Celiac Disease

Official Website of Celiac-Disease.com

You are here: Home / Blog

Blog

Eating Gluten-Free at Universal Studios

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 5 Comments

It’s been several weeks since I got some very unfortunate news from a reader about an upsetting situation her family encountered at the Universal Studios theme park in Orlando, FL. Her young son cannot eat gluten and is a huge Harry Potter fan. He wanted to order some Butterbeer just as any other fan would. Obviously, the gluten-free status of the drink had to be checked before anything was ordered.

Before the family headed to Universal, the mother checked online to see if Butterbeer is gluten-free and it appeared that it was. Someone who worked in guest services at the park also confirmed this and mentioned how accommodating their restaurants are to people with special dietary needs. Once in the park, the family ordered the Butterbeer and once more are told it was gluten-free. The order is served and the child starts to drink it just as the manager comes running out and tells him to stop because it’s not safe. At least, it seems that the topping is not safe. Below is the rest of the story, posted with the reader’s permission.

She [the manager] says the drink topping is prepared in an area that there is a very high risk of cross contamination and it is not celiac safe–after she discussed it with her colleagues. So, she kindly offered him one without the topping, he was still delighted and furthermore–told my husband just to remember to ask for it that way whenever he returns.

The following day at the park, the following happened:

The staff tells us Butterbeer is a trademark item and can’t be prepared without the topping, sorry about your luck. We [the parents] spoke with management, went to guest services, and spoke with someone who said she was the head of food services.  No change.  They told us the manager on Monday was wrong to do what she did.

The family has since reached out to everyone in management at the theme park they could think of contacting and the answer is the same from everyone they’ve encountered. Butterbeer cannot be prepared gluten-free because it can’t be made without the topping due to the contract the park has with J.K. Rowling. My attempts to get a statement from Universal Studios have been unsuccessful. At first, I assumed the customer service representatives were just slow in responding to e-mail requests, but it appears that no one at the park has plans to reply to my question. As always, I let them know up front I’d be writing about the situation.

Contracts are legal agreements so if Universal Studios has one that states they can’t alter Butterbeer in any way, disappointing countless kids visiting the park, they have to abide by it. However, this seems like a very strange agreement to me, and one that limits the sales of Butterbeer which there is likely a huge profit on. How in the world does that make good business sense? In my opinion, it simply doesn’t.

If you’d like to check out Universal Studios, you can now check out the official Universal Studios gluten-free list and their parent’s guide to gluten-free eating at Universal Studios.

Gluten-Free Holiday at Walt Disney World, Orlando

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 7 Comments

Last week my family and I headed to Walt Disney World for a much-needed vacation to celebrate my daughter’s birthday. I had been looking forward to this trip for a year, which is how long we had been planning this.  But as with any adventure outside the comforts of home, one who is gluten-free will have validated concerns about cross-contamination and avoiding being sick, especially on holiday.  The last thing anyone wants is to get sick away from home and put a damper on a family vacation.

A few months before the trip I started to research about eating gluten-free at Disney World and tips and advice so that I could spend my time at Disney enjoying the rides and focusing on my family and not stressing about my next meal and getting ill.

It is not surprising that an abundance of information was available on this topic.  It makes sense since Disney hosts millions of visitors a year.  And with so many people, especially children, being diagnosed with gluten and other intolerances it is no wonder that Disney wants to cater to everyone to assure they really remain the “most magical” place to visit. There are endless blogs with posts that feature this exact concern.

A couple of months before our vacation, I contacted Disney at specialdiets@disneyworld.com and they made sure to mark all of my dining reservations as a “special diet”.  As a result, when you arrive at your reservation for a sit-down meal, the host/hostess will then alert your server, who will then have the chef come out and speak to you, personally, about what you can eat safely.  I found that all the chefs were very patient and extremely knowledgeable about the gluten-free diet and cross-contamination.  As a bonus, at every sit-down meal, when bread was brought to the table, I brought my own basket of gluten-free rolls or pita, depending on the restaurant where I was.  They would even offer to bring separate dishes of butter or olive oil for dipping. Usually, my husband would also take gluten-free bread, so we didn’t have to worry about any stray crumbs.

When eating a quick service meal, which does not require a reservation, it can be just as easy. When you arrive at the location, just mention to a staff (cast) member that you have dietary needs and they will get the manager or chef for you, and again, they will go over your options, and usually serve and bring you out your meal personally.  One thing to note is that most of the quick-service eateries do have gluten-free buns, rolls, and brownies, but they may not be listed, so you have to know to ask for them.  And the bonus, there is no extra cost!  The same at sit-down restaurants, you can eat gluten-free roll after roll, and you won’t be charged for it.

