Hubby is out with the boys tonight, so the kids and I decided to do sushi for dinner…

Now sushi carries a bit of a risk of cross contamination, so there are a few things we do to try to minimise the risk, as we’re big sushi fans…

We don’t eat it often, and I watch closely for symptoms afterwards. So far, neither of us have had a reaction (and we are quite symptomatic after gluten exposure).

Always be polite, use clear language and smile. While it is your / your child’s right to eat safe food, you are asking them for a favour, and I’ve found manners go a long way – especially when they are busy. I also sometimes acknowledge I’m asking them a favour (“sorry to bother you, but could I ask you a favour?”). It’s funny, but I also find they’re more wiling to be accommodating if I mention it is my daughter with the allergy. People are generally really kind to kids.

I say she has an allergy (our local store has a bit of a language barrier, and I find this is easily understood, more so than mentioning gluten, which they don’t seem to understand – other stores however, are fabulous with gluten knowledge)

Ask if they have teriyaki chicken and avocado rolls prepped, but not yet in the cabinet (this is all she eats). If yes, could they use fresh tongs / gloves and put them in a box on their own.

If no, and it’s quiet, I ask if they could make her fresh rolls (with fresh gloves / tongs). If they’re busy, they do usually say no.

If they are busy and have to get the rolls from the cabinet, I look at the rolls they’re sitting near, and ask them to get them from the side that is furthest away from any rolls that are crumbed or battered. I also ask them to use fresh tongs. I specifically mention the allergy again, and point to the battered or crumbed items and say “she’s allergic to… can you get the rolls from the other side so they haven’t touched?” They’ve never said no to this request.

I usually get salmon or prawn sashimi, as they’re in containers and less likely to have crumbs on them from fried items being carried over them…

I ask for gluten free soy sauce (our local store doesn’t carry it, but if we are at the shops and sushi is the only option, I will ask for it.) It usually has a yellow or green cap).

Finally, before she eats her rolls, I carefully inspect them to make sure there aren’t any crumbs on the outside of the seaweed. This has never happened, but I just always do a final check. My theory is – if the crumb is big enough to be seen, it’s big enough to do damage.

Now I do want to add, we only eat from Sushihub. They used to label some of their items as gluten free, however this signage was removed last year. I did call head office, and they assured me the ingredients haven’t changed, but due to the new Australian labelling laws, they couldn’t list items as gluten free, when they’re prepped and stored in shared areas.

They do have a GREAT website with very clear allergen listings, so I feel comfortable that the things we get are gluten free by ingredient, and with clear questions and instructions, we do everything we can to minimise the risk of cross contamination. I do check back on the website before we eat, just to make sure no ingredients have changed, and that our usual choices haven’t had a gluten allergen listed.

As our paediatric gastroenterologist said, she’s a kid, she has to go out and eat and enjoy life, so evaluate the risks, and do what you can to keep her safe.

BUT, as always, do your own research, ask your own questions, and determine whether eating from shared (gluten / gluten free) establishments is right for you and your family. I definitely wouldn’t eat here all the time, as the risk is high, but as an odd treat, we really enjoy it.

Jo x