Gluten-free on the go

As a gluten-free traveler, I have found some ways to avoid gluten while abroad. If you too are gluten- free and love to travel, this post is for you.

Plan ahead

As part of planning a schedule also plan a few places to eat at. For example, make a list of a few gluten-free restaurants. You can print out the list and carry it with you on your trip. That way, when you are in a pinch to find a restaurant, you already have a small list on you.

A good tool to use is the find me gluten- free app. This is an app that lists gluten- free restaurants nearby.

Order a gluten-free meal on an international flight

Most air companies offer gluten-free options if you request it at least 48 hours in advance.

They can bring you food not contaminated by gluten including gluten free bread, a gluten free side, a gluten free desert, and gluten free entree.

Bring a translation card

If you are traveling to another country that speaks a different language, use google translate. Make a message such as: I am gluten-free and can not come across any food that has touched gluten. Do you offer gluten-free meals here?

You can also add additional elements to your card such as: I am Celiac. Do you have a gluten-free menu?

You can then print out the card in the language you require and carry it around with you to show to staff at restaurants. This way you can guarantee that it does not get lost in translation.

Pack accessory snacks

I define these as gluten- free snacks that fill in the place for gluten. For example, while in Germany and Switzerland, we had lots of cheese and crackers. To fill in the place for the gluten crackers, I brought my own rice crackers. This supplemented me with the experience of trying the cheeses while remaining gluten-free. You can also pack larger rice cakes to use as gluten- free bread for packed lunches on the go.

Tip: take your slices of cheese before others to avoid contamination from the others crackers.

Pack Power snacks

When on the go, packing high protein snacks is important and even more so for gluten- free people. If you find yourself at a restaurant with only a few gluten- free options, you can always fall back on your high protein snack until you find a gluten- free meal. Some of my favorite high protein snacks include granola bars. Check out Kind granola bars and RX bars. both companies have gluten-free granola bars that are packed with protein and are sure to fill you up while on the go.