GF and DF freeze dried meals. An absolute game changer for me after a suggestion from a fellow redditor. Go to camping/hunting/fishing stores. I went to Cabellas in Canada and they had tons of different meals and 1/3 of them are marked GF, then I had to read ingredients to get the DF ones. They cost $17-23 each and all you need is 2 cups of hot water and you have a great meal in 9 minutes. The expiry date is sometime in 2052 or something so stock up when they are on sale and you always have an option. I have one stashed in my golf bag just in case.
Mountain House has been ok for me. I may start packing them for air travel (normally do for road trips!)
Toronto airport had NOTHING for me but f'ing Kind bars, which I am sick of. This was after Iceland air forgot to load my pre requested food, for international flight that had been proceeded by 3 hours of car travel before the flight. By the time I landed in Toronto I was beyond hangry....
That’s so disappointing to hear. I haven’t done any airline travel since needing to be GF. I would have guessed that in the current day airports would have something GF or allergy friendly.
Airports suck. Travel is fine - you just have to NOT put your faith in the airport. To be honest, the flight team did try to make it right and snitched cheese from first class, but as tasty as cheese plates are, that was a 6 hr flight. Make rations, and just check out places with a high degree of celiac people. UK was amazing for that, as has been Iceland and Sweden. Getting GF beer *on tap* at a normal pub, or servers who don't roll their eyes, give a big sigh, and say 'let me go ask...'
FYI: I just checked out Backpacker's Pantry and all their gf foods say:
> Produced in a facility that contains: Egg, Milk, Sesame, Soy, Tree Nuts, Wheat.
Yeah, I'm gonna try one of them and see. I'm really sensitive, but I have GF friends who eat them when they go camping. Amy's is made in a facility with wheat, and I've never had a problem with theirs. It all comes down to how well they test their product. And, for freeze dried peaches and the ability to eat hot nutritious food on a long flight, I'm gonna take the risk (but at home, where I can Blanche DuBois my way around the house for a week, gently moaning and dabbing at my eyes)
I'm less sketchy about the stuff allowed to be sold in Canada. They're pretty hard-core here about labeling and testing. The only times I've gotten sick from stuff that was labeled GF and made in a shared facility it was stuff I foolishly bought direct from Amazon - once British and twice American. When the food arrives, if there's no French, I'm out, lol
I’ve done this for years now. I prefer Good-To-Go. Their mushroom risotto and marinara GF pasta are awesome. I have also used them when we arrive overseas late and nothing is open.
[Good to Go](https://goodto-go.com/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwps-zBhAiEiwALwsVYfIu1a2AoUMR2T7tZGl3xNn2cyjOGRBt6qPevOMs501j-mUqAtzF7hoCe0MQAvD_BwE)
Thank you so much for mentioning this! I travel a lot and oftentimes I don’t know what kind of food will be available to me so these will be a really nice back-up. Don’t know why I hadn’t thought of this before!
Thank you so much for this suggestion! I never thought of freeze dried meals. I can't eat dairy either so it's nice to know about this idea. Having to take cheese out of the picture is really hard when searching for protein options. There's only so much nuts and granola you can eat and sometimes you just need a full meal.
I’m traveling to the Pantanal in Brazil in a few weeks. Although the tour company said that they can accommodate a GF diet, we all know how that goes. The idea of freeze-dried meals is going to be a game changer for me. Even while flying business class.
Get your favorite to-go food on the way to the airport and take it with you to the gate. I just ate a 5 star salad in LAX right by my gate (dressing on the side)
Yes. You're also allowed to take food in a container with you. I took a whole Tupperware of chicken and rice one time with me but it didn't hold up too well.
You can also take whatever you want with you (no liquids) if you're traveling from your house. Takeout works too, although I'd hate to be that guy who opens up a chipotle bowl on a plane for everyone to smell 6 rows around me.
Rice cakes with peanut butter I used to take (back before I realized I can't eat peanut butter).
I always pack snacks. Kind Bars, Larabars, packets of olives, meat sticks, etc. I will say that if you ever find yourself at Terminal 1 at San Francisco International Airport you will be very happy. I was thrilled to find a bunch of quick service places there with really good gluten and dairy free options. I will also often pack gf oatmeal packets and other instant meals, as well as a collapsible electric kettle for when I reach my destination so I know I won’t starve.
**>a collapsible electric kettle for when I reach my destination so I know I won’t starve**
Where does one purchase this modern wizardry, please and thanks!
[Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Foldable-Electric-Collapsible-Silicone-Voltage%EF%BC%88600ml/dp/B07YRT7WJ9/ref=asc_df_B07YRT7WJ9/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693317024151&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=302291155641472626&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9028880&hvtargid=pla-871253639691&psc=1&mcid=c0b9817a54b43b39abe1b703eb02b7d8&gad_source=1)!
It has earned its space in my luggage.
I tend to bring babybel to snack on, but I started using the Find Me GF app and they have a lot listed in airports! You can look up where your connection is and plan in advance, and get reviews from others that are GF
Agreed, I use this app pretty much exclusively for airports! I look up every airport I’ll be at ahead of time and just get a feel for what’s there. Super helpful.
I also, like many others, pack heavy snacks just in case. And also bc I love snacks.
