Are you afraid to embark on a gluten-free travel adventure?
All too often, I hear people state that they are fearful of gluten-free travel.
As you continue to incorporate gluten-free living into your lifestyle, this fear can certainly decrease. With a few extra steps and planning ahead, you can stay healthy on the road.
Last week my children had a week off for Spring Break so we decided to take the train to visit their grandparents.
Traveling by train is so relaxing. No worries about traffic, getting lost, or taking the wrong exit. Just sit and relax, read a book or spend some time with those traveling with you.
The key to staying healthy on our gluten-free travel is planning ahead.
Before leaving for our trip, we all decided that we would each carry our own bag on the train. Yeah! Better for this mamma who typically carries everything, right?
Trains will typically have a food car, but I have yet to find anything gluten-free offered on a train. This doesn’t mean they aren’t there, I’ve just not found one! (If you have, let me know in the comments.)
So, can you travel by train if you are gluten-free?
Oh yes, quite easily!
*First of all, figure out how long your trip will be, factoring in possible delays.
Our trip was about 5 hours so we were packed and ready to go. A carry-on is allowed on the train which worked out perfectly to place our food items in our backpacks along with our books and computers.
*Pack lunch/dinner to get you through your trip in a small lunch tote or cooler.
The great thing is that you CAN bring food and a small cooler on the train. We packed sandwiches and fruit, peeling the clementine’s and slicing the apples to make it easier to eat on the train. We had a little cooler for our cold items.
*Pack snacks and bring along a water bottle.
My kids love to eat, so we were very prepared. Remember that hungry kids (and possibly adults) equal grumpy and whiny kids, so plan ahead! We brought along granola, pretzels, date balls, homemade cookies and fruit, and had plenty of water with us.
*Pack books, games, notebooks/work along with your computer or phone to keep you busy on the long ride.
We all had books, games and our computers to keep us plenty busy!
Once we arrived, Grandma and Poppy had picked up some of our necessities. We hit the grocery store after settling in to grab other food we needed for our stay. If traveling by car, I would’ve brought more food with us from home. But, getting it once we arrived totally worked as well.
Not staying with family or friends at your final destination?
Then scope out the area to see where you can pick up food to prepare where you are staying, or restaurants that offer safe gluten-free options. Try the Find Me Gluten-Free app which has helped us on many occasions.
Truthfully, the train is an easy, relaxing way to travel gluten-free! Pack ahead to carry what you need and you’re set for your trip.