If you find that you may be traveling to Italy, there is a high quality guide we recommend called the Gluten Free Guide to Italy.   Here is the description, according to Amazon.com:

A comprehensive guide for gluten-free dining all over Italy. Lists hotels, B&B’s, restaurants, pizza places, ice cream places, health food stores that cater to the gluten-free community. Extensive specialized vocabulary sections in Italian, English, German, French and Spanish. Book offers a list of 32 restaurants in Florence, 25 restaurants in Venice, and 39 restaurants in Rome (not to mention pizza, ice cream and food stores in those cities) all arranged by their proximity to major tourist attractions! You’ll know where to eat if you are visiting the Uffizi in Florence, the Piazza San Marco in Venice or the Colosseo in Rome. For more information see website related to book (google the title).

If you are traveling to Italy, we recommend you read more about or pick up the Gluten Free Guide to Italy.

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As with any type of travel, the key is preparation, whether you are preparing for delays in the airport or for your time on the airpline itself! 

Gluten Free Airline Meals

Many airlines offer special gluten free meals (also known as GFML meals). Especially if you are going on a long flight, it is worthwhile to choose a carrier with a gluten free meal available.  Some airlines only offer special meals on long-haul or cross-continental flights, so just because you had gluten free meals on a flight from New York to London (for example) don’t assume the same airline will give you a gluten free meal on your flight from New York to Dallas.

Reserve your gluten free meal in advance.

You cannot ask for the special meal at the last minute. You must request it anywhere from 24 to 96 hours before your flight. (Consequently, if you change your flight home at the last minute, you’ll probably lose your gluten free meal!) If you make your reservation far in advance, you’ll want to call back a few days before the flight to confirm that they’re preparing a gluten free meal for you.

After you’ve boarded the plane, the flight crew will come to look for you to tell you they’ve got a special meal on board for you. If you’ve changed your seat at the last minute, they might look for you at your “old” seat, so let them know where you are.

Don’t assume you can eat everything on the tray.

The special meal will be wrapped and sealed; all the flight crew needs to do is warm it up and place it on your tray. You can safely eat whatever is sealed inside the package. The flight crew, however, cannot be expected to know the dietary guidelines of every disease for which special medical meals are provided. They may “generously” add the regular dessert to your tray, or a roll, or some other unsafe food item. Don’t assume that everything on your tray is gluten free.  Safe items will be sealed and labeled, and you’ll be unwrapping these by yourself. Everything else is questionable and you’ll need to read labels and the common sense you’ve developed since following a gluten free diet.

Bring along emergency food supplies.

Unfortunately, despite the airline’s best efforts to provide a special gluten free meal for you, things can still go wrong. If your flight is canceled and you’re placed on a different flight, or if something is wrong with your original aircraft and they switch your plane at the last minute (after the food service has already loaded the meals onto the original plane), your gluten free meal is not going to follow you to the “new” plane. No matter how far in advance you planned and how many times you double-checked, there’s always a solid risk that you’ll end up on a plane without anything to eat… unless you’ve brought along some emergency food supplies. Never travel by plane without bringing some food along for yourself.

Get a soft-sided insulated lunch packs and a couple of reusable ice packs

These are typically sold in drug stores to be used for bruises.  You can put this item inside one of your other carry-on bags if necessary. Before your flight home, chill the ice packs again in your hotel’s ice bucket, or ask the hotel to freeze them for you in their freezer.

Place everything in zip-lock bags

Cabin pressure changes can cause even well sealed items to leak. (Get as much air out as possible before zipping them closed.) The same guideline is true for any food you pack in your checked baggage.

Bring along snacks and light meals that require no extra preparation

These snacks need to be able to be eaten anywhere (the terminal, on the plane, etc.)  If you’re not sure you’ll be able to stock up on these items while you’re away, then remember to bring enough for your flight home, too.

You can find a large collection of this items here.   Don’t forget to bring along napkins, plastic utensils, etc. (if necessary).

Have any tips to add for airline travel on a gluten free diet?  Let us know in the comments!

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Below you’ll find we’ve put together a gluten free guide for hotel travel.  If you have anything to add, feel free to submit a comment below!

Try to Stay in a Hotel Room with Cooking Facilities

If money is no object, then you can continue to visit your favorite five-star hotels and have the chefs and kitchen staff cater to your every need. If, like most of us, you’re on a budget, you’ll be more comfortable if you have access to kitchen facilities while you’re away from home.

Try to find an all-suite hotel

Accommodations in suite hotels usually include a refrigerator, a microwave, and possibly a stove top that will allow you to prepare food for yourself. Also, it will be easier to store any food you bring with you or buy locally.

Bring food from home

Bring a supply of gluten-free crackers, cookies, soup base, candies — whatever you like to munch on or that’s easy to prepare. Be sure to bring enough to last through your trip home. Don’t assume you’ll be able to buy gluten-free favorites on your trip.