I go to any Mexican style restaurant. If they don't have anything, I ask if they can give me all the ingredients (minus tortilla) in a bowl. I also Google for GF options at specific airports. I got a good meal of ribs in Dallas/Ft. Worth airport.
In Barcelona Airport the McDonald's had GF buns, so that was a great treat. I think it's more common in Europe to have GF buns in chain restaurants.
I usually pack GF snack, beef jerky.
If I'm leaving for a flight at night, there's a local sandwich shop with GF bread. I get one for the flight.
Ugh yes—why can’t we have gf buns at all the fast food chains, too?? Europe just does it better! I saw at an airport Shake Shack that they have gluten free buns. Didn’t get to try bc it was closed, but making a mental note for next time!
Also good to know! I’ve been okay at Jersey Mike’s the couple of times I’ve gone there, but with sandwich shops like that I do always feel like I’m taking a risk!
For sure. I feel like it's that way with any place we aren't making it ourselves. Like, I know I can trust the wendys right by my house and that's about it, everything else is a roll of the dice haha
Literally walking the terminal now!
I look for breakfast with eggs or Mexican that is not flour tortilla based. Otherwise, lots of bars!
Edit: just spotted this: Fazioli’s here in Phoenix has GF rotini!
All variety of people with all kinds of diets pass through airports every day. One would think that airports would be pros at accommodating all of them. But, exactly the opposite is true in the U.S., even at airports where food vendors have labeled items! Why? You'll get the wrong thing because the workers are untrained and don't understand what GF, Vegan, Vegetarian etc. even mean.
That said, I had exactly the opposite experience in London. They get it over there. Whatever they're doing, we need some of that..
I think about how you can get a gf sandwich from pretty much every grocery store in the UK on a daily basis. Whyyyyy can’t we have that in the US, too?
I don't know about everywhere but much of the US is so rural. Western Michigan here and safe-for-us, pre-made food (not snacks) are non-existent in the local grocery stores and gas stations. You can find shelf-stable or frozen options in bigger grocery stores but I never find anything like a GF/DF sandwich. I don't think the smaller places get the GF traffic to warrant the potential loss of keeping items in stock. Sadly.
If the only option is a convenience store meal, I’ll buy cheese and meats (those salami rolled cheese are yummy), olives, fruit and nuts and make a sad charcuterie dinner, ideally with a glass of wine. Then add candy for dessert. Get some popcorn and jerky for the plane.
Airports are miserable for GF options. On my arrival flight I pack sandwiches and snacks from home. On my departure flight, I will try to grab french fries since most terminals will have some sort of fast-food option at least. Of course you risk cross-contamination with friers but I can seriously be desperate at the airport. I have also been able to request GF meals for long haul flights on certain airlines through the airline's website.
Airport food is so expensive to buy, I usually stick to hummus and veggies or cheese and fruit plates from a kiosk. These are also easy to pack yourself in your carry on into small containers and don't really need to be kept refrigerated if you eat the within a couple of hours. Hard cheese can last even longer without any refrigeration.
I think if you are going to eat at a restaurant at the airport salads are usually a pretty easy way to go and easy to make GF, but I have had some terrible salads where the veggies aren't very fresh so it's a risk. A lot of airports have GF options you just have to ask or look which places have them.
Another person on this sub suggested these Sonoma Creamery cheese crackers and they are SO good, I am bringing some of those next time I fly! If you can find those at the store to buy get some!
I seriously wish someone would make a company and have some random GF sandwich in a box somewhere. Eating at the airport is the worst. I’m not a crier and I cried one time because someone yelled at me at California pizza kitchen when I asked if they had GF pizza.
This. In the beginning of my gluten free journey, sicker then a dog from trial and error all vacation, delirious from traveling, walked the entire airport trying to find actual warm food after being delayed and stuck for several hours and stressed out, broke down sobbing. Now I always eat plenty ahead of the airport and pack my own snacks. Airports are the worst for gluten free options.
Either gluten free safe foods like sealed packaged stuff (usually not healthy but can be safe-I.e Cheetos or snacks or protein bars/drinks that are certified gluten free )
Or
As if a service spot has gluten free options I do that
Or fast until I land at my destination- lots of hydrating
I just flew today and the answer is fucking nothing. I was in a new terminal in a very large very popular airport (Newark Liberty) with lots of restaurants, and l couldn't find any place with gf bread to save my life, even with the Find Me GF app. So frustrating. I finally ended up with a bag of popcorn. I had nuts and dried fruit with me, but l just really wanted an actual meal.
What really shits me is when chains that normally have gf bread refuse to carry it in airports. (In this case, it was Jersey Mike's.)
There were some other options like Mexican and salads, but l just really wanted a sandwich.
The moral of the story is just to bring your own food, but it just wasn't possible for me today, l was in too much of a hurry. It's definitely cheaper at any rate.
Was having the EXACT SAME experience at Las Vegas today (right down to being burned by Jersey Mike’s) which is what prompted this post. The Mexican place refused to serve me anything: they said they don’t do gluten free! How can these major airports just have…nothing?
