Traveling Gluten Free: BYOF and What to Pack Travel List

This is what I brought for a 4 day trip to Florida---Taking the grub out of the boxes/packaging obviously reduces the bulk, and I pack some in my suitcase for during the visit and some in my carry-on bag for en route, especially if there are delays. (Remember I got sick at the airport once by eating yogurt I bought in a shop there.)

Traveling gluten free: BYOF (Bring Your Own Food)!

Toasterbags:  If you want to toast your own gluten free bread in a public toaster, you can re-use the toaster bags up to 50 times.  It's extra fun when you're at Best Western in the self-serve free continental breakfast area with other hotel guests pouring cereal and cooking waffles, and as soon as you put the bag in the toaster, some type-A do-gooder with a savior complex swoops over and shouts that you're going to start a fire by putting plastic in the toaster.  I always say, ask! Don't assume.  Assuming makes an ass out of u and me -->ass-u-me.
For BREAKFAST I often boil water in the hotel coffeepot (unwrap a sanitized cup they provide and use my own spoon) to make Instant Grits. Or I'll have fruit. Or I'll have a bar: Glutino breakfast bar, Glutino Granola Bar, LaraBar, or EnviroKids Chocolate Crispy Rice bar.
Out for breakfast: I'll quiz the server: What surface are the eggs cooked on? Can my eggs be cooked in a clean pan? Do you place the bacon on bread to soak up the grease? Be sure to tell them if they use the same spatula on my food as they do to flip pancakes, I'll get sick. Clean gloves, clean pans, clean utensils. So, I order eggs, fruit, sometimes bacon, and bring my own bread. If I have toaster bags available, I'll ask the server to use those on MY bread.

LUNCH: Udi Bread or Glutino Crackers, Justin's Peanut/Almond butter packets OR StarKist Tuna pouch, jelly packets, fruit, chips, etc.

DINNER: I bring uncooked brown rice pasta, in case I can talk some restaurant into using a clean pot, strainer, etc. to make it for me with a little olive oil and garlic on it. Or I search on my cell phone internet-finder-doohickies to find a place to eat. In Miami we ate at Texas de Brazil (used a coupon), pricey seafood at The Place on Ocean, and twice at Pizza Fusion.

ANYTIME: I bring my own hot cocoa packets, fruit, individual puddings, jell-o, and fruit cups, Glutino pretzels, Smoreables gluten free, Chips, Fruit snacks, Crunch N Munch, frozen baked goods that I made previously (or that my mother sends me home with), etc.

Other Gluten Free Travel Tips:
**Generally, I like to stay in cushy hotels, to avoid grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning like people do when they rent condos, timeshares, etc. Not only is it more of a "vacation feel" than it would be to cook and clean, but we are often pretty spontaneous on vacay and it would likely be wasteful to buy food because we wouldn't be sure we'd have time to go back to eat during or after an adventure. I also enjoy seafood and steak on vacay and don't want my place to stink like fish or whatnot during the trip.

**I try to stockpile the food I lug along- preferring to eat out when I happen upon "old reliable" food out-and-about, such as Wendy's chili and TGIFridays in the airports. On the way home, if I'm out of fruit- I'll ante up the big bucks to buy fruit at the airport.

**On boat trips/camping/all-day excursions I bring along my own insulated lunch bag with plasticware in the pocket and fill it with lunch stuff pictured above. If I'm staying a week or longer and my hotel room has a fridge, I might stop by a Trader Joe's or Costco and pick up some chilled cooked shrimp, tortilla chips, avocado, and salsa that I pack in baggies and bring on the trip. While everyone else is gnawing on the cheapo, dried out sandwiches provided on the trip, they eyeball and maddog my delectable entree. The tables are turned, for once.
**Research restaurants prior to the trip- especially if you are going out to eat with a group for an occasion. Try to be knowledgeable enough to offer up your own choices in where to eat.

**Ask restaurants to accommodate you- especially in nice hotels, they are accustomed to accommodating special requests from weary travel warriors every day.