Try to stay somewhere with easy access to a grocery store

If you’re close to a grocery store, you can easily replenish your supplies of fruits, vegetables, plain yogurt, and other fresh snacks. Some of the all-suite hotels will actually go shopping for you. If you use this service for anything other than fresh food, however, don’t forget that you’ll have to provide an extremely specific shopping list with brand names, because the hotel’s shoppers won’t read labels for you.

Bring along reusable toaster bags

If you’re staying in a hotel that provides a free breakfast buffet, you’ll hopefully have access to a toaster. Several companies manufacture heavy-duty reusable toaster bags that let you toast gluten-free bread in the hotel toaster without fear of cross contamination.  Toaster bag brand names include the following:

• Toast It Reusable Toaster Bags
• Toastabags
• Kitchen Craft Non-Stick Reusable Toaster Bags

Bring some of your own baking pans

Some resorts offer units with full kitchens. If you bring your own baking pans and some gluten-free muffin or bread mixes, you can enjoy fresh baked goods even while you’re away from home. Measure out the dry ingredients at home before your trip and pack them in sealed plastic bags. Supermarkets now sell flexible silicone and disposable baking pans, which are easier to pack than regular metal ones.

No Kitchen in Your Hotel Room?

Explain your needs to the hotel’s dining staff.

Most hotel chefs are willing to modify the items on their menus. Often they will even prepare foods for you that are not listed on the menu at all, as long as they have the supplies in their kitchen. Don’t hesitate to ask for special treatment. Hotels are in the business of accommodating their guests and have probably accommodated people with Celiac Disease in the past.

Consider faxing a note and a restaurant card to the hotel’s chef in advance.

This is important advice for everyone, but it’s crucial if your hotel will be in a country where you don’t speak the language. Restaurant cards contain descriptions of the gluten-free diet in a variety of languages. They are included in several books and sold by a variety of vendors. You can hand them out to restaurant staffs to help explain the gluten-free diet. If you will be traveling to Germany, consider faxing a restaurant card (with a letter, of course) in advance to your local hosts as well.

Ask for a room with a refrigerator

If you’re staying in a regular guest room with no kitchen facilities, ask if the hotel will put a small refrigerator in your room. Many will do this if you ask.

Consider these ideas for inexpensive restaurant breakfasts:

• Bring sealed bags of gluten-free cereal, and add milk and fruit from the restaurant.
• Bring your own rice cakes or granola bars, and ask the restaurant for cheese, fruit, or for individual servings of cream cheese.

Seek Help from a Gluten-Free Travel Specialist

Finally, if you’re going on vacation, don’t overlook the option of traveling on an organized gluten-free tour. One of the best-known organizers of such tours is Bob & Ruth’s Gluten-Free Dining & Travel Club.

If you have anything to add, feel free to post your tips in the comments below!

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Below we’ve attempted to cover a variety of different types of travel, ranging from traveling to the mall to traveling overseas. 

Snacks you can keep in the vehicle for eating on the go:

• Almonds or mixed nuts
• Gluten-free cookies
• Dried fruits (raisins, etc.)
• Lara Bars, EnviroKidz Organic Crispy Rice Bars, or another gluten-free energy bar
• Gluten-free crackers

Snacks to keep in your desk drawer (or children could keep in a school locker):

• Canned fruit with flip-top lids
• Fresh fruit (apples and bananas store well and aren’t messy to eat)
• Microwavable packages of gluten-free soup (or bullion cubes)
• Microwavable rice noodle meals
• Peanut butter and rice cakes
• Individual cups of applesauce or fruit cocktail
• Gluten-free cookies
• Gluten-free candies
• Gluten-free dry cereal in zipper bags
• Individual-size boxes of 100% fruit juice
• Baked or reduced-fat gluten-free potato chips
• Gluten-free baked tortilla chips

Snacks if you have refrigerator access while traveling:

• Hard-boiled egg
• Gluten-free yogurt
• Single serving orange juice bottles
• Single serving tomato juice cans
• Gluten-free rice pudding or tapioca pudding
• Sliced veggies and gluten-free salad dressing

Snacks to keep in your briefcase, backpack or purse:

• Baked or reduced-fat gluten-free potato chips
• Gluten-free baked tortilla chips
• Gluten-free cereal in a zipper bag
• Mixed nuts
• Gluten-free candies
• Gluten-free popcorn in a zipper bag
• Dried fruit snacks or raisin mini boxes
• Small carrots
• Gluten-free cookies
• Larabars or EnviroKidz Organic Crispy Rice Bars

Have any snacks you use for traveling?  Let us know in the comments below and we could get it added to our list!

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For those of us with Celiac Disease, this is especially true, due to the huge amount of foods that are immediately eliminated from your daily diet.   So, what can someone with a gluten intolerance do to stay healthy?