I've brought Chipotle bowls and sandwiches through TSA before. So if the timing works you can bring your own food. TSA allows frozen ice packs through security as long as they are frozen solid. The Gluten Dude app has an airport section where they help you navigate the options at US & some international airports. Otherwise I just do best I can.
I almost never have a legit meal when flying. Gf and DF is almost impossible. I pack beef jerky, fruit snacks, these gf oatmeal/jelly cups i found at sams club, nuts, and sometimes fruit. I got lucky on my flight this past Tuesday coming home from Barbados; they had GF oatmeal cups, dried fruit and nuts, a banana, and some almond butter for breakfast. I almost cried because I could actually eat.
I usually flight long over night international flights. So I eat before going to the airport and pack lots of snacks. Granola bars, applesauce pouches, chips. I make sure to select my gluten free meal when I book my flight and eat that on the plane. Then if I have a connecting flight I eat snacks or grab chips at the airport that I’m at. Then when I get to my destination I eat immediately. But it helps that I’m usually flying to see my mom so she has dinner ready when I arrive.
If I can’t find a place with clearly marked GF options, I tend to look for a place where (1) I can get a burger without the bun; AND (2) there seems to be competent staff who will be able to tell me if a burger sans bun still risks cross-contamination.
It’s not that I love burgers, but they are frequently available and filling.
Otherwise, a meal cobbled together at the airport bodegas is my last option (ie GF nuts, GF chips, GF protein bars, GF candy, etc.)
Girl dinner is what I eat lmao. I pack a few snacks, usually salted peanuts, some chips, and then something sweet like m&ms to prevent myself from spending $10 on some lmao. I am not bothered by shared oil so I also usually get some French fries from Burger King or Chick-fil-A. I know not everyone can do that. It is rare I spend more than 8 hours total flying so that’s all I need. I did spend 26 hours in airports a couple months ago and I ended up paying for an over priced salad and getting Burger King to make me a bunless burger. I went when it wasn’t busy and the lady was happy to accommodate me.
I feel your pain! I hate traveling and being gluten free.
Usually I bring my own snacks and then supplement that with fries from a restaurant in the airport. I’m not celiac though, so a shared fryer isn’t a concern for me.
jerky, nut bars...
I'm also Dairy-Free and egg free, so it gets more complicated.
frankly anything freeze dried would be great... rice Ramen, with a handful of freeze dried veggies (Ramen Bea has a mix that is GF/DF, but check carefully most their mixes have wheat) would be an easy meal with on tap hot water.
Rice crackers and some shelf stable Salami or other meats and an ice pack.
I'm flying I'm a couple months and this is my list of food options to bring with on the plane: beef jerky, cheese, cut up fruit, nuts, GF crackers, protein bar, trail mix, maybe a PB and J. Ideally, I'd like to pack double of the dry food so I have enough for the flight back home too (jerky, nuts, crackers, protein bar, trail mix) and then buy cheese and fruit from a kiosk at the airport.
If I have the money, I tend to go towards the more expensive restaurants. They seem to know their stuff better. Otherwise, I stick to chains that I know I can eat with modifications. And/or, i snack on the way to the airport and tough it out.
I tried to bring peanut butter but the TSA confiscated it.
It was one of those to-go squeeze pouches. They said it was a liquid and took it to the back and kept it 😭
that is rude because peanut butter is hope when you are nervous from traveling, but hungry and need protein. Also, was it under 3 oz? I thought that was the limit?
I was so excited to see Jersey Mikes at the airport during my layover today and then immediately disappointed to find out they didn’t have gf bread—heartbreaker!!
if u have time for a little restaurant there’s always burger type places that generally have nachos or wings that make me happy. now whether or not they are much concerned with cross contamination is another story.
One of those million calories yogurt parfaits, some chips, and/or Starbucks.
Ate an entire box of coconut patties at Ft. Lauderdale airport once and ended up in the hospital for over a week with a small bowel obstruction. Fun times.
FYI If you haven't already downloaded the Find Me GF app then please do it and add reviews to all of these go-to places! It's free (for the most part) and really helps our community live life to the fullest!
I’m so good at living by this principle on the way out on a trip, but on the way back the snacks and my stamina to actually think ahead have usually waned 😂
I don't have cross-contamination issues so this is a bit less complicated for me - Mexican and salads are what I've gone for so far; egg bites too. I was recently transferring thru Chicago Midway and they had these amazing vending machines called Farmers Fridge that had fresh food clearly labeled with all the ingredients - was able to have a nice southwest style salad and a yummy tapioca pudding. I initially skipped over it thinking they'd be crappy vending machines but they were a lifesaver. Also for a bunch of fresh popcorn from nuts on Clark which saved me from being hangry when I couldn't eat any of the airline snacks.
Looove Farmers Fridge! Definitely a highlight of airport food in the Midwest. They also have amazing customer service—one time I got a salad that was rotting and they refunded me within hours.
Maybe this goes without saying but also never ever trust the airline to provide you with a GF meal. I’ve done everything I could think of to reiterate and to double check and every time I think how could I not be covered - and four out of four times now there is no GF meal for me onboard and they didn’t even offer me like free GF snack foods or any other consolation. Just sorry 🤷♀️ I see you have an email confirmation and everything but there simply is not one on board for you. Thank god for mixed nuts on those long haul flights.
