I always knew that eating out would be difficult for people with food allergies, but I never realized how really difficult it was until I started having to avoid soy due to a sensitivity to it. Many people with fibromyalgia have food sensitivities, so I thought I should share what I’ve learned about eating out with it.

Most fast food chains have nutritional guides on their websites that provide allergy information for common allergies, like nuts, soy, wheat, egg and milk. These are really helpful and many smart phones can bring them up. Sometimes you have to download a PDF though, so if you want to avoid using up minutes in a cell phone data plan or you want to have access to them when you’re in the middle of nowhere you could download them using wireless internet and store them on your phone. If you know you’re going to be eating out, take a look at the charts from a computer first, they are much easier to read in a bigger size.

Sometimes the charts are tricky! Remember you often have to check the listing for the whole food item, but also for things like the bun and patty because often times they are in separate parts of the chart. Also, don’t trust the charts 100% – even if the corporate website says it is free of an ingredient, be sure to ask the location what type of oil an item may be cooked in. For example, many places use soy oil to fry things. It also may be a good idea to have a back up plan for just in case you end up eating the ingredient you are trying to avoid.

When eating out at a sit down restaurant, it can be easier to say you have an allergy to an ingredient instead of a sensitivity, especially if English is not the first language of the employees you’re talking with (ex: authentic Mexican restaurant or type of authentic Asian restaurant). I’ve also found that instead of just saying soy, it works better when I say “…soy – like soybeans, tofu, soy oil, soy flour, soybean sprouts, soy sauce.” Remember to check add-ons to the actual dish, like salad dressings, condiments like mayo, and any oil it is cooked in. Most chain restaurants have easy to read pages for all their recipes, that managers can refer to.

Nutritional Guide Links & some soy free fast food choices*

• Subway – light wheat English muffin with ham and cheddar cheese or ham salad with fresh veggies, croutons and red wine vinegerette
• Wendy’s – chilli (NO crackers), plain baked potato (NO butter), apple slices, BLT salad with Italian Vinaigrette
• Burger King – Quaker® Oatmeal Maple and Brown Sugar Flavor, fresh apple slices, Garden Salad with KEN’S® Light Italian Dressing
• McDonalds – they LOVE soy, the only things I could find was side salad (NO dressing), low fat yogurt (NO granola). I will update if I can find more later.

How do you avoid eating certain ingredients while eating out?

This post was included in ChronicBabe Blog Carnival #39.

A blessed sight!**

*Based on November 2011 online nutritional guides
**Image Credit: from www.flickr.com by miheco