Foodie Friday - 'There needs to be more transparency about what goes into food'

It's Foodie Friday and this week we spoke to Deborah, a university lecturer and private practitioner in health who lives in Battle, East Sussex. Deborah has lived with her allergies for many years and has watched the 'free-from' world grow from strength to strength. However, she still believes that a lot needs to be done before the restaurant industry catches up with supermarkets to allow her to eat out with confidence.

How many times a week do you eat out and roughly how much do you spend?

Depending on my schedule I eat out around 2-4 times per week and spend roughly £50.

What foods can you not eat or wish to avoid?

I have allergies to both gluten and dairy and so avoid these at all costs! I eat a very varied diet but try to keep a focus on eating only the best quality food and avoiding processed rubbish.

How do you decide where to eat?

I almost always start with an internet search, searching TripAdvisor reviews, and for an online menu. If it’s a pre-planned or special occasion I’ll also ring in advance to see if any further changes can be made to accommodate me, sometimes the chef will create a special dessert as this seems to be the course that I have the most trouble with.

What would make eating out easier for you and allow you to #eatwithconfidence?

There needs to be more transparency about what goes into food, and this needs to be accessible over the internet and accessible on the go. Some restaurants may not want to share their exact ingredients but could still flag up all the allergens present at a glance to save us time.

Tell us your favourite restaurant?

That’s a tough one., but my top three are New Spice Curry House, Wagamama, and the Italian Way. They all go the extra mile to make sure that my experience isn’t any less enjoyable than those who don’t have any dietary restrictions. The New Spice staff are knowledgeable about what goes into each of their curries and can tell me in an instant which are suitable. Wagamama has a fantastic allergen menu and will adapt dishes where they can. Again the staff seem to really know their stuff and can often tell you off the top of their head which dishes on the menu, are gluten and dairy free.

Kafoodle’s software works to help people like Deborah #eatwithconfidence.

You can find out more about what Kafoodle can do for you here or by contacting us directly at: info@kafoodle.com or on 02033710450We'd love to hear from you!