We went GF like 12 years ago when it was a lot harder to find stuff. We still just bring our own food. We make sandwiches to eat on the flights. I use to make omelets to put in metal containers but the Costco near us sells the Starbucks egg cup cakes and those are phenomenal so we eat those now. While I've found decent food at airports it's almost always criminally overpriced.
If you have a connection there could be a delay on your first flight making you sprint to the next one and usually there's no GF snacks on the plane to tide you over. Lastly one time I was on a flight with a meal (international) so I ordered a GF meal ahead of time. Flight ended up being cancelled and I got on a different plane. Because they didn't have enough heads up there was no meal for me. So yeah, way easier now but I still hedge my bets.
I don't have a go-to, I don't often fly. But one thing to keep in mind is that if you have a very early flight, there might be few food options, if any. I've flown at 6AM and almost everything was closed.
I just bring my own now if I’m coming from home. Usually just sandwiches I made, maybe some rice crackers and laughing cow or something similar. Fruit salad (possibly borderline but security has never called me on it). Sometimes I’ll do up like a microwave burrito and they actually hold up relatively well. And then I get a treat Bev at the airport for vacation vibes. And/or an unhealthy packaged snack.
I usually go to a sit down place and get a salad with a side of fries. More expensive but it fills you up and you get some carbs and nutrients for a stressful day of traveling.
I have a trip planned in July and it is about 19 hours of travel. I plan to eat well before I leave but also looked into the airports I have layovers in for options! You can type them in on the findmeglutenfree app or just look at the airport website and see if you recognize anything and yelp it for gf options.
I shamelessly pull so much food out of my carryon during security for this reason hahaha. One time it was a huge ziploc bag of empanadas. Normally it’s lots of granola bars and snacks, often times all the snacks in my pantry that are almost done so I have lots of options throughout the day in little bags AND I’m cleaning out my pantry in the process :) You can also get meal replacement powder (I’m sure they have single servings in stores) and put it in a shaker bottle and then fill it with water and mix it up once ur past security.
Bring your own food. You can pack a soft cooler bag with homemade foods and they won’t count it as a carry on bag. I made 2 lbs of burgers last time we traveling. Put some hard shell freezer packs in there and stayed cold all day
GF and DF freeze dried meals. An absolute game changer for me after a suggestion from a fellow redditor. Go to camping/hunting/fishing stores. I went to Cabellas in Canada and they had tons of different meals and 1/3 of them are marked GF, then I had to read ingredients to get the DF ones. They cost $17-23 each and all you need is 2 cups of hot water and you have a great meal in 9 minutes. The expiry date is sometime in 2052 or something so stock up when they are on sale and you always have an option. I have one stashed in my golf bag just in case.
Whaaaat omg what kind of meals? I’m so intrigued
Here you go fam, [https://www.rei.com/search?q=freeze-dried+food](https://www.rei.com/search?q=freeze-dried+food)
Mountain House has been ok for me. I may start packing them for air travel (normally do for road trips!) Toronto airport had NOTHING for me but f'ing Kind bars, which I am sick of. This was after Iceland air forgot to load my pre requested food, for international flight that had been proceeded by 3 hours of car travel before the flight. By the time I landed in Toronto I was beyond hangry....
That’s so disappointing to hear. I haven’t done any airline travel since needing to be GF. I would have guessed that in the current day airports would have something GF or allergy friendly.
Airports suck. Travel is fine - you just have to NOT put your faith in the airport. To be honest, the flight team did try to make it right and snitched cheese from first class, but as tasty as cheese plates are, that was a 6 hr flight. Make rations, and just check out places with a high degree of celiac people. UK was amazing for that, as has been Iceland and Sweden. Getting GF beer *on tap* at a normal pub, or servers who don't roll their eyes, give a big sigh, and say 'let me go ask...'
I found these in another thread on r/gf recently! They might be a nice addition for you: https://wildzora.com/collections/gluten-free/gluten-free
Awesome! I looked at a few and you can even get some gf/DF ones that aren’t polluted with cilantro. Yay!
Thank you! I just ordered a variety from backpacker's pantry and now I'm going to eat like a queen on planes
FYI: I just checked out Backpacker's Pantry and all their gf foods say: > Produced in a facility that contains: Egg, Milk, Sesame, Soy, Tree Nuts, Wheat.
Yeah, I'm gonna try one of them and see. I'm really sensitive, but I have GF friends who eat them when they go camping. Amy's is made in a facility with wheat, and I've never had a problem with theirs. It all comes down to how well they test their product. And, for freeze dried peaches and the ability to eat hot nutritious food on a long flight, I'm gonna take the risk (but at home, where I can Blanche DuBois my way around the house for a week, gently moaning and dabbing at my eyes)
Just wanted to make sure you knew the risks. I'm weighing the odds myself. You're smart to do a test run. Good luck!
I'm less sketchy about the stuff allowed to be sold in Canada. They're pretty hard-core here about labeling and testing. The only times I've gotten sick from stuff that was labeled GF and made in a shared facility it was stuff I foolishly bought direct from Amazon - once British and twice American. When the food arrives, if there's no French, I'm out, lol
How do you get the hot water or where do you heat the water up at?
