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Travacalm Natural Travel Sickness Prevention Tablets 10pk

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Genreral Product Description Non-drowsy TravaCalm Natural with ginger helps to reduces symptom of travel sickness and relieve nausea. Also helps to relieve morning sickness.

Travacalm Natural contains ginger (zingiber officinale), a traditional natural treatment for nausea and vomiting. The oils that ginger contains appear to relax the intestinal tract in addition to mildly depressing the central nervous system. Recent clinical studies confirm the effectiveness of ginger in the prevention of travel sickness and the relief of nausea (including morning sickness). Travacalm Natural is ideal for those who prefer natural treatments.

Suitable for adults and children 6 years and over, as well as pregnant or lactating women after advising doctor. Directions For Use For travel sickness, take initial dose 30 minutes before departure. Adults: Initial dose 2 or 3 tablets. Then 1 tablet every 2 hours as required. Pregnant or lactating women: Take tablets as required, but do not take more than 2 tablets per day. Children 6 to 12 years: Initial dose 1 tablet. Then 1 tablet every 4 hours as required. Children under 6 years: As professionally directed. Ingredients Active Ingredient per tablet: Zingiber officinale (Ginger) 500mg. No added sugar, lactose free, yeast free, starch free, gluten free, no artificial colours, no artificial flavours. Store in a cool dry environment. Warnings Always read the label. Follow the directions for use. If symptoms persist, talk to your healthcare professional. Please check ingredient listings on the actual product before use.

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Alice’s tips for traveling with celiac disease.

I n this article Beyond Celiac CEO Alice Bast shares her top tips for traveling safely with celiac disease. She believes it’s important to continue living as “normal” a life as possible after a celiac disease diagnosis. That includes travel.

Travel can be nerve-wracking on multiple levels: coordinating schedules, taking time off, creating an itinerary, and paying for the many accommodations and excursions. For those of us with celiac disease, we also struggle to find restaurants that serve truly gluten-free food, stuff suitcases with snacks rather than clothes, and, unfortunately, may spend a portion of our vacation in the bathroom and bed, suffering from gluten exposure. 

A vacation is a time to experience new places, new cultures, and new people. It’s a time to relax. It should be a break from stress and routine, but sometimes that day-to-day routine is what helps people with celiac disease feel comfortable and in control: overseeing what food is bought, how it is prepared, and how it is served. That loss of control can bring about feelings of anxiety—not exactly a fun break. In some ways, vacations highlight our differences even more. We may feel judged by restaurant staff and locals, or even those relatives we might not see too often. The idea of vacationing again reminds me that we are never truly free from celiac disease. 

But it’s important for those of us with celiac disease to not allow the diet to intimidate us into staying home. I will not allow this disease to shackle me anymore than it needs to, and I encourage you to do the same. To help, here are some of my tips for staying healthy and sane when taking a trip: 

• Research the destination, culture, and food extensively beforehand. What sort of food do the locals normally eat, and does it contain gluten? Are there any dedicated gluten-free restaurants? It might be a good idea to get lodgings near those restaurants. Are there any language or cultural differences that would make asking for accommodations especially challenging? All things to consider. 
• Enlist an ally, if you can. If you’re visiting someone, ask them to try out restaurants before you go, or ask them to translate for you when at a restaurant. If you’re traveling with someone, ask them to remind you to double-check that your food is gluten-free.
• When you arrive at the destination, scope out the nearest grocery store. What products do they have that you can eat in case there are no gluten-free restaurants open? At the very least fruits and vegetables are internationally gluten-free. 
• Focus on the fun. It’s supposed to be a vacation, not an exercise in pain! Soak up the sun, see the nightlife, go hiking and investigate small, local stores. Eating is only part of the adventure.
• Plan for contingencies. Worst case scenario is you can’t find any gluten-free food or you get glutened. Be sure to pack a few filling gluten-free snacks (in your carry-on and checked luggage) and anything you rely on to feel better in case digestive disaster strikes. 
• Don’t beat yourself up. Not every trip will go perfectly, even without an autoimmune disease. Take your mistakes in stride and use them to improve your next trip. 

I do not pretend to have trip-taking down to a science. As much as I plan, things happen that are out of my control. But life is worth living, and traveling is part of what enriches the human experience. Yes, I may have the occasional negative experience, but I believe it’s better to try than to stay home for the rest of my life. 

At Beyond Celiac, we envision a future free from the burden of celiac disease. With our strategic science plan and shrewd partnerships, Beyond Celiac is already making strides toward that new world: one where those with celiac disease can travel freely, be spontaneous, and eat without fear—a world Beyond Celiac.

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Brand name: Travacalm Original TM

Active ingredients: dimenhydrinate + hyoscine hydrobromide + caffeine

What it is used for

For the prevention of travel sickness .

How to take it

The way to take this medicine is: Oral. This medicine is taken by mouth.

• Store below 30 degrees Celsius
• Protect from Light
• Protect from Moisture
• Shelf lifetime is 3 Years.

You should seek medical advice in relation to medicines and use only as directed by a healthcare professional.

Always read the label. If symptoms persist see your healthcare professional.

Visual appearance

Flat white tablet with a half score on one side. 9.0 mm diameter

Do I need a prescription?

What is the medicines and poisons schedule.

This medicine is available from a pharmacy without prescription. It is Schedule 2 : Pharmacy Medicine. open tool tip to find out more

This medicine contains the active ingredients:

• dimenhydrinate + hyoscine hydrobromide + caffeine

If you are over 65 years of age, there may be specific risks and recommendations for use of this medicine. Please discuss your individual circumstances with your pharmacist, doctor or health professional. For more information read our page on medication safety for older people .

Reporting side effects

You can help ensure medicines are safe by reporting the side effects you experience.

You can report side effects to your doctor, or directly at www.tga.gov.au/reporting-problems

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These trusted information partners have more on this topic.

Top results

Travel sickness self-care - MyDr.com.au

Travel or motion sickness may occur in any type of moving vehicle, such as a car, boat or plane. Find out what products are available for travel sickness.

Read more on myDr website

Motion sickness - MyDr.com.au

Many people eventually grow out of