I love traveling, new places, new people. But I’m not so crazy about the new food and the same old gluten reactions. Finding things to eat,especially on the road, can be challenging, especially for “live to eat” type of person. Road trips for me can be an “eat to live” ordeal but I’ve found a few things to eat that makes them a bit more bearable.
Here’s my list. I’d love to hear if you have any other suggestions 🙂
Gluten Free Rice Cakes and Peanut Butter
These are best if you remember to pack a knife. I think this is my favorite road trip meal, especially if we’re stopping at roadside picnic areas and everyone else is having a pb and j sandwich. Use your own clearly marked jar (I write MOM on the lid in blue nail polish) to avoid cross-contamination.
A Can of Tuna and Salad Greens
Okay, some good things about this one, it will help you stick to your diet, you can buy it at any exit Walmart, and, um, that’s it. This was my lunch on my most recent road trip. Dry crumbly tuna on limp greens. Yeah, try to do better.
Nuts
Great snack, and a small pack will provide you with the calories to last you all day. This one is great for people who need the food energy but don’t need to eat alot.
Fresh Fruit
Most truck stops have apples and bananas. If you’re traveling in the summer, or in a tropical country, you may have a wider roadside selection. I think fruit, when I can get it in the summer or in a tropical country, is my favorite road trip meal. Makes me really feel like I’m on a holiday.
Gluten Free Chocolate
Yup. Avoid Barley or Malt or cookie pieces. Rice crisps are usually a problem as well. Cadbury has a great service on their website where you can search whether a treat is suitable for Celiacs. My favorite, Cadbury Cream Eggs, is good to go.
Ice Cream
Hey, a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. Everyone around you is scarfing down a McDonald’s meal with supersized fries and the ONE THING on the menu you can eat is a plain salad. No chicken. Darn you McDonald’s. The ice cream at McDonald’s actually contains glucose which can be made from wheat or corn, but is said to contain no gluten. Some people who are sensitive to wheat, not just the gluten, can have some trouble with it. Because you want to be a safe as possible, opt for a glucose free ice cream like Haagen Dazs Cherry Vanilla. Dairy Free too? They make a lovely selection of Sorbets. When someone questions your choice of meal, you can explain you’re on a restrictive diet for medical reasons.