Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Staying In Hotels

GFreeMO

Recommended Posts

GFreeMO Proficient
GFreeMO
Posted

How is it possible to travel and stay in a hotel and avoid CC and eating out. I have several sensitivities along with a casein and corn allergy so eating out is not at all possible. I also have to eat from scratch. I pretty much only eat meat, veg and fruit.

How can this be done if at all?

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

You plan ahead. then you plan some more.

If you are driving, you bring lots of stuff. If flying, you research where the groceries are and bring some stuff. You get a hotel with at least a fridge. Microwave is better, kitchen even better.

Are you driving? Or flying? Or just wondering what can be done? I don't have as many intolerances as you but I have lots of ways to never eat out. I will post some tomorrow as I have a lot of tips and gots stuff to do right now.

GFreeMO Proficient
GFreeMO
Posted
  • Author

You plan ahead. then you plan some more.

If you are driving, you bring lots of stuff. If flying, you research where the groceries are and bring some stuff. You get a hotel with at least a fridge. Microwave is better, kitchen even better.

Are you driving? Or flying? Or just wondering what can be done? I don't have as many intolerances as you but I have lots of ways to never eat out. I will post some tomorrow as I have a lot of tips and gots stuff to do right now.

We are driving. The ride out will be ok. Salads and hard boiled eggs and fruit are my staples for the drive. It's the hotel part that has me concerned. There is a mini fridge and a microwave. I was thinking of bringing an electric skillet. I wonder if they would find out.

I am looking forward to your tips.

We have another trip in late Aug for 2 weeks but we rented a condo so that wont be hard at all.

krystynycole Contributor
krystynycole
Posted

Some hotels will provide a small kitchen, but you will have to pay for the upgrade. Also, you can buy a single electric burner that plugs into an outlet which would make your options endless. You can always just stick to sandwich, wraps, and soups type foods.

~**caselynn**~ Enthusiast
~**caselynn**~
Posted

We are driving. The ride out will be ok. Salads and hard boiled eggs and fruit are my staples for the drive. It's the hotel part that has me concerned. There is a mini fridge and a microwave. I was thinking of bringing an electric skillet. I wonder if they would find out.

I am looking forward to your tips.

We have another trip in late Aug for 2 weeks but we rented a condo so that wont be hard at all.

What if you were to cook all the meals you want before

You go and take a cooler with lots of ice? You'll have a fridge and microwave when you get there so you could heat your food up as you needed it?

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Mo,

I'm tired now and kid is using the PC. If I don't post by tomorrow, PM me and remind me. I want to find a few links for you, too.

Jestgar Rising Star
Jestgar
Posted

I have friends that have always traveled with an electric skillet, just to save money. I'd go for it. Bring some plastic baggies and maybe some plastic storage thingies in case of leftovers.

Even before gluten-free I rarely ate out when traveling, to save money.

Bring travel bars so you always have something, even when there's nothing. Dates and walnuts whirred together in a food processor, then formed into balls are pretty tasty, and last a while. Refrigerate when you can.

Bring a very detailed list of any brands/flavors you can eat of packaged stuff, so you'll never worry about your choices.

Be prepared to eat something unusual. I had an entire jar of pickled cauliflower and beets in Budapest, because that was the only thing I could find for dinner near the train station.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Mo - I know a few of these you can't do, like the Go Picnic things but I put them on for others who may wonder about travelling. You could make your own versions of them.

Not all these may work for everyone but here are a few things that work for me when traveling by car.

Prepare as much as possible before you go. Shred cheese, cut up meat & veggies for salad, etc. Cook stuff ahead, if possible. Then re-heat in the microwave.

Freeze everything you can. It will keep stuff in the cooler cold longer.

Baggies and foil are important. Bring a paring knife, dishwashing soap and sponge, dish towel, paper plates, plastic silverware, etc. Bring any foods you might not be able to get like gluten-free bread in a small town in Kansas.

A small insulated lunch bag and ice pack to take food to eat outside of hotel.

Go picnic lunches are easy to take with no refrigeration. I have found them at HyVee and Target. Check that they are the gluten-free ones.

Open Original Shared Link

Research ahead of time where the closest grocery stores or WF are to the hotel.

Always get a fridge in your room. If that is not standard in the room, call and tell them you have a medical reason to have one. Then be careful. I got one that froze my eggs and lettuce.

Hopefully these links will work. These are some things that make cooking easier.

Plug in stovetop Burner:

Open Original Shared Link

Electric skillets. Wouldn

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

Karen and the rest of the gang gave you great info.

I have a traveling kitchen myself, based on those suggestions.

One thing we used on my first gluten-free trip away from home was

a cooler in the car that plugs into the cigarette lighter.

Worked GREAT!! Handles cartons of coconut milk, juice, sammies, deli meat, fruits, etc...roomy, too. Fits in the space between the front and back seat.