**Bread- I carry Udi's green or Against the Grain baguette in my purse everywhere. It makes a small meal more satisfying. Plus, it lowers the mental anguish watching your comrades devour the warm bread basket offerings at restaurants.  Sometimes I run out after the first couple days, and that's ok.

In case you didn't get the planning gene, or if you're curious by nature--here is the list I've used for years to pack- I keep it in a clear page protector folded in my travel toiletry bag, which I keep stocked. It has helped me pack in record time for last-minute trips. I only pack pertinent items, but it helps to see the list no matter what type of trip it is. You can use a wipe-off marker to check it off through the plastic, or you could put it on your iphone:
LIST of WHAT TO PACK:
Gifts for those I'm Visiting
Extra suitcase folded up to fill with stuff I acquire on the trip to bring back
Beach Bag/sunscreen/hat/coverup/swimsuit/flipflops/towels
beach toys
rash guard for in the ocean
carry-around bag for water/map/sweater/magazine, snacks,etc
games, leisure activ.
binoculars
copy of passport/credit card cancel #, health card
money belt
stamps/addresses for postcards
camera with batteries/charger/uploader cord or card
computer/charger/bag/cords
cell phone/charger
zip loc bags
sports accessories: snorkel gear, camping gear, ski gear, etc.
romantic stuff
dental floss/toothbrush/paste
safety pins/sewing kit
emergency kit/band aids/etc
travel pillow
batteries
flashlight (or iphone app)
ipod/earphones
antibacterial gel
toilet paper (esp for camping)
water bottle w filter
important phone #s of people you stay with/pick you up, etc.
confirmation #s for hotel, itinerary
tickets for shows, travel, etc.
passport, dr.license
guide books, bus schedules
money/ATM/cc/change for tolls
GPS for car, if not using phone app
personal hygiene feminine products
pajamas
day outfits/night outfits
umbrella
jacket/sweater/wrap,coat?
maps/tourist info/travel coupons
book/reading material/travel book light
tea/hot choc and snacks for plane
purse: day and night
iron/hairdryer if there is none at destination
belts
socks, nylons, tights, slips
Shoes: walking, going out, flips flops, matching to outfits
earrings, jewelry coordinated with outfits
hair ornaments, clips, bands
undergarments- bras: strapless? Sports?
nail polish, file
kleenex, deoderant (keep on carryon)
makeup, tweezer, powder
lotion/moisturizer
shower soap, face soap
shampoo, cond
Eyeglasses/Sunglasses
Earplugs and Eye cover (for plane)
Medications: allergies, Lactaid, pepto, Tylenol, cold, eyedrops
Dramamine, airborne tablets
Razor
Hairbrush/comb/sprays/curling iron
pen, paper
snacks, gluten free foods (separate list)

On short trips, I only carry a small carryon with my purse (phone, money, allergy pills, etc), reading material, cell phone AND charger (they have free charging stations at airports and I've also plugged in inside the restrooms), snacks, eyeglasses, chapstick, sunglasses, sweater, ear plugs, antibacterial gel, airborne tablets, eyecover, and ear phones. Usually valuables: jewelry, camera
On longer trips/overseas, I carry on MORE in case my bags get lost: deoderant, toothbrush&paste, hair brush, concealer, powder, spare outfit, camera.
If I'm traveling with someone, I split the packable necessities with my companion. My mother once agreed to carry on the toothpaste and mini shampoo on a trip to France when her luggage was lost and we were on a tight tour schedule. The next morning, the found luggage still hadn't been dropped off, and I remember racing to find a store to buy toothpaste "dentifrice" and having a hard time even locating it WITHIN the store. I looked at my mother and said, I thought you agreed to carry it on? She said she changed her mind at the last minute and shoved it in her checked bag. Ugh.

Dear Newly Diagnosed Celiac, Gluten Free Living is a Journey...

Try to remember-it's the rainy days that help us appreciate the sunny ones. Maybe reading gluten free books, blogs, or message boards could help validate your feelings and give you eating ideas. Sometimes, your mind will jump to plenty of excuses of why you can't or why the ideas seem unrealistic, but try to focus on the "can" and the "I'll try" attitude.


