If you’re new to a city and have special dietary needs, then you may be struggling to find foods that you can eat. From finding foods to make at home to going out for your meals, how do you find those foods that won’t make you sick? Gluten-free diets are nothing new but some cities have more options than others. If you’re not sure of where to get started, these are a few options to help you find good options close to you.
- Check Local Supermarkets
Many local supermarkets have a special gluten-free area. If you’re not sure of where to find this, make sure to ask a store associate. If you can’t seem to locate one, look for the organic and natural food area. This is the area of the store where the allergen-free foods are most commonly found. Gluten-free foods should come with special signage so you know that you can purchase these foods safely. Some grocery stores also take special note of their gluten-free options when it comes to standard foods. They may have gluten-free tags on shelves to point out these foods. Look for them at your local grocery stores.
- Join Local Social Networks
If you can think of any special dietary needs you have, then chances are that there’s a social media site for it! If you have a social media profile, then search for gluten-free groups in your area. These groups can be a wealth of information. From finding great places to go out and enjoy a meal, to great tips on shopping, cooking, and more, join at least one group. If you have any questions, you can reach out to the group and be sure to get some great information.
- Make Like-Minded Friends
When it comes to leading a gluten-free lifestyle, it may be challenging when you’re the only one doing this. Look for friends who also follow a gluten-free diet. Sure, you don’t need all of your friends to follow the same diet but having at least a few friends who are also gluten-free allows you to avoid some of the common concerns when you go out to eat.
If you’re new to the area, consider going to gluten-free cafes and trying to meet people. If someone gives you their phone number, look them up using Spokeo to find them on social networks. Spokeo is a great reverse phone lookup tool where you can use the person’s phone number to find out more about them. A phone number search will provide you with information about whether or not you want to get to know this person or not.
- Use Eatapp to find Food Preferences
EatApp is one of the apps that you can use to find restaurants that have your food preferences or needs. If you’re tired of having to call restaurants and find out if they have gluten-free options, the app is a great tool that will take the guesswork out of the process. Keep it with you to find easy food within reach. Most of these apps update on a frequent basis so they should have the most up-to-date information available.
- Use Online Ordering
Some websites for food order allow you to search by dietary preference or needs. This is a great tool if you have any allergies or intolerances. Just like the app previously mentioned, you can get takeout from a restaurant that caters to your individual needs. Most cities have local delivery websites. Sign up and create a profile easily. You can search for websites that meet your dietary needs and deliver in your area. You can also use this information to develop a list of potential places to go when you’re out and need something to eat.
When it comes to following a gluten-free diet, we all know that it’s a challenging process. This doesn’t mean that you have to avoid eating out or being social at the same time. These simple but effective tools create a way to follow your dietary needs while still enjoying being out and about. Whether you need a new restaurant to try out or simply need to find a grocery store that will give you the foods you need, these methods will help you.
Maguire Haigh is a content marketing manager for Spokeo. He is an expert in the business sphere. He prefers writing articles on marketing, social media presence, travel and startup topics. Maguire has great experience in travelling and deep knowledge of 5 foreign languages.