Dining out this Xmas? You'll need this!

Isn't it great being able to go to a restaurant this Xmas? After it wasn't possible last year, it feels like it's even more important to celebrate. That is, unless you're a coeliac and you get glutened.

To prevent that happening, I always take a coeliac restaurant card out with me. Yes, even in English restaurants.

Prior to doing this, I often found speaking to a waiter who then spoke to the chef would mean something would go overlooked. This has resulted in me being served:

(a) roast potatoes in semolina;

(b) a stuffing ball next to my turkey; and

(c) a shortbread biscuit crumbled over my panna cotta pudding.

Sadly, I didn't spot all the errors. The stuffing ball and the biscuit were easy enough to question but the semolina went under the radar. And I was so angry that the chef hadn't listened to my repeated requests for gluten-free. Except, of course, that the chef had only heard whatever the waiter had relayed.

Initially I used to use a coeliac restaurant card I found online. But it didn't quite get across what I needed it to, including information about shared fryers, which I've found to be very common in England.

So I've made my own card which I highly recommend you print and laminate 3 times so you've got one in your purse/pocket, one in your glove compartment and one in your luggage for when you next travel.

Better still, it's free! Just click here to get your copy now.

Read more articles on Xmas for coeliacs here!