LIST - Travelling Gluten Free

One bug I don't mind being bitten by is the TRAVEL BUG! Send me anywhere and everywhere, I don't care!

In college I was lucky enough to spend a semester in Prague, my #2 favorite city in the world besides NYC. For those of you that haven't been, here's my 5 favorite things about Prague:

1. It looks like a Disney movie. All the streets are cobblestone, all the buildings are painted pretty pastel colors, and there's a castle!
2. Beer is cheaper than water, and in my opinion, tastier.
3. Dogs are so well trained that they walk without leashes. Yay for the animals!
4. They make this one sandwich called smažený sýr. Think giant square mozzarella stick, with tartar sauce, on a hamburger bun. Heaven. I know it's not gluten free, I discovered it before I knew what gluten was. One day it will be done gluten free. I promise.
5. The history there is just amazing, and there are plenty of people that want to talk about it and share their stories.

Anways, I got off topic. So when I was in Prague I also had the luck to be able to travel all over Europe. I went to Berlin, Paris, Barcelona, Naples (let the drooling begin...). This is where I was bit by that damn bug.

And then I came home, and haven't been out of the country again since. Which is fine. I've done a lot of travelling in the US, which is not such a bad place I suppose. My 2 favorite places in the US thus far are definitely Asbury Park, NJ and Lake Sunapee, NH (check out Eric's website here for more info than you ever wanted to know about Asbury Park). Asbury is literally a metaphor for the whole country: it's the struggle of good vs. evil, rich vs. poor, left brained folks vs. right brained folks. It's wonderful. And Sunapee is clean, isolated, nature-packed, and calm.

Which brings me to the actual plot of this post. Does the "gluten" factor mean you have to give up travelling? Are you now supposed to stay in your "safe zone" and never leave your city limits?

Absolutely not.

If you DON'T TRAVEL, then GLUTEN WINS. And we cannot let that happen.

So, I've been planning a trip for this weekend (Boston, if you must know), and I wanted to share some tips and advice that you can use WHEN (not if, when) you plan your next trip.

1. Use the Internets (duh)

Just like when you research your flights, hotels, and attractions in your destination, use the internet to research where to eat. Do a little more than just typing in "city name + gluten free" and looking at the first result, go to the 2nd page! When I was searching for Boston restaurants, it took a little while before I came across this gem, the brilliant blog Please Don't Pass the Nuts. This is a blogpost from 2009 about dining out in Boston, and while the posting was helpful, one fan posted a HUGE list of restaurants. Make bookmarks on your favorites and then compile them into a Google Map at the end of your search.

2. Create a custom Google Map with your "favorites" saved

It's super easy. You can watch this video from Google to see how. But basically, go into Google Maps, click "My Maps", create a name and all that, then search for each of your restaurants/cafes/etc, then where it says "directions" and those buttons, click "Save To" and click the name of your map. It's there! I would recommend searching by restaurant name and not address, because whatever you type in becomes the title of the spot on your map.

You can then download your custom map to your smart phone and be all set when you're on the go on your trip!

3. Call ahead to restaurants

I can't stress how important this is. You can't expect to always find restaurants that have a gluten free menu. And even if you have a ton available, you'll want to eat somewhere different. Just make sure you call ahead, explain your situation, and see if they have anything on their menu that evening that you can eat. I would recommend calling before 5pm, since this is when restaurants start getting busy. And call the day you're planning on going, many places change their menu daily.

Here's some questions you can ask:
- I have an intolerance to gluten, do you know if there are options on the menu for tonight that don't contain wheat/barley/rye?
- Do you have any gluten free options on your menu for tonight?
- Do you know if there are any options on your menu that are safe for people with a gluten intolerance?

It'll usually go one of 3 ways: either they are very accommodating and helpful, they don't know but offer to ask the chef, or they just don't know and don't care. If it's #3, don't bother.

4. Go to the grocery store

This works great for breakfasts, snacks, and desserts. And it's even better (but not necessary) if you have a mini fridge in your hotel room. So many grocery stores (and our favorite, Whole Foods) carry gluten free cereals, snacks, desserts, it will make life easier to stock up. And it's cheaper than eating out for every meal.

5. Be flexible

While it's good to plan your trips in advance, don't do it to the extreme where you're not able to make changes to your itinerary. Be flexible in your eating choices, you'll have a much better trip.