When I’m at home, I don’t eat gluten or dairy—sadly, because they’re delicious, and because that’s all my kids will eat. (*groan*) But generally being gluten-free and dairy-free isn’t tough, especially in Portland, home of uber sensitive restaurants and friends who always ask if you have dietary restrictions when inviting you over for dinner. Traveling internationally is a different beast, though. For all you gluten-free friends out there in internet-land, I’m here to share how to eat gluten-free when you travel abroad.
Yes, it’s a bummer to forego local delicacies, and figuring out how to eat gluten-free when you travel takes extra work. But if you’re celiac, you have no choice, and if you’re just sensitive to gluten, you’ll feel much better if you stick to your regular diet.
Here’s the good news: Figuring out how to eat gluten-free when you travel isn’t as hard as you think. I’ve managed quite well in my travels, and I’m here to share my best tips on keeping your diet clean and keeping you healthy. Bon voyage, and bon appetit!
Top 11 ways to eat gluten-free when you travel
1. Research gluten-free restaurants
This sounds like a “duh” tip, but it should be your first step. Before you travel abroad, google “gluten-free restaurant” and whatever place you’re visiting. Don’t stop there, though.
Next, add those locations to a google map. Unless your itinerary is set in stone, your plans will probably change, so having these good-to-go restaurants on a map you can access will help you find a place to eat, no matter where your travels take you that day.
2. Go for gluten-friendly cuisines
Some types of food are more gluten-friendly than others. Italian cuisine, for example, is a lot tougher to eat GF than, say, Mexican. So when you’re traveling and can’t find a specifically gluten-free restaurant, look for Mexican (or other Latin American), Japanese, Thai and the like. You’ll be able to eat gluten-free when you travel with these cuisine choices.
3. Find vegetarian restaurants
Vegetarian restaurants tend to cater to more health-conscious eaters, so gluten-free choices are often marked on these menus.
4. Memorize how to say “gluten” and “wheat” in the local language
Look up—and write down—how to ask if the food has gluten in it. “Contiene trigo?” means “Does this have wheat in it?” in Spanish—a phrase I sometimes used when traveling in South America recently.
This delicious bowl from Verde Te Quiero Verde in Rosario, Argentina was so healthy and satisfying!
5. Look up local dishes
If you’re traveling in Italy, you’ll find pasta on most every menu—not exactly gluten-free friendly. But when you’re working out how to eat gluten-free when you travel, think of other signature foods in your destination—like caprese salad in Italy.
When I was in Peru, for example, I always knew I could ask for ceviche or tacu tacu, a fried rice dish, at pretty much any Peruvian restaurant. Knowing there will always be something you can eat will take out a lot of the stress of being a gluten-free traveler.
6. Ask in advance
If the group you’re traveling with has plans to go to a specific restaurant, call ahead. That way you can ask if there are gluten-free dishes and even ask for modifications. They’re much more likely to be able to work around your dietary restrictions if you ask in advance.
Chia in Cusco, Peru was an all-vegan restaurant with a ton of delicious gluten-free food.
7. Get help from the front desk
It can be hard to figure out how to eat gluten-free when you travel if you do it on your own, so ask for help! If you don’t speak the local language, enlist the help of your hotel’s concierge (or your AirBnB host). They’ll be able to communicate your needs on your behalf.
8. Seek recommendations from travel boards
Search travel message boards for location-specific tips on how to eat gluten-free when you travel. If nothing pops up that’s relevant to your destination, ask on a travel message board: Other travelers are likely to weigh in.
Isolina Taberna in Lima, Peru had a wealth of gluten-free foods. The beans were out of this world!
9. Bring snacks from home
Raise your hand if this has happened to you, too: You’re traveling abroad and you haven’t eaten anything for a while, and all of a sudden you’re hangry—and the only food around is delicious-smelling donuts some nice old lady is selling on the street. Not a good combination when you’re traveling internationally (or anywhere, for that matter).
To avoid those hangry moments, bring a supply of GF snacks from home: ones you know you like and are shelf-stable. For example, on a recent long trip to South America, I brought an entire box of Paleo Cave Man bars as well as a bunch of Lara Bars (my fave flavors are cherry and peanut butter chocolate chip). Yes, they weighed a lot, and yes, I felt semi-ridiculous importing so many snacks, but I was absolutely glad to have them. I made sure I always had a bar (or two) in my bag or purse before I left the hotel each morning. And I can’t tell you how many times those snacks saved me! (affiliate links)
10. Eat a hearty breakfast
Most hotels offer breakfast as a complementary part of your stay. Take advantage and load up on gluten-free foods. My go-to breakfast choices: eggs, fruit and oatmeal.
Depending on where you’re traveling, you might have additional options that seem unconventional to Americans but will still give you a good base for a full day of traveling. In England and much of Europe, for example, you’ll find baked beans at breakfast; in South America, I was often offered slices of ham or turkey and cheese; in Japan, you might eat salad, fish and soup first-thing.
11. Visit a local grocery store
There may be days when you simply didn’t have good luck finding gluten-free food when you travel. On those days, make sure you have GF choices back at your hotel room that are heartier than trail mix or granola bars.
One of the first things I do when I arrive at my travel destination is go to a grocery store. While I’m there, I pick out one or two gluten-free staples (on a recent trip, I bought GF granola and almond milk). Other ideas: cold cuts, peanut butter and bananas, fruit and yogurt, or veggies and avocado. Most lodging has at least a small mini-bar fridge where you can store perishable foods.
Bottom line: It’s far from impossible to eat gluten free when you travel. You can absolutely stay healthy even while exploring the world—and eating your way around the globe.
You might not be able to eat baguettes in France or alfajores in Argentina (womp-womp), but when you eat gluten-free when you travel abroad, you’ll keep your tummy happy—so you can enjoy your trip to the fullest.
Do you have any trips on how to eat gluten-free when you travel?
I feel bad for people who can’t have gluten and dairy but this is a great list to help navigate travel and menus.
Yep it’s definitely not ideal, especially when eating is such a beautiful part of travel. But better to stay healthy, for sure!
It has got to be difficult to maintain a gluten free diet while traveling! Lots of great tips for planning ahead!
It is difficult but I’m lucky I’m not celiac. If I slip up with gluten, it’s not the end of the world, thankfully!
These are such great tips! Eating healthy in general is tricky when traveling, but I definitely feel better traveling when I eat gluten-free and dairy-free.
Me too! In fact I totally fell off the dairy free wagon today and am def feeling the effects. The ice cream sure was delicious though! 😉
These are all great tips. I generally forget my no grain rule when traveling abroad as long as I manage my symptoms, but I recently decided to be very strict on a trip to NYC and it was harder than I thought. It’s so easy in Portland to eat gluten-free, but it’s much more difficult in a city you’re unfamiliar with. I definitely relied on your first tip to bookmark restaurants.
It IS harder when you’re in an unfamiliar place! Thankfully more and more restaurants and destinations are making it easier to eat GF when you travel, but it does take a lot of thought and planning.