“I can’t have a single thing on the menu except for a margarita?” The reality of eating with dietary restrictions.

By Haley Pacheco

Brunch from Picnik, a local gluten-free and soy-free restaurant in Austin. (Courtesy of Adelaide Walker)

Food is a universal language, a source of sustenance, satisfaction and cultural identity. It has the ability to bring people together and evoke memories of shared joy and camaraderie. Food nourishes not only our bodies but also our souls.

Until it doesn’t.

For those who have dietary restrictions, food isn’t merely a matter of taste or preference. It’s a complex interplay of health concerns and limitations that shape one’s relationship with eating. It’s a world where a simple indulgence like biting into a fluffy, glazed donut isn’t just about savoring its sweetness, but instead navigating whether it may be a regret — or worse, life-threatening.

That is the plight of Adelaide Walker. In January of this year, the UT student was diagnosed with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder where you can’t eat gluten, which is found in wheat, barley and rye products.

As a lover of french fries and flour tortillas, “I went out to a Mexican restaurant with my family and I couldn’t eat a single thing on the entire menu except for a margarita,” Walker said.

“I started bringing a protein bar with me when I go out to dinner because there’s a good chance I won’t be able to eat there.”

UT student Morgan Locke has been gluten-free since first grade but has additional allergies to soy and corn and sensitivity to dairy, also making it difficult to eat out.

According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology, the main culprits responsible for most allergic reactions include cow’s milk, eggs, fish, peanuts, sesame, shellfish, soy, tree nuts and wheat. But shockingly, only 0.4% of the general population has a soy allergy according to Food Allergy and Research Education and from a 2016 study in Pakistan, only 1% of its population had a corn allergy.

Corn and corn-syrup are found in anything from cereal to breakfast sausage to sour candies, making checking the nutrition label and ingredients the norm.

Locke said that it’s especially difficult to eat out because most gluten-free substitutes are also corn-based. Instead of a flour tortilla, the Mexican restaurant offers a corn option. Or an Italian restaurant might have another type of pasta- but it’s corn-based.

“I have to weigh the pros and cons,” said Locke. “I’ll never have gluten, but when I eat out, I’ll have soy, dairy and corn to some degree. It’s unavoidable.”

She said soy and corn are an entirely different kind of struggle compared to eating gluten-free.

“The hard thing is soy and soybean oil and corn and corn syrup are in basically everything,” said Locke. “I was shopping for frozen waffles the other day and I went through every single waffle at Central Market. There was not a single one that was corn-free, soy-free and gluten-free.”

“It’s just in a lot of random processed foods.”

While adhering to a strictly allergy-free diet may seem straightforward, you might be thinking: just don’t eat what you’re allergic to; However, there is an unexpected element that often goes unnoticed: cross-contamination. When foods containing the protein come into contact with protein-free foods, this can lead to an unintentional ingestion. This can occur from shared kitchen utensils, cooking surfaces, or even airborne particles.

It doesn’t matter then if the food is allergen-free, even if it’s been in the same room.

Walker is a member of the Alpha Phi sorority and lives in its house near campus. She said she can no longer eat at the house because of cross-contamination and has relied on ordering food, microwavable options, and eating out. Walker and Locke said accommodations for dietary restrictions have gotten a lot better over the last decade but it can depend on individual waiters.

“So many people say they’re gluten intolerant, not as an allergy but as a trend. And since then, some waiters and restaurants don’t take you seriously,” Walker said. “I had a waiter not even write down that I had celiac even though I explained it. He gave me the wrong order, didn’t tell me and I ate it.”

“I had to leave because I was going to throw up.”

Walker said even though instances like this still happen, accommodations have improved. She and Locke say Austin in particular has a wider array of options compared to some cities.

“Austin has really great options, even fun farmers markets and little bakeries around,” Locke said. “It’s pretty rare to go to a restaurant where it’s not marked on the menu and most waiters are trained. The only thing is that it can be expensive.”

