Staying In Hotels

[GFreeMO]

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?

[kareng]

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]

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]

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**~]

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]

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]

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.

[kareng]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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. )

I'm going to add:

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

[kareng]

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]

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]

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.

[Elvis2012]

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