gluten free travel tips

Travel Gluten Free Podcast

Season 09 Episode 17

Traveling Gluten Free in Our National Parks

 

Here’s the 411 on National Parks, activities to do, when to go and how to navigate the park you choose to visit. I'll also take you on a brief tour of the National Park Service website and tell you about the National Park Foundation, why you want to purchase a National Park Pass, why you want to bring gluten free food inside the parks, and how to reserve a camping spot!

 

National Park Activities

 

So, what can you do in a national park? What do you want to do? Find out about local geologic features? How about the history of how our country's government formed? Or maybe you want to learn about the ecosystem of the Everglades? Sound overwhelming? Why not start at the National Park website where you can search by activity, find out about ranger-guided hikes, tours, and presentations and also see if the park you are visiting has the Junior Ranger Program for kids.

 

When you visit the National Park website, you can:

• Search for National Parks by state

• see what parks, monument and national lands are in the state

• find out what activities each individual park has to offer

• Purchase a National Park annual pass (highly recommended!)

 

Eating Gluten Free in National Parks

 

Unfortunately, this has proven almost hopeless as the parks only provide mostly fast food. Every once in a while, you can find an upscale lodge with a dining room that can accommodate Celiac disease, but overall, plan on bringing your own food with you to be safe.

 

Gluten Free 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

 

National Park Foundation

National Park Week

Donate to the National Parks Service

Sign up to get National Park news here

Hidden gems: parks off the beaten path

Travel Gluten Free Podcast

Season 09 Episode 16

Eating Gluten Free in Downtown Disney and Disney Springs

Disney Springs is a dining, shopping, and entertainment complex located at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, near Orlando. Formerly known as Downtown Disney, it was rebranded as Disney Springs in 2015 after undergoing a significant expansion and renovation. Disney Springs is open to the public and does not require admission. It offers a vibrant and lively atmosphere, making it a popular destination for visitors looking for entertainment, dining, and shopping experiences.

Disney Springs offers a wide array of experiences for visitors of all ages, featuring four distinct neighborhoods: The Landing, Marketplace, West Side, and Town Center. Each area has its own theme and atmosphere, offering a diverse range of dining options, retail stores, and entertainment venues.

Visitors can explore an assortment of shops, including Disney-themed stores, upscale boutiques, and specialty shops. Disney Springs offers entertainment options such as live music, performances, and shows. The complex also features unique experiences like The VOID, an immersive virtual reality attraction, and Splitsville Luxury Lanes, a modern bowling alley with dining options.

Eating Gluten Free in Disney Springs

If you’re gluten-free or you have food allergies, Disney is well-known for serving up safe food! Disney Springs takes food allergies and dietary restrictions seriously and makes efforts to accommodate guests with special dietary needs, providing options for various food allergies, intolerances, and dietary restrictions.

Many restaurants at Disney Springs offer allergy-friendly menus or have options clearly marked for common allergens such as gluten, dairy, nuts, and other allergens. When dining at Disney Springs, remember to communicate your food allergies or dietary restrictions to your server or a Cast Member. They are trained to assist you and can provide guidance on suitable menu items or may be able to modify dishes to accommodate your needs. The staff members, including chefs and food preparation teams, receive training on allergen awareness and handling to minimize the risk of cross-contact.

Make sure to have dining reservations in advance and mention your food allergies or dietary restrictions during the booking process. This allows the restaurant to be better prepared for your arrival and ensures that they can provide appropriate options or make necessary arrangements.

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 15

Gluten Free Indian Cuisine

 

Indian food is one of my favorite ethnic dishes, so I’m so glad that East Indian cuisine is mostly naturally gluten free! Besides naan bread, and some samosas - which are the East Indian version of a burrito - most other dishes do not have gluten. Today, I’ll give you information on popular Indian dishes that typically do not contain gluten that I’ve eaten in the past. As always, check with the chef or cook at the restaurant you’re eating at to make sure your food is safe!

 

Be Aware of Gluten in Lentils

 

Because the FDA allows up to 10% of another grain in lentils, I try to avoid lentils as much as possible. However, there are several dishes, including the crisp wafer Papadam, that are made from lentils. The one time I was sick from Indian food was cross-contamination of the lentils in the dish.

 

Four Types of Indian Cuisine based on Region

 

North Indian cuisine is known for its robust flavors and extensive use of dairy products, such as ghee (clarified butter), yogurt, and paneer (cottage cheese). Popular dishes include biryani, butter chicken, tandoori chicken, naan bread, and various lentil-based dishes like dal makhani.

 

South Indian cuisine is primarily vegetarian and is characterized by its generous use of rice, lentils, coconut, and spices like mustard seeds, curry leaves, and red chilies. Popular dishes include dosa (fermented rice and lentil crepes), idli (steamed rice and lentil cakes), sambhar (spicy lentil soup), and rasam (tangy soup).