Picnik is a restaurant that both Locke and Walker expressed a love for with their all gluten-free and soy-free menu but they said the pricing makes it “a special occasion spot.”

Locke frequents Hat Creek Burger Company for their quality gluten-free food but even more so for its affordability. She said the chain doesn’t advertise heavily that their menu is entirely gluten-free but they don’t have to.

“People that have celiac or eat gluten-free already need to research where they can eat and different menus so they’ll know,” said Locke. “But if you’re not, the food at Hat Creek is just as good and you won’t even notice.”

Chicken nuggets dipped in Fry sauce at Hat Creek Burger Co. (Haley Pacheco)

Walker also noted a restaurant near campus called Wu Chow, where they will fry all of their food gluten-free and Pizza Press’ gluten-free pizza. She said that Pizza Press cleans off surfaces and utensils to prevent cross-contamination.

Locke also mentioned a gluten-free bakery called Maaribu with a storefront in downtown Austin and a food truck closer to campus.

Aaron Arocha has been a baker for more than 10 years and now works at Maaribu. He said that gluten-free baking is difficult to get right but when it is, it’s delicious.

Iced lemon loaf in intricate packaging outside the food truck on Guadalupe Street in Austin. (Haley Pacheco)

Navigating dietary restrictions such as gluten, soy, and corn can be challenging, but Austin’s dynamic food scene and the availability of homemade recipes offer promising alternatives.

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Gluten-free Lemon Loaf

Ingredients:

• 2 large eggs

• 2/3 cup pure maple syrup

• 1/2 cup milk of choice

• 1/2 cup coconut oil (or sub butter or vegan butter), melted

• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• Zest of 1 large lemon (about 1 tbsp)

• 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp xanthan gum (* make sure to omit if your flour blend already contains xanthan gum)

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Glaze

• 1/2 cup monk fruit powdered sugar

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 2–4 tbsp milk of choice

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a loaf tin.

• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs maple syrup, almond milk, coconut oil, lemon juice and zest, and vanilla until smooth.

• In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, and sea salt.

• Pour the dry mixture into the wet ingredients and mix until a mostly smooth batter forms.

• Pour batter into the greased loaf tin. Bake for 45–50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

• While the loaf is baking, prepare the glaze. In a bowl, stir together the monk fruit powdered sugar, lemon juice, and milk until smooth. Add milk of choice as needed to reach the desired consistency.

• Allow the loaf to cool completely before transferring to a large plate and pouring the glaze over the top. For extra lemon flavor sprinkle with lemon zest.

(Courtesy Nest and Nook on MyRealFoodLife.com)

Corn-free (Parsnip) Spicy Chips

Ingredients:

• 2 big parsnips (get them as fat as you can- they shrink so you want a good sized chip)

• several tablespoons of olive oil

• tabasco sauce (if you want them spicy)

• toasted sesame oil (for additional flavor)

Directions:

1. Wash and dry your parsnips. Don’t peel them- the skins help prevent the edges from burning too fast.

2. Slice the parsnips using a mandoline, or your food processor. You want thin, evenly sliced rounds.

3. Very sparingly, rub a little olive oil on each slice, and lay on a cookie sheet without overlapping. Sprinkle the tabasco sauce and a touch of sesame oil for a little kick, and sprinkle salt/pepper on the slices. (the less oil, the better they bake. you could even try them oil free)

4. Lay over top your parsnips a second cookie sheet (make sure it fits the bottom sheet). This presses them down and makes them crispier.

5. Bake for 20 min at 350. At the 10 min mark, rotate your cookie sheet.

6. After 20 min, remove the top cookie sheet, and continue baking 10–20 min. Careful- they burn easily.

7. Remove and let cool on a wire rack- they get crispier as they cool. NOTE: if they are still bendy, microwave them in small batches, 2 minutes at a time (make sure the center ones don’t burn!). I noticed the microwave fixed all ‘bendy’ issues very well.

Originally published: Medium.com