I bought this book thinking it would be of great help to me. I found it to be absolutely useless. There are so many other valuable tools to use and informative books out there that I can only say - use your common sense - you know what you can and can't have & all you have to do is ask the server to check in the kitchen to make sure that thee either isn't, or won't be, any gluten ingredients used. I live very near NYC and I can name so many gluten free restaurants that weren't included that it's ridiculous. Don't waste your money.

I bought this book thinking it would be of great help to me. I found it to be absolutely useless. There are so many other valuable tools to use and informative books out there that I can only say - use your common sense - you know what you can and can't have & all you have to do is ask the server to check in the kitchen to make sure that thee either isn't, or won't be, any gluten ingredients used. I live very near NYC and I can name so many gluten free restaurants that weren't included that it's ridiculous. Don't waste your money.

This is a great resource to have for travelling. I love the tabbed setup that makes it easy to get to the section I need. Obviously a lot of thought was put in to making the book (with an amazing amount of info.) as easy to use as possible.



It is obvious that a great deal of thought and experimentation has been put forth in the making of this valuable resource!



After being gf (and other things free) for 5 years, I appreciate the resource as it will make it far more possible for me to visit Italy (and other countries in my future) maintaining my health as much as possible along the way! Well done!



I have dining cards and they work quite well, but the next time I travel, I will be packing this book to take as well, without a doubt!



KimS

This is a great resource to have for travelling. I love the tabbed setup that makes it easy to get to the section I need. Obviously a lot of thought was put in to making the book (with an amazing amount of info.) as easy to use as possible.

It is obvious that a great deal of thought and experimentation has been put forth in the making of this valuable resource!

After being gf (and other things free) for 5 years, I appreciate the resource as it will make it far more possible for me to visit Italy (and other countries in my future) maintaining my health as much as possible along the way! Well done!

I have dining cards and they work quite well, but the next time I travel, I will be packing this book to take as well, without a doubt!

KimS

Eating when you're away from your own home is always a challenge when you are on a special diet.

In "Let's Eat Out!" Koeller and La France have put together an impressive amount of information to make life easier for travelers and people who just want to eat out with family and friends.

I found the book a bit difficult at first because there is just so much content to sort out. It's definitely not a book to digest in one sitting!

I soon realized it really is a combination of broad reference guide and quick reference "cheat sheets." Once that became clear, it was much easier to scan and use the table of contents and index to find specific information. You can choose to just use the quick guides or go to the more detailed explanations.

All in all, the authors cover a very broad topic in an orderly fashion that makes it easy to locate information for a variety of situations. They use 7 common cuisine types, from American Steak and Seafood to Thai, to analyze the issues a diner can expect to face. They offer comments on the ingredients, the way food is prepared and on likely sources of hidden cross contamination.

After you read a couple of these, you begin to see the patterns and it would not be so difficult to apply the same process to another type of food. As they point out, it's all about educating yourself and learning what questions to ask.

Poring through their food/menu analysis, I discovered to my dismay that the item I had been selecting from a fast food restaurant most likely contains hidden gluten that I would not have thought to question. I did wonder why I didn't feel good every time I ate there!

Not only does the book cover information about individual foods, styles of cuisine, and 10 common food allergens, it also provides specific information about travel including contact information for individual airlines and the special diets they provide, contact information for associations and organizations in many parts of the world and even some translation phrases.

I'd recommend "Let's Eat Out!" as a valuable reference book. It's especially useful for those who frequently eat out or travel and even better, those who'd like to eat out more but have hesitated to take the risk. It could open up a whole new world.

The authors deserve the recognition that their book received as a Benjamin Franklin award finalist for 2006 in the Health (Wellness/Nutrition) category.

"Let's Eat Out!" covers a very difficult topic, restaurant dining for people with food allergies and intolerances. For adults who should avoid top allergens due to mild to moderate food allergies and intolerances, this can be a very useful book. I have already referenced it a few times for some restaurant inspiration, outside of my usual Asian selections.

The book itself is stylishly laid out with color-coded chapters, strategically placed photographs, useful charts, and sample menus. It addresses ten of the most common food allergens: dairy, eggs, wheat, gluten (an intolerance), soy, peanuts, tree nuts, corn, fish, and shellfish.

It should be noted, that this book was written with celiac disease, multiple food "sensitivities", and gluten intolerance in mind. It may not be very appropriate for those who have life-threatening food allergies or severe intolerances. This is not to blame the authors. The various styles of food preparation combined with a high risk of cross-contamination in food service kitchens, make this a complicated area to address. Though, as one food allergy mom pointed out to me, the "Allergy-Free" title is a bit deceiving in this respect.

Also, for those who do have true food allergies, this book should not be used as a dining bible, but more as a suggestion based resource for further research and diligence. As someone who lives with a milk protein allergy, I unfortunately noted many errors with respect to the foods listed as "not containing the allergen." Guacamole (often made with sour cream), margarine (frequently contains lactose and/or milk protein), and sausages (many brands contain cheese) were just a few that caused me to raise the red flag. Your own questions and food label reading would still be required when utilizing this book.

Luckily, the authors do relay what questions to ask, and in many different languages. Kim Koeller has traveled extensively while living with multiple food allergies. This is well evidenced by the resources provided, including a multi-lingual phrase section and what seems to be a very useful airline guide. For those most interested in travel, the authors of "Let's Eat Out!" have also produced a "Multi-Lingual Phrase Passport" for food allergies that is pocket-sized. I thought this was a very handy little guide!

