FODMAPs, Shmodmaps

[Leota]

I've navigated eating gluten, dairy, peanut, egg & some lesser foods allergy free in WDW.... but I guess that wasn't enough.... we had to go for the gusto & require a low FODMAP diet.

I saw one review a long time ago from Geek & Nerd that was helpful. And there were several folks on there who were low-fodmap, but I can't seem to find much by way of reviews...

Has anyone been recently on a low fodmap diet? Would love to hear where & what you ate & how your success was.

Is this a job for Chef TJ? And do we know where he's hanging his toque these days?

 

[geek+nerd]

It's me! I never finished that review you referred to; sorry!

I have since gone two more times, and only had one incident on our most recent trip this June. I know my main triggers and have them listed as allergens (that's according to my allergist's advice) along with my newly developed shellfish allergy.

My favorite places to eat have been Kona, the GF Cafe, Sanaa at AKL and Artist Point at Wilderness Lodge. We have noticed that the chefs at the resorts seem to be more willing to be creative and make something fantastic and flavorful than those at the restaurants in parks.

My bad experience happened at Yak & Yeti. As you know, onions are off limits (that and garlic are huge triggers for me; 20 minutes later I am doubled over in pain along with severe nausea). I have a business card printed up with all my info and I take enough to give one to each chef at every place we are eating. It clearly says that I cannot have onion or onion powder on it.

The chef was grumpy and gave me two choices: rice noodles with chicken or something else that totally didn't appeal to me. I got the rice noodles and chicken and ate a fair amount until I discovered that there were green onions in it (they were buried). As you know, that's not a big deal in and of itself. The problem was there was still white parts (the pesky fructan containing part) on them. I didn't ingest them, but they had been cooked with everything that I had already eaten. Shortly after leaving the restaurant, I was in the bathroom heaving and retching.

We ate breakfast at Crystal Palace this trip, and it wasn't worth it. I could have an omelette with bacon and fruit. That was it. However, I have had great breakfast experiences at 'Ohana. I have gotten my own skillet with Mickey waffles, eggs, bacon, fruit, etc.

Let me know if you have any questions!

 

[Leota]

Hey Geek, or should I call you Nerd? lol

Thanks for posting the review that you did. As well as being helpful for WDW, it was good to know there were other people with the fodmap thing & all that goes with it from inception, to diagnosis, to living with it.

We prefer resort dining anyways, even before I got sick & like you said, they're just better able to work with you.

We used to love AP, haven't been in years & I have wanted to go back so that's good to hear. I've had good luck at Kona post multiple allergy / pre figuring out fodmaps, too bad the Poly is so torn up....

Have you ever tried Boatwrights or Trails End?

 

[TwizzleMouse]

I'm low FODmap and never had any problems you just make a notification to the chef with allergies etc and also know your diet well enough to know how to special order. Like, I've gotten to the point where i pretty much have memorized what I can and can't eat on the diet and order my meals when I am out to fit it.

 

[geek+nerd]

We have not been to either of those. Sorry! The chef at Artist Point was fantastic, and we definitely plan on going back. That was the first time we ate there, and I'd have to say that it's my favorite of the signatures that we have tried. Sanaa is my favorite table service hands down.

We did eat at Whispering Canyon on our last trip, and that was good.

 

[Leota]

I'm good with what I can & can't have - but it's a challenge for people who aren't versed. It's not only the onions & garlic in all their glory & forms, it's right down to the apple & pear fiber I've found lurking in several GF breads....

G&N - Did you contact special diets ahead with things you thought you might like to see if they could make you a safe version?

 

[stackyallred]

Geek+Nerd, do you mind giving a run down of the foods you avoid? I know I have seen you list them before and was thinking they are similar to mine. I would like to try GF Cafe and Artist Point but have been hesitant without any word on how others with multiple allergies were accommodated there. Sorry, OP to get the thread a bit off track!

 

[geek+nerd]

No problem! I list wheat, soy, dairy, shellfish, apples, tomatoes, onion, garlic, high fructose corn syrup, honey, agave on my special diets form. Then, other things I have found are pretty easy to avoid just with talking to the chef about what I want (no mushrooms, asparagus, etc). It has worked for me so far.

I don't have much of an issue with pear as I do with apple, but I tend to avoid gluten free breads anyway because I just don't need the carbs; I'd rather eat more protein with nutritional value than the carby, usually not that great gluten free bread.

 

[geek+nerd]

Geek+Nerd, do you mind giving a run down of the foods you avoid? I know I have seen you list them before and was thinking they are similar to mine. I would like to try GF Cafe and Artist Point but have been hesitant without any word on how others with multiple allergies were accommodated there. Sorry, OP to get the thread a bit off track!

At GF Cafe on this last trip, I had a grilled chicken sandwich (I did eat the bread this time and it was good). The chef made a spice rub with cinnamon, cumin, paprika and salt and pepper. It was very flavorful. I had a side of fruit, pineapple and raspberries, with it.

At AP, I had the filet with roasted potatoes, squash and carrots. It was really great. The chef was good to work with.

 

[geek+nerd]

Hey Geek, or should I call you Nerd? lol

DH is the geek (computer programmer) and I am the nerd (teacher and bookworm)

 

[stackyallred]

No problem! I list wheat, soy, dairy, shellfish, apples, tomatoes, onion, garlic, high fructose corn syrup, honey, agave on my special diets form. Then, other things I have found are pretty easy to avoid just with talking to the chef about what I want (no mushrooms, asparagus, etc). It has worked for me so far. I don't have much of an issue with pear as I do with apple, but I tend to avoid gluten free breads anyway because I just don't need the carbs; I'd rather eat more protein with nutritional value than the carby, usually not that great gluten free bread.

Thanks so much for sharing! We do have very similar lists. I do the same with breads- even when I can have it (which is rare due to the gluten/egg/soy/dairy/flax allergy combo), I often don't just because I feel better when I'm grain free. But, vacation often gives me permission to cheat (on eating grains- not my allergies, of course!) a bit! Your experiences at GFC and AP sound very nice. I think I may try to work one of those in to our plans. Thanks again!

 

[GinnyBear's_mom]

Is this a job for Chef TJ? And do we know where he's hanging his toque these days?

As of around the first week of July, Chef TJ was moved to Trails End on the morning shift.

We also had difficulty with breakfast at Crystal Palace. It seems like the morning chef there isn't very interested in accommodating allergies aside from the big 8.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

As of around the first week of July, Chef TJ was moved to Trails End on the morning shift . . .

1) Yep.
2) MrsRustyScupper and I had a brief conversation with him on Wednesday of this week.
3) No, we don't have allergies, but we just have not talked with him for a while.

 

[Leota]

Too bad he's not there at lunch - that's one of our few ressies....

I decided to go ahead & email special diets to ask to have a Chef from each place call me. I've gone over the menus & armed with some reviews at GFDFWDW & GF in Orlando, I have some idea of what I'm interested in. I figure I would make everything smoother if we kinda hash it out before we go.....

We're local half the year, this is our first time back since Dec. & Jan. is when my GI finally brought up fodmaps... We didn't want to make a bunch of ressies as we usually like to just go with what we feel like spurr of the moment. Which is often CS or Lounges.

Have any of you guys done any of the Lounges? I can't drink anymore (tummy can't handle it) but we love the lounges for munchies in a cool , mostly adult atmosphere.

Also, how did CS go for you? We prefer the resort CS as well as TS. So far my favorite post allergy / pre fodmap places were Landscape of Flavors & Mara.