Where to Eat Out with a Friend Who Has Crohn's or Ulcerative Colitis

You may never have given it any thought, but individuals with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's can't hop in the car and head anywhere for dinner. If they do, you may find yourself sitting with someone who orders a drink of water, or tea and watches you eat. That's no fun for either one of you.

Patients with Crohn's and ulcerative colitis have to pay special attention to their diet. The problem is they are not always comfortable discussing their condition or their diet. If you have a friend or family member with Crohn's or ulcerative colitis it may be up to you to educate yourself on the does and don'ts of their diet when it comes to eating out.

One of the most common group outings for coworkers and friends is to get Mexican. Mexican is not a good option for patients with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's. Hot spices can cause a lot of discomfort. Imagine how you sometimes feel after a spicy hot meal. Now think of how it would feel to eat that same meal with your mouth full of ulcers. Sounds terrible, doesn't it?

It is terrible. What you have to understand about a friend with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's may have ulcerations anywhere throughout their digestive tract. I think you can understand the problem. Spices are painful.

The same is true of highly seasoned Indian Dishes and Thai food. You may even be surprised once you take a moment to realize how much spice and pepper is used on beef and chicken in traditional steak houses, or moderately priced chain restaurants.

My best friend has been unable to eat salads that were over seasoned, steaks, chicken, soups and a variety of other foods. Be cautious when choosing a restaurant and ordering. It is typical for a Crohn's or colitis patient to ask if a dish is spicy, if it is they will not order it. I've learned, however, that "spicy" is a relative term.

Louisiana style restaurants, Cajun cooking, blackened meats and hot wings may also create discomfort for an individual with Crohn's or colitis.

Often restaurant choices are not thought out and are made based on a general consensus. Don't forget to take into account the real, medical needs of a friend with Crohn's or ulcerative colitis.

Restaurants I have learned to avoid with my friend include Copeland's, buffalo wing restaurants unless they offer a plain wing option, Buffalo's offers a variety of food but much of it is seasoned to be hot.

Avoid hotdogs at all costs. I've found hotdogs to be one of the absolute, worst foods my friend can eat. If she manages to eat a hotdog and not end up in the hospital it verges on the miraculous. But she loves hotdogs. I consider it my job to keep her away from them.

Try fish restaurants with mild fish and restaurants that will cook vegetables fully at your request. Chain restaurants may not offer your meal of choice, but they will often take special orders. Applebee's and Red Lobster are good alternatives. If you have to eat fast food, a grilled chicken sandwich and a fruit cup from Chick-fil-a are good choices. Stay away from fatty fried food restaurants.

Japanese restaurants are often good choices. They offer mild soups, and will cook chicken to order. White rice is good for Crohn's and colitis patients. It may even help calm things down in their gut.

When you have close friends or family with Crohn's or colitis their dietary issues are very real. They may not look sick, but it doesn't take a whole lot to trigger a flare-up. A little sensitivity in selecting places at which you can eat out is considerate, and takes what can be a difficult discussion out of the patient's corner.