What it does: Meaning for people who follow gluten-free diets, FindMeGlutenFree makes it easy to find restaurants that offer gluten-free options. Users can filter out gluten-free restaurants — meaning they don’t make anything gluten-free — or gluten-free restaurants. Restaurants are mentioned by friends, so if you find the best one that is not in the FindMeGlutenFree repository, you can make it through the app. (At the same time, this means you have to look twice at the restaurant to make sure you get food that is safe because of your gluten intolerance.)
The app also has a glaze of non-glazed items and storage to save lists that you would like to see later. The advanced features of this app include other search filters like “open now,” “celiac enthusiasts,” and search engines that find restaurants on your way. Friends without gluten have told me that the program was a real savior for them in the first weeks and months after being diagnosed with celiac disease, helping them eat and discover new things during a very difficult time.
Blind spot: Obviously, this is not your program as your gluten-free diet. Also, the data in FindMeGlutenFree is as good as the people who add to its knowledge, so restaurants with good gluten-free choices will not appear in the results if no one has taken the time to log in.
Price: Free
What it does: Spokin makes it easy to find restaurants, bakeries, or ice cream where it is safe to eat with something you do not want or do not control. In addition, the program has hundreds of features in allergy research, food safety, and travel advice. Once you fill your profile with the foods you avoid, the app will show you all the safe places to eat at detailed maps of your area. My mother-in-law recently moved to another town, so I used Spokin to search for restaurants in their area where I could order supplies. We were thrilled to find local pizza places that offer cheese without milk or plain on their pizza, which gives us a fun opportunity for everyone.
Spokin allows you to connect with other users who have a food problem in your area (assuming they have agreed to show their profile) and allows you to post reviews of restaurants and products you use and enjoy.
Blind spot: The program is only available on iOS devices. The FAQ on the company page says it works on one Android, but there is no set date. Also, although most restaurants have a link to the restaurant page, you should leave the app to view the menu.
Eating out when you try to control food allergies is always a little risky, but these programs will hopefully give you guidance before you head to an unseen restaurant and share your worries with the waiters. Because I have a serious problem with seafood, I have improved my term for “delicious food”. I call and say, “I really hate all the fish — snails and regular fish. Can you recommend something that has no fish or snails in it — even fish sauce or oyster sauce, and made in a white pan? I promise to give you a good review, even if you say you can’t feed me properly. Trust me, a foreign ambulance is the worst business. ”Also, when I go overseas, I try to add a note to my phone, in the language of my destination, to describe my experience.
The tools we carry in our pockets can help us improve our daily lives, even if life has severe dietary restrictions. From planning a vacation home to a restaurant or managing a new grocery store, these apps are at your fingertips.