In addition to exercise, you’ll want to at least consider checking out the Gluten Free Nutrition Guide.   This book has a number of incredible reviews and comes with the following description:

From now on, a gluten-free diet doesn’t have to mean taste-free, nutrition-free, and convenience-free. Yes, you must avoid a host of foods containing wheat, barley, rye, and even most oats. But nutritionist and gluten-free-diet researcher Tricia Thompson has assembled an army of food choices for you that are not just gluten-free but also tasty and packed with nutrients!

The Gluten-Free Nutrition Guide is filled with new gluten-free eating strategies, the latest research, and dozens of tips on living better with celiac disease. Inside you will find:

Fifty delicious gluten-free recipes, many from noted celiac disease experts.

• Advice for living with and controlling celiac disease.
• Information on safe and delicious foods that boost your fiber intake.
• The best ways to avoid the common pitfalls of a gluten-free diet, such as high fat intake and low intakes of B vitamins, iron, and calcium.

With this book you’ll be able to follow a strict gluten free diet while still getting the daily nutrition your body needs to prosper. 

As with all our favorite books, we recommend people purchase the Gluten Free Nutrition Guide from Amazon.   They have the best prices and combining a couple items can even get you free shipping!

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My recommendation would be for you to check out the Essential Gluten Free Shopping Guide by the team over at Cecelia’s Marketplace.   This book is considered a “must have” among the Celiac community and many people have come to rely on it while doing their shopping. 

Here is the description of the Essential Gluten Free Shopping Guide, according to Amazon:

Voted the ‘Best Seller’ on Gluten-Free Mall and the Celiac website. Frustrated in trying to find Gluten-Free Products in your grocery stores? Tired of calling food manufacturers and guessing on nutrition labels? Well, help is here! Introducing Cecelias Marketplace Gluten-Free Grocery Shopping Guide! This easy to use 4.5″ x 6.5″ book is a list of over 25,000 gluten-free alphabetized products. Popular brands like Heinz, Kraft, Del Monte, Frito Lay, as well as supermarket chains, such as Kroger, Wal-Mart, Publix, Safeway, Walgreens, and more. Just pick a product, look it up, and all the gluten-free brands are at your fingertips. Unlike CD-ROMs or gluten free computer software, this book is easy to carry to the grocery store for easy product confirmation anytime, anywhere. The book easily fits in one’s purse or back pocket. Either take this book with you or make your grocery list before you leave the house. This guide is not only designed for people with a celiac disease, gluten intolerance and gluten sensitivity, but excellent for family members, friends, chefs, dieticians, or others that needs to prepare gluten-free meals or learn about gluten-free products. In addition, Cecelia’s Marketplace Gluten Free Grocery Shopping Guide includes ‘Gluten-Free Kitchen Tips’ which gives family members, friends or chefs specific tips on how to avoid gluten contamination in the kitchen. As an added bonus we have also included 1,500+ ‘over-the-counter’ pharmacy products which included antacids, pain relief, hair care, supplements, vitamins & minerals, and more. This book is a must have in making gluten-free living easier!

If you spend a few minutes looking through the book reviews on Amazon, you’ll see what I’m talking about.   I’m not sure a book could possibly get better reviews!  

Note:  It looks like the 2009 version of the Essential Gluten Free Shopping Guide will be out shortly, but as of today it has not been released.  We will update this post with a link to the newest version once it is available.  In the meantime, you may want to add it to your Amazon wish list or pre-order it so you get it once the newest version becomes available!

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This is fine for awhile, but at some point, you’ll eventually feel the need to get out in public more and socialize with others to hopefully resume some form of normality.  Depending on the person, this could mean traveling, attending events, or more commonly, visiting restaurants.

Currently there are a number of great resources on the internet designed to assist you with each of these, including Gluten Free Travel, Gluten Free Restaurants and Gluten Free Fast Food.    Unfortunately, they are only helpful if you have a computer with the internet nearby.

If you are someone who prefers to have things in print to be able to carry with you where you go, you’ll want to check out the Gluten Free Restaurant Guide from Triumph Dining.

Here is the guide’s description:

On a gluten free diet? Not sure where to eat? Now, you’ll know how and where to eat gluten free! Revised and update for 2008-2009, the best-selling gluten-free restaurant guide is now its 3rd edition. Bring this convenient guide anywhere and have instant access to Celiac-friendly restaurants and gluten-free lists. Over 4,700 restaurants are listed throughout all 50 states. In this guide, you will have access to over 1,600 non-chain restaurants specifically recommended by other Celiacs for their willingness and ability to accommodate the gluten-free diet. Have a hankering for gluten-free pizza or pastries? There are over 900 non-chain restaurants and bakeries offering printed gluten free menus and gluten-free specialty items like gluten-free pizza or pastries. Will you be traveling someplace with lots of chain restaurants? No problem, this guide has the gluten-free lists and menus to over 80 regional and national chain restaurants, from fast food joints to high-end steakhouses. Use The Essential Gluten-Free Restaurant Guide to open up a new world of restaurant dining, today!

