I’m a terrible cook.

Like seriously, I don’t know how to cook a single thing. Wait, actually I do know how to make scrambled eggs, but that’s it. But yea, it’s sad, I know.

But what I do know is how to eat. I like to call myself a full-time eater because 8 hours of my day is usually spent eating, and the other 8 hours is usually spent thinking about what to eat. (The other 8 hours is usually spent taking my online college course, Sleepology 101 where I study the back of my eyelids, while also having vivid dreams. You should all definitely take it!)

Since I don’t cook, I usually eat out at restaurants or fast food joints for almost all my meals.  Luckily for me, I live and breathe gluten free restaurant menus so trying to determine what I can eat at a particular restaurant comes naturally to me.

But there’s a lot more to just finding a gluten free menu item and ordering. There are a lot more steps and things you should do in order to create the best gluten free dining experience for yourself.

There are quite a few things you should consider doing while eating out at restaurants. But you don’t want to hear these gluten free dining tips just from just me right?

What better way to discover new ways to dine out gluten free than hear it from the pros themselves!

Below, I gathered 7, extremely simple yet effective gluten free dining tips from some of the most prolific, successful, influential gluten free bloggers, authors, and bakers around. And thankfully they were all willing to share a tip or two to help make your gluten free dining out experience a little better.

Enjoy!

7 Essential Gluten Free Dining Tips

1. Always eat before you head out to the restaurant.

Amie Valpone, from The Healthy Apple

“My Tip for Eating Out: Always eat before you head out to the restaurant so that you’re not eyeing the bread basket while everyone else is diving in. I tell my clients to bring their own gluten-free crackers such as Crunchmaster Crackers to restaurants to enjoy before their meal if they miss bread baskets. Eating before you head to the restaurant won’t leave you ravenous and if the restaurant of your choice is booked and you have to go somewhere else that doesn’t have any gluten-free items- you won’t be starving and you’ll be able to enjoy yourself until you can find food when you leave the restaurant!” – Amie

2. Eat at gluten friendly restaurants

Karina, from Gluten Free Goddess

In my opinion, there are 2 types of gluten friendly restaurants: restaurants with a gluten free menu; and restaurants with a designated gluten free kitchen. You can check out all the restaurants with a gluten free menu here, plus you can also find some gluten free kitchens in your state by checking out this page on Celiac Central. Bon appetit!

3. Talk to the waiter about the safest choice on the menu

Karina, from Gluten Free Goddess

“I rarely eat out- but if I do I only eat at a gluten-free friendly restaurant; I talk to the waiter as an ally advising what would be the safest choice on the menu (a good waiter will know- a bad waiter won’t care; if I don’t feel comfortable, I don’t order anything).” – Karina

4. Talk to the managers/chefs and ask for an ingredients list.

Jules, from Jules Gluten Free and the Jules Speaks Gluten Free Blog

“…Always talk to managers or chefs is a start! Also check for full ingredient list & how cross-contamination [is] prevented.” – Jules

5. Tell the waiter

Cathy, from Strawberries are Gluten Free

“Tell the waiter! And because gfree is now somewhat popular it is more important than ever to differentiate. I encourage you to word it like this: “I have a severe allergy to gluten… Similar to a peanut allergy. Would you let the cook know please?”  yes, its not technically correct but it gets an easy to understand nessage across to a layperson. Sometimes humor works too, ‘ If i so much as smell gluten Ill be tying up your bathroom for the entire afternoon’.” – Cathy

6. Try eating at fast food or higher end restaurants

Cathy, from Strawberries are Gluten Free

“You’ll have a safer experience at high end or fast food restaurants for very different reasons. Fast food restaurants because of the assembly line procedures where cross contamination isunlikely even if none of them have any idea what celiacs is. And high end restaurants because theyre generally more educated and accommodating of special requests.” – Cathy

7. Call ahead.

Jamie, from Gluten Free Mom

Unless you have eaten at the restaurant before, call ahead and make sure they can accommodate your diet and find out exactly what they can make for you.  Do not rely on the hostess – ask to speak directly to the Chef.  If not available, then ask for the kitchen manager.  Insist on knowing what they can prepare safely – don’t stop at a “rest assured we can cook for you.” You can also check out her dining out post as well.

Hopefully you enjoyed these 6 simple gluten free dining tips!

P.S. Please be sure to share it with everybody! Thanks!