Always Ask About Ingredients When Eating Out or Participating in Pot Lucks

I always ask what is in dishes, when dining out, and especially at pot lucks.  It sound ridiculous to think someone's homemade chili might have gluten in it, but you did not make it, so you do not know.  When the party who brings it says, "I don't know what's in it. My wife made it,"  do not eat it.  I always bring a main dish, that I want to eat, so I know for sure there will be something there I can eat.  My co-workers know I have celiac disease, so they do a good job of bringing things I can consume.  It has not always been this way.  I am very lucky to have such thoughtful co-workers.  Bless my old boss, who brought quarts of mint chip ice cream to a St. Patrick's Day pot luck, but I could not eat it, due to being lactose intolerant as well.  I had a very hard time breaking it to her.  I buy quarts of mint chip frozen yogurt at TCBY.  It tastes just like creamy ice cream.

I always ask at restaurants if they have gf soup, because I so seldom get to have it.  Ask before ordering clam chowder.  The only place I have been that does not use good old wheat flour, is the state of Maine.  Beef and barley soup is not gluten free, because of the barley.