I just got back from two weeks on the road and am happy to report that I did not get sick even once. I thought I'd share what I did in case it should be helpful to anyone else.

We stayed in lodging that had a kitchenette or microwave and refrigerator.
Extended Stay (some good, some not so – newer ones best)
Comfort Inn (very nice)
Roadway (okay, micro/fridge only)
Shilo (best by far)

When we arrived, before anything else was done, I washed down all the surfaces and handles with soap and water. (including air control knob and light switches -- anything that a pizza-eating person was apt to touch.) I used a hotel washcloth and a hand towel to dry, and then put them aside and didn't touch them again. If I used the TV remote, I put a kleenex over it and didn't actually touch it with my hands.

We traveled with a cooler for my condiments and food for the road and transferred the contents into the refrigerator every evening, and put the cold-packs in the freezer. If the freezer in the fridge was too small for my larger cold-pack, I would ask the front desk person to put it in their freezer (they all have a full-sized fridge/freezer in the office). I put it/them in a plastic grocery bag to protect from any breads that might be in their freezer and I threw it away immediately after retrieving them the next morning.

Did I say, I washed my hands a lot, before every time I prepared food or ate. I was VERY careful about keeping my hands clean while in the hotels.

I cooked for myself in the room (while my husband went out to eat). I had packed a small electric grill, one that cooks two meat patties and a small sauce pan. These worked very well for my purposes. I had brought a small(ish) electric skillet, but didn’t use it but twice and could have gotten along without it.

I packed my food and utensils in several containers for convenience:

1. Breakfast bag: contained everything I would need for our breakfast: cereal, bowls and spoons, tea, sugar, and a small electric pot for heating and brewing tea. Also, a couple large plastic mats – sold as cutting surfaces – to place on counter for extra CC protection. And dishrag and towel. And a roll of paper towels.

2. Cooking bag: grill, pan, electric skillet, cooking utensils, microwave-safe dishes, more dish rags and towels. Stayed in the car unless I was cooking a meal.

3. Drawer box: a small, three-drawer plastic box (found in office supplies – the one that holds a ream of copy paper): This box stayed in the car unless I was planning to cook and/or make a meal for both of us that night. Contained tableware for two, a strainer, measuring cup, spices and herbs (in small medicine bottles so as to not take up so much space) dried onions, etc.

4. Dry snack box: where I kept the dry foods that I used often. Packaged cookies, crackers, dried fruits and nuts, etc.

5. Pantry box: stayed in the car – here I kept a lot of the canned goods that I might want for a meal. I just “shopped” from the box and took out what I wanted.

6. Coolers: Almond milk for cereal, catsup, margarine, mayonnaise, nut butter, cooked meat, veggies and fruit. I had a smaller cooler that I packed what I would be wanting on the road for each day.

That sounds like a lot, and I guess it is, but it all fit in our PT Cruiser with lots of room to spare (we did take out one of the back seats).

I'd probably be able to streamline it a bit now that I've gotten the hang of it, but it served me well and I had everything I wanted to make my meals good and interesting.

We shopped every evening to stock up on fresh foods. Now and then we found a health-food store or a gluten-free isle in a grocery store (which thrilled me) and I was able to stock up on my favorites and buy turkey bacon and/or lunch meat.


What did I eat:

Breakfast -- cereal and banana or grapefruit, leftover meat or turkey bacon. One of my favorite breakfasts is rice and smoked herring or turkey.

Lunch -- carrot and celery sticks, fruit, grape tomatoes, tuna or chicken salad (that I made myself) on rice crackers, leftover meat, cookies.

Supper -- grilled chicken or grilled hamburger patties, cooked rice, (I don’t eat potatoes, but one could bake a potato in the microwave), vegetables (canned or cooked frozen), jello and fruit (make the jello the night before and it’s set and ready to travel the next day). I used canned soups to make a casserole with the meat and rice.

I made enough meat when I did cook to last two days so I didn’t have to cook every day. I cooked enough rice to last me for three days (breakfasts and dinners). All was stored in the cooler.

Some travel stops have a microwave you can use, and some have a restaurant attached. For these, I would fix my meat/rice/soup "casserole" and bring it into the building and heat it in their microwave while my husband got a table in the restaurant and ordered his meal. Then I'd take my hot meal and other things in and sit with him.

For lunch, I'd bring my cold lunch in the fast-food restaurant and join my husband at his table.

It all worked out very well. My husband always washed his hands immediately after eating a sandwich before getting back into the car. We kept no gluten foods in the car.

EATING OUT: I did eat at three restaurants along the way -- those with gluten-free menus. Outback and Spaghetti Factory. This were toward the end of our trip (I was too nervous about CC to try it earlier). No problem. The chef at Spaghetti Factory cooked my food himself (baked chicken and broccoli) and it was delicious. I did have a salad at a couple restaurants (not fast food) where the servers were older. It turned out that one waitress’s husband was Celiac so she "got it".

