Long Road Trips With Celiac

[kaiess]

We are preparing ourselves in case my son gets diagnosed. HOW on earth will we travel with a super picky eater who has Celiac disease? When we travel, b/c we live in a remote city, it is often 3 days of driving there and 3 days back. We usually stop at fast food places, Subway, etc. Sometimes we try taking sandwiches, fruit, etc if we have room for a cooler.

How do you all do it? How do I tell my child (he's 9 and his sister is 5) he can't EVER eat at these sorts of places ever again? What do you do when you stay in a hotel somewhere for several days?

kathy

[happygirl]

With a cooler, bringing food with you, and stopping at grocery stores.

Hopefully others will have more ideas.

[MaryJones2]

Celiac certainly requires more planning. When we travel I research gluten-free restaurants in the areas where we might stop over and plan our route based on that (sad but it works). A few fast food places have gluten-free options like Chick-Fil-A, etc. If you like to stop for lunch you could research and plan options ahead of time so you know which exit to stop. Outback is great for lunch. I also travel with a cooler and hot plate when we're going cross country because there are some places where it's hard enough to find a hotel much less a restaurant so it's nice to have a hot meal after driving all day. A can of beans, salsa, corn tortillas, and vegetables make an awesome hotel meal. It's kind of like camping.

[missy'smom]

He can eat out and at some of these places but he will have to learn to find new things that he likes or new ways of eating old favorites. Wendy's also has many gluten-free options. For burgers you can bring your own buns and order without the bun and assemble yourself or order the low-carb way, without a bun and with a large lettuce leaf to wrap it in instead of the bun. Some on low carb diets do the same with sandwiches. My 10 year old prefers no bun and no substitute, just with the cheese and bacon etc, on the patty and eats it with a fork. Go online and print out the gluten-free menues or lists of options from the restaurant websites and put them in a folder with clear pocket pages and carry it with you. Every so often I check for updated pages and print and replace older pages.

[kaiess]

Our problem is, we live in a remote area in northern BC, Canada where the nearest Wendy's for us is 8 hours away. That is how far it is to the nearest city of population more than 12,000 people in fact. I like the hot plate idea, thank you b/c I would never trust any restaurant around here to make something gluten-free, I highly doubt they would even know what that meant.

P.S. I used to work in a Wendy's when I was younger and I know for a fact that the spatula used for flipping meat touches a bun each and every time the meat is place on a bun so I'd be terrified of cross-contamination.

[violet2004]

Everyone is right that people who are gluten-free sure have to plan ahead!

Gone are the days of eating on the road, but I bet pretty soon you won't miss them anymore. I don't!

The first road trip is the hardest, and there is almost a period of mourning over not being able to eat whatever you find along the way.

But, being gluten-free sure doesn't mean you have to feel deprived!

I travel a fair amount for business and pleasure, and have to dine out a lot. My biggest accomplishment was 2 weeks in Europe last year without getting glutened. (In Paris, I lived on omlets, steak, fries, and fruit. What a city - you can get an omlet anywhere almost 24 hrs a day. In Germany, it helped that you could get breakfast until late in the afternoon most days - lots of fruit and eggs. For dinner, eat meat & potatoes - literally.)

You can't really bring a cooler to Europe, but in the U.S., I always travel with one. Driving is much easier than flying. When flying, I can't even bring a can of Ensure on with me because of airport security.

Show your kids the movie "super-size me" and then tell them to be thankful they'll never have to eat McDonalds again! (Maybe when they're older...)

In an "emergency" you can travel living on gatorade, potato chips, candy (m&ms, reeses cups (best b/c most protein), snickers, hershey bars). Same for McDonalds fries - they are usually safe.

This is not optimal because it's awful for you and zaps your energy.

Because you have kids, stock up on or bake some gluten-free cookies and treats. The Mi-Del ginger snaps are really good, and so are the kinni-k-toos (gluten-free Oreos..). Enjoy Life snickerdoodles and Glutino chocolate-vanilla crisps are good, too. If you are in a small town not near a store that carries these, shop on-line.

If you haven't explored gluten-free baking, get the book "Gluten-Free Baking Classics" and order your ingredients from the places she recommends. Lots of yummy things to make that kids will like. The chocolate chip cookies are great, and most people say the sugar cookies are better than ones with wheat. (Get a silicon baking mat and use on a stainless baking sheet - gluten-free cookies don't do as well on non-stick or air-bake type pans.) The Pamelas cake & brownie mixes are also very good.

You can make some gluten-free bread (mix or from scratch) and pack sandwiches for the road. Hard-boiled eggs are good, too. I often make my own "trail mix" with nuts, raisins, choc. chips, fruit, etc. This really fills you up and is good for you, too. Get apples and peanut butter or caramel dipping sauce for the kids to dip into.

Most plain potato chips are ok, and so are most corn chips and Fritos. You can make pasta salads with rice pasta. Most potato salad is ok, too. You'll just have to do more cooking before you leave town. Most breads and baked goods can be made and frozen ahead of time, so you can do this on the weekends leading up to your trip.

Really, for anything you can think of, there is a way to make it gluten-free. Yes, Mickey-D's and Wendy's are probably not a good idea anymore, and your kids will probably not like this. Maybe get some small treats or games for them for the car to make up for the lack of Happy Meal toys?

When you are staying at a hotel and have to eat at restaurants, most places will accomodate you. Stick with eggs, bacon, fruit for breakfasts. Grilled meats and veggies for lunches. Meat, potatoes, rice, veggies for dinner.

