When carrying unrefrigerated food, we must ALWAYS be mindful of the temperature we are exposing it to. Although many foods do not need refrigeration, it is always best to err on the side of caution if traveling in hot climates. Prepared food and heat are not a wise combination. So always be cautious about consuming food that has been kept at warm temperatures for any length of time. Use common sense and stay food safe. Having said that.......
I'm one of those strange people who actually like to fly. I didn't set foot on an airplane until I was in my early thirties. My first trip was from London to Chicago. Quite an initiation but I loved it. I had always loved to travel but my modes of transportation until that time were buses, trains and cars. Of those, my favorite was the train. I always chose a window seat if possible and sat mesmerized as the towns and countryside whizzed by. When I took my first airplane ride, it was just as if the train had risen off its tracks and was now ploughing through the clouds, the countryside was just further away and went by faster!
I still travel quite frequently and it wasn't long after going gluten and soy free that I faced my first trip by air. How was I to manage my new diet and an airplane ride? For various reasons (too complicated to discuss here), I always travel standby. That means I cannot reserve a special meal so I can't comment on the gluten free offerings from the airlines (perhaps you can?). However, having to avoid soy as well as gluten probably means that an airline meal is out anyway. It also means that I only take carryon luggage. In a future post, I will write about how I take food for the vacation as well as the airplane ride, but for now let's stick to the travel part.
So....what to do? Try to buy food at the airport? Take food along? What food? Mmmm, many questions and dilemmas. Undaunted I tackled the issue.
I should add that I also love the outdoors. What does that have to do with this topic? Well, if you have ever hiked or backpacked you will understand. Strenuous physical activity in the outdoors requires the transportation of food - lots of food. This food has to be nutritious, easily portable and non-refrigerated. Putting together a cache of food that you can carry and consume for several days takes a lot of planning and imagination. If you've done this, taking a meal and a few snacks on an airplane isn't such an insurmountable task.
The first thing to know about taking food on airplanes is that TSA doesn't care about food as long as it isn't liquid or goopy. They also don't care if your liquid or goopy stuff is mixed with the solid stuff. For example, if you are taking a salad and dressing, keep them separate until just before you go through security. Then put the dressing on the salad. As long as you are going to consume the salad within a couple of hours, it will be fine. Alternatively, put your salad dressing in a less than 3 ounce container and put it in your liquid "baggie" so you can mix the two later.
Sandwiches are fine. Use any filling you like but figure out how long it has to last to judge whether or not to include meat or other items that might go "off". I always avoid mayonnaise on anything when I either hike or travel. It is the food most likely to cause digestive problems and should always be refrigerated.
I don't eat meat as well as gluten and soy so I am further limited. But never fear! There are always nut butters - almond is my favorite rather than peanut. Nut butter and jelly sandwiches are travel hardy and the worst that happens is that they get a bit soggy, but that's usually from an over enthusiastic amount of jelly so I try to be sparing with that.
I also take along veggies - carrots, celery and my all time favorite, sugar snap peas all make for great crunchy snacks. Fruit of course is always welcome and energy bars, as long as they are gluten and soy free, are handy. I always carry a bag of mixed nuts, dried fruits such as cranberries and cherries, and dates with me, not just when I travel but at all times. This makes a handy protein and energy boost whenever I need one and a small baggie doesn't take up much room in my handbag.
Since going gluten and soy free, I make my own granola and honey roasted nuts. Both are so easy to make and great to take along on trips. (Yes, I am getting around to posting recipes soon. Keep watching this space!).
Other trip friendly foods are gluten soy free cookies, raisin bread (Rudi's is the best), hard-boiled eggs, potato or corn chips (as long as not cooked in vegetable oil) and gluten soy free breakfast cereal (to crunch on without milk). I am a tea drinker so I always take my own teabags on airplanes. They serve Starbucks coffee but only have Lipton tea? What's up with that?
Every time I travel, I figure out some other way to make the gluten soy free experience easier so I'll continue to share my ideas here.
What's your favorite gluten soy free travel tip?
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