Traveling While Gluten Free

Hitting the road while trying to stay gluten free is a chore. Most places don’t have strict ingredient labels, so you don’t always know what exactly you’re putting in your stomach. Here are some tips to help keep you out of the hospital or on your diet while traveling.

Pack Snacks

The safest route you can take is to pack your own food. Exciting? No, not really. But if you’re celiac, you know you can’t risk ingesting wheat due to a language barrier. Put together some pre-made goods to take with you when you travel.

Learn the Language

If you’re traveling to a specific region, make attempts to learn the language, especially phrases concerning words like “gluten,” “celiac” and “wheat.” If pronunciation has never been your strong suit, make sure you have a good translation service on hand.

Research, Then Research Some More

Thanks to the rise of fad diets, people now know more about the struggle of celiacs. Information on gluten-free diets is spreading, so conduct thorough research online for restaurants that might cater to celiacs. Popular, first-world cities should be in the know and you’re likely to find safe places to eat in them.

Don’t “Try Anything Once”

Sampling the local cuisine is often a highlight of any trip but, unfortunately, celiacs don’t always have that luxury. People are going to stick food in your face everywhere you go, so don’t be afraid to say no. You might hurt a few feelings of people who don’t understand your illness, but tough. It’s not worth the pain that’ll come later if you succumb.