Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
Organic Ghee from Grass-Fed Cows7 Gluten Free Travel Tips
Concerned about what & where you’ll eat while traveling? Here are 7 tips that can help.
7 Tips for Safe Gluten Free Travel
1. Contact the Celiac Organization in the Area You’re Traveling To
Ideally you should do this a few weeks before your trip. Celiac organizations should be able to help you find good gluten free food and restaurant options.
Note: See the list of Celiac organizations for some of the most popular travel destinations at the end of this post.
You can also get free Gluten Free Cards at http://glutenfreepassport.com/airlines-tips/translation-cards that will help you communicate your dietary needs in a foreign language.
And be sure to search Google with the name of the place you’re traveling to + gluten free to see if any helpful resources come up in the listings.
2. Book a Hotel, Motel, B&B or Rent a Condo with a Kitchen or Kitchenette so you can cook some, or all, of your own meals.
3. Request Gluten Free Meals When Flying, Taking a Train or Cruise Long Before You Board
Trains can be the trickiest, unless you’re traveling in style so to speak (so you’ll have full restaurant style service, not the usual cheap cafeteria type fare which means sandwiches and other cheap baked goods).
Cruises usually are the easiest because they employ professional chefs who are used to accommodating special requests. But always make your requests ahead of time, meaning several weeks before you embark, just to be safe.
Many airlines have gluten-free meal options, but not all. The selection & quality varies. The standard code for a gluten-free meal in airlines is GFML (Gluten Free Meal) – this indicates no wheat, rye, barley or their derivatives will be included with the meal
Airlines that offer gluten-free meals need advance notice so the meal will be ready for your trip. The notice required will be anywhere from 24 to 96 hours before the flight takes off. Call them well ahead of time to confirm.
4. Pack Nourishing Snacks. No matter which way you travel, even if you have been assured you’ll get gluten free meals en route, pack healthy, filling snacks that don’t need refrigeration or special preparation just in case. Canned meat or seafood (make sure you have a can opener!) and dried fruit and nut/seed mixes, or fruit and nut snack bars like Larabars are good choices. Don’t forget to pack some napkins and light weight cutlery just in case too.
5. Create a “Pantry in a Suitcase” or Bag with staples that you might not be able to find at your destination. Or, if you’re going somewhere for an extended period of time, ship your favorite non-perishable gluten free foods to your destination.
Note: when traveling internationally, make sure that the foods you’re bringing won’t be stopped at the border. Check regulations beforehand.
6. Visit the Local Grocery Store at Your Destination ASAP. Load up on a few safe, staple items. That way, if you run into problems when dining out and need something to eat, you’ll have something on hand. It’s also a good idea to pick up some sandwich bags and anything else that will help you wrap up food you want to save for another day.
7. When in Doubt, Don’t Eat It. If you have any worry at all that something isn’t safe to eat, don’t eat it. Hopefully you’ll have a snack as a backup because you followed the other tips on this page, but if must wait for a few hours, or even overnight, before you can eat or drink something with calories again, chances are good that you’ll be okay, just uncomfortable at worst. Avoiding gluten, if you’re sensitive to it, is far more important than the money you spent on the questionable food, or the risk of social awkwardness.
Contact Info for Celiac Organizations in Popular Travel Destinations
Andorra
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Canada
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Iceland
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Samtok Folks meo Glutenopol
Email: magnus@esso.is
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Russia
Slovenia
South Africa
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Coeliac Society of South Africa
Email: coeliac@netactive.co.za
Spain
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
These are some great tips for traveling gf! When making that “pantry suitcase,” you might want to throw in some Tasty Bite. We’re a preservative-free, all natural, ready-made brand with ethnic dishes that are made from the simplest ingredients. Our packages are perfect for traveling and are a camper’s favorite! Check out our website: http://www.tastybite.com for more information and recipes. Happy traveling!
Maxine – Tasty Bite
Thanks Maxine!
I see that you have some interesting gluten free options to consider here. Handy for travel for sure.
Lillea