Food For 9 Day Bus Trip

[MdkIrish]

I was diagnosed in October 2012 and am finding I'm feeling a little hopeless. I had been planning a 9 day bus trip from Mn to New York in April. Having done this in the past I know all the stops for meals are at fast foods like McDonald's. how can a person with celiac possibly.do this? We had been planning this before my diagnosis but know think I should cancel. Any suggestions that could make this still possible? Thanks!!

[kareng]

We have talked about traveling food often. Here is one

Find out what hotels you will stay at. Call and see if you can use a microwave. Mention " medical necessity". Ask if there are grocery stores nearby to restock. The bus should be able to let you keep a cooler in the luggage hold near the door for easy access. Then you can take gluten-free bread ( freeze it) cold cuts, cheese, yogurt, fruit, salad, etc. precook chicken for salad. Freeze it to last longer. You can get more salad and cold cuts at a grocery. If the hotels have microwaves you can bring gluten-free soups or noodle bowls or even frozen chili from home.

[Juliebove]

If I were you, I would pack a lot of stuff that you can eat. Like trail mix. You might have to make your own, customized to what you can eat. I managed to live for a few years eating little more than that and salad. Most fast food places will have salad that should be safe. Unless of course there is cross contamination. McDonalds would have hamburger patties and sliced apples. Both should be safe. If you stop at a Wendy's, the chili and baked potatoes should be safe.<p> %

[Juliebove]

Oh dear. I had posted more than that. But it's not showing. I said that if it were me, I wouldn't take that trip. Because I wouldn't want to take the chance of getting sick on a bus.

[MdkIrish]

Thank you for your help. I've lived on gluten-free bread and gluten-free yogurt for a period of time to feel better, I think I can do it again. It's a trip with my mom and the memories are so worth it.

[alesusy]

Thank you for your help. I've lived on gluten-free bread and gluten-free yogurt for a period of time to feel better, I think I can do it again. It's a trip with my mom and the memories are so worth it.

I've been thinking on the same lines. I have decided that celiac disease is not going to change my life: if necessary I will fast rather than stop travelling. Rice and grilled meat or fish are normally safe, and if you can have boiled potatoes or roast potatoes provided that they have not been floured... Of course cross contamination is always a risk. However for a long trip with stops mostly at fast foods I would pack frozen gluten-free bread and rely on salads and grilled meat when you can find it. Also crackers. Can you have cheese? If yes, that is going to be a HUGE help. Moreover, a word to the wise: I am lactose intolerant but Parmesan cheese if more than 30 months old has no lactose. It's easy to find it in Italy, I guess it's going to be more difficult in the US, but if you can find it is a very good snack, especially with carrots or celery or apples or grapes.

Bottom line though, I do not think we should be stopped by celiac disease. I have been gluten-free since the beginning of December and have been two days in Naples (almost fasting), one week in the mountains (in a celiac disease friendly hotel) and two days in Amsterdam (tea and boiled egg for breakfast, boiled rice and plain meat at Thai and Tibetan restaurants, no soy sauce). I got glutened, as far as I can tell, only back in Rome at a friend's house...

[Chaff]

I've been looking into thermal cooking, especially for breakfast, since I'm so picky about what I eat first thing in the morning. If you can eat instant oatmeal or if you like instant grits, you're probably fine for breakfast. But you can always carry along any grain you like (like quinoa, rice, or oatmeal) and put it overnight in a thermos with boiling water to get a cooked breakfast in the morning. You can also cook grains or pasta like this during the day to make for a salad for lunch or dinner. With some travel-friendly cheese and salami, you can have something in reserve in case you can't get to the grocery store. There are soup recipes, too.

If you can eat (and like) beans, you can also cook beans and rice this way (it takes about 8 hours, and you need to leave room to let them expand in the thermos).

There's more information on it here and many other places online: Open Original Shared Link