Traveling With 16 Year Old Every Evening, Need Help With Packing Dinner!

[Ann1231]

For the next two months, well, until April 8th to be precise, my teenaged son and I will be eating on the road. I've already made the decision that we will be packing our dinner with us. He has not been tested but is showing very strong signs of celiac. It runs rampant in my family (me, Dad, uncles, cousins, brother, etc.) and ds and I really feel son is positive but dr. said it's too much work to run tests and to put him on diet (think a new dr. is in order but that's a whole 'nother post!)

Anyway, what can I pack? He's hypoglycemic so he must have protein. He's 16 and will be dancing and singing as well as acting so he's got to have long running energy. He's not a big vegetable eater but loves fruit. I suggested getting some lunch meats (gluten-free checked of course) and cheese, raw vegetables and fruit and have a bit of a relish tray. He said that sounded slimy and turned it down. We don't have access to gluten-free products within 70 miles and didn't like them when we did try them so gluten-free breads are out. I'm at a loss. He's a typical teen and likes pizza, nachos, things like that. He's allergic to beef so I can't do anything with that.

I am very open to recipes, suggestions, any help you can give me!

Thank you!!

Ann

[missy'smom]

It looks like you were thinking more along the lines of cold foods to eat as you drive but, if you can get and don't mind eating gluten-free pasta, I have a southwestern hamburger helper style recipie that you can use ground pork in. Also mac and cheese with the kraft sauce packet and gluten free pasta with ham(hormel naturals). These meals could be put warm into individual pyrex dishes with lids. I was also thinking meatloaf and mashed pot, my recipies uses beef but would work well with pork I think and could make individual ones to save the mess of cutting it up. It has a sweet and sour ketchup sauce on it that tastes good even room temp. I send it for school lunch for my son.

The only special ingredients you'd need for these dishes would be bread crumbs and pasta.

[Ann1231]

It looks like you were thinking more along the lines of cold foods to eat as you drive but, if you can get and don't mind eating gluten-free pasta, I have a southwestern hamburger helper style recipie that you can use ground pork in. Also mac and cheese with the kraft sauce packet and gluten free pasta with ham(hormel naturals). These meals could be put warm into individual pyrex dishes with lids. I was also thinking meatloaf and mashed pot, my recipies uses beef but would work well with pork I think and could make individual ones to save the mess of cutting it up. It has a sweet and sour ketchup sauce on it that tastes good even room temp. I send it for school lunch for my son.

The only special ingredients you'd need for these dishes would be bread crumbs and pasta.

I'd love to have your recipes, thank you! I was thinking cold foods but hot foods would be better since it is so cold out right now and warm foods do seem more filling. I just couldn't think of any that wouldn't be messy (like soups and such). I don't know if I have my email available on my profile, if not, I will add that right now if you wouldn't mind sending me the recipes. I"m sure son would greatly appreciate it too! He doesn't like my ideas If you'd prefer to post them here, that's great too, I'm sure I'm not the only one who could use some good recipes. DS likes pork, ground turkey, chicken, etc. so let me know which would be best for the meals.

Thank you!!

Ann

[kbabe1968]

Wendy's has a gluten free list on their website.

We've been a few times and I have NOT been glutened by them as long as I read the lists before I eat there.

ALSO....ANY sandwhich they make they will gladly NOT serve it on the bun, it's even an option.

YEsterday I got the Ultimate Grill w/out the sauce (the put it in like a salad container), and a side salad with honey mustard dressing. It was really good.

When we were there yesterday a Regional Manager was doing a review of that one we were in, we got to talk to him for a long time. He said that if you tell the people you have Celiac and that they need to be careful, they will be.

So far, I have not been CC'd or anything. It feels good knowing we can go on a road trip and I'd be okay.

[ArtGirl]

When on a weekend trip one time I brought with me a very small electric grill. It grills meat (it has a small container that catches the grease that drains off the meat). It could also cook thin-sliced potatoes, and possibly eggs if you prop it up so it's flat (would experiment at home on this one).

You could warm up other foods in it that are already cooked such as hotdogs (gluten-free, of course). I'm also thinking of gluten-free frozen waffles.

The one I have is very small - cooks only two med-sized burgers. It's lightweight, and easy to clean. Made by Proctor Silex and cost around $10.

This kind of thing might give you options in your hotel room.

I've also read of others traveling with a rice-steamer - which they cook other things in as well.

[Gentleheart]

I bought a small one-quart crock pot and a self contained plug-in teapot which produces boiling water for traveling. Both were cheap and are fairly safe to use in a motel room. I also bring a large softsided cooler, gallon ziplocs and the motel ice is free. You have to plan ahead, but it works.

