Gluten Free Kids - Vacation Options

[Anonymous]

true, celiac is in about 1% of the population but it's 50% of my household, so it's a real issue for us and not something we can treat lightly

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:in OP's defense, if you have a child with celiac disease, it is a big deal and can be very stressful...even a crumb can result in days of diarrhea and stomach cramps which can ruin a vacation. That being said, we have not let it slow us down and just carry a supply of bars and gluten free snacks just in case, plus there are lots of naturally gluten free items available everywhere such as fruit, vegetables, nuts, meats. More and more restaurants understand how to accommodate and you can usually tell in a few minutes of conversation which ones get it and which ones don't. the FindMe Gluten Free app has been a great resource on our travels.

You know it's not actually as common as you think, right?

Leave your phone number and I'd be happy to text you pictures of the diarrhea I get when I get glutened.

Boy, people get worked up about what other people don't eat...

[Anonymous]

OP here - yes my child has celiac and has been sick during vacations due to apparent cross contamination at a restaurant with a gluten free menu. Just looking to get ideas from others.

[Anonymous]

I get it. The idea of a vacation somewhere that I just dont have to think about food is really appealing. I would LOVE a list of celiac approved all inclusives where all you need to do is flag your kid as a celiac and you're done.

In that vein when looking for celiac camps I followed a link to the Two Bars Seven dude ranch out in Wyoming - their ranch mother is a diagnosed celiac so they've made a focus on healthy food and can really accommodate special dietary needs. We haven't been yet as our youngest is 5 and kids can't ride independently until 7, but it's definitely on our radar for down the road.

[Anonymous]

We had some luck in Cape May. NYC was amazing - lots of places to eat (but I mapped out everything in advance, and it was a ton of work). We had burgers for lunch near Times Square, pancakes for breakfast at a Jewish deli, pasta in Little Italy. It was awesome.

I feel your pain. Even "gluten free menu" doesn't mean it will work - I find sometimes it's their salads and spicy foods - neither of which my young child will eat. And really, who wants to eat a burger without a bun?

Smaller towns/vacation areas with a limited number of restaurants are the hardest for us. If your child will eat seafood, Outer Banks may work for you. Otherwise, I think you need a large touristy destination/large city.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

OP here - thank you to the nice posters. We have luck at the Delaware beaches because Grotto is good. Other places are eh..... Yes the $25 filet or a salad are usually the options. We bring our own buns but some places are too fancy for hamburgers.

[Anonymous]

If you are willing to rent an apt or house and you go on a road trip I would think you could bring all your pantry items and just pick up dairy, meat and produce at any local supermarket.

I would also think cities in the west would have a lot of restaurants with gluten free options, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle

[Anonymous]

i think you can make it work anywhere if you know what to order and what to buy at the grocery store.

at restaurants you can get potatoes, grilled fish, hamburger no bun.

on the road I like the little GoPicnics. you can get them at Target. Grab a bunch! they are actually really good and have lots of gluten free options.

at Chick-fil-A you can get grilled nuggets and fries.

and many many restaurants now have gf options.

for the record.... I ALWAYS get sick at PFChangs when I order from the GF menu. It doesn't matter what city I am in... I always get sick. I think it's probably cross-contamination.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:true, celiac is in about 1% of the population but it's 50% of my household, so it's a real issue for us and not something we can treat lightly

+1. What's with the nasty posts? If you don't have celiac disease, count yourself lucky and maybe try to have a little understanding and compassion for people who aren't so lucky.

It's not just an issue of ordering a hamburger without a bun. Kitchen staff need to be careful about cross contamination. It's easy to get sick at a restaurant that doesn't know how to handle gluten allergies.

Kids with celiac can experience serious growth and development delays. Their bodies don't absorb nutrients properly. They really can't have gluten and it's not just a matter of not eating bread.