SCD Restaurant Dining Tips

After eight hours of non-stop classes and work, I was starving, so I decided to pop into Wendy’s for a hamburger before my next class. Ordering fast food, or any food for that matter, gets kind of tricky, but this time I was sure I had it right. I asked for a double stack, no bread, and ONLY onions, lettuce and mustard. Well, they added the cheese on there too… it wouldn’t be a problem if Wendy’s actually used real cheese, but there are “illegals” in their cheese. I learned a lesson for next time: say NO CHEESE!

When you’re dining out while on the SCD, there are things that should be taken into consideration. If the idea of restaurant dining seems overwhelming to you, have no fear! I’m here to help! I have a few tips that I’ve learned since I’ve been on the diet.

First thing to remember is the Scouts motto: Be Prepared! This means a few things:

• Check out the menu: In the wonderful age of the internet, many restaurants have web sites, and on those sites are menus! If it’s somewhere you’ve never been before, looking at the menu beforehand will ease the anxiety of making a decision while you’re sitting there.
• Snacks: Think about packing your own snacks to bring along. When everyone else is munching on bread, you can whip out a homemade muffin.
• Salad Dressing: If you’re planning to get a salad, it’s a good idea to pack your own homemade salad dressing.

When you’re at the restaurant, remember to stay calm. The menu may look overwhelming, but you’ll find something. Talk to your waiter. Tell him or her that you have special dietary needs and explain your circumstances. To aid your waiter, there’s a restaurant card that easily explains the yeses and nos of SCD. I found the restaurant card on a SCD website for kids with Autism (which I can’t seem to find anymore. If I find it, I’ll post the link). I decided to take the simple card and design my own. Feel free to use this for all your dining adventures. Print it, cut it out, laminate it, and you’re ready to dine like a pro.

If you find something on the menu that sound SCD-approved, ask about it. Don’t be afraid to ask your waiter questions. It’s a waiter’s job to help you out. Most restaurants should have a food ingredients binder in hand for customers with food allergies. I’ve had to look at one at Panera to find something to eat. Surprisingly, there’s not much for SCDers to eat at Panera, but that’s besides the point.

So, my SCD friends, don’t worry if you’re first dining experiences are ordering disasters. You’ll get better at it. It takes patience and practice. You can do it! We all do!

Happy Dining!

The Restaurant Anxiety

If Jack Nicholson and I went to a restaurant together, we’d be set. He’d get the toast and I’d eat everything else!

When I went to Columbus to celebrate a friend’s birthday this weekend, I realized how far I’ve come in the past six months. I found myself sitting at the table at Buca di Beppo feeling calm, collected and ready to order. The restaurant anxiety lingered, but it was nothing compared to six months ago.

Flashback to March: I had just started the diet, and we (it doesn’t really matter who; it happened with everyone I ate out with) would go to a restaurant for dinner. I’d look at the menu and see all the delicious things I could NOT eat. All the wonderful pictures of dishes that were totally illegal seemed to be taunting me. I wouldn’t know what to eat, I’d get really anxious and then eventually, my eyes would fill up with tears. The waiter would look at me like I’m insane when I order a hamburger but ask them to hold the bread or when I say ask for celery sticks to go with my spinach dip instead of tortilla chips.  By the end of the meal, I would have apologized to my fellow diners and the waiter at least 20 times.

Have you ever experienced restaurant anxiety? If you’re on the diet and you know what I’m talking about, don’t worry. It gets better. With practice and going to the same places a few times, you’ll be a restaurant expert. Check back later this week and I’ll provide some restaurant tricks I’ve discovered.