I suggest all the food be COLD already when you pack it.

But this wonderful KOOLATRON cooler helped us travel for 3 days in the car. (we bought it from amazon, but here is what it looks like:

Open Original Shared Link

Just a thought!

GFreeMO Proficient
GFreeMO
Posted
  • Author

Thanks for all of those great tips! I am planning on bringing an electric skillet. The backpacker pans are a great idea! Lighter weight and packable. Freezing things isn't something I thought about either. Great ideas. Thanks for posting. :)

GFreeMO Proficient
GFreeMO
Posted
  • Author

Karen and the rest of the gang gave you great info.

I have a traveling kitchen myself, based on those suggestions.

One thing we used on my first gluten-free trip away from home was

a cooler in the car that plugs into the cigarette lighter.

Worked GREAT!! Handles cartons of coconut milk, juice, sammies, deli meat, fruits, etc...roomy, too. Fits in the space between the front and back seat.

I suggest all the food be COLD already when you pack it.

But this wonderful KOOLATRON cooler helped us travel for 3 days in the car. (we bought it from amazon, but here is what it looks like:

Open Original Shared Link

Just a thought!

That is an awesome cooler! I didn't know things like that existed. Thanks

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

That is an awesome cooler! I didn't know things like that existed. Thanks

me neither--my hubs found it...pretty neat, huh??

Good investment if you travel by car a lot. :)

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

I saw a plug-in cooler at Walmart last year. In this heat, it might be a good idea. This could be a thread we can refer people to in the future.

(I don't want to repeat myself at Thanskgiving and next summer. :blink: )

I'm going to add:

A small insulated lunch bag and ice pack to take food to eat outside of hotel.

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Thanks for all of those great tips! I am planning on bringing an electric skillet. The backpacker pans are a great idea! Lighter weight and packable. Freezing things isn't something I thought about either. Great ideas. Thanks for posting. :)

I have frozen chili and taco meat. I put them on the bottom of the cooler and they were still frozen when we got there. You can keep them frozen for a couple of more days before using.

I got those exact pans at Cabellas.

bartfull Rising Star
bartfull
Posted

Do you have a George Foreman grill? I'm thinking that might be better than the electric skillet. Easier clean up and no spatters. Just to make sure you don't get in trouble with the folks at the motel, you can bag it and leave it in your car when not in use.

GFreeMO Proficient
GFreeMO
Posted
  • Author

Do you have a George Foreman grill? I'm thinking that might be better than the electric skillet. Easier clean up and no spatters. Just to make sure you don't get in trouble with the folks at the motel, you can bag it and leave it in your car when not in use.

I do have one! A nice newish one at that! Thanks for the reminder.

  • 3 months later...
Elvis2012 Newbie
Elvis2012
Posted

Hello. I'm brand new to this forum, and been (attempting to be) gluten-free for 15 days now (since the doctor ordered it).

Anyway, I came across this post in my browsing... wondering how I was going to deal with a four day trip that I'm taking next week. I appreciate the ideas you all have posted here and wanted to say 'Thanks!'.

It's a 9 hour drive to an out of state wedding where I'm the 'best man' (that's a title, not an opinion, ha ha). So I'll always be on someone else's schedule for two days... seems like packing my own food is going to be a necessity since I am totally unfamiliar with the town.

Anyway, thanks again. This is a valuable post for newbiew like me.

~E

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. xxnonamexx
      - xxnonamexx posted a topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      0

      FDA looking for input on Celiac Gluten sensitivity labeling PLEASE READ and submit your suggestions

      Please read: https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-takes-steps-improve-gluten-ingredient-disclosure-foods?fbclid=IwY2xjawPeXhJleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFzaDc3NWRaYzlJOFJ4R0Fic3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHrwuSsw8Be7VNGOrKKWFVbrjmf59SGht05nIALwnjQ0DoGkDDK1doRBDzeeX_aem_GZcRcbhisMTyFUp3YMUU9Q
    2. cristiana
      - cristiana replied to Atl222's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      2

      Increased intraepithelial lymphocytes after 10 yrs gluten-free

      Hi @Atl222 As @trents points out, there could be many reasons for this biopsy result. I am interested to know, is your gastroenterologist concerned? Also, are your blood tests showing steady improvement over the years? I remember when I had my last biopsy, several years after diagnosis, mine came back with with raised lymphocytes but no villous...
    3. trents
      - trents replied to Atl222's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      2

      Increased intraepithelial lymphocytes after 10 yrs gluten-free

      Welcome to the celiac.com community, @Atl222! Yes, your increased lymphocytes could be in response to oats or it could possibly be cross contamination from gluten that is getting into your diet from some unexpected source but not enough to damage the villi. And I'm certain that increased lymphocytes can be caused by other things besides celiac disease...
    4. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Aretaeus Cappadocia's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      1

