First Gluten-Free Road Trip - Any Advice?

[notme]

so, we are hitting the road - i am nervous as a cat! i am planning to take all my meals (i should probably make some cookies, too, and bring some snackie crackers) it's a 3 hour car ride each way. a group of us travel around and see our favorite band, so we will be sharing the hotel room with other people (that we know very well, thank goodness!) also, as usual, the venue is a club. i am a beer drinker and the redbridge has been kind to me should i try to bring my own beer or wine if the venue only serves 'regular' beer? do restaurants frown at people eating food they bring with them? there is a pf changs up there and husband wants to stop at sonny's bbq on the way home... any advice? anything happen to any of y'all that you didn't see beforehand and was a problem? lol i have shared bathrooms with these people before so that's no prob - hopefully they can have equal time this trip i'd be grateful for any ideas!

thanx

arlene

[StacyA]

I think there's rules against bringing in your own alcoholic beverage - although you could ask (ahead of time). Every restaurant is different regarding food. You could call ahead and say: 'My friends/husband want to spend a lot of money in your establishment on drinks/bbq but I'm on a severe diet restriction and would need to bring my own food/beer. I hope that's okay, since we're sticking together.' If they say it's okay, get the person's name. If they say it isn't, ask for the manager. The manager usually cares more about the business's bottom line. That way you could get take out from PF Chang's then sit down at the bbq place together.

I also agree with packing snacks: nuts, cheese, a Boost, candy, chips, etc. That way if you run into roadblocks at restaurants you still have food, including some yummy snacks so you don't feel deprived. I choose mainstream brands that I trust and that happen to be gluten-free - that way I don't fret over the cost if other people have some (but don't let gluteny hands in your bag of Lay's Salt and Vinegar Chips or Sour Patch Kids!)

Have fun.

[CarolinaKip]

I have been able to take meals into certain places, but a club?? Can you call the club in advance to ask? I don't know if they would like the brought in beer, they may frown upon it. They see it as a cut in their profit. However, you may run across someone who is understanding. There are few places around me that have Redbridge on tap. I have found the more "different beers" a places carries they have Redbridge. You may want to call and ask if they serve that and or wine and go from there. When I traveled I made sure to always have snacks and fruit with me wherever I went. Bottle water and soft soap to wash my hands. Paper towels and baggies were my friend on my vacation. Have fun!

[notme]

I think there's rules against bringing in your own alcoholic beverage - although you could ask (ahead of time). Every restaurant is different regarding food. You could call ahead and say: 'My friends/husband want to spend a lot of money in your establishment on drinks/bbq but I'm on a severe diet restriction and would need to bring my own food/beer. I hope that's okay, since we're sticking together.' If they say it's okay, get the person's name. If they say it isn't, ask for the manager. The manager usually cares more about the business's bottom line. That way you could get take out from PF Chang's then sit down at the bbq place together.

I also agree with packing snacks: nuts, cheese, a Boost, candy, chips, etc. That way if you run into roadblocks at restaurants you still have food, including some yummy snacks so you don't feel deprived. I choose mainstream brands that I trust and that happen to be gluten-free - that way I don't fret over the cost if other people have some (but don't let gluteny hands in your bag of Lay's Salt and Vinegar Chips or Sour Patch Kids!)

Have fun.

good call: I'm with the big spender. who doesn't want me pouting all night (lol not a huge pouter - I s'pose I could fake it) also the boost I forgot about them. I thought they were bothering me but I think it was the probiotics - need to read up more. also got some sublingual b-12 (but didn't feel that bad!) today was a goood day ))

[notme]

I have been able to take meals into certain places, but a club?? Can you call the club in advance to ask? I don't know if they would like the brought in beer, they may frown upon it. They see it as a cut in their profit. However, you may run across someone who is understanding. There are few places around me that have Redbridge on tap. I have found the more "different beers" a places carries they have Redbridge. You may want to call and ask if they serve that and or wine and go from there. When I traveled I made sure to always have snacks and fruit with me wherever I went. Bottle water and soft soap to wash my hands. Paper towels and baggies were my friend on my vacation. Have fun!

I was leaning toward bribery lol my son had actually bought this brand of beer (he likes unusual and this is made with sorghum) and liked it. I'm going to call the venue tomorrow and see what works. worse comes to worse I drag around ziploks full of goodies and NEVER SHARE lolol *practices hand-smacking*

[luvthelake21]

Take a cooler and some lunch meat, shredded lettuce, head of lettuce and make lettuce wraps. If you have a microwave freeze things to take with you. If you access to a grill take aluminum foil and grill a steak and some veggies and some paper plates, gluten-free cereal and some bowels, crackers. Have fun

I was leaning toward bribery lol my son had actually bought this brand of beer (he likes unusual and this is made with sorghum) and liked it. I'm going to call the venue tomorrow and see what works. worse comes to worse I drag around ziploks full of goodies and NEVER SHARE lolol *practices hand-smacking*

[SGWhiskers]

If you know the club you are going to, could you try to get them to special order or pick up from the convenience mart redbridge. Maybe you could talk the bartender into picking up some for an extra tip if you call ahead and talk to him/her.

Regarding food: I've never had a problem with bringing in my own food. I try to keep it to a single container like chili, pancakes, or a loaded salad and pull it out of my oversized purse or gift bag when everyone else is served. I just tell the server "food allergies, so I brought my own." With a confident smile on my face. I don't do this when it is just hubby and I, but rather when it is 3+ people, so the server still makes money. If I used her services at all, I tip well. It's just cruel to run a waitress back and forth for 99 cent iced tea refills and not tip like you had ordered the meal that would have taken one trip to the table. If I can manage it though, I aim for the off hours chef staffed or GIG certified restaraunts so I can finally eat a tasty meal I didn't have to prepare. (Then I order a large portion for tomorrow too).

I do keep my purse stuffed for spontaneous McD's breaks so I don't drool over the crappy hamburger my travel partners are eating.