You can do it!!!!!!!!!

[missy'smom]

P.S. I used to work in a Wendy's when I was younger and I know for a fact that the spatula used for flipping meat touches a bun each and every time the meat is place on a bun so I'd be terrified of cross-contamination.

Thanks for the heads up!

[chasbari]

Everyone is right that people who are gluten-free sure have to plan ahead!

Gone are the days of eating on the road, but I bet pretty soon you won't miss them anymore. I don't!

The first road trip is the hardest, and there is almost a period of mourning over not being able to eat whatever you find along the way.

Uh, yeah, that's an understatement having just finished my first road trip since being diagnosed. Flew down to Florida to bring a car back home and nothing worked out as planned. I stopped at a place at the airport to ask if they grilled their bread on the same area as the meat as I was starved and hoping to get something besides the fruit I already had with me. The guy looked me over once and said "buddy, change your religion." I did a double take, looked at him and as calmly as possible said, "no, it's a matter of changing a disease." He just kind of muttered after that. Funny, I have always called myself a Presewlumecathobaptpalian musical mercenary because I have spent much of my career singing in about every house of worship imaginable and I normally let ignorant comments like that slide but this time it really bothered me. Through the course of the trip and a car breakdown and trying to move around Daytona Beach during Bike Week I nearly gave up. I wasn't going to eat gluten or anything but there I was in the Winn Dixie after having forgotten my shopping list I had made up the week in advance and I couldn't think clearly enough to remember what I was going to get. I just grabbed a few things, stood there and read every Tuna label to find something without soy...no luck. I realize just how much I rely on my wife to support the whole endeavor. That's where you come in. When you have a support team the road, although a difficult place, becomes more doable. I wouldn't focus on what he can't have so much as prepare in advance and even have a day where you try out a dry run of what it would be like to eat on the road so he can let you know, either directly or indirectly, what works and what doesn't.

Good luck!

[Welda Johnson]

Hi,

I hope that you all have a great time on your roadtrip. I'm thinking that your children being so young is a distinct advantage, as well as the fact that you all live so far away from the popular "fast food" restaurants, so that perhaps your kids haven't gotten as enmeshed in that way of eating as some families have.

I'm not sure what is allowed on your diet, but I've lived with eating only meats, fruits and vegetables for years, and though I prefer to eat at home, I also have learned what to eat when out. I always have a container in my car filled with foods that I'm allowed, so that is a thought.

Markets can provide corn chips, potato chips, beef jerky, dried fruit snacks, corn tortillas, nuts, luncheon meats, soy yogurts, etc., while restaurants that serve refried beans, tacos, tamales, chicken, hamburger patties, etc. would also work, along with french fries, salads, and the insides of sandwiches from Subways, Carl's Jr., Burger King, etc.

I want to offer encouragement to you, because now, at 64 years of age, I've dealt with Celiac symptoms since age 8, and finally feel well because I stick stringently to the diet. I am confident that your children will rise to the occasion, once you show them that you can have a fun trip regardless of what foods you're all enjoying. Best wishes. Welda

[maile]

Our problem is, we live in a remote area in northern BC, Canada where the nearest Wendy's for us is 8 hours away. That is how far it is to the nearest city of population more than 12,000 people in fact. I like the hot plate idea, thank you b/c I would never trust any restaurant around here to make something gluten-free, I highly doubt they would even know what that meant.

P.S. I used to work in a Wendy's when I was younger and I know for a fact that the spatula used for flipping meat touches a bun each and every time the meat is place on a bun so I'd be terrified of cross-contamination.

kaiess, are you coming down as far as Kamloops? (don't mean to pry but 8 hours from northern BC could mean either the central interior or Edmonton!!) There's a Nando's in Kamloops and they have quite a few gluten-free menu items, just don't get anything with the Peri Peri powder on it (esp the fries, the regular fries are fine, I've had no problems with those)

If it's Edmonton I believe there is an Outback in Edmonton, people have said they have had good results there.

Avoid Timmies as they have nothing gluten-free (except maybe the coffee)

McDonalds fries apparently have gluten in the actual recipe (it was posted somewhere on this site)

[psawyer]

McDonalds fries apparently have gluten in the actual recipe (it was posted somewhere on this site)

In the United States, this is up for endless discussion, but in Canada the fries are, and always have been, totally gluten-free.

[SGWhiskers]

On my first long road trip after diagnosis, I planned one stop at Wendy's. When we stopped, the place was packed and I decided it was unsafe to eat there that night. I relied on my packed goodies and gas stations to feed me. Milk, and 100% uice at the gas station will be gluten-free. They usually sell nuts and sunflower seeds. Check if Planters are safe. Starburst are a good safe treat'. Plain hershey's bars and Snickers are safe too. (Many of their basic bars are gluten-free).

Just plan to picnic for most meals or eat in the car. We packed trail mix, tons of fruit, water and soda. Yogurt is an option as are lunch meat rolls. I suggest parking the car, letting the kids run around outside with your spouse while you go in for food. That way there won't be fights about what food he can/can't eat. Also, at least for the trip, keep everyone gluten-free. Trips are hard enough on a squirmy 9 year old that watching sis eating oreo's probably won't go over well.

Good luck

[pookie91260]

I would be leary of fast food places. too much risk of cross contamination. maybe he is picky becuase of the ailment and once you

figure out what he enjoys you can stick with that. fresh fruit and vegetables are good. as is salad. i eat a lot of jello for snacks.