celiac cruise

Travel Gluten Free Podcast

Season 09 Episode 13

Can You Take Gluten Free Food Outside of the Country?

Ready to travel overseas? Is this your first overseas trip having Celiac disease or as a gluten free traveler? No worries! You can safely navigate food overseas when you know what to do, including using the European Codex, my gluten free traveler. Find out how to pack your bags, get through TSA with food, product ingredients overseas, and how to use Equal Eats cards when traveling.

Eating Out Safely with Equal Eats Cards

With his mission to empower people living with dietary restrictions to enjoy food everywhere by providing an accurate, accessible, and seamless technology solution to help communicate their dietary restrictions effectively, accurately, and conveniently - wherever their life takes them with Equal Eats Cards. Kyle takes great effort to give each individual a customizable option for their card. For example, you can add Celiac, vegan, vegetarian, food allergies, and food intolerances so your wait staff knows all the foods you can’t eat. There are dozens of food allergy and intolerance options and dietary choices you can order on Equal Eats. This comes in very handy when you’re ordering food when you’re in a country in which you don’t understand the language.

Food Shopping Overseas

Even when you ask all the right questions, you can still end up getting food you can’t eat. Make sure to take Equal Eats cards with you to the supermarket and ask the store clerk if you can eat the food that is packaged. 

Packing Your Food in Your Checked or Carry-On Bag

Find out how to pack your food, and make sure you weigh your checked bag to make sure it’s within the weight limit of the airline you are traveling to your destination. Typically, the weight limit for checked bags is 60 pounds and I’ve never come close to that weight on a checked bag, even after adding food.

Make sure that you’re following the 3-1-1 TSA rule for liquids if you’re packing liquids in your carry-on. I recently got stuck throwing out shampoo and conditioner because I had too many liquids with my medicine. Now, however, I carry a medical bag so my medicine that’s considered a liquid doesn’t count towards my 3-1-1 (see medical bag link below) . 

Podcast Resources

Journey safely with The Guide to Traveling Gluten Free which walks you through planning your next gluten-free travel adventure!

Get the best tool for traveling gluten free with Equal Eats Cards

Get the PracMedic Travel Medicine Bag. I just picked one up from Amazon, and I’m excited to travel with this handy medical bag.

Looking for a warm getaway this year? Find your next vacation on Airbnb! Get Your Travel Gluten Free discount with a $40 credit towards your stay!

Follow me on Social Media via Facebook, Youtube, Pinterest, or Instagram

Spread the love of Travel Gluten Free podcast and share this episode with a friend

Travel Gluten Free Podcast

Season 09 Episode 12

How to Eat Gluten Free at Your Vacation Rental

Are you scared to eat out at restaurants? If you’re new to having Celiac disease, this is a real fear! You don’t want to be anxious on vacation, so what do you do? My friend, you can find an Air b’n’b or VRBO at the location you’re taking your vacation and make your own food. Always call ahead and speak to restaurant managers directly at hotels, don’t rely on the front desk staff to ask if the food is safe at the hotel restaurant. You’ll also want to call ahead and find out what appliances and the size of the fridge and microwave so you understand what you have to cook with when you’re on vacation. Make sure to follow these tips when you’re eating out or making your own food when traveling gluten free.

Find Out About the Kitchen

Since there are no standards for what appliances come in a mini-kitchen, studio, or full kitchen apartment or vacation rental, you’ll want to call ahead and find out what appliances are available to use. Which appliances are safe? You may not want to use the blender, and other appliances which food can get easily cross-contaminated such as the toaster.

Make sure to clean your utensils well, use toaster sleeves, and wash any plates you may need during your stay. Look for crumbs in the cabinets and avoid using anything that has come in contact with leftover food. You can easily purchase paper plates to use while you are on vacation to give yourself an extra level of protection and create a less stressed travel vacation.

These Food Rules for Gluten Free also Apply to Food Allergies

Whether you have food allergies or you’re gluten free for health reasons, you can apply these practices to keep your food safe! Never assume that any product doesn’t have gluten or a food allergen unless you have thoroughly read the label. This can be time consuming, but it’s the only way to ensure that the food you are eating is safe. Gluten can hide in many different places including: scrambled eggs at restaurants, tea, salad dressing and sauces, sausages and other meats, as well as alcohol. 

If you can’t find a local place to buy safe food, you can always order food from Amazon and have it shipped to your vacation rental! Please be safe and read all ingredients and ask the right questions when you’re traveling gluten free or with food allergies!

Podcast Resources

Journey safely with The Guide to Traveling Gluten Free which walks you through planning your next gluten-free travel adventure!

Get the best tool for traveling gluten free with Equal Eats Cards

Get the PracMedic Travel Medicine Bag. I just picked one up from Amazon, and I’m excited to travel with this handy medical bag.

Looking for a warm getaway this year? Find your next vacation on Airbnb! Get Your Travel Gluten Free discount with a $40 credit towards your stay!

Follow me on Social Media via Facebook, Youtube, Pinterest, or Instagram

Spread the love of Travel Gluten Free podcast and share this episode with a friend*

Travel Gluten Free Podcast

Season 09 Episode 01

Travel Gluten Free on International Flights

We kick off Season 09 of the Travel Gluten-free Podcast with an informational episode giving the gluten free traveler advice on how to navigate international air travel. While domestic air travel can be challenging, adding more hours and a foreign language or two gives us more hurdles to overcome when we are on our vacation. However, we can still navigate the international travel scene without getting sick when you know what to do and how to prepare for travel to Europe, Asia, Africa, Iceland, or South America.

