When I was pregnant with Ryan, Alex and I were living at my MIL’s house to save money for a house of our own. Between wanting to get out just the two of us and my constant cravings we went out to dinner a lot. I would definitely consider ourselves foodies, who love to eat locally and avoid chains. Once Ryan was born, we still wanted to go out, but with Ryan’s allergy it’s a bit difficult. EVERYTHING has soy or milk, it seems, and going somewhere without an allergy menu is like playing Russian Roulette. Did you know that vegetable oil is usually 100% soy oil? I didn’t either, and turns out, a lot of the restaurants I used to frequent didn’t either.
So chains it is! Which is good for you, because that means a few of these are probably near you!
1. Chipotle. My favorite. Like, we go there at least once a week. Like, the manager at our local Chipotle knows our names. Favorite thing about Chipotle? The only things on the no-no list are flour tortillas, cheese and sour cream. Get a bowl, a salad, or corn tortilla tacos and a bag of chips.
My typical order: Carnitas burrito bowl with white rice, black beans. fajita vegetables, mild salsa, corn salsa, and guac. A bag or their lime-y tortilla chips turn it into an awesome dip type meal.
2. Fuddruckers. While buns and fried food are out of the question, (soy oil) their salads are surprisingly awesome. There are a ton of selections and super open to customization. Plus, the toppings bar makes me happy. Unlimited pickles and banana peppers while a I wait? Yes, please.
My typical order: I dig the Bacon and Avocado salad at my local Fudd’s, with added grilled chicken and a substitute of balsamic dressing.
3. Panera Bread. Panera was actually my first job. Its hard to find places that have bread without soy or dairy, and Panera is one of them. Be careful with salad dressing and make sure that you leave cheese off everything.
My typical order: In the summer, I’m all about the strawberry poppy seed chicken salad, and the turkey avocado BLT is available all year long and doesn’t need any modifications to be MSPI safe. Chicken noodle soup in a sourdough bread bowl is a great choice when it’s cold. With each meal you get an option of baguette, kettle cooked chips or an apple all of which are MSPI friendly.
4. Five Guys. Oh, Five Guys, let me count the ways I love thee. Okay, so you can’t have a bun here. (though, I have brought my own once or twice!!!!) You CAN have a bunless burger with whatever you want on it and a TON of fries sine they’re done in peanut oil. And really, isn’t it all about the fries?
My typical order: Bunless burger with grilled onions, lettuce, tomato and bacon and an order of fries. Tons of ketchup and malt vinegar to make it even better.
5. Cheesecake Factory. This is almost a tease since you obviously can’t enjoy a delicious slice of creamy cheesecake, but it’s a good option. Cheesecake Factory has an AMAZING allergy menu that shows you each item and its allergens as well as how to alter a dish to exclude an allergen.
My typical order: Fish and chips without the coleslaw is great, and I love me a good ol’ burger.
I’ll keep editing this post as time goes on to include new favorites, but right now this is where we’ve been eating as a family! Do you know of any good allergen friendly spots I should be trying? Let me know in the comments below!
-Morgan
managing mommyhood 