Oh..I also sometimes bring my lightweight toaster and I also have a mini blender which works great for smoothies. All of it cleans up easily.

[wacky~jackie]

Ann1231,

I can totally relate! My dd is 15 and my ds is 13. All three of us are now gluten-free. We are "on the road" constantly - meaning right after work we drive to sporting and music practices and events. We aren't staying over night but are on the road during dinner time. It can be difficult and time-consuming planning food. Here are some of my ideas & I would definitely welcome other ideas.

- make tuna salad or chicken salad and scoop it with tortilla chips or freetos

- gluten-free pizza packaged in individual servings and reheated

- Yoplait yogurt and fruit cups

- string cheese and lunch meat

- fresh fruits and veggies

- carnation instant breakfast drink (not premixed kind and not malt flavored)

- homemade gluten-free muffins or cupcakes

The best recipes I have found come from www.eatingglutenfree.com . It has taken quite a bit of practice and frustration. It also seems like I live in my kitchen but it's worth it.

[missy'smom]

Another idea is to make chicken breast strips with seasoned gluten-free flour, egg and bread crumbs. Maybe you could find a gluten-free mainstream brand of tortilla chips and crush them because using gluten-free bread crumbs for breading is expensive IMHO. Before I was gluten-free I used to make and freeze them in quantity raw on waxed paper on a cookie sheet and then transfer to storage bags. When it was time to cook I put them directly from freezer into deep fryer.

[amybeth]

Tuna salad on rice cakes or corn thins

Chicken salad on tostitos

Chicken tenders -- I buy "Taste of Thai" Spicy Thai Peanut Bake. The flavors are great and they'd probably be good cold, too. Just coat the chicken in the mix, bake for 25 min. and done! Tasty and a little different than plain old chicken.

On allrecipes.com there is a lemon butter chicken recipe - with worcestershire, lemon juice, butter, garlic, lemon pepper and a few other ingredients - VERY lemony, filling and good. The leftover lemon sauce is Awesome over rice the next day, too!

I like instant rice with pine nuts and onion mixed in - for something quick and easy.

salads are always easy to pack up and travel with - if he likes fruit - do some mandarin oranges with lettuce and nuts

apple slices with cheddar cheese slices is filling, too.

Good luck!

[lonewolf]

You've gotten some good ideas. The only other one I can think of is to cook chicken tenderloins in taco seasoning, wrap in a lettuce leaf and then wrap in a corn tortilla. Secure with a toothpick. You could put on some cheese and sour cream too (we don't do dairy). I make these and wrap them in foil for when we need to eat on the go.

[tarnalberry]

Soup in a thermos! Or chili.

Chicken salad (with avocado), veggies with hummus, chips and salsa, apples and peanut butter, hard boiled eggs, and tuna wraps are all good cold too.

[Ann1231]

wow, thank you for all the great responses! We aren't staying overnight, we drive 160 miles every day. I did go and buy a couple of fairly large thermos' for us. I like the idea of a hot meal when the temperature outside is in the teens!

I also broke down and bought some gluten free pastas and breads to make casseroles and sandwiches. I made a chicken pasta soup using Orgran rice and corn pasta. I was shocked when son asked me to make it more often and said that was the best soup he's had! I figured I could make some soups with it and take those along.

I am going to make some of the ideas you've given me. I know he would eat the chicken taco wrap and chicken salad on tostitos. I hadn't thought about taking hard boiled eggs either, that's a great idea and we both like those too.

Thank you so much! This makes the next two or three months not seem as overwhelming!

Ann

[ryebaby0]

We travel with a little grill, too.....

...corn tortillas, with Contadina pizza quick, mozzarella and (if he likes it) hormel pepperoni. Pizza quesadillas !

... Genisoy bars (peanut yogurt flavor is gluten-free)

.... Glutino pizza "bread" sticks with sauce for dipping

.... Polly-O string cheese

...hot dogs in a thermos stay hot!

Dinty Moore beef stew. Diamond NutThins with peanut butter. Or cheese.

[laurac]

I just wanted to add that there is a recipe for potato chip chicken. I can't put my fingers on my recipe but if you do a search for potato chip chicken it will come up. My whole family loves it and only one son and husband have celiac. My son loves to take deli meats and cheese roll ups to school. This might be an option for a snack on the road. Also, if you need to stop for fast food on the road and he likes salads, McDonalds uses Newman's Own dressings which are gluten free.

Best of Luck!!!