In a recent blog post we highlighted some of the best gluten-free restaurants in New York City. This was a particularly important post to Jeni and me because our 3-year-old daughter has to eat gluten-free. So we know, all too well, how challenging it can be to find a tasty yet affordable place that cooks from scratch.

When you first learn that you or a child has to eat gluten-free there are two ways you can approach. You can submit to the difficulty of the situation and realize your days of a quick dash to the fast-food restaurant are over.

Or you can admit that this won’t be easy but you can look at the bright side. In the history of mankind, this may be the best time to have a gluten allergy. Yes, it can be difficult to find a good restaurant but if you look hard enough, you can eat just about anything. Only a decade ago, having a gluten allergy meant you had to say goodbye to bread. Now there are a variety of options that exist.

Besides the fact that there are more gluten-free products than ever, there is also a greater acceptance and tolerance to food allergies. If I tell a waiter about our situation, I rarely get a confused look. Part of this might be that food allergies are becoming much more common. I don’t have any good answers on what that might be the case. Though I would be interested in any theories you might have. But it feels good – no matter if you’re three years old or 33 – to be accepted.

When we first learned about my daughter’s dietary condition we did what most parents would do: we researched. We found articles and blogs in which other parents shared their stories. We educated ourselves and learned a lot. We felt like we were now part of a community.

We are building City Walker to become an extension of that community where parents, like us, can share their Point of Views about local establishments. We’re not just trying to create a new Yelp. We are not so interested in reviews. We want your Point of View. As a parent of a child who has to eat gluten-free, I have a unique POV that I am bringing to every restaurant, cafe and bar I visit. While my POV is unique, it could be beneficial to many other parents out there. That i why I share. So that future visitors can quickly find a fun and safe place for their kids to eat.

It is fun to be part of a community. When you’re active and you share, you get the most out of it. Please share your POV with us on City Walker. You never know who it may help.