Yesterday morning Kevin and I were in Okemos for an appointment and some shopping. (He needed work boots, dress shoes, a shirt and tie. Trust me, if he didn’t need these things, he wouldn’t have been shopping with me.) After having made all but one of our stops, we talked about the fact that the morning was shot and we still had to go to Whole Foods for a few things. With a 45 minute drive home still ahead of us, after Whole Foods, we debated if we wanted to get something to eat now or wait till we got home. To many, this may be a no brainer – just grab something quick. To us, this is not a decision which is made lightly. Fast food and an allergy to dairy, egg and wheat do not make good partners. We weighed our options; options which are totally dependent upon our location. I have five “go to” restaurants where I can grab something quick to eat; either eating in or if needed, on the go. Which one I choose is solely based on where I am and which of the five is in the area.
My five options: Qdoba for a burrito bowl, Chipotle for a burrito bowl, Pancheros for a burrito bowl, Taco Bell for 2 or 3 crunchy tacos – NO cheese or Wendy’s for a side salad w/balsamic dressing. As much as I enjoy these foods, it does get a bit monotonous eating pretty much the same thing whenever I need a quick bite to eat. (We do occasionally go out to a sit down restaurant, but we really didn’t have time for that. Sit down restaurants are a huge commitment for us. I will expand on eating at sit down restaurants in a future post.)
I reminded Kevin that Bradley has mentioned to me, more than once, that I could actually eat at Whole Foods. They have a salad bar and a hot buffet, and also a small sit down café where you can order food. Our decision was made; it was time to check out Whole Foods as a lunch option as well as a grocery store. We spent a fair amount of time walking around the two hot food buffets. Each food item was labeled with its’ name and a complete list of ingredients used when preparing it. Just being able to read the list of ingredients myself was so comforting when choosing what to eat. It removed the apprehension I have at other restaurants when placing an order and my well-intentioned server replies with, “Yeah, I’m pretty sure they don’t put butter on the vegetables. It’s just like a spray of some kind.” I am not reassured by that comment and I can’t order food on their assumption and run the risk of a 2-3 day migraine afterwards.
After circling the buffet countless times, we got our plates and made our choices. Next we went to the cashier and paid for our food. (They weigh your food like they do in a cafeteria.) Both of us were a bit surprised when given the total. We’d been expecting this endeavor to be a bit “pricey” and were pleasantly surprised to find out my lunch was only $4.50 and Kevin’s, $8.50. This was less than we spend when we both get a burrito bowl or eat at Taco Bell. After paying, we were told we could sit anywhere we’d like to in the café. Other than the food having cooled a bit while waiting in line to pay, it was really good. I got a BBQ chicken breast, some potato fingerlings and steamed asparagus with onions. Kevin also got the BBQ chicken, but opted for zucchini and carrots with fennel and a favorite he never gets at home, macaroni and cheese. He said the mac and cheese was very good; even though it was the “low calorie” version.
I am confident I will be doing Whole Foods for lunch again. If I don’t have time to sit down to eat, I can always pick something up from their deli. They have a wide range of salads and they even have some that are made with egg-free mayo.
Not the best picture, I had to take it quick, food was getting cold.
A couple quick notes on my five options listed above. The employees at Qdoba, Chipotle and Pancheros are all pleasant enough when I ask if they can change their gloves before preparing my burrito bowl. I ask them to change their gloves; because they use their gloved hands when putting the toppings on the burrito bowl, not utensils. Also, there are times that I will see shreds of cheese in the lettuce or guacamole. If I tell them I have a dairy allergy, they will take out a new container of lettuce or guacamole to put on my burrito bowl. (Qdoba on W. Saginaw, Lansing is really accommodating.)
At Taco Bell (in St. Johns), when I ask that my crunchy tacos have NO cheese, they always ask if I have an allergy. When I respond, yes – they not only make a note of it on my order, they also walk to the back and tell the individual that will be putting my order together that I have a dairy allergy.
At Wendy’s, when I order the side salad, they will also bring out all of the different salad dressing packets so I can read the ingredients listed on each packet enabling me to choose one that works for me.
I hope this post helps a little if you’re looking for someplace to stop for a quick bite.
Thanks for stopping.
Brenda
Disclaimer:
These recipes and tips are not guaranteed to work or be safe for everyone. Allergies are extremely complicated and vary for each individual. It is still your responsibility to read labels to ensure your safety. I cannot be held liable for any ill effects from using my tips to avoid your allergies. (Sorry guys, I don’t foresee any problems, but Momma’s gotta cover her backside, ya know? Just read your labels!)