Have you been to the Grand Canyon? Have you seen the Eiffel Tower? Do you dream of relaxing on the beach with a cool cocktail in your hand?<\/p>\n
Will you be able to travel and see all you want to see and<\/em> be gluten-free?<\/p>\n Actually, your dreams of travel can still come true. It just takes some planning and the willingness to be an explorer.<\/p>\n A vacation is supposed to be relaxing, so you don\u2019t want to spend precious time stressing over what to eat and where. Making trips to the supermarket and eating on your bed while watching TV in a hotel room is NOT a vacation, nor is it relaxing. I know from experience, and you can learn from my mistakes.<\/p>\n Yes, you will<\/em> be able to travel and eat gluten-free. But you\u2019ll need to follow a plan to make the most of your time away from home.<\/p>\n Now that you\u2019re eating gluten-free, going on a vacation requires researching what you have or don\u2019t have available at your destination.<\/p>\n These are the most important things to look for while doing your research:<\/p>\n Sometimes your research will go well and you can comfortably book your vacation. But sometimes, research reveals that your vacation might be more difficult than anticipated. Maybe you can\u2019t find an affordable place to stay that meets your requirements. Or you can\u2019t find one single restaurant that serves gluten-free food. For one reason or another, things aren\u2019t falling into place like you hoped.<\/p>\n If possible, find an alternate vacation destination (I\u2019ve experienced that a few times when planning a family trip). It\u2019s not easy \u2013 particularly if there is a specific place you want to go. However, I have a long list of places I would like to see and when one place doesn\u2019t seem like a fit, I just start researching the next place.<\/p>\n But how can you tell if a destination is good for gluten-free? I\u2019ll show you each of the steps I take when planning a trip.<\/p>\n Open an Internet browser and search for supermarkets in whatever destination you want to travel to, and be as specific as possible. Maybe you want to go to San Diego, California, so enter \u201cSan Diego supermarkets\u201d in the search bar. If you want to stay on Coronado Island, be more specific by typing in \u201cSupermarkets Coronado Island.\u201d<\/p>\n Note the location, phone number, and name of grocery stores that pop up. Call to see what gluten-free food they have. Check their website (if they have one) for any recognizable gluten-free items on their menu. A digital version of a circular in the local newspaper might show the food they carry.<\/p>\n Every supermarket has produce, meat, dairy and beverages, so you won\u2019t have to worry about food if you\u2019re not planning on eating in restaurants. But it would be nice to know if they have gluten-free items like cookies, crackers, pasta and bread.<\/p>\n If you prefer to eat organically, change the search to \u201corganic markets\u201d instead of \u201csupermarkets.\u201d<\/p>\n This time replace \u201csupermarkets\u201d with \u201cgluten-free.\u201d \u201cGluten-free Coronado Island\u201d should bring up all local restaurants that offer a gluten-free menu.<\/p>\n Again, you\u2019ll want to note the name, phone number, and location of the places that sound interesting. You might find reviews from people who have eaten at these particular restaurants, which will help you decide if you want to eat there.<\/p>\n The search for a room with a kitchen can be difficult. Sometimes they don\u2019t exist or are not affordable. It will cost more, but you\u2019ll save money in the long run by eating in. Plus, the amenities of a kitchen make it possible to have a relaxing, worry-free vacation.<\/p>\n Enter the search term \u201cCoronado Island suites,\u201d which should bring up some hotels or motels with kitchens. Several major chains have affordable suites as they\u2019ve recognized the need for travelers to feel like they\u2019re in a warm, homey, comfortable environment, especially if they stay for a long period of time.<\/p>\n Alternatively, you might look for a short-term rental condo or home. You can find daily and weekly rates on websites like Vacation Rental by Owner at vrbo.com.<\/p>\n The hardest gluten-free meal to eat when traveling is breakfast. Having a kitchen is wonderful. Most continental breakfasts served by hotels consist mainly of toast, cereal and pastries. Hot items such as eggs and bacon are often served buffet style, and are red flags for cross-contamination.<\/p>\n But with a kitchen, you can make your own breakfast. And after you eat, you can go out for a nice coffee or tea.<\/p>\n Lunch can also be a tricky meal. And then there\u2019s snacking, especially if you have kids. With a kitchen, you will be able to keep them happy, healthy and gluten-free much more easily.<\/p>\n A quality kitchen should be equipped with a refrigerator, stove and microwave. Having them at your disposal will make it easy to take gluten-free restaurant leftovers back to your room.<\/p>\n But will you have to buy everything at the supermarket to stock your kitchen? What if the local supermarket doesn\u2019t carry your favorite gluten-free crackers? One thing I\u2019ve learned is that you should pack a lot of gluten-free food and bring it with you \u2013 even if you\u2019re flying.<\/p>\n Can you travel with gluten-free food?\u00a0 Of course you can! My family and I have been known to fill an entire suitcase with gluten-free food.<\/p>\n So what would be good to pack?\u00a0 Non-perishable gluten-free items in air-tight containers, such as:<\/p>\n Being equipped with gluten-free food will save money, and will be a lifesaver if you end up arriving in the middle of the night thanks to travel delays.<\/p>\n Now, get ready for one of the most challenging parts of traveling:\u00a0 Finding gluten-free food in an airport.<\/p>\n The only thing more difficult than getting through airport security is finding gluten-free food.<\/p>\n As opposed to franchises like Applebee’s or Chili’s that now offer gluten-free meals, few airports in the United States have restaurants that cater to gluten-free clientele. None of the options will be ideal, so you might end up eating junk food if your flight gets delayed.<\/p>\n As a back-up, have a list handy of gluten-free candy bars to buy at the newsstand along with a bottle of water. Remember, you can bring packaged food into the airport and through security, but you can\u2019t take liquids through. Check with the Transportation Security Administration about what you can bring (most airlines offer this information on their websites).<\/p>\n Pack things like dried jerky, crackers, chips, dried fruit and nuts in your carry-on luggage as traveling can be very unpredictable. You never know when they might come in handy.<\/p>\n Another idea is to pack and eat a gluten-free lunch at the airport. Come into the airport, check your bags, find a place to sit and eat your bagged lunch, then go through security.<\/p>\n If you have a layover, check the in-airport restaurants to see if they have anything gluten-free. If nothing is available you can always get a cup of fruit, which is great because flying can be dehydrating.<\/p>\n Don’t forget the ice cream shops. It may be indulgent, but it\u2019s a much better choice than eating food containing gluten. Having jet lag is one thing; having jet lag and<\/em> an upset system is another.<\/p>\n If you can’t find anything in any of the shops or restaurants, get out your list of gluten-free candy bars and head to the newsstand.<\/p>\n Traveling can be stressful, but you can make your trip more relaxing by researching your options ahead of time. Making sure you have everything you need when you arrive at your destination will make you and your family happy campers!<\/p>\n Bon voyage!<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Have you been to the Grand Canyon? Have you seen the Eiffel Tower? Do you dream of relaxing on the beach with a cool cocktail in your hand? Will you be able to travel and see all you want to see and be gluten-free? Actually, your dreams of travel can still come true. It just […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"page_landing.php","meta":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Plan a Successful Gluten-Free Vacation<\/h2>\n
But What Will You Eat?<\/h2>\n
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How to Find Places to Buy Gluten-Free Food<\/h2>\n
How to Find Restaurants with Gluten-Free Menus<\/h2>\n
How to Find a Room with a Kitchen<\/h2>\n
Why Do You Need a Kitchen?<\/h2>\n
What to Pack<\/h2>\n
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How to Eat Gluten-Free in an Airport<\/h2>\n
Summary<\/h2>\n
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