Spring break is upon us and that means traveling. I know, for me personally, I have had experiences with trips on either end of the spectrum. Some really great trips, and some that were just awful.
The first trip I ever made gluten free, was a car ride from Chicago to Massachusetts. Justin and I were going to a big antique show in Brimfield, MA. We love to go hunting for antiques. I really tried hard to plan ahead for this trip. I packed a cooler full of snacks and even cooked up some meals for when we got to the hotel. I purposely found a hotel that had a kitchenette with a refrigerator and a little stove. I had cooked some hard-boiled eggs, chicken breast and some hamburgers. I packed up a bunch of fixings for salad, sandwiches and even some cooked vegetables. I was ready! And truly, I was actually really prepared. I just could not foresee the future.
I packed some snacks for the drive with the intention of finding some restaurants along the way. I did not take into consideration that there really was no “safe” food stops along the highway, or at least there weren’t a few years back when we made that particular trip. There were very long stretches of highway where there were no options, so halfway into the trip we had munched our way through a good portion of the snacks we had brought along. Still, we held out hope that we could find a place to stop and eat along the way. That did not work out so well for us and since we had a huge trailer on the back of the Suburban, jumping off the highway to find a place was not in the cards either.
We made it to our hotel in Massachusetts, cooler in tow. We put all our food into the fridge and made ourselves a nice little dinner. In the morning, we made our way to the antique show. Miles and miles of antique dealers lined the streets. We were in heaven. We found a little restaurant in town and went inside. Asking the important questions we learned that the owner’s mother was celiac, so feeling confident, we sat down for lunch. Fifteen minutes later I was as sick as could be. Since the show was only a few days long and we had planned this for months, I suffered through.
When we got back to the hotel I was devastated to find that the refrigerator was broken and all the food that I had so carefully planned and prepared was ruined!
We eventually found a Chipotle and that is all I ate for days. I was so sick of Chipotle when we finally made it home, I did not eat there for months afterward.
This is probably one of the worst-case scenarios in travels. I have certainly experienced much better, even great meals since that trip. I have learned so much about being away and staying safe since then.
I actually did a lot right in that particular trip, it just happened to not work out so well for us. Planning ahead is one of the most important things you can do. Think about how long you will be gone, where you are going and the needs you will have on your trip. For instance, are you the only one gluten free or are there others in your party? Where will you be staying and what accommodations will there be? If you are going to stay at someone’s house, can you safely use his or her kitchen? Your level of sensitivity will determine that. If you are staying at a hotel, does the restaurant carry gluten free options? Is there a kitchenette (check the refrigerator to make sure it works) with a stove? Do you need to bring something to cook with? Check the local area on a search engine and see if they have any gluten free dining options and make sure to call ahead to see exactly what they offer. Make reservations ahead of time.
Here is a list of our best tips for planning road trips:
- Pack a variety of safe snacks. Depending on the length of time you will spend on the road, take a cooler and a supply of non-perishable snacks.
- Include snacks for the car and your day-to-day activities, granola bars, trail mix, fruit snacks, puffed rice treats, chips and pretzels help to tide over our family.
- Food for the place you will be staying.
- Reservations at nearby restaurants that cater to the gluten free community
- If you need fast food on the road here are some that can do gluten free: Chipotle, Cracker Barrel, Chick-Fil-A, Wendy’s, Jimmy John’s, 5 Guys, Meatheads and Subway have options, but be careful for cross contamination. I have experienced a serious lack of training and understanding in all of these recommendations.
I have travelled extensively on a variety of airlines after going gluten free. I have had only one experience where the airline accommodated my allergy. Some have an option when you book your ticket to request gluten free, however, just because you request it does not mean that it will actually be available for you when you get on the plane. I have gotten the “deer in the headlights” look from a few stewardesses when I mentioned my request.
That said, most airlines do not even offer a meal unless the flight is over 3 hours, but they might offer snacks. They denote gluten free in their menu options, but that is a very small list. Pack your own snacks – fruit, granola bars, pretzels, chips and cookies even meats, cheese and sandwiches that are wrapped tightly in plastic wrap should pass through TSA screening. Your food will be X-rayed with your other belongings and the TSA has the discretion to not allow a food item past security, if they so choose. The food courts at the airports generally are not very gluten free friendly, but that depends on the airport. Milwaukee is fabulous but O’Hare, not so much.
Travelling while gluten free, does take some advance planning but is well worth all the effort. Do your research, make your lists and phone calls, plan for the unexpected and then enjoy your trip.
Jessica and Renee
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