      Brown Rice Vinegar (organic) from Eden Foods is likely gluten free

      This is a solid, well-reasoned approach. You’re right that “koji” by itself doesn’t indicate gluten status, and the risk really does come down to which grain is used to culture it. The fact that you directly contacted Eden Foods and received a clear statement that their koji is made from rice only, with no wheat or barley, is meaningful due diligence—especia...
    5. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to wellthatsfun's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      1

      nothing has changed

      Seven months can still be early in celiac healing, especially if you were mostly asymptomatic to begin with—symptoms like low iron, vitamin D deficiency, nail changes, and hair issues often take much longer to improve because the gut needs time to recover before absorption normalizes. A tTG-IgA of 69 is not “low” in terms of immune activity, and it can t...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,191
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Atl222
    Newest Member
    Atl222
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • xxnonamexx
      FDA looking for input on Celiac Gluten sensitivity labeling PLEASE READ and submit your suggestions

      By xxnonamexx · Posted

      Please read: https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-takes-steps-improve-gluten-ingredient-disclosure-foods?fbclid=IwY2xjawPeXhJleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFzaDc3NWRaYzlJOFJ4R0Fic3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHrwuSsw8Be7VNGOrKKWFVbrjmf59SGht05nIALwnjQ0DoGkDDK1doRBDzeeX_aem_GZcRcbhisMTyFUp3YMUU9Q
    • cristiana
      Increased intraepithelial lymphocytes after 10 yrs gluten-free

      By cristiana · Posted

      Hi @Atl222 As @trents points out, there could be many reasons for this biopsy result.  I am interested to know, is your gastroenterologist concerned?  Also, are your blood tests showing steady improvement over the years? I remember when I had my last biopsy, several years after diagnosis, mine came back with with raised lymphocytes but no villous damage, too! In my own case, my consultant wasn't remotely concerned - in fact, he said I might still get this result even if all I ever did was eat nothing but rice and water.   My coeliac blood tests were still steadily improving, albeit slowly, which was reassuring.
    • trents
      Increased intraepithelial lymphocytes after 10 yrs gluten-free

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to the celiac.com community, @Atl222! Yes, your increased lymphocytes could be in response to oats or it could possibly be cross contamination from gluten that is getting into your diet from some unexpected source but not enough to damage the villi. And I'm certain that increased lymphocytes can be caused by other things besides celiac disease or gluten/oats exposure. See attachment. But you might try eliminating oats to start with and possibly dairy for a few months and then seek another endoscopy/biopsy to see if there was a reduction in lymphocyte counts. 
    • Scott Adams
      Brown Rice Vinegar (organic) from Eden Foods is likely gluten free

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      This is a solid, well-reasoned approach. You’re right that “koji” by itself doesn’t indicate gluten status, and the risk really does come down to which grain is used to culture it. The fact that you directly contacted Eden Foods and received a clear statement that their koji is made from rice only, with no wheat or barley, is meaningful due diligence—especially since Eden has a long-standing reputation for transparency. While the lack of gluten labeling can understandably give pause, manufacturer confirmation like this is often what people rely on for traditionally fermented products. As always, trusting your body after trying it is reasonable, but based on the information you gathered, your conclusion makes sense.
    • Scott Adams
      nothing has changed

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Seven months can still be early in celiac healing, especially if you were mostly asymptomatic to begin with—symptoms like low iron, vitamin D deficiency, nail changes, and hair issues often take much longer to improve because the gut needs time to recover before absorption normalizes. A tTG-IgA of 69 is not “low” in terms of immune activity, and it can take 12–24 months (sometimes longer) for antibodies and the intestinal lining to fully heal, particularly in teens and young adults. Eating gluten again to “test” things isn’t recommended and won’t give you clear answers—it’s far more likely to cause harm than clarity. Weight not changing is also very common in celiac and doesn’t rule anything out. Please know that your frustration and sadness matter; this adjustment is hard, and feeling stuck can really affect mental health. You deserve support, and if you can, reaching out to a GI dietitian or mental health professional familiar with chronic illness could really help you through this phase. This study indicates that a majority of celiacs don't recover until 5 years after diagnosis and starting a gluten-free diet: Mucosal recovery and mortality in adults with celiac disease after treatment with a gluten-free diet However, it's also possible that what the study really shows is the difficulty in maintaining a 100% gluten-free diet. I suspect that if you looked closely at the diets of those who did not recover within 2 years might be that their diets were not 100% gluten-free. Perhaps they ate out more often, or didn't understand all of the hidden ingredients where gluten can hide. Either way, it shows how difficult recovery from celiac disease can be for most people. According to this study: This article explores other causes of flattened villi:    
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.