Note: It looks like the 2009 version of the Gluten Free Restaurant Guide will be out shortly, but as of today it has not been released.  We will update this post with a link to the newest version once it is available on Amazon!

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For a complete and current list of ingredients, you’ll want to check out Gluten Free Ingredients and Gluten Ingredients.  These two sites were built specifically for tracking food ingredients!

Ingredients That Contain Wheat:

• Anything with the  “wheat” in it (except buckwheat which is gluten free)
• Flours (unless the product says gluten free flour, or is made purely from a non-gluten source, like rice flour)
• Most baked goods including muffins, cookies, cakes, pies (see Gluten Free Recipes for gluten free versions of these products)
• Bread including wheat bread, white bread, and “potato” bread
• Pasta, pizza, bagels
• Durum
• Farina
• Bulgur
• Matzoh
• Cous-cous
• Semolina
• Emmer
• Eikorn
• Farro
• Graham

Known Relatives of Wheat:

• Barley
• Beer
• Malt flavoring, syrup or extract (found in most commercial cereals)
• Malt vinegar
• Rye
• Spelt
• Kamut
• Triticale

Ingredients That Do Contain Gluten:

• Oats (due to cross-contamination with wheat) – see the Truth about Celiac Disease and Oats for additional information.
• Brown rice syrup (often made with barley)
• Dextrin (usually made with corn, but sometimes made with wheat; maltodextrin is okay)
• Mono and dyglycerides
• Caramel color (most likely gluten free if made in USA)
• Modified food starch or modified starch (if it does not specify what kind of starch – confirmed modified corn starch is okay)
• Hydrolyzed or textured plant or vegetable protein (if it does not specify a plant/vegetable that is gluten free)
• Vegetable gum (source is unknown, but carob bean gum, locust bean gum, cellulose gum, guar gum, gum arabic, gum aracia and xanthan gum are gluten-free)
• Natural and artificial flavorings
• Seasonings and seasoning mixes

Glutens That Are Commonly Missed by New Celiacs:

• Soy sauces (some are okay, but most contain wheat), teriyaki sauces (which contain soy sauce), oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, and many types of marinades
• Commercial cereals (most are made from wheat and/or have malt flavoring which comes from barley)
• Flavored coffees or teas
• Imitation seafood (if ordering sushi, make sure that they use real crab)
• Imitation bacon
• Packaged bacon (some brands contain soy sauce)
• Processed meats
• Mexican food (some places buy marinated meats that contain soy sauce; corn chips are sometimes cooked in same oil as fried flour tortillas)
• Soups, stews, bisques, anything made from a “roux”
• Anything breaded, floured or marinated
• Some blue or green-veined cheeses
• Medicines — go to Gluten Free Medications for a current list
• Lipstick and any other non-food items that are likely to be ingested by accident (babies and kids who put hands in mouth).  Common examples include playdough, lotions, pastes, etc.

Confirmed Gluten Free Foods (okay to eat!):

• Corn, including polenta (verifyother ingredients that may have been added)
• Rice, including risotto (verify other ingredients that may have been added)
• Potatoes
• Amaranth
• Buckwheat
• Montina
• Millet
• Tapioca
• Quinoa
• Teff
• Sorghum
• Soy
• Distilled vinegars (including red, white and balsamic; malt vinegar is not ok) – Some people prefer to avoid vinegars made from gluten-containing grains
• Distilled alcohol (unless gluten containing flavorings are added) – Some people prefer to avoid alcohol made from gluten-containing grains

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1. Eat Gluten Free at Home – If you plan to attend holiday parties, eat before you go so you aren’t hungry at the party.  Sometimes when you are hungry you are more likely to take “risks” when looking for gluten free foods.
2. Bring Your Own Gluten Free Foods – Sometimes people with good intentions will attempt to make a gluten free dish for their party.  These people typically aren’t trained to avoid cross-contamination.   As a result, I always recommend people bring their own gluten free foods when attending parties.
3. Avoid Foods with Cross Contamination Concerns – Dips and other items foods can start out gluten free, but will quickly become cross-contaminated as the party goes on.     Avoid these foods completely!
4. Speak to Restaurant in Advance – If your holiday party is at a restaurant, you can review their menu online (and check for a gluten free menu), but I recommend you also call the restaurant ahead of time to ensure that specific location can accommodate your needs.   If they can’t accommodate you, you’ll want to get permission to bring your own foods and just get a beverage at the restaurant.

For additional survival ideas, I recommend you check out the holiday guide (free PDF download) from the Gluten Free Living magazine team.

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