Gluten Free Travel Hacks

Traveling is exciting and a gift! It comes with a range of emotions from all the planning it takes to the final take off. Literally an emotional roller coaster of unknowns when traveling to foreign countries when you have a gluten intolerance or Celiac. Experiences can range from delightful and relaxing to stressful and the unexpected. Traveling simply put, can be a mixed bag of feelings if I’m being perfectly honest. That’s why I wanted to share how I created an enjoyable deliciously fun-filled experience on our recent travel adventures to two new places we hadn’t been to before. 

Food. Fun. Photography Is what I love about traveling! 

We recently returned from an incredible trip to Lake Como, Italy where we stayed with dear friends in their Villa! It was a wow experience indeed.  Then Tim and I went on to Croatia hiking in the gorgeous Plitvice Lakes, Split, the island of Hvar and Dubrovnik. Oh, what a wonderful time we had!  I learned many new things this time that were so positive that I just couldn’t wait to share with you! 

Planning ahead was truly a gift for me. Especially once we found out we would be having rainy weather! We also decided we preferred to take our carry-on luggage for our 2-week trip. We thought and planned from what we would take in our luggage and our backpacks. We also planned our snacks, food, clothes and shoes. We were able to relax and be “mostly” prepared for the unexpected when it came to eating, walking nearly 20K steps a day, and the weather that happened a lot. If you know anything about me, food is a big part of my travel experience, as well as taking in all the sights and new cultures. Which is why I love photography too! I loved everything about this trip and all the new sights and experiences we took in! We planned well and were rewarded! 

I was pleasantly surprised on our trip to see how traveling gluten free has evolved!  Being gluten-free, and navigating meals and snacks on the go, especially in Italy with friends who were not all gluten free, we wanted to make sure we didn’t limit their choices. No one wants to feel like a pain in a group. Well, fear not! my handy gluten-free (or not J), summer travel hacks, helped us have an amazing trip without compromising our taste-buds, bellies and we were happy and relaxed. Even gelato is gluten free and some dairy free! 

Let’s dive into my essential tips for what to pack, footwear, snacks, and finding gluten-free foods when traveling outside the United States.

Packing Essentials for Gluten-Free Travelers

When it comes to packing for a gluten-free summer trip, being prepared is key. Start by creating a list of gluten-free essentials to ensure you have everything you need for your journey. Here are a few of the essential things I took with me to Italy and Croatia. 

  1. Packing. What kind of luggage to bring and a carry bag to take. Tim and I Loved our Away carry on! It held enough for 3-weeks’ worth of clothes and shoes. I love using packing cubes and my garment folder to keep everything neatly organized. The Away also has extra places to store my flat sandals and water shoes! It was great holding everything perfectly!  

Our dear friends who invited us to stay with them at their Lake Como villa unfortunately the airline lost their luggage. It took 3-days until it finally arrived. As one might imagine, it was a real bummer. Thankfully we all had plenty to share for them. It affirmed why I prefer to travel light and carry on. 

The Backpack: TUMI. Extravagant, yes. Worth it, yes. It was a gift from Tim and I must say I love my backpack! What I love most about it is it’s functionality and its long roll down “neck” allows me to really stuff things in, especially warm clothes when needed for quick access! I will say the Tumi’s are very pricey $$$$ but I love how much I can fit in it and how comfy she is to wear! When I looked online, mine is an older model. But it’s good to really make sure the backpack you choose is comfortable to wear and can hold all the things your luggage won’t. The one downside of my backpack was it doesn’t have a water bottle holder. But the long neck allows me to wrap it inside and stash it there!

What I packed into my backpack were the important things I wanted close to me: my vitamins, emergency kit, quiet time things, warm pullover, raincoat, water bottle, a book, a journal and food snacks; fruit, chocolate and sandwiches. All the things were neatly stored in either my small or large Aloha pouches or a zip lock baggie. Zip locks once you get all the air out can lay super flat.  

Take a lightweight daypack too! During the day we used this inexpensive lightweight backpack that held all our hiking or walking around sightseeing perfectly! Under $25 it was used daily!

2. Emergency Kit, Medications and daily vitamin packets: Small nontoxic BPA-Free pill pouchesare great for both vitamins, medications and emergency and prevention remedies and homeopathic I take with me when I travel.  Homepathics are small and easy for traveling. They also are safe and work amazingly for adults and kids. My top 4 homeopathic remedies for traveling are: Aconitum Napellus 30c for anxiety or nervousness, Nux Vomica 30c for over eating, drinking, stomach cramps or food poisoning, Arnica 30c for sore muscles, and Apis Mellifica 30cfor bug bites and bee stings. I even take a small little deet free bug and bite cream container, especially during the summer when mosquitos are rampant. This stuff really works to soothe and keep bugs away!

