Travel Tips For Packing Gluten-Free Food
Written By: Kelsey Chadwick, MS RDN LDN
Travel is one of my absolute favorite hobbies and feel incredibly lucky to have been able to visit so many amazing places. I dream of visiting every country in the world and while I know that takes a LOT of time, money and energy, I refuse to let having celiac disease hold me back. Since my diagnosis in 2011 I have visited 16 countries and about 20 U.S. states. Here are my top tips for how to make traveling with celiac disease as easy as possible.
Food through TSA
Packing some GF food is a must in my opinion, whether it’s snacks for your short flight or a meal to eat at your gate or during your flight. I have done this many times and it is a huge life saver! Travel days are long and nourishment is important. No one wants to spend $20+ on snacks at the airport that don’t keep you full. I like to make a GF frozen pizza the night before (minimal clean up yay) and then bring the rest of it with me to have at my gate or during my flight. Relying on the airport and airlines to provide GF food isn’t always reliable. You can check TSA Guidelines here.
Airplane meals
Most long-haul flights, at least internationally offer full meals. Most airlines offer gluten-free meals. These must be requested in advance, usually 48 hours +, however it’s best to request at time of booking. One downside of this is you cannot pick more than one dietary need. For example if you are also vegetarian, you can only opt for the gluten-free meal and it is often chicken or beef unfortunately. There will probably be at least one or two items/sides you might like or are able to eat so it can still be worth ordering the meal, BUT do not solely rely on an airplane meal. There are times they forget or loose your GF meal and sometimes it just isn’t edible. Plan to pack snacks and something that is a bit more filling in case you aren’t able to have your GF airplane meal.
Are there any foods I should avoid traveling with?
As someone with food restrictions, I try to be mindful of others that may also have food restrictions. Opt for snacks that don’t contain nuts and other top allergens. I’ve been on a flight before where someone near me had a nut allergy, so the flight attendant informed a few specific rows we were not able to eat any snacks with nuts. Everyone was happy to do this, but if you only have snacks with nuts then you’ll probably be quite hungry!
If you are traveling internationally, keep in mind food restrictions usually include fruits, vegetables, nuts and dairy products but always check a country’s specific restrictions.
Pack familiar snacks
There are always new gluten-free brands and snacks to try out, but travels days are not the days to try them! Opt for snacks you know you like and keep you full. It’s not worth risking not liking the snacks you brought or even an allergic reaction if you have food allergies.
International Travel
Research traditional cuisine beforehand to see if any of the traditional dishes are naturally gluten-free. I find this is super helpful to get better acquainted with the culture and feel more comfortable ordering at a restaurant. It can be easy to assume something is gluten-free because it might be at home, but there can always be hidden sources of gluten.
When you don’t speak the language
If you don’t speak the language at your destination I recommend downloading Google translate in the language you need for offline use. It can also be helpful to translate a few phrases for asking questions at restaurants and keep them in the notes app on your phone for easy access or written down somewhere in case your phone dies. Another amazing tool I like to utilize are translation cards. I’ve been using Equal Eats for years and have found them extremely helpful. They have cards for celiac disease in 56 different languages. You can also create a custom card if you have other dietary needs you need to communicate.
Travel Snacks & Meal Ideas
Apples, bananas
Dried fruit
GF crackers
Roasted chickpeas
Olive pouches
Granola or protein bars
Trail mix
Nut butter pouches with fruit, rice cake or crackers
PB stuffed dates with chocolate chips
PB and jelly sandwich
“Half snacks”
(Items like these are great to bring if you have access to a small market or grocery store or want to get something at the airport):GF granola (purchase yogurt)
GF crackers (purchase cheese or hummus)
Protein powder (purchase milk and mix together)
Cut up veggies (purchase hummus, guacamole cup or small dressing cup)
More Filling Snacks/Meals
(Just request hot water at the airport or from your flight attendant. I’ve also requested a kettle for my room before):If you’d like personalized support beyond general advice, I offer virtual celiac nutrition counseling.
You can learn more about the different services I offer here.
Meet the Author
Kelsey is a Registered and Licensed dietitian in the Greater Boston Area. Kelsey was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2011 which led her to become a Registered Dietitian with a goal of helping others navigate the crazy nutrition world. When she’s not seeing clients or writing blog posts, you will probably find her hanging out with her family or traveling to a new destination!
