, etc. (if necessary).

For additional tips, check out our gluten-free travel page.

Have any tips to add for airline travel on a gluten-free diet?  Let us know in the comments!