3. Travel-Friendly water bottle and baggies: Invest in high quality, light weight travel water bottle. Water is essential especially when flying and if in altitude.

4. I also like to pack plastic free non-toxic baggies in case I can grab food from local grocery stores or hotels that have gluten free options. Because I’m traveling lighter, an airtight container might be too big of an option. However, to have snacks and lunches on the go, having different sized non-toxic closable baggies helps to have food on hand for hikes or long touring or travel days, especially if you can’t find gluten free food. They will help keep you fed and your food fresh.J

5. Portable Utensils: Pack a set of packaged portable bamboo utensils, including a fork, spoon, knife. Next time you order out, grab and save a few packaged enviro-friendly utensils. It’s what I take. This ensures having utensils wherever you go, especially in places where cross-contamination might be a concern.

6. Gluten-Free Pantry Staples: Bring along baggies of sturdy gluten free crackers, Elemental Super Food bars (use our coupon code CGK15) and fruit like an apple and banana for travel days. If you like eating sushi, having a few small packets of gluten-free soy sauce or other condiments are nice too, especially if you are going to countries where you might enjoy having this option. These can be lifesavers when dining out and needing to avoid gluten-containing sauces. Always read the labels if you can, because condiments can be big offenders in containing gluten. NOTE: I was so happy to find plenty gluten free crackers and bread options in Italy! In Croatia, the restaurants had homemade gluten free breads they served! 

Footwear and Favorite Clothes I took for Comfort and Travel

Clothes:

I brought: 1 dark jean, a white stretch jean, a nice pair of Vuori flowy pants for dress up and their Vuori cargo pant I’m obsessed with both pants! The cargo was perfect for every travel day! Comfy, loose and cozy! 1 denim stretch shorts, 1 hiking lightweight pant,1 lounging pant, 1 black Lulu leggings. 8 T-shirts, 2 long sleeve shirts and 4 linen shirts. 2 tank tops and 3 l/s shells for layering. 1 Patagonia lightweight vest. 2 neck scarves. I kept my colors to black, grey, navy, white and blue tones. I used or wore most everything I brought. PJ’s, undies, socks and bras. Swimsuit, lightweight swim coverup, shorts and a rash guard. I didn’t wear the rash guard due to weather. A Lightweight raincoat from REI doubled as a nice “coat” for going out! Reviews called it “attractive”.

Other items I brought and used daily:

What NOT to bring carry-on; Trekking Poles. It’s a crapshoot. Some say they are OK to bring others said not to. I took 1 pole to Italy, but when going to Croatia, it got taken L. 

Waking and Hiking shoe in one!

Many of you might not know this, but my dad was a foot doctor. I grew up learning all about the importance of foot care and shoes working in his office. I saw more bunion toes and people with foot problems. I never wanted to get bunions or have sore feet. So my shoes were not always very stylish, but comfortable! 

While traveling, I loved seeing so many people wear comfortable shoes like Birkenstocks. Personally, Birkenstocks are not comfy for my feet. Hoka’s worked great on this trip. I almost didn’t bring them, but I must say, I was happy Megan talked me into taking them as my one pair of walking and hiking shoes! They were light weight and on the cobblestone streets in both Italy and Croatia, walking in rainy weather and hiking, they worked out well! 

Beaches in Italy and Croatia are mostly rocky and hard to walk on. Tim and I were happy we took these simple inexpensive, easy to pack water shoe! I also took a water type sandal for hot weather that I could walk around in. Also, these colorful comfy Teva’s were light weight and great! 

For dress up and rain, I took a black patent leather high top cute tennis shoe that was comfy and perfect for the rain! I also took white “Ked” type tennis shoes for my white pants. 

And then for a comfy nicer sandal great for both walking cobblestone streets in Croatia, and nice for dinner, I loved these Taos sandals. They were awesome and easy to pack! 

It might seem like a lot of shoes, but I got them all in easily, and I wore them all! Comfortable footwear is essential for any travel, especially when you’re exploring new destinations. Here are a few tips for choosing the right footwear:

  1. Supportive Shoes: Choose shoes with good arch support and cushioning. This is especially important if you plan on doing a lot of walking or hiking.
  2. Breathable Materials: Opt for shoes made from breathable materials to keep your feet cool and dry. Mesh or perforated designs are great for summer travel.
  3. Slip-Ons: Slip-on shoes can be a convenient option for airport security checks and for easy on-and-off access when entering places where you need to remove your shoes. However, I wore my bulky Hoka’s that would’ve taken up too much room in the carry-on luggage.
  4. Waterproof Options: If your travels include beach trips, rain or wet environments, consider packing a pair of waterproof sandals or shoes.

