Scared Of Getting Glutened While Away

[Moongirl]

So im going away from home for the first time since dx (about 7months) and im scared of getting glutened. Im not really scared of the food part cause we have talked back and forth with the hotel, but im scared if i do get glutened that i will be stuck in the hotel, and be miserable. its only a weekend thing, so it would ruin the whole weekend....any suggestions incase i do get glutened, because i really havent had a run in with gluten i think execpt the time i ate McD ff in the first month of my DX and i had belly button pains for a week! So im not really sure how i will react to gluten, how should i prepare??

[Mango04]

The best way to prevent a glutening is to always always always have safe food on hand. Carry food around with you everywhere you go (whether it's gluten-free bars in your purse, almonds, or whatever). That way you won't ever get too hungry, which can tempt you to eat food you might be unsure of. Only eat what you know is 100% safe! You also might want to carry around small packets of salad dressing - those can come in handy

[mmaccartney]

Most hotels will provide a refridgerator and microwave. If not, talk to a manager and explain your needs. I've gotten some push back from hotels, but as soon as I explain my disease and dietary requirements they have always come through.

Best to bring your own food and not risk getting sick!

I carry a "survival kit" in my car, lots of dehydrated foods, and "instant" stuff. Also several rice dishes. I plan on getting hotplate and some cookware to keep in there as well...

[gabby]

I just spent the weekend away from home, and here's what I did (we travelled by car):

I bought a portable soft cooler that is enough to fit about 6 pop cans. I put in two of those frozen cold bags and filled it with:

-baggies of veggies (celery, carrots, red peppers, etc)

-a couple cold hard-boiled eggs

-some home-baked cold chicken pieces

-a baggie of crispy bacon

I also brought along some home-popped popcorn, safe soda and a bag of safe potato chips.

Once in the hotel, I told the staff to empty out the bar fridge, and I filled it up with my stuff. I always had food on hand just in case things didn't work out at the restaurants.

Now, an important thing to remember when eating out: ask questions like: do you use a dedicated toaster? Do you prepare steak/bacon/eggs on a safe part of the grill? Is the gluten-free pizza cooked in a gluten-free part of the oven?

Hope this helps

[tarnalberry]

I second (third?, fourth?) the idea of carrying plenty of portable food with you so you aren't tempted to have something you aren't certain about. Other than that, there aren't any guarantees, but everyone's reactions are different - if you haven't been strapped to a bathroom in the past from reactions, there's no reason to expect you'll suddenly be so in the off-event you do get glutened. Don't worry yourself into feeling bad; you'll likely be just fine, and have a wonderful time! :-)