Book addresses dining out for food-allergy sufferers

“LET’S EAT OUT WITH CELIAC/COELIAC AND FOOD ALLERGIES: A Timeless Reference for Special Diets,” by Kim Koeller and Robert La France, R&R Publishing, $26.95, 326 pages (nf)

“Let’s Eat Out with Celiac/Coeliac and Food Allergies: A Timeless Reference for Special Diets” is a gold mine of information for those with celiac disease. The book gives detailed tips for those who wish to stick to a special diet while they are traveling or eating out.

The first three chapters of the book covers important details like worldwide product labeling regulations and how to approach restaurants with special diet requests. It also goes more in depth to the gluten-free diet by providing information about wheat-free flours and gluten-free labeling.

Next are chapters dedicated to specific types of food including French, Chinese, Mexican, Indian, Italian and Thai restaurants. It also covers allergy-free beverages. Considerable time is taken talking about other food allergens like corn, dairy, eggs, peanuts, shellfish and soy.

Traveling tips like how to deal with airlines, hotels, cruises, with tips for foreign countries close out the final pages of this reference guide.

For those who wish to quickly access gluten-free information, “Lets Eat Out” includes 15 mobile apps available for download. It also includes the titles of 15 eBooks available for purchase. The book comes with a “Multi-Lingual Phrase Passport” that will help travelers communicate their food allergies to those who speak a different language.

“Lets Eat Out with Celiac/Coeliac and Food Allergies” is extremely helpful — it’s a valuable reference book that states that those with food allergies are not as restricted as they may think.

Not only does this book apply to the consumer, it is useful for food service owners and chefs, and restaurant owners should consider using this book to train their staff.

The biggest perk of the book is the format — the chapters are divided in such a way that the reader can quickly flip to the type of restaurant that they are going to. All in all, “Lets Eat Out” is a lifesaver. It provides the necessary details for those who have food allergies to go out and enjoy new and exciting types of food.

Shelby Scoffield has a bachelor’s in English from Brigham Young University and a master’s in rhetoric and composition from Stanislaus State University. She is currently working on her teaching credentials to teach high school English.