You never think about it. It's like second nature to all of us humans.
Going out to eat.
Whether it's fast food or a fancy Italian restaurant, going to a party or to the movies, food is a huge part of our social experience as people! Wherever we go, we're surrounded by food. And most people don't even think about it. I didn't either, until I found out I had about a million food sensitivities. Including...
- All Dairy
- Eggs
- Soy
- Peanuts, Cashews, Pistachios, Almonds, Brazil nut, Walnut, and Hazel nut
- Garlic, Chili Powder, Cayenne Pepper (and basically all other hot pepper things)
- Goat milk, Buffalo milk (Seriously?)
- Flax Seed, Aniseed
- Gluten/Wheat
- Oat, Barley, Spelt
- Strawberries, Apples, Cherries
- Raddish
- Lime
With a list like that, I mean, I basically figured eating in general was out of the question. I couldn't even think about going out to eat.
However, in the past almost 6 years, I've figured out plenty of ways that I can successfully go out to eat without bubble trouble in the lower regions the next day...
Which is definitely a good thing!
So today I'm going to let you in on all of the little hacks and secrets I've found over the years to go out to eat... everything-free!
Fast Food
Fast food is actually a pretty sad category... When it comes to the wonders of processed "meat" products, sugar water (aka that stuff they put in cups and pass as soda), and super wimpy sandwiches, I'm not a huge fan of the whole fast food gig. And to be honest, there's not a whole lot of stuff from drive-thrus that's everything-free.
I mean, I guess you could go to Wendy's and order a plain baked potato like I used to for years. Note used to. Yeah. I started getting a little upset when every time I got a baked potato there would be full-on black spots in the white stuff (potato meat?) Like, huge clumps of black disgusting-ness. And they're never fresh, no matter what they tell you over the static intercom. Those sorry excuses for potatoes were always super yellow and gross on the inside. So I finally gave up on Wendy's potatoes, and honestly, I've given up on all hope of Wendy's in general. That place probably owes us a solid $50 for all the times my mom has paid for cheese on her chicken sandwiches and they've forgotten to put it on. And I especially lost hope in them after the time my dad got a Jr. Baconator and they FORGOT THE BACON. On a BACONATOR.
R.I.P. Wendy's.
But hey, I mean, I guess if you're desperate, a plain baked potato will definitely fill the void in your stomach. Just make sure to bring some dairy free butter and put your sunglasses on so you can't see how nasty it really is.
And then there's In N Out Burger.
Can I just say that I LOVE In N Out? It's simply genius the way they have a tiny menu and never raise their prices. Unfortunately, most of their stuff is just burgers and shakes, which are delicious but packed full of no-no foods.
Except for....
Wait for it.
Wait for it.
Their French fries!
In N Out Burger uses sunflower oil on their fries, unlike most other fast food places that use soy. So that makes them everything-free! And let's just say, those things are heavenly. Especially when you add a little extra salt or dip in Fody's Garlic-Free ketchup (be sure to check out my condiments and sauces post when you're done here!)
But, as for Jack in the Box, McDonalds, Burger King, Carl's Jr, or any of the other dozen fast food chains across America, there's not really a whole lot of options for everything free.
On road trips or long outings, I'll usually prepare ahead of time and just throw together a chicken sandwich using my everything free bread and cheese (check out those posts too!) To be honest, it's probably a lot healthier anyway, it just takes a few extra minutes in preparation.
Actual Restaurants
My go-to foods at restaurants are either chicken, or potatoes. They're super simple, easy foods that most restaurants have on-hand.
Like when I go to Texas Roadhouse, I'll order two plain baked potatoes, and before I leave home I'll just put a little bit of my Earth Balance dairy free butter and Violife shredded cheese in a baggie and sneak it in my purse (not like the restaurants really care). Then- here's a fun tip- once they've brought the food out, ask for a side of bacon bits. If you ask them when you're ordering, chances are they'll charge you for those delicious beauties. But if you ask right when they bring the food out, they'll most likely forget to add it to your bill. You're welcome. Their potatoes are AMAZING by the way. After having those, there's no way I could ever suffer through another one of Wendy's... brown... cylindrical... things...?
Texas Roadhouse can also make grilled chicken that has no seasoning. Except, they usually charr it and you have to pick all the little black burnt pieces off. So, I guess if you don't mind that, that's an option, too.
Famous Dave's is another place that makes a pretty good baked potato. I'm about 99% sure that their chicken comes pre-seasoned, though. Outback Steakhouse has potatoes, and so does Longhorn Steakhouse.