Basically, it says be suspicious of EVERYTHING. As a Celiac, I am already. This book did not help me and I was disappointed but I can see how it might help someone newly diagnosed. Being vigilant is the key.

You've gotten the invite, you've gotten excited and now
you're anxious. It's an upscale restaurant that you've
always wanted to try but how can you make it thru dinner
knowing if there's one ingredient hidden in the meal that
your allergic to the result will not only be embarrassing but
could be dangerous for you. Well, your in luck, help has
arrived in the form of Let's Eat Out.

After years of finding herself in the above scenario, Kim
Koeller decided to do something about it. With her friend,
Robert La France, a restaurant veteran, by her side they set
out to make eating out a safe and enjoyable experience even
for those with special dietary requirements. With Robert's
knowledge of how things work behind the scenes in a restaurant
they were able to come up with a set of guidelines.

Their book offers simple suggestions such as calling ahead
to see what the staff can handle, when the best time to
dine would be, and to alert them of one's special needs.
With this knowledge you can then delve into the specific
food selections they've highlighted and learn about hidden
allergens, cross contamination, and how this translates from
one country's cuisine to another's.

Also available are their mini guides that not only help you
order in French, German, Italian, and Spanish, they also
include important phrasing should you find yourself in need
of a doctor or pharmacist. With this much information you
can calm your nerves, accept the invite and enjoy your meal.

I was a little disapointed because many of the allergy graphs show gluten as possible, so that isn't much of a help, since that was already a given. I guess if you are looking for some where to START looking for gluten in your food, then this is a place to start. If you have been doing it for a while, then you really don't need this book....

You've gotten the invite, you've gotten excited and now
you're anxious. It's an upscale restaurant that you've
always wanted to try but how can you make it thru dinner
knowing if there's one ingredient hidden in the meal that
your allergic to the result will not only be embarrassing but
could be dangerous for you. Well, your in luck, help has
arrived in the form of Let's Eat Out.

After years of finding herself in the above scenario, Kim
Koeller decided to do something about it. With her friend,
Robert La France, a restaurant veteran, by her side they set
out to make eating out a safe and enjoyable experience even
for those with special dietary requirements. With Robert's
knowledge of how things work behind the scenes in a restaurant
they were able to come up with a set of guidelines.

Their book offers simple suggestions such as calling ahead
to see what the staff can handle, when the best time to
dine would be, and to alert them of one's special needs.
With this knowledge you can then delve into the specific
food selections they've highlighted and learn about hidden
allergens, cross contamination, and how this translates from
one country's cuisine to another's.

Also available are their mini guides that not only help you
order in French, German, Italian, and Spanish, they also
include important phrasing should you find yourself in need
of a doctor or pharmacist. With this much information you
can calm your nerves, accept the invite and enjoy your meal.

Reviewed by Irene Watson for Reader Views (11/06)

According to the authors this is the first book dedicated to eating around the corner and around the world while managing ten food allergies including: corn, dairy, eggs, fish, gluten, peanuts, shellfish, soy, tree nuts and wheat. And, I couldn't agree more. This book is full of extremely important information geared toward the most common food sensitivities.

Those of us with food sensitivities know how difficult it can be to eat out in restaurants. The authors of "Let's Eat Out!" simplify the process. For example, the first chapter gives a step-by-step approach to eating outside the home. The first step is education. Koeller and La France insist on education, research, and support groups. Another step is to identify the eating options and preferences with the restaurant. This includes type (family, fast food, carry out,) cuisine (new, familiar) and the most important being to decide to go somewhere new, gluten/allergy friendly, and/or feature allergy-free menus. The question that the authors encourage us to ask ourselves is "How much effort do I want to spend on deciding what to eat at this restaurant?" Being sensitive to specific foods and loving to eat out, personally, I will do what it takes to do the research.

"Let's Eat Out!" is the most concise book that I have seen. Not only do the authors lay out the process of obtaining allergy-free foods in a restaurant, they outline seven international cuisines: American, Chinese, French, Indian, Italian, Mexican, and Thai. Each chapter gives an informative overview as well as traditional ingredients, gluten awareness, dining considerations, and a sample menu with ingredients and possible allergens.

But, there is more! The authors make it easy for us by giving sample questions to ask, reference guides, meal ideas, breakfast and beverage suggestions, multi-lingual phrases, global airlines meal options, product resources, as well as international organizations.

All this information is contained in one book, however, there is even more. Available by the same authors are small, compact booklets that can easily slip into a purse or pocket. Each booklet is a guide in itself that can be referenced while in a restaurant.

What can I say? I'm overwhelmed with all the information presented, and extremely grateful that I now have the most informative book in my procession. There is no more second guessing of what ingredients are in specific meals or questioning the wait staff that may or may not know the answers.

Koeller and La France have a real winner here. This is a book that will become dog eared in my custody. Needless to say this is the best reference book regarding allergy foods that I have ever seen. There really is no need for any other book.

Expertly co-authored by Kim Koeller, Let's Eat Out!: Your Passport To Living Gluten And Allergy Free is a simply outstanding reference for managing allergies while traveling or simply enjoying the convenience of dining out. Informed and informative, Let's Eat Out! offers readers an exclusive perspective on innovative strategies for pursuit of an allergen filled healthy yet satisfactory diet without the necessity to stay home and avoiding the social atmosphere of the restaurant. Let's Eat Out! is very strongly recommended to everybody with restrictive allergies wishing to engage in restaurant dining with family, friends, or business associates.