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Hello all.  Rebecca Richardson brought up an interesting point about bringing
one's own food to a restaurant.  She said:

  Since my question focused on eating out, many people suggested bringing
  cottage cheese to the restaurant for my daughter.  We have done that in
  the past, I am not too uncomfortable about doing that when the item we
  bring is not otherwise on the menu.  But personally (and this is not meant
  as a criticism of what anyone else does) I am growing more uncomfortable
  bringing food to a restaurant for a child her age.  To me, it is a little
  like going into a hotel and saying, "Oh, I don't need a room, I'm just
  going to sleep here in the lobby."  (by the way, my husband does not share
  this view with me.)  I think I read that in some places it actually is
  illegal for restaurants to allow customers to bring in food.  However, no
  one has ever challenged us on that basis when we did bring food for her.

What does anyone else do?  I have never had a problem bringing my own GF food
to a restaurant but I have always thought that if anyone asked me about it I
would say something like, "My son has celiac disease and to eat food
containing gluten could endanger his health.  If you can guarantee me that
the food you will serve him is gluten free, I'll be happy not to bring my own
food."  As it happens, I usually cal restaurants first and they are ALWAYS
understanding.  I have even brought pasta to a great Italian place that made
him his own dish and put their great GF homemade sauce on top.  He was
thrilled.

Emily Feiner in Rockland County, NY