Yes, I had a hard time eating the gluten free baked goods and stuff with the flour blends and guar gum (which is a natural laxative!) and xantham gum and all that stuff. Celiacs often suffer from lactose intolerance for a variety of reasons, so maybe avoid dairy at first?


Some quick food ideas that come to mind-that have pure ingredients with minimal processing, or have always been gluten free without substituted ingredients:

Smoothies (I even eat Jamba Juice) If you don't want dairy, use a gluten-free soymilk or rice milk or almond milk
apple with peanut butter and Udi granola
popsicles
Craisins, make your own gluten-free trail mix
potato chips or tortilla chips (just corn, oil, salt-even baked ones)-make nachos with soy cheese or just salsa
soup-some Progresso soups are labeled gluten free and they just have vegetables and gluten free broth
eggs, egg salad, deviled eggs, omelettes
tuna, tuna salad
jell-o, M&Ms (lots of flavors)
cereal- Rice Chex, gluten free health cereals- I like Nature's Path Organic Corn Flakes gluten free...alone or with milk substitutes above
quinoa- it's a seed, so it shouldn't be that hard on you, especially if you tolerate rice- I cook in Swanson Chic Broth and add peas
brown rice pasta- the ones I use only have brown rice and water as ingredients, so if you can eat rice...

Try a variety of fruit- blackberries, kiwi, starfruit, pineapple, guava, mango, etc. Put on skewers like a fruit kabob

Norpro 5-Piece Garnishing Tool Set
Corn tortillas- buy the fresh kind with just corn masa flour and water and salt- top with black beans, soy cheese, salsa, etc.
Hummus, salsa, pico de gallo, and other gluten free toppings

There's also a list online called 50 gluten-free Things You Can Eat Right Now
This has been described as the toughest diet there is, and I've read it takes 3 years to get a good handle on it, so be patient with yourself. It's a journey. You will buy expensive things that you end up throwing away, spend lots of time making things and shopping for things that you won't like. Lots of gluten free stuff doesn't have preservatives, so it goes bad quickly, too. You may even "poison" yourself unwittingly. It's a long road, so educate yourself and be patient.
SPOIL YOURSELF in ways that you can. Buy fancy bath stuff, go to the cooking store and buy a garnishing tool set (mine was $7) to make the foods you can eat (like fruit) look special and appetizing, buy yourself some flowers, start an herb garden to use on your salads, buy new dishes, toaster, utensils, so you know it's "safe". Call yourself and your diet "special" and others "regular" (not normal) or mundane or plain or run-of-the-mill or white bread. Change your language and change your thinking. Attend a support group (ask at your doctor or search online). I learned so much going to a cdf celiac convention and found so many products and resources. Do a celiac 5k or run and raise money and awareness for your new cause! Be glad you don't need shots or medicines or dialysis, just a diet! Dump your shampoo with hydrolized wheat protein and questionable makeup and buy new, gluten free ones! Express your feelings, coin fun terms for your new circumstances (my friends call me silly-as$, a play on the word celiac), write a poem or journal about it. And on and on!
Best wishes to you on your path...

Atlanta Home-Finding Expedition: Gluten Free on the Go

My Marine was committed to a time-consuming motorcycle safety course all weekend (he has had a retro bike for a year that he isn't licensed to ride yet), so I packed up some Glutino pretzel sticks and crackers, Lara Bars (pb&j, peanut butter cookie), apples, Bunny Organic fruit snacks, and leftover Starburst jelly beans and jetted off to Atlanta. Once here, this perfect little inn Seth booked for me has a mini fridge and microwave, so I stopped at Trader Joe's and picked up some grape tomatoes, goat cheese, and carrots. For $69 a night they have a free gym, parking, and internet, all of which cost extra last time at the pricier Midtown 'W' Hotel. This place rocks!