Lastly, there are the infamous character meals, which seem to be mostly buffet-style.  I don’t think since being diagnosed I have eaten at many buffets for fear of easy cross-contamination with shared utensils, or one dish spilling/dripping into another.  Thankfully at Disney, the chef will come to speak to you, personally, walk you through the buffet to show you what is possible for you to eat, and then make you your own plate from the back if that is what you would like, which is what I requested.  I even received some specially made gluten-free Mickey waffles, but more about that in a future post.

I also received many forms by email which helped me plan to eat for our trip, these included safe menu options for most of the restaurants; no gluten-added products used throughout Disney World at snack carts and quick service locations; a dietary request form where you can submit all your specific dietary needs; and where to find certain gluten-free items.  I found that most dining options have gluten-free substitutes such as, but are not limited to bread, desserts, soy sauce, chicken nuggets, mac n’ cheese, pasta, and pizza.

Reservations are not required to eat gluten-free, but it definitely made everything go smoothly and stress-free, and without a reservation, it may be difficult to get into a sit-down restaurant when many people make reservations up to 6 months in advance, especially for the character meals and some of the more popular eateries.

Since being diagnosed with celiac, traveling has always felt a bit tricky, trying to research the dining options at my destination in advance and stocking up on snacks.  So when I heard that eating gluten-free at Disney was easy, I was eager to learn more.  Of course, I was still a bit skeptical until I experienced it for myself.

Now, I can say with total confidence that it really is easy to safely eat at Disney World.  With a little planning, my trip was stress-free, and not once did I have to worry about getting sick.  It made the trip that much better I could once again feel like a “normal” person, it was truly a pleasurable experience.

I had a feeling it was going to be easy shortly after our arrival when I took a walk on the Boardwalk, next to our hotel, and came across Minnie’s Bake Shop gluten-free chocolate chip cookies, pictured above to the right.

This next week, I will be featuring a series of articles on my trip to Disney, and specifically reviewing certain eateries including BabyCakes NYC’s new outpost at Downtown Disney which is 100% gluten-free.

For more of my reviews on our recent Disney trip, read my review on dinner at Kouzzina by Cat Cora, dinner at the Polynesian’s Kona Cafe, Disney’s quick service gluten-free options, dinner at Epcot’s Restaurant Marrakesh, our character breakfast at the 1900 Park Faire at the Grand Floridian, and my review of BabyCakesNYC at Downtown Disney.

Gluten-Free Recipes for St. Patrick’s Day

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 3 Comments

St. Patrick’s Day is tomorrow and for many people, the holiday includes the ritual of making certain dishes. After doing some checking on various websites, I came up with some traditional gluten holiday recipes that others have converted to be gluten-free.

First up is the sugar cookie recipe from Jules gluten-free. The recipe instructions gives substitutions so that they cookies can be made without soy, dairy and even eggs, for those with multiple allergens. Jules also has a recipe for Irish soda bread. Her version of that is also very allergen-free friendly.

  • Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
  • Irish Soda Beer Bread

There is a whole list of interesting St. Patty’s Day recipes over at About.com on the gluten-free cooking page. From glazed corned beef and cabbage to traditional Irish stew, Teri’s got you covered. This video explains how the dish corned beef and cabbage came to be. I might even try making Irish fadge which is apparently a potato flavored roll. For a bread item, it looks fairly simple to make.

During holidays like St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day and all the others that are to come this year, it’s important to keep the traditions you’ve always enjoyed alive and well regardless of any diet restrictions. It’s easy to think that once you’re on the gluten-free diet, you have to stop eating all your favorite foods. That is true to the extent that you might not be able to eat some of them exactly as you always have, but there is hardly anything you can’t either buy or make an excellent gluten-free version of.

For over two years after my celiac diagnosis, I didn’t get a subscription to Southern Living magazine. I felt that it would be too depressing to look at all the recipes that I would not be able to make because they contained gluten. Eventually, I learned how to convert most recipes to be gluten-free and I once again ordered Southern Living. Every so often there will be a recipe that looks too difficult to convert, but they are far and few between these days.

If you need some gluten-free beer for the holiday, I recommend trying Bard’s Tale, Green’s (pun intended) or Daura by Estrella Damm. All are fairly different from each other and are excellent in their own way. If you want to enjoy some green-colored beer, make sure to get gluten-free food coloring. At last check, McCormmick’s was safe, but double check the ingredients.

Making the extra effort to enjoy the things you used to do on holidays will eventually become second nature. And then one day you’re realize that no extra effort is required. Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone!