 

East Indian cuisine is known for its seafood, sweets, and subtle flavors. Rice and fish are staple ingredients in this cuisine. Popular dishes include macher jhol (fish curry), sandesh (a sweet made from cottage cheese and sugar), and rasgulla (a syrupy dessert made from cheese curds).

 

West Indian cuisine is known for its spicy and vibrant flavors. It heavily relies on ingredients like garlic, ginger, and chilies. Popular dishes include pav bhaji (a spicy mashed vegetable curry served with bread), vada pav (a spicy potato fritter sandwich), dhokla (steamed fermented chickpea flour snack), and various Gujarati thalis (platters) featuring a wide variety of vegetarian dishes.

 

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 14

Traveling Gluten Free in Puerto Rico

 

I recently took a vacation in Humacao, Puerto Rico after visiting this beautiful US territory for the first time last year. I stayed at Las Palmas Resort and I enjoyed my stay so much, I’ve already booked another week there for next year! I can’t wait to go back. Listen in to today’s gluten free travel episode where I talk about my experience in Puerto Rico, fun things to do while you’re there, and, of course, amazing gluten free restaurants to eat at when you’re in Puerto Rico.

 

Traveling to Puerto Rico

 

You can easily get a plane ticket in and out of the main airport in San Juan. And because Puerto Rico is a US territory, you don’t need a passport, but you will need a Real ID. Also, you don’t need to exchange currency as Puerto Rico is a territory and uses US dollars. It’s an easy trip to get to a tropical island that you don't need a passport to travel to if you’re a US resident!

 

Beaches in Puerto Rico

 

One of the best geologic features and most relaxing activity is to visit a local beach. Luquillo Beach is beautiful and there are restaurants and facilities (including showers) nearby. You can rent a beach chair for $25 for the day, and buy a coconut water or coco loco to sit and relax on the beach, read a book, swim, snorkel or people watch.

 

Where to Stay in Puerto Rico

 

I stayed at Park Royal Homestead, and I really enjoyed my stay at their resort! I had a two bedroom condo, with a full kitchen, right next to the pool. The resort offers free shuttles anywhere in the resort, including all restaurants and their own private beach

 

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 10

How to Travel with Disabilities featuring Jen Hardy

 

What does it mean to travel with disabilities? What is a disability and what do you need to know if you’re traveling with disabilities? My friend and fellow female podcaster Jen Hardy from the Fabulous Over Fifty podcast (formerly the Hardy Moms Podcast) also has multiple disabilities, including an auto-immune disease which leaves her without energy and the ability to walk or stand on her own. Traveling with a walker, Jen is here to give us tips on how to travel when you have to carry medical devices as a result of your disability. She also tells her story with her experience on United Airlines and how they left her in the terminal, alone, after forgetting to order her a wheelchair and not assisting her off the airplane with a walking aide.

 

What Does it Mean to Travel with a Disability?

 

A disability is when a person has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment. These include auto-immune disease, cancer, anxiety, PTSD, depression, and other impairments. It's very common that if you have one disability, you have another. For me, I have 10 disabilities - some of them physical, some mental such as my PTSD I have from being raised in an abusive household. Although you can’t see most disabilities in physical form, they are there. When others can’t see our disabilities, it makes it hard for them to understand how we have to adjust in our daily life and especially when we travel.

 

Always Take Your Medication on the Plane with You

 

Depending on your disability, you may have to use a walker, diabetic medication, cane, brace or support, and most likely you are traveling with medication. Always, always, always take your medication with you on the plane. Take a medical bag because this can be your extra third bag that is excluded from your two you can take on the plane because of medical reasons. While you don’t have to have a doctor’s letter or note, I would highly recommend geting a medical bag for your medications. 

 

When flying gluten-free, you want to know about this not-well-known piece of information. If you have a disability, and any auto-immune disease is considered a disability, you have the right to carry one extra bag for medical supplies. In addition to the two bags you can carry on, you get one extra. Here’s the link to the TSA article, which explains in detail what you can bring and what they allow on the airplane when you travel with a medical bag. 

 

Don’t have a medical bag? Get the PracMedic Travel Medicine Bag. I just picked one up from Amazon, and I’m very excited to travel with this handy medical bag. I’ve been able to stuff lots of supplements and all my prescriptions, along with my spray hand sanitizer, into this convenient bag that has a shoulder strap for easy carrying through the airport. 

And if you need a clear, quart-sized travel case for your toiletries because the TSA agent took yours the last time you went through security (like the rude agent who I encountered at the St. Louis airport), then grab this amazing deal from CBGE! Three TSA-approved quart-sized toiletry bags for men or women for under $11.

 

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

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*

 

Connect with Jen Hardy

Listen in to Jen’s Podcast Fabulous Over Fifty which is her new rebrand of The Hardy Mom podcast

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