It was a good trip and I didn't get sick so I call it a success. Yes, I did have to prepare my meals, but it was worth it. I actually ate more healthy than I usually do because I didn’t have any breads with me and I ate a lot of raw veggies and fresh fruit.

Valda, that sounds like a fun trip, and I am glad you managed to be safe the whole time. Nothing will spoil a trip more than getting sick.

I have also stayed in places with a small kitchen before, and those are great. I am sure your tips will help others to have safe and fun trips.

Wow, trying to wrap my head around this . .. hubby wants to take us to canada to see his family this summer. Theres now 2 of us gluten-free, but my allergies are way more extensive than my son's. I'm just TERRIFIED of this. The other thing is i have three kids to take care of and my husband always gets so sick traveling (just from the motion, no matter if its car plane or train) that he's basically useless while we are on the road and for the first day or two after we arrive. We'll be staying with his family, but they're so provincial . . . french canadians, his mother is from generations of farmers . . . i'm just terrified that i'm going to be sick the whole trip. I'm not even confident that my husband will really explain to his mother (who doesnt speak english) how serious this is for me. I mean, i'm not celiac (apparently) but gluten still sends me running to the bathroom and leaves me depressed for several days. I know i'll pack a lot of convenience foods . . . but i'm just terrified . . . .i hadnt really thought about bringing a cooler with meat for the road part, thats probably a good idea.

thanks for being a good role model

Cara, a trip to Canada from Virginia would be a challenge - especially with children and a carsick husband. I think I'd fly if I had the money.

Someone else on this board decided to travel with a small trailer (with kitchen, etc., pulled behind the car) and I thought that was a VERY GOOD idea. You could clean it up good before you leave and do all your cooking in it, even when visiting relatives, and have a safe place to do it. I'd have done that for this trip, but this may be the only long car trip we take so it wasn't a good investment for us.

If you do go, it would be good to send a letter to your monther-in-law. Get it translated into her language (French? - someone here on this board may be able to help you with that). Is she internet savy? - I bet there's a gluten website in French that would explain the problem. A little advance instruction and knowledge sent her way may help a lot toward her understanding of your restrictions and need to keep it safe. (Don't rely on your husband - you're the one with the probelm and you're the one who can best explain your needs.)

However, I'd still make and eat my own food while visiting. I'm 60 and I guess at my age I don't have the patience nor the inclination to pussyfoot around other people's feelings when it comes to my health. THEY aren't sick for a week and depressed for two more weeks if they make one little mistake or are inticed to eat what they shouldn't. (I'm not celiac either, but the symptoms are the same, just no damage done)

I hope you work out a practical solution to your traveling.

Well, I know why I get cc when I travel! I can't even read that whole post, much less do it all. I'm Scandinavian and we are a stoic people. We are taught never to draw attention to ourselves or ask for special treatment. I've come a long way just sending back food at a restaurant!!
You are amazing!
I'd feel so left out not going out to eat! You are so strong!
You should be proud of yourself!

Cara,


If you fly to Canada you can precook and freeze meals in single servings. I do this. I freeze the meals in plastic containers from the Container Store ( Link at end of post). I pack the meals in a soft sided cooler meant for cans surronded by blue ice mats. I put the cooler in a suit case and check it. One word of caution, you will need to check with Canadian customs to see if there are foods you can not bring into the Canada.

I also do the same when I travel by car only I use a big ice chest. Precooking the meals at home makes the trip a little easier for me.

For lunches on the rode I pack an individual lunch for each person each morning and stick in a piece of blue ice in each one to keep it cold. That way everyone can eat lunch when they are hungry and I am not digging through the cooler and dry food to prepare lunch in the park.

If I am traveling by car I take as much as I can and pick up perishables (milk, fruit ect..) along the way. If I am traveling by plane I locate a store with gluten free food at my destination before I go by using the internet. I only bring my precooked frozen meals and enough food for the flight.

I have also used most of ArtGirls' strategies.

http://www.containerstore.com/browse/Produ...PRODID=10019618

Wow thanks. I travel often, I am in fact getting ready to go camping with a large group. I am a bit scared as I am new to this. but I already eat a little non traditional, so bringing food with me when I travel is not new to me. I pack a lot of tree nuts and dried figs as they travel good. They take up little room and are still good to eat after a few hours in a fanny pack and a 4 mile hike.

I have a 5 gallon plastic tub container that I call my kitchen. I always have a cutting board, knives, can opener bowels and cups in it. That way If I have to leave in a hurry I have it all there. I also toss in a few cans, spinach, and pineapple, bags of cooked salmon cans of ham and tuna when I go shopping.

I find that for me I really need one warm meal every two days. For camping I am taking a premade meat loaf and
pork and veggies wrapped in foil. That way I can cook with other people but not worry about cross contamination.
Wish me luck!


one more mile