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Coeliac Beneficiary Interview Family, Friends, Colleagues

Hello and welcome! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience. 🌿

At Carpathia~House, we’re listening not only to coeliac diners themselves but also to the people who share meals, journeys, and everyday moments with them. We want to understand what it’s truly like to support someone who lives gluten-free: the care, the planning, and sometimes the worry that can come with it.

This short conversation (around 20–30 minutes) is part of our research into the emotional and logistical realities of dining or travelling with someone who has coeliac disease. The joys, the challenges, and the small adjustments that make a big difference. Your story helps us see what inclusion and trust feel like from your perspective.

There are no right or wrong answers. We’re simply interested in your honest experiences. Everything you share will be treated with care and confidentiality.

Each main question invites your personal story, and beneath some, you’ll see a few optional prompts. These are simply there in case you’d like to share a little more detail or reflection around your answer.

We’re deeply grateful for your openness, empathy, and voice in this work. Together, we can help create a dining culture where everyone at the table feels at ease. 🌸

Section 1 – Context

1. Tell me about your relationship to the coeliac person.

(Optional) If you would like to answer further, when did you first learn about their condition? How did that change how you eat together?

2. How often do you eat out or travel together?

(Optional) Can you tell me about the last time you travelled or ate out together and had to search for somewhere safe to eat? What stands out to you about that experience?

3. Do you think about gluten-free food outside of those times?

(Optional) Was there ever a moment or incident that made you more conscious about gluten-free safety, even when you weren’t dining out? What happened?

Section 2 – Real Scenarios

4. Tell me about the last time you ate out together.

(Optional) Who decided where to go that time, and what led to that choice? Once you arrived, how did the experience unfold and how did your coeliac friend or family member seem to feel during the meal?

5. Can you recall a stressful time finding a place that worked for everyone?

(Optional) Why was that stressful? What happened next? How did that affect the outing?

6. Describe a time it went smoothly.

(Optional) What made that different? How often does that happen?

Section 3 – Emotional Drivers

7. How does it feel when you’re unsure if a venue is safe?

(Optional) When you sense a venue might not be safe, what usually goes through your mind or what actions do you take in that moment?

8. Have you ever experienced a situation where your friend, family member, or colleague became unwell or felt left out because of their coeliac condition maybe at a restaurant, event, or while travelling?

(Optional) Can you tell me about the last time that happened. What exactly unfolded, and how did you respond in that moment?

9. What do you usually do to help them feel included or safe?

(Optional) How often do you find yourself doing that, doing your best to try to make them feel safe, and what part of it feels the most challenging or emotionally demanding for you?

Section 4 – Decisions & Workarounds

10. How do you usually check or research venues to make sure they have genuine gluten-free or coeliac-safe options before you book or visit?

(Optional) Tell me about the last time you researched one. What took the most time?

11. Do you revisit the same venues or try new ones? Why?

(Optional) Tell me about the last new place you tried.

12. How much extra time or effort do you find yourself putting into making sure dining is safe when you go out or travel together?

(Optional) Can you give me an example from last week or last trip

Section 5 – Closing

We’re putting together a short free guide called ‘Dining Out Together: A Coeliac Companion’s Guide to Safe, Stress-Free Meals.’ Would you like a free copy when it’s ready? Let us know your name and email to receive your early copy:

What is your name?

What is your email address?

Is there anyone else- maybe another friend, colleague, or parent-- who you think I should talk to?

Thank you sincerely for taking the time to share your experience. We deeply appreciate the care, effort, and empathy that go into supporting someone you love who lives gluten-free.

Your reflections remind us that dining isn’t just about food. It’s about belonging, trust, and the simple act of being able to share a meal together. 🌸