As someone
who teaches gluten-free, dairy-free and allergen-free baking classes, I am
familiar with those people who think that it is too difficult to travel with
celiac disease or food allergies. I travel each and every month with my three
children with relative ease. Notice I used the word relative. Everything in
this arena is relative. My 8-year old daughter has severe and life-threatening
food allergies (eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, milk) and she has had pretty bad
reactions to preservatives and additives in foods, so we avoid them to minimize
her looking like she was punched in the face. My 10-year old son has celiac
disease, which requires a diet free of gluten. He also happens to be lactose
intolerant like many people with celiac disease. Oh yes, and let us not forget
that I am highly allergic to all tree nuts and coconut. Is this sounding a bit like a picnic or
a day at the beach now? Let me share some of my best tips for making traveling
a breeze.
Be Prepared. Anyone with a health
condition would be well advised to be prepared. This means have food to feed
yourself or your child. Take snacks, sandwiches, or even a hot meal in a
thermos. Use good health practices by keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold.
Due to my daughter’s severe food allergies and the scope of them, we take
pre-packaged, commercially made foods into a restaurant for her. Most chain
restaurants are more than happy to warm up her Kettle Cuisine Chicken Noodle
Soup, or her Ian’s Mac and No Cheese - two gluten-free and allergen-free products pictured below. I have no relationship with either company just for the record.
Ian's Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Egg-free, Nut free Mac & No Cheese
Kettle Cuisine's Gluten-Free Chicken Noodle Soup (also dairy-free, hormone-free, etc.)
Be Nice. Not every restaurant is ready
to go gluten-free or be allergy friendly. There is no need to scowl or be
grumpy. Just take your party to a more suitable restaurant. It is not the
obligation of a restaurant to serve special needs guests. Besides, you’ll win
more favors and influence more people with a generous smile.
Know where the closest Wegmans or good
health food store is located. When we travel to a new area, we will take a
grocery bag of staple items “just in case”. Over the years, we’ve learned where
the good stores are in the various cities we visit regularly.
Don’t assume the wait staff or even chef
“gets it”. I’ve
had my own food allergies long enough to know that the wait staff and chef may
say that they understand, but they may not. If you are dining out with IgE
mediated – read life threatening food allergies- you should be carrying a few
doses of a fast-acting allergy medication and an Epi-Pen®. I’m not trying to be
scary or discourage you from eating out. You just should not be eating out with
a false sense of security. I’ve known many a celiac who reported being sick
after eating an allegedly gluten free meal at a restaurant. Better safe than
sorry.
If we can do
it, you can do it. Let me know your thoughts on traveling with celiac, food
allergies and the GFCF diet. I’d love to hear what you do or your questions or
problems. Having major food issues does not inhibit our family life and travel so please don't let it limit yours!
Love,
Lisa
As someone who teaches gluten-free, dairy-free and allergen-free baking classes, I am familiar with those people who think that it is too difficult to travel with celiac disease or food allergies. I travel each and every month with my three children with relative ease. Notice I used the word relative. Everything in this arena is relative. My 8-year old daughter has severe and life-threatening food allergies (eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, milk) and she has had pretty bad reactions to preservatives and additives in foods, so we avoid them to minimize her looking like she was punched in the face. My 10-year old son has celiac disease, which requires a diet free of gluten. He also happens to be lactose intolerant like many people with celiac disease. Oh yes, and let us not forget that I am highly allergic to all tree nuts and coconut. Is this sounding a bit like a picnic or a day at the beach now? Let me share some of my best tips for making traveling a breeze.
Be Prepared. Anyone with a health condition would be well advised to be prepared. This means have food to feed yourself or your child. Take snacks, sandwiches, or even a hot meal in a thermos. Use good health practices by keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Due to my daughter’s severe food allergies and the scope of them, we take pre-packaged, commercially made foods into a restaurant for her. Most chain restaurants are more than happy to warm up her Kettle Cuisine Chicken Noodle Soup, or her Ian’s Mac and No Cheese - two gluten-free and allergen-free products pictured below. I have no relationship with either company just for the record.
Ian's Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Egg-free, Nut free Mac & No Cheese
Kettle Cuisine's Gluten-Free Chicken Noodle Soup (also dairy-free, hormone-free, etc.)
Be Nice. Not every restaurant is ready to go gluten-free or be allergy friendly. There is no need to scowl or be grumpy. Just take your party to a more suitable restaurant. It is not the obligation of a restaurant to serve special needs guests. Besides, you’ll win more favors and influence more people with a generous smile.
Know where the closest Wegmans or good health food store is located. When we travel to a new area, we will take a grocery bag of staple items “just in case”. Over the years, we’ve learned where the good stores are in the various cities we visit regularly.
Don’t assume the wait staff or even chef “gets it”. I’ve had my own food allergies long enough to know that the wait staff and chef may say that they understand, but they may not. If you are dining out with IgE mediated – read life threatening food allergies- you should be carrying a few doses of a fast-acting allergy medication and an Epi-Pen®. I’m not trying to be scary or discourage you from eating out. You just should not be eating out with a false sense of security. I’ve known many a celiac who reported being sick after eating an allegedly gluten free meal at a restaurant. Better safe than sorry.
If we can do it, you can do it. Let me know your thoughts on traveling with celiac, food allergies and the GFCF diet. I’d love to hear what you do or your questions or problems. Having major food issues does not inhibit our family life and travel so please don't let it limit yours!
Love,
Lisa