Finding Gluten Free Eats at Airports

While some airports, such as Atlanta International have food guides to show you which restaurants could possibly accommodate a gluten-free eater, they may not be safe for someone who is Celiac because preparation of the food is essential for safe eating! However, you can use the Find Me Gluten Free app - even inside airports - to find safe food to eat. If you’re flying through Portland (PDX) you can definitely eat at the Burgerville restaurant, just make sure to tell them to tag your order with a gluten allergy.

Using Equal Eats Cards at International Airports

I absolutely love Equal Eats cards! They not only tell wait staff and chefs what you can and can’t eat in the foreign language of your choice, they also inform food preparation people about how your food needs to be handled. In addition, they are well-vetted and can be customized for food allergies, and sensitivities in addition to the details of Celiac disease, bringing an extra level of safety to traveling gluten free.

Podcast Resources

Journey with Travel Gluten Free when you get The Guide to Traveling Gluten Free which walks you through planning your next gluten-free travel adventure!

Follow Travel Gluten-Free on Social Media via Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, Pinterest, or Instagram

 Spread the love of Travel Gluten Free podcast and share this episode with a friend*

Travel Gluten-Free Podcast

Season 08 Episode 28

Gluten Free European Bakeries with Matt from Gluten Free Street Gang

Join us in today’s Travel Gluten-free Podcast as Matt from the Gluten Free Street Gang and I chat about the favorite bakeries he’s visited throughout Europe! We talk about where you can find the best gluten free croissants, gluten free cake, and gluten free pastries around the world.

The Popularity of Gluten Free Bakeries

There are many gluten-free bakeries in European countries that offer a variety of gluten-free baked goods such as bread, pastries, and desserts. Some of these bakeries may be dedicated exclusively to gluten-free products, while others may offer both gluten-free and gluten-containing options.

It is worth noting that the availability and popularity of gluten-free products has increased significantly in recent years, so it is likely that there are many options for those following a gluten-free diet in these countries. 

About Matt Bzedl

Matt grew up outside the US with expat parents and travel has been a constant of his life since he was a toddler. Matt has been on a gluten free diet since December 2013 and has IBS. While gluten isn’t the only culprit, gluten is his worst offender.  He started my meme account after getting an idea for a meme about Starbucks discontinuing their gluten free breakfast sandwich. 

Matt has run the largest gluten free meme account on Instagram for a little over two years and is proud to both be a leader in our community as well as building connections with people from all over the world who find my his relatable. 

The name of his account comes from a soccer team he was on when living in the US. Matt had a wild assortment of injuries and with the constant jokes about being in his mid-20s going on 80, the name "Retirement Home Street Gang" was born. The name Gluten Free Street Gang came about as an extension of that name.

He’s been to 27 countries (and lived in four countries if you count study abroad). His best travel story is when he was working in Belgium and took a sleeper train with some friends and woke up in a different country than his intended travel destination. Matt hopes to keep travel as a central content theme for his upcoming work.

Resources

Follow Matt on Instagram

Join The Gluten Free Street Gang on Facebook

Journey with Travel Gluten Free

The Guide to Traveling Gluten Free will walk you through planning and enjoying your next gluten-free travel adventure!

Get the BEST all-natural gluten-free travel cosmetics at Lemongrass Spa! 

Find cool gluten-free swag at my gluten-free swag shop

Follow Travel Gluten-Free on Social Media 

Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, Pinterest, Instagram

*Spread the love of Travel Gluten Free podcast and share this episode with a friend*

Travel Gluten Free Podcast

Season 08 Episode 01

Gluten Free Gift Giving with Calli McPherson of William James Gifts

The act of giving a gift expresses how much we care and value someone. In today’s Travel Gluten-free Podcast, I’m excited to host Calli McPherson, the owner of William James Gifts, a gift store specializing in gluten-free food and gift baskets. Find out how Calli started her gluten-free gift store during the pandemic and the great line of gluten-free goods you can gift your favorite gluten-free person!

Opening her Gluten Free Gift Store

Calli shares her dream of opening a gift store that picked momentum after her diagnosis with Celiac. Being Celiac allowed Calli to see the need for a Gluten-free gift store as the gaps she found in the marketplace. For example, there wasn’t a gift basket shop or store that sold gluten-free products for those who were gluten intolerant or had a medical condition in which they couldn’t eat gluten.

Gluten Free Foods and Products at William James Gifts

Calli takes us through the expansive line of their products at William James Gifts. Other than being gluten-free, the products at William James Gifts cater to people with different dietary restrictions, such as Vegan and even those on keto or paleo diets. 

Calli and her family taste-test all the food before carrying it into the store. She believes that trying out the products and foods before carrying them is essential. Then, if the food or gluten-free product passes the test and has her family’s seal of approval, she’ll proudly display the item and sell it in her store.

Supporting Women-Owned Small Businesses

Calli also shares why she sources some products from women-owned small businesses. Besides supporting women-owned businesses, Calli talks about how she sources most of her products from companies that center around social responsibility.

Connect with Calli McPherson of William James Gifts

Follow William James Gifts on Instagram and Facebook

Check out William James Gifts on the web 

Journey with Travel Gluten Free

Get the BEST all-natural gluten-free travel cosmetics at Lemongrass Spa! 

Find cool gluten-free swag at my gluten-free swag shop

The Guide to Traveling Gluten Free will walk you through planning and enjoying your next gluten-free travel adventure!

Follow Travel Gluten Free on Social Media 

Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, Pinterest, Instagram

*Spread the love of Travel Gluten Free podcast and share this episode with a friend*