When I first found out I couldn’t eat gluten/dairy/oats/meat/peanuts I didn’t want to go out to eat anywhere. I was worried that I would get sick! As I’ve gotten more comfortable with the list of ingredients I can’t eat, I’ve been able to get creative with the menus in restaurants around here.
Traveling can be even more scary! If I’m in town I can always fix something different before or after going out to eat with company when I get home. When you are out-of-town you are at the mercy of other people or the grocery store with limited ingredients.
This past weekend I went away with my husband for a couple of days. I did some planning and researching before we went away (although I could have done a bit more!). I tried to balance what I bought and what I brought. I decided to make two things: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Larabars and Super Powder Chia Seed Bread. I love larabars and this recipe was easy and good! I wasn’t as excited about the look and taste of the bread, but it provided a good base for my lunch one day and was very nutritious.
The hotel provided a free hot and healthy breakfast for those staying there, but unfortunately the only thing I could eat was the fruit, coffee, and fruit juice. So I brought some Udi’s bagels, some eggs with a microwave egg poacher, and some individual packets of Jason’s Chocolate nut butters. I didn’t feel at all left out with those delicious options available!
We did stop at a grocery store for some dinner one night and I picked up some Annie’s Dairy Free Gluten Free Mac & Cheese and some brussel sprouts for my dinner. For the one lunch I brought some hummus, guacamole, grape tomatoes, and green pepper from home which I enjoyed with the Chia Seed bread. We also visited the local farmer’s market where they had an olive bar. I got a few of those to brighten up my plate.
Our dinner out ended up being a little exciting. It was difficult to find a place without reservations (which it never occurred to me to make!) as it was restaurant week and EVERYONE was taking advantage of the specials available. We finally ended up at a Spanish/Portuguese restaurant next door to our hotel where someone was canceling their double reservation just after we walked in. The awesome thing about this place was that the chefs used only corn starch in thickening all of their sauces so all I had to do was find something that didn’t have any sort of breading or meat or cheese. The waiter was super helpful and I enjoyed my shrimp in coconut milk curry sauce with pineapple and a side salad.
I had a wonderful time and didn’t get sick at ALL! If you are traveling and concerned about getting sick from something you ate I would highly recommend putting together this “I Got Glutened!” kit. Even though I didn’t end up needing it, it gave me peace of mind knowing that it was there just in case!
What do you do to prepare for a vacation without food allergies?