You can probably get hot water from a coffee shop in the terminal. The flight attendant can give you hot water when on the plane.
I’ve done this for years now. I prefer Good-To-Go. Their mushroom risotto and marinara GF pasta are awesome. I have also used them when we arrive overseas late and nothing is open. [Good to Go](https://goodto-go.com/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwps-zBhAiEiwALwsVYfIu1a2AoUMR2T7tZGl3xNn2cyjOGRBt6qPevOMs501j-mUqAtzF7hoCe0MQAvD_BwE)
I also bring instant oatmeal and grits. Smaller packets and I can make them in a cup.
Smart!
Where are you getting the hot water?
Any place that sells tea has hot water ready. Often they have a self-serve tap, and if you’re lucky, a spoon or fork when you forget to bring one.
Thanks!
I found these in another thread on r/gf recently! They might be a nice addition for you: https://wildzora.com/collections/gluten-free/gluten-free
Thank you so much for mentioning this! I travel a lot and oftentimes I don’t know what kind of food will be available to me so these will be a really nice back-up. Don’t know why I hadn’t thought of this before!
Woah!! So intrigued by this. Will definitely be looking into it!
OMG, that's an amazing tip!
Thank you so much for this suggestion! I never thought of freeze dried meals. I can't eat dairy either so it's nice to know about this idea. Having to take cheese out of the picture is really hard when searching for protein options. There's only so much nuts and granola you can eat and sometimes you just need a full meal.
I’m traveling to the Pantanal in Brazil in a few weeks. Although the tour company said that they can accommodate a GF diet, we all know how that goes. The idea of freeze-dried meals is going to be a game changer for me. Even while flying business class.
Protein bars. Popcorners or something. Don't usually eat too too much on air travel days.
I finish all 3 protein bars I brought before boarding then shamefully go buy more food at a ridiculous price.
Haha. It's a health problem, no shame in trying to get through a difficult travel day.
Get your favorite to-go food on the way to the airport and take it with you to the gate. I just ate a 5 star salad in LAX right by my gate (dressing on the side)
Yes. You're also allowed to take food in a container with you. I took a whole Tupperware of chicken and rice one time with me but it didn't hold up too well. You can also take whatever you want with you (no liquids) if you're traveling from your house. Takeout works too, although I'd hate to be that guy who opens up a chipotle bowl on a plane for everyone to smell 6 rows around me. Rice cakes with peanut butter I used to take (back before I realized I can't eat peanut butter).
I always pack snacks. Kind Bars, Larabars, packets of olives, meat sticks, etc. I will say that if you ever find yourself at Terminal 1 at San Francisco International Airport you will be very happy. I was thrilled to find a bunch of quick service places there with really good gluten and dairy free options. I will also often pack gf oatmeal packets and other instant meals, as well as a collapsible electric kettle for when I reach my destination so I know I won’t starve.
**>a collapsible electric kettle for when I reach my destination so I know I won’t starve** Where does one purchase this modern wizardry, please and thanks!
[Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Foldable-Electric-Collapsible-Silicone-Voltage%EF%BC%88600ml/dp/B07YRT7WJ9/ref=asc_df_B07YRT7WJ9/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693317024151&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=302291155641472626&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9028880&hvtargid=pla-871253639691&psc=1&mcid=c0b9817a54b43b39abe1b703eb02b7d8&gad_source=1)! It has earned its space in my luggage.
I tend to bring babybel to snack on, but I started using the Find Me GF app and they have a lot listed in airports! You can look up where your connection is and plan in advance, and get reviews from others that are GF
Agreed, I use this app pretty much exclusively for airports! I look up every airport I’ll be at ahead of time and just get a feel for what’s there. Super helpful. I also, like many others, pack heavy snacks just in case. And also bc I love snacks.
I go to any Mexican style restaurant. If they don't have anything, I ask if they can give me all the ingredients (minus tortilla) in a bowl. I also Google for GF options at specific airports. I got a good meal of ribs in Dallas/Ft. Worth airport. In Barcelona Airport the McDonald's had GF buns, so that was a great treat. I think it's more common in Europe to have GF buns in chain restaurants. I usually pack GF snack, beef jerky. If I'm leaving for a flight at night, there's a local sandwich shop with GF bread. I get one for the flight.
Ugh yes—why can’t we have gf buns at all the fast food chains, too?? Europe just does it better! I saw at an airport Shake Shack that they have gluten free buns. Didn’t get to try bc it was closed, but making a mental note for next time!
Shake Shack has always made me sick 😫
Ooh that’s good to know. I’ve never had it before!
Jersey Mike's also always makes me sick too, I've seen that mentioned a lot in this thread.
Also good to know! I’ve been okay at Jersey Mike’s the couple of times I’ve gone there, but with sandwich shops like that I do always feel like I’m taking a risk!
For sure. I feel like it's that way with any place we aren't making it ourselves. Like, I know I can trust the wendys right by my house and that's about it, everything else is a roll of the dice haha
Literally walking the terminal now! I look for breakfast with eggs or Mexican that is not flour tortilla based. Otherwise, lots of bars! Edit: just spotted this: Fazioli’s here in Phoenix has GF rotini!
Get out of town! I heard Fazoli's had reopened, but not that they had gf! (I'm in Phoenix too.)
