5 Top Tips for Safe Gluten-Free Travel
Written by Kylie Bressoud
Traveling can be an overwhelming experience for a person with Celiac disease. Planning a successful trip requires a lot of preparation in advance but is not impossible. With proper research and a bag of snacks, you can enjoy a safe journey without your food restriction getting in your way. Here are a few tips to get you started!
Use ‘Find Me Gluten Free’
Find Me Gluten Free is a fantastic resource for those with Celiac disease and gluten intolerance. Not only is it an online platform, but they also have an app! Find Me Gluten Free is a restaurant search engine that helps you find safe places to eat near you. Using your location, you can find restaurants categorized by “Dedicated Gluten-Free Facility”, “Gluten-Free Menu” and “Most Celiac Friendly”. Start your search with ‘dedicated facilities’, and then move on to ‘most celiac friendly’ if there aren’t dedicated options available. This is an invaluable trustworthy resource.
Plan + Pack Your Food
Having a few staples on hand when traveling is a must. Find ways to incorporate nutritious snacks on your car ride—throw some non-perishable foods into your bag before a flight. Packing food gives you the freedom and flexibility to not worry about where your next meal will come from.
Find more information here: www.verywellfit.com/seven-tips-for-gluten-free-road-trips-563135
Grocery Stores Dining
When traveling, the last place you want to go is the grocery store. However, in cities where gluten free dining isn’t an option, the grocery store will always have what you need to make a meal on the go.
Book the Airbnb
Renting a vacation home is almost always better than a hotel room. Most hotel rooms do not have the most ideal kitchenette, which makes cooking a healthy meal even harder. Renting an Airbnb with a full kitchen will give you the freedom to enjoy a home-cooked meal while away from home.
Map It Out
One of the best ways to plan a vacation is to incorporate meals into the itinerary. Doing the research ahead of time relieves the stress of not knowing where it is safe to eat. Although Find Me Gluten Free does have its own map, consider making your own map by marking safe locations along the way on Google Maps.
Here is a rundown of the process: find restaurants on Find Me Gluten Free, save those locations on a Google Maps list, add locations of activities/accommodations, etc. When traveling, pull up your saved map to easily find a quick bite to eat, as it will show you the closest restaurants and how to navigate to them.
Although this is a bit of upfront work, I could help you vacation stress-free.
Safe travels!