Snacks While Traveling

Having a stash of gluten-free snacks is essential for any trip. Here are some easy and delicious options:

  1. Gluten-Free Protein Bars: Look for protein bars that are certified gluten-free. They are convenient for on-the-go nutrition and can serve as a meal replacement in a pinch. We love Elemental Superfood Bars! Use our CGK coupon code CGK15!
  1. Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: Apples, bananas, carrot sticks and celery sticks are easy to pack, are hydrating and provide essential vitamins and minerals.
  2. Gluten-Free Crackers: Bring along your favorite gluten-free crackers to enjoy with cheese, hummus or nut butter.
  3. Nut Butter: Pack some individual packets of nut butters. 
  4. Trail Mix: Create your own trail mix with nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and gluten-free chocolate chips. This is a nutrient-dense snack that can keep you energized throughout the day.
  5. Granola: Lark Ellen, Paleonoloa Purley Elizabeth
  6. Chocolate bites:  Hu’s chocolate bars, bites or nuts. 

We also created a list for easy snacks for kids if they are traveling with you! 

Traveling Outside the United States: Asking for Gluten-Free Foods

Traveling abroad can feel a bit more challenging for those on with allergies, dietary conditions and a gluten-free diet. I was amazed how things have progressed! Menu’s in restaurants where we went both in Italy and Croatia now have a universal code system with numbers 1-7 for allergen foods on the menu! What a wonderful surprise! I also felt waiters were way more tolerant and friendly when you told them, “sanza glutena”.It was so much more comforting than even 7 years ago when we were there. More restaurants have gluten free breads, pasta and pizzas! Gelato stands have gluten free cones!  

I hope these tips will help you navigate it smoothly:

  1. Learn Key Phrases: Before you travel, learn how to say “gluten-free” and other important dietary phrases in the local language. Phrases like “I cannot eat gluten” and “Does this contain gluten?” can be very helpful. “Sanza glutena” worked well!
  2. Travel Cards: Carry gluten-free dining cards that explain your dietary needs in the local language. These can be given to restaurant staff to ensure they understand your requirements.
  3. Research Restaurants: Do some research ahead of time to find gluten-free friendly restaurants and bakeries at your destination. Websites like Find Me Gluten Free and apps like Yelp or Trip Advisor can be useful resources. Just read the reviews is the best way to decide if it’s a good place for you. We also found talking with locals, our Airbnb hosts or hotel concierge folks really were good. I must say too, when we were at restaurants and met other Americans or English-speaking people often times had great suggestions too. People everywhere were so friendly! 
  4. Local Farmers Markets and Grocery stores: I loved going to the local farmers markets and grocery stores. There we found lots of gluten-free products. This can be a game changer if you need to prepare your own meals or if you run out of bread or snacks.
  5. Stay at Accommodations with Kitchens: When possible, and if it makes you more comfortable, choose accommodations that offer kitchen facilities. Airbnb’s are great because it gives you the flexibility to prepare your own gluten-free meals if you want to, and reduces the risk of cross-contamination. We did stay half in Airbnb’s and half small boutique hotels. Both worked out great! 

Check out our helpful travel guide we wrote about after we traveled in Italy and Spain! We also made a YouTube on our travels as well!  

FAQs

Q1: How can I ensure my gluten-free snacks stay fresh while traveling?

Keeping your gluten-free snacks fresh, use airtight containers or resealable bags. See above for our suggestions. Store perishable items in a cooler with ice packs if you have access to one. Non-perishable snacks like nuts, dried fruits, and gluten-free crackers can be stored in a dry, cool place.

Q2: What are some quick gluten-free meal ideas for traveling?

Quick gluten-free meal ideas for traveling include salads with pre-cooked proteins (like chicken, canned fish, nuts or beans), gluten-free sandwiches using gluten-free bread, rice bowls with veggies and protein, and gluten-free pasta salads. These meals are easy to prepare and pack. Make sure if purchasing any pre-made meats or veggies, to carefully read the ingredient labels.

Q3: How can I avoid cross-contamination when eating at restaurants abroad?

To avoid cross-contamination at restaurants abroad, use gluten-free dining cards that explain your dietary needs in the local language. Choose restaurants that are known for their gluten-free options and communicate clearly with the staff about your requirements. Avoid fried foods and opt for grilled, steamed, or baked dishes that are less likely to come into contact with gluten.

With these gluten-free summer travel hacks, we hope you enjoy a stress-free vacation! Our hope is you feel knowledgeable and comfortable when eating out in a foreign country. Please feel free to reach out to us at Hello@Currygirlskitchen.com. We are here to support you and your gluten free lifestyle!  

For more travel tips, delicious gluten-free recipes, and Peg’s Damn Good Gluten Free recipe and guide book, be sure to check out our Curry Girls Kitchen website.

Here’s to Happy Travels!

With Love, Pegs and Megs

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