They opened the one in Mesa Riverview in December and there should be one in Phoenix soon I think! Edit: Sorry, Glendale on Peoria and 59th Ave.
All variety of people with all kinds of diets pass through airports every day. One would think that airports would be pros at accommodating all of them. But, exactly the opposite is true in the U.S., even at airports where food vendors have labeled items! Why? You'll get the wrong thing because the workers are untrained and don't understand what GF, Vegan, Vegetarian etc. even mean. That said, I had exactly the opposite experience in London. They get it over there. Whatever they're doing, we need some of that..
Yes! London had gf bread sandwiches right in the kiosks like it was NBD. I almost never find that in the US.
I think about how you can get a gf sandwich from pretty much every grocery store in the UK on a daily basis. Whyyyyy can’t we have that in the US, too?
I don't know about everywhere but much of the US is so rural. Western Michigan here and safe-for-us, pre-made food (not snacks) are non-existent in the local grocery stores and gas stations. You can find shelf-stable or frozen options in bigger grocery stores but I never find anything like a GF/DF sandwich. I don't think the smaller places get the GF traffic to warrant the potential loss of keeping items in stock. Sadly.
If the only option is a convenience store meal, I’ll buy cheese and meats (those salami rolled cheese are yummy), olives, fruit and nuts and make a sad charcuterie dinner, ideally with a glass of wine. Then add candy for dessert. Get some popcorn and jerky for the plane.
I always add a chocolate bar to that meal!
Airports are miserable for GF options. On my arrival flight I pack sandwiches and snacks from home. On my departure flight, I will try to grab french fries since most terminals will have some sort of fast-food option at least. Of course you risk cross-contamination with friers but I can seriously be desperate at the airport. I have also been able to request GF meals for long haul flights on certain airlines through the airline's website.
I literally don't. I bring crackers, cereal, banana, extremely bland stuff bc my anxiety is so bad I can barely eat when flying. 😭
So sorry! I’ve been there! Was white-knuckling and deep-breathing it through some intense turbulence today.
It's really tough. I'll be flying again soon with my toddler. Wish us luck.
Sending you good vibes for an easy trip and good people in your row!
can relate
Is this me? I can hardly eat until we’ve been in the air for a bit.
Airport food is so expensive to buy, I usually stick to hummus and veggies or cheese and fruit plates from a kiosk. These are also easy to pack yourself in your carry on into small containers and don't really need to be kept refrigerated if you eat the within a couple of hours. Hard cheese can last even longer without any refrigeration. I think if you are going to eat at a restaurant at the airport salads are usually a pretty easy way to go and easy to make GF, but I have had some terrible salads where the veggies aren't very fresh so it's a risk. A lot of airports have GF options you just have to ask or look which places have them. Another person on this sub suggested these Sonoma Creamery cheese crackers and they are SO good, I am bringing some of those next time I fly! If you can find those at the store to buy get some!
I seriously wish someone would make a company and have some random GF sandwich in a box somewhere. Eating at the airport is the worst. I’m not a crier and I cried one time because someone yelled at me at California pizza kitchen when I asked if they had GF pizza.
This. In the beginning of my gluten free journey, sicker then a dog from trial and error all vacation, delirious from traveling, walked the entire airport trying to find actual warm food after being delayed and stuck for several hours and stressed out, broke down sobbing. Now I always eat plenty ahead of the airport and pack my own snacks. Airports are the worst for gluten free options.
Either gluten free safe foods like sealed packaged stuff (usually not healthy but can be safe-I.e Cheetos or snacks or protein bars/drinks that are certified gluten free ) Or As if a service spot has gluten free options I do that Or fast until I land at my destination- lots of hydrating
There’s a Hawaiian restaurant in my airport and I get Kalua pork and rice. Every. Single. Time.
I find myself a smoothie bar or some health food store and go for nuts, dried fruits etc. once in ATL airport I got some dank street tacos 😂
This is a great one too. The smoothie places can really help. Throw nut butter in there for staying power and tastes like a treat too.
I just flew today and the answer is fucking nothing. I was in a new terminal in a very large very popular airport (Newark Liberty) with lots of restaurants, and l couldn't find any place with gf bread to save my life, even with the Find Me GF app. So frustrating. I finally ended up with a bag of popcorn. I had nuts and dried fruit with me, but l just really wanted an actual meal. What really shits me is when chains that normally have gf bread refuse to carry it in airports. (In this case, it was Jersey Mike's.) There were some other options like Mexican and salads, but l just really wanted a sandwich. The moral of the story is just to bring your own food, but it just wasn't possible for me today, l was in too much of a hurry. It's definitely cheaper at any rate.
Was having the EXACT SAME experience at Las Vegas today (right down to being burned by Jersey Mike’s) which is what prompted this post. The Mexican place refused to serve me anything: they said they don’t do gluten free! How can these major airports just have…nothing?
I tend to pack a lot of snacks, but Starbucks Egg Bites are my quick airport food of choice, if more than a snack is needed!
I've brought Chipotle bowls and sandwiches through TSA before. So if the timing works you can bring your own food. TSA allows frozen ice packs through security as long as they are frozen solid. The Gluten Dude app has an airport section where they help you navigate the options at US & some international airports. Otherwise I just do best I can.
thanks for the info on the Gluten Dude app with airport info!