BJ's has potatoes and chicken. And oh my gosh, their chicken is the BEST. If you ask them to broil one of their plain chicken breasts, you'll be in heaven. Their potatoes are pretty good. I still prefer Texas Roadhouse potatoes though. My dream meal would have to be Texas 'taters and BJ's chicken. Ahh! I have to stop drooling lol.
At Smash Burger, you can get a plain grilled chicken patty for like $2. But, I think I went there so much a few years ago that the CEO or whatever made it so you can only get it for $2 if you order it with a sandwich. Otherwise they'll charge you $10 for the entire sandwich, even though you're literally only getting a thin piece of meat. Really stupid. Anyway, that place is kinda hit-n-miss because even when you order it with a real sandwich, the people can never figure out how to do the "ADD GRL CHX" option and they have to call a manager over and spend like 20 minutes trying to figure it out. So... order at your own risk.
Also, a tip with grilled chicken (or meat) of any kind is ask them to clean the grill. If you say no seasoning, they'll usually just kinda ignore it, but if you say it's for a food allergy and ask them to clean the grill, they'll pay attention.
And- a lot of places will have fruit or steamed vegetables that they can hold the seasoning on.
When it comes to Mexican food, my all-time favorite place in the world is Gecko Grill (or Moreno's, which is their sister company). I'm not all that certain their shredded chicken is garlic-free... but it never seems to do anything to me so the addiction rages on. I eat their chicken plain, or put it in a grain-free taco shell or tortilla with some dairy-free cheese. It's heavenly. And of course perfect for Taco Tuesday. I know that Gecko Grill/Morenos is just an Arizona thing, though, but a lot of other Mexican food places can usually give you an 8oz cup of plain shredded chicken (I mean, you obviously have to pay for it).
With Chinese food, there's no hope for everything-free. I mean, zero hope. Pei Wei has some pretty mean white rice, but everything else might as well just say, "packed full of soy and garlic!"
Oh and breakfast foods?
Heheh.
Forget it.
Unless you get some potatoes.
As a general rule, going out to eat with food allergies/sensitivities is just plain hard. A lot of times you have to bring your own extra stuff like butter or taco shells. A lot of times you have to ask if things have food allergens in them. And a lot of times you have to wait a long time for them to ask their chefs, ask their managers, figure out how to ring things up, figure out how to cook the stuff, and just figure out how to serve you! But that's all part of fun! You just have to have a lot of patience and be willing to laugh when things don't turn out. Because at the end of the day, it's a learning experience for everyone involved. And to be honest, you're going to run into a lot of nice servers and waiters that will totally go out of their way to make sure that you get something to eat! I mean, it's actually kind of fun, because you get to talk to and connect with the workers at the restaurant on a level that goes farther than, "I want an apple juice and a grilled chicken club sandwich." Eventually it just becomes second nature, and you don't even have to think about how to explain your allergies to people. You have your go-to explanations and phrases. Like, "I'm allergic to everything!"
Desserts
Most restaurant desserts don't have dairy-free/soy-free options... however, frozen yogurt places usually do! Most sorbet options are dairy-free and soy-free, but it's always good to double-check.
Menchies is by far my favorite frozen yogurt place, and they usually have 1-2 different sorbet options at a time. They even occasionally get chocolate sorbet, which is absolutely AMAZING!
Parties / Events
I know this doesn't really count as like, "going-out-to-eat-at-a-restaurant-and-paying-for-food" thing, but I figured I'd throw this in here. I was 10 years old when I found out about all of my food sensitivities, which meant that there were a lot of birthday parties to go to. Birthday parties with pizza, cake, ice cream, and now in the teenage years theres a lot of pizza, cupcakes, soda, bbq chips, and M&M's.
When I was younger, I used to make my own special pizza and bring like an everything-free ice cream sandwich or something in a cooler, then ask to keep it in my friend's fridge until everyone else had their food. I mean, it worked back then, but it was still kinda awkward.
Nowadays, I'll usually just eat before I go to a party (or any social event where there's food involved) and then watch everyone else pig out while I hang back with a full belly. Ironically, I get a lot less stares and questions asked when I just don't eat anything, rather than bringing my own concoction. And who knows, a lot of times people will have grapes or plain potato chips that I can nibble on!
Anyway, I hope some of my tips and advice were useful! Good luck in your adventures in going out to eat!
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