Spent day one touring trendy Buckhead apts and relishing the 75 degree sunny weather (pleasantly absent of humidity I was expecting) in the popular and updated Piedmont Park- such a tranquil gem with the water and magnolia trees, but look up and the skyscrapers are peeking from behind the trees, reminding you that you're in a city!

I ate the Trader Joe's fare the first night in my cozy hotel room. The second day, I worked out and ate an apple, then had a mango "tea freeze" at SanFranCoffee, which was dee-lish! (I am fully aware how calorie dense these things can be, so this was lunch.) After an awful day (I got a ticket for failing to stop at a sign I didn't see when I was oogling mansions at "tuxedo row", had itchy mosquito bites all over from the park, carefully navigated to appointments where I got stood up to not see 2 homes, and just when I was calling my boyfriend to whine, a giant locust-like bug with excellent timing fell out of a tree and hit me hard), driving around and learning that Virginia Highlands was out of our housing budget, my pal from middle and high school picked me up to go to a crawfish boil with her family for dinner. They were out of crawfish! She is so sweet-she must've researched gluten free-because she said Moe's Southwest Grill has gluten free food! The gluten free items are marked on the menu, so she insisted that she order for us while I watch her baby. My first time not ordering food for myself! This took trust! So, even as they shared nachos and burritos family-style, I had a pork rice bowl and it was spicy and filling! And I didn't get sick. :)
Mission accomplished! The following day I found and put a deposit on a house that is simple, yet homey and spacious, in a neighborhood that's easy to hop on the freeways and full of large trees (near my hotel that I'd gotten familiar with driving all weekend)! We'll move soon and Seth's commute will go against the flow of traffic, so I hope we truly enjoy it there!

I tweeted what I ate that day (highlighted by Wildfire dinner)and plan to eat somewhat the same today, then back to VA until it's time to move here! Oh yeah, he passed the motorcycle licensing test. oh. joy...ahem.

Devil Dog and Celiac Move to Atlanta! (Home search and gluten free diet and dining research in full swing!)

That's right! As you know, after 13 years of living la vida del sol, teaching in Southern California, and purchasing my home there, I met a dashing and debonair Marine Corps Officer who promptly got transferred to the East Coast. Surprising all my friends and family, after dating this ginger-haired gent less than a year, I took a leave of absence from my established career, rented out mi casa, and set out for the D.C./Virginia area with him to see how we'd get along once reality set in.
After ten months, reality didn't bite, but the love bugs did and now we've put each other in the "For Keeps" bucket. There aren't many Marines in Atlanta, and I'm not sure how many celiacs, but we're excited about the move. In Feb., we enjoyed a romantic house-hunting mission with a realtor who'd been a military wife and a teacher (she spoke BOTH of our languages, and gave us a book on how to speak Southern!). We didn't match with a home, but the sun was out, we rendez-vous'd with our old middle/high school pals, and got a feel for the area.

The inevitable gluten free diet issue came up as his friends insisted on taking us to their favorite rib joint, D.B.A. Barbeque, but it turned out to be serendipity! We had less luck getting gluten free pizza at Mellow Mushroom, but better luck at Buckhead Pizza Co. And mes amis picked us up for lunch and I handled/dodged my celiac issue by texting her that I need a gluten free diet nowadays, and she just did a search on her phone and chose Jason's Deli, which turned out delightfully well for all.
Since then, I have been researching gluten free dining in Atlanta and have some places I'm dying to try on my next house-hunting expedition: Fresh2Order, Saba, Urban Pl8, Yeah Burger, Ecco, The Brickery, and Metro Fresh.

Celiebo's interview with Elias, the gluten sniffing dog

I stumbled upon Celiebo's website yesterday in my search for info on the gluten-sniffing dog.  Celiebo, a relatively new celiac who sells her own dining out cards, had an informative interview with the dog's owners on a videoblog.  Training, costs, and method of finding gluten were all covered.  She said she wished she could have a dog like him, and I totally agree!  My mind even pictured how cool it would be if restaurants had the dogs sniff out gluten before serving gluten free customers...imagine that!

Here's the link to the video interview:

Gluten-sniffing dog