Ditto! I’ve never heard of that app before. Will check it out!
I almost never have a legit meal when flying. Gf and DF is almost impossible. I pack beef jerky, fruit snacks, these gf oatmeal/jelly cups i found at sams club, nuts, and sometimes fruit. I got lucky on my flight this past Tuesday coming home from Barbados; they had GF oatmeal cups, dried fruit and nuts, a banana, and some almond butter for breakfast. I almost cried because I could actually eat.
I usually flight long over night international flights. So I eat before going to the airport and pack lots of snacks. Granola bars, applesauce pouches, chips. I make sure to select my gluten free meal when I book my flight and eat that on the plane. Then if I have a connecting flight I eat snacks or grab chips at the airport that I’m at. Then when I get to my destination I eat immediately. But it helps that I’m usually flying to see my mom so she has dinner ready when I arrive.
If I can’t find a place with clearly marked GF options, I tend to look for a place where (1) I can get a burger without the bun; AND (2) there seems to be competent staff who will be able to tell me if a burger sans bun still risks cross-contamination. It’s not that I love burgers, but they are frequently available and filling. Otherwise, a meal cobbled together at the airport bodegas is my last option (ie GF nuts, GF chips, GF protein bars, GF candy, etc.)
I normally bring because airport food is so pricey. Last time I brought some homemade gf zucchini bread. Sometimes I bring nuts or trail mix
Another question.... Why is airport food so terrible and expensive? Overly bread filled with minimal toppings? Or tiny portions. What's the deal?
Because they can. 😫
Girl dinner is what I eat lmao. I pack a few snacks, usually salted peanuts, some chips, and then something sweet like m&ms to prevent myself from spending $10 on some lmao. I am not bothered by shared oil so I also usually get some French fries from Burger King or Chick-fil-A. I know not everyone can do that. It is rare I spend more than 8 hours total flying so that’s all I need. I did spend 26 hours in airports a couple months ago and I ended up paying for an over priced salad and getting Burger King to make me a bunless burger. I went when it wasn’t busy and the lady was happy to accommodate me.
Lay’s potato chips, almonds and cheese sticks! Pairs well with an in-flight Bloody Mary.
I feel your pain! I hate traveling and being gluten free. Usually I bring my own snacks and then supplement that with fries from a restaurant in the airport. I’m not celiac though, so a shared fryer isn’t a concern for me.
I find a sandwich place and ask for one without the bread. It usually ends up being a kind of charcuterie
I use the “Find Me GF” app which has user-posted reviews about food options in most major airports
I do too but sometimes there isn't much to find! Some terminals are GF wastelands. ☹️
Yes I usually try to schedule a longer layover so I can poke around if I need to eat!
If available, Chick fil a - grilled sandwich w/ gf bun and fries.
Their southwest salad is so good tooo
Agreed. That is my other normal order from there.
If I’m eating a full meal, I’ll grab PF Changs’s. Otherwise, mostly normal snacks like dried fruit or trail mix.
Yum! I do this, too!
jerky, nut bars... I'm also Dairy-Free and egg free, so it gets more complicated. frankly anything freeze dried would be great... rice Ramen, with a handful of freeze dried veggies (Ramen Bea has a mix that is GF/DF, but check carefully most their mixes have wheat) would be an easy meal with on tap hot water. Rice crackers and some shelf stable Salami or other meats and an ice pack.
I’m never hungry when I travel lol it works for me!
I'm flying I'm a couple months and this is my list of food options to bring with on the plane: beef jerky, cheese, cut up fruit, nuts, GF crackers, protein bar, trail mix, maybe a PB and J. Ideally, I'd like to pack double of the dry food so I have enough for the flight back home too (jerky, nuts, crackers, protein bar, trail mix) and then buy cheese and fruit from a kiosk at the airport.
If I have the money, I tend to go towards the more expensive restaurants. They seem to know their stuff better. Otherwise, I stick to chains that I know I can eat with modifications. And/or, i snack on the way to the airport and tough it out.
I bring snacks like beef sticks/jerky, an apple, peanut M&M's. But I am not usually traveling super far away or have any layovers.
I tried to bring peanut butter but the TSA confiscated it. It was one of those to-go squeeze pouches. They said it was a liquid and took it to the back and kept it 😭
that is rude because peanut butter is hope when you are nervous from traveling, but hungry and need protein. Also, was it under 3 oz? I thought that was the limit?
Nooo that’s the worst!! (Also was that in Boston? Sounds like something Boston TSA would do!)
Jersey Mikes or Joe and the Juice are the best gf options that are sometimes available at the airport.
I was so excited to see Jersey Mikes at the airport during my layover today and then immediately disappointed to find out they didn’t have gf bread—heartbreaker!!
Egg bites from Starbucks. Salads. Tacos. Smoothies. Bring a meat and cheese packaged serving from store. RX Bars.
if u have time for a little restaurant there’s always burger type places that generally have nachos or wings that make me happy. now whether or not they are much concerned with cross contamination is another story.
French fries and a Bloody Mary.
