The Gluten-Free Friendly Skies – (Not!) Airlines are consistently not very gluten-free friendly. Most of the very limited free snacks contain gluten or could be processed on shared equipment. Really none of the meals available for purchase are safe for those avoiding gluten (and often dairy, too). But maybe airPORTS are turning the corner? While stranded in Orlando recently, I happily indulged my stress-eating behavior during endless weather-related delays by stocking up on gluten-free snacks, both to eat on site and to take with me on my flights. Here are some of my finds: • Popcorners – the “new shape of popcorn” popped corn chips, in sea salt flavor. Ingredients: corn, sunflower oil, sea salt (only 170 mg). All natural, gluten free. These thin, crispy, not-greasy snacks were light and addictive. They also come in butter, kettle, white cheddar, cheesy jalapeno, and caramel, but the sea salt flavor was great, and probably the healthiest option. • Mrs. May’s Almond Rice Stix, in “cinnamon cranberry” – 100% natural and gluten free. These were crunchy, slightly sweet, and OK, but not great. I would give another flavor a try if there are options. • Hail Merry macaroons – gluten free, vegan, raw, no refined sugar. These moist little tidbits of strongly-flavored vanilla and coconut pretty darned yummy yet contain only 4 grams of sugars in the form of organic maple syrup. Some people profess not to like macaroons because they are dry, but these are super moist and contain just the right amount of sweet and fat to satisfy most appetites. • Sun-Cups, a twin pack of chocolate-covered cups filled with sunflower butter rather than peanut butter. For those who like sun-butter, these are a real treat. And the chocolate used to cover these good-sized morsels is dark and rich, and not too sweet. Move over, Reese’s cups! • WOW Ginger Molasses cookie, made close to my home turf in the Pacific NW, but purchased in the Orlando Airport. Surprisingly, the cookies tasted moist and fresh. It definitely hit the spot with a cup of coffee. • Mixed berries – strawberries and blueberries, served chilled without added sugar, from a vendor called CIBO Gourmet Express in the Orlando airport. These were really delicious, high quality, fresh, and worth the price, especially compared to the other items in the fresh case. • CIBO Gourmet Express also carried, believe it or not, lentil chips, and roasted kale chips, but I’d already spent my quota. I was surprised to find this many gluten-free choices in one venue in a busy Florida airport. • V-8 juice, original flavor. Still great tasting, full of veggie-goodness, and always gluten-free. • Lay’s original potato chips in the bright yellow bag are also widely available. Check to see that any potato chips you buy are labeled gluten free. Many are not and are made on shared equipment. Some more considerations: While I let my employer know ahead of time that I had food sensitivities and would require gluten-free meals, staying gluten-free for a week entailed some sacrifices. The hotel (a major, high-end chain) clearly labeled most dishes containing wheat/gluten, dairy, and nuts. They provided plain oil and vinegar with make-your-own salad bars, and there was always a good selection of fresh fruit at each meal. They did not do as good a job of actually PROVIDING gluten-free meal alternatives. Nearly every dish had either dairy, gluten, or both. Fortunately, they really knew their way around vegetables, providing either steamed or oven-roasted veggies at both lunch and dinner. So, although I didn’t starve, there were some days when I was able to eat only cooked vegetables and a salad. Breakfasts were the most difficult. There were tons of baked goods, the sausage contained gluten, and the potatoes and eggs both contained butter or other dairy products. I ate a lot of fruit, sometimes had bacon, and sometimes went ahead and ate some eggs, although I usually try to avoid all dairy products. Out of five or six meals, there was only one night when due to the menu (pizza and sub sandwiches) I was able to eat only fruit and some raw vegetables, without the dip. And needless to say, gluten-free desserts were not offered. The best news? In six days, each containing three meals, at a major hotel chain (and incidentally where I had no refrigerator, microwave, or access to a grocery store) I had enough to eat (mostly) and I did not experience any gluten exposure (and I’m really highly sensitive). No stomach aches, no skin rashes, no brain fog, no bloating, no GI symptoms. I kind of find that amazing, and heartening, that we’ve come so far in a few short years. Now, if we could just get the airlines to get on board…
Posted on: Fri, 28 Jun 2013 23:06:25 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015