Review: Jamaican Shrimp Cake from Organic Bistro

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff Leave a Comment

I’ve been enjoying meals from Organic Bistro from time to time since late 2009.  All of the frozen meal options in the line are gluten-free and made with real ingredients that are easy to read and pronounce. That is definitely something I appreciate these days, considering how many packaged foods are not all that healthy. See the ingredients in my latest find from the line, the Jamaican Shrimp Cake meal, and some of the company’s philosophy about food below:

Ingredients:

Wild caught Oregon pink shrimp cake (pink shrimp, water, wild caught salmon, wild caught pollock, organic potato, organic pasteurized egg, organic corn starch, organic red pepper, organic jerk spice, organic lemon juice, organic green onion, organic celery, organic garlic, organic parsley), organic green beans, organic cooked brown Basmati rice, organic red pepper, organic onion, organic black beans, organic celery, organic mango, organic extra-virgin olive oil, organic onion powder.

Wellness is a journey, not a place. Smart, everyday choices keep you going.  Organic Bistro Whole Life Meals are here to help you maintain your momentum by eating better and feeling well, even in the middle of your busy day.  Every single-serving frozen meal is balanced with the best sources of lean protein, fiber-rich whole grains, plentiful vegetables and healthy fats.  Our wholesome ingredients keep their flavor because they’re unprocessed.  So our recipes taste great without added salt and artificial flavors.  Additionally, our meals are low-glycemic, gluten-free and based on smart nutrition science.

Organic Bistro Whole Foods meals are low in fat and sodium, high in protein and offer a good source of fiber. The Jamaican Shrimp cake meal has only 320 calories. When I read that on the label, I checked to make sure the serving size per package was listed at one. Thankfully, the meal was meant for only one. It’s also an exceptional value from a nutritional standpoint.

Even though I really like some of the other meals I’ve tried from Organic Bistro (some reviewed here), the Jamaican Shrimp Cake meal is by far my favorite to date. The rice in the meal was just so-so, but the veggies and the shrimp cake were both awesome! I was surprised that I enjoyed this meal even more than the Wild Salmon meal. Immediately I began wondering if I could create my own shrimp cake. It’s slightly similar, in texture, to crab cakes so I’m thinking I can concoct something decent in terms of a shrimp cake recipe.

*In case you missed it, you can also read Kim Bouldin’s review of the line here.

Embracing the Gluten-Free Diet Makes Life Easier

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 4 Comments

As someone who used to fill up on bread and salad when dining out, leading me to take most of my entrée to-go, I know what it’s like to change your diet (and life) in a way that’s almost inconceivable to most people. It’s still unclear to me why I was able to adapt to the gluten-free diet (and lifestyle) as easily as I did and it was certainly not all wine and roses from the get-go.

Like most people, I thought in the beginning that I’d never be able to learn the ins and outs of the diet, let alone learn how to eat out and travel safely. Most people I encountered when I started this journey were more than happy to tell me I would not be able to do any of those things and that I just needed to accept it and move on. To this day, I’m so very grateful to all those ‘naysayers’ who prompted my decision to prove them very wrong.

Think about this. Most people don’t want to be on a restricted diet even for a relatively short time. Yet we’re expected to be on one every day for the rest of our lives. It’s really a hard pill to swallow, so to speak. We don’t even get weekends off or vacations or holidays. It’s a never-ending chore to watch every morsel of food and every sip of drink we consume to ensure it’s safe.

If we chose to feel deprived instead of focusing on all the gluten-free goodness that is available to us now, we’re doing ourselves a huge disservice. Who cares about what we have to do when the items we can enjoy greatly outweigh the things we need to avoid? The truth is the average person living gluten-free eats a much more varied and interesting diet than the average person who has no diet restrictions. Also, many people choose to make healthier food choices once they have started reading food labels. At our house, we learned that many of the food items in our pantry were full of things that we now know aren’t real food ingredients.

It’s more fun to focus on the positive rather than the negative in almost any situation. This is obviously very true when talking about the gluten-free diet and lifestyle. All of us have our off days when we just want to grab a bite without having to put so much thought into what we’re eating. We want to go to the holiday party without playing 100 questions with the hostess or caterer. We want to go out for a burger and fries and have a bun – and fries – regardless of how they were cooked. It’s normal to have those feelings and be annoyed about our restrictions at times. But trust me when I say that it makes life a lot easier to just embrace the diet, learn the lifestyle, and dare I say – move on.

*If you’re new to the gluten-free diet, be sure to check out our Gluten-Free Diet Guide.