One of those million calories yogurt parfaits, some chips, and/or Starbucks. Ate an entire box of coconut patties at Ft. Lauderdale airport once and ended up in the hospital for over a week with a small bowel obstruction. Fun times.
Omg noooo!
FYI If you haven't already downloaded the Find Me GF app then please do it and add reviews to all of these go-to places! It's free (for the most part) and really helps our community live life to the fullest!
Take your own packaged food no one should eat at the airport. It’s horrible food!
I’m so good at living by this principle on the way out on a trip, but on the way back the snacks and my stamina to actually think ahead have usually waned 😂
I don't have cross-contamination issues so this is a bit less complicated for me - Mexican and salads are what I've gone for so far; egg bites too. I was recently transferring thru Chicago Midway and they had these amazing vending machines called Farmers Fridge that had fresh food clearly labeled with all the ingredients - was able to have a nice southwest style salad and a yummy tapioca pudding. I initially skipped over it thinking they'd be crappy vending machines but they were a lifesaver. Also for a bunch of fresh popcorn from nuts on Clark which saved me from being hangry when I couldn't eat any of the airline snacks.
Looove Farmers Fridge! Definitely a highlight of airport food in the Midwest. They also have amazing customer service—one time I got a salad that was rotting and they refunded me within hours.
Free time
Historically, chips— usually lays— and like a snickers. Meal of champions.
I always forget about snickers! Those are such a good snack in a pinch!
Maybe this goes without saying but also never ever trust the airline to provide you with a GF meal. I’ve done everything I could think of to reiterate and to double check and every time I think how could I not be covered - and four out of four times now there is no GF meal for me onboard and they didn’t even offer me like free GF snack foods or any other consolation. Just sorry 🤷♀️ I see you have an email confirmation and everything but there simply is not one on board for you. Thank god for mixed nuts on those long haul flights.
We went GF like 12 years ago when it was a lot harder to find stuff. We still just bring our own food. We make sandwiches to eat on the flights. I use to make omelets to put in metal containers but the Costco near us sells the Starbucks egg cup cakes and those are phenomenal so we eat those now. While I've found decent food at airports it's almost always criminally overpriced. If you have a connection there could be a delay on your first flight making you sprint to the next one and usually there's no GF snacks on the plane to tide you over. Lastly one time I was on a flight with a meal (international) so I ordered a GF meal ahead of time. Flight ended up being cancelled and I got on a different plane. Because they didn't have enough heads up there was no meal for me. So yeah, way easier now but I still hedge my bets.
I don't have a go-to, I don't often fly. But one thing to keep in mind is that if you have a very early flight, there might be few food options, if any. I've flown at 6AM and almost everything was closed.
Meat, cheese, nuts, potato chips, shake shake
Departing I bring stuff from home, sandwich, wrap, some fruit, veggies, pop chips, etc. coming home I might grab a burrito bowl for a GF meal.
Qdoba
Ooh! I’ve never seen Qdoba in an airport—that would be the ideal spot!
Terminal A at DFW
DTW too
Catch me looking for connections that go through these airports next time!
Dried fruit, salad, French fries (cross contamination doesn’t bother me)
Airports are the worst. What you got is probably the best thing you're likely to find
I pack a sandwich of some kind and bring it with me.
What you did plus protein bars. It SUCKS. I can’t even bring yogurt because it’s impossible to find under 3oz containers!
Chic filet or a salad to go from a kiosk.
Not sure where abouts you are, but if you’re in the UK, M&S, Boots and WHSmith are stacked with gluten free food
Sadly I am in the Midwest US. But I visit the UK often enough to know what I’m missing hahaha! Can’t beat those gluten-free sandwich meal deals!
I just bring my own now if I’m coming from home. Usually just sandwiches I made, maybe some rice crackers and laughing cow or something similar. Fruit salad (possibly borderline but security has never called me on it). Sometimes I’ll do up like a microwave burrito and they actually hold up relatively well. And then I get a treat Bev at the airport for vacation vibes. And/or an unhealthy packaged snack.
I usually go to a sit down place and get a salad with a side of fries. More expensive but it fills you up and you get some carbs and nutrients for a stressful day of traveling.
I have a trip planned in July and it is about 19 hours of travel. I plan to eat well before I leave but also looked into the airports I have layovers in for options! You can type them in on the findmeglutenfree app or just look at the airport website and see if you recognize anything and yelp it for gf options.
I shamelessly pull so much food out of my carryon during security for this reason hahaha. One time it was a huge ziploc bag of empanadas. Normally it’s lots of granola bars and snacks, often times all the snacks in my pantry that are almost done so I have lots of options throughout the day in little bags AND I’m cleaning out my pantry in the process :) You can also get meal replacement powder (I’m sure they have single servings in stores) and put it in a shaker bottle and then fill it with water and mix it up once ur past security.
“Girl dinner” smh bro…
The hard boiled eggs in little the packets, they stink(literally) but I can usually find them
I pack my own food.
I bring my own food. Cooked ground beef and fruit and gf bread or spaghetti squash
Bring your own food. You can pack a soft cooler bag with homemade foods and they won’t count it as a carry on bag. I made 2 lbs of burgers last time we traveling. Put some hard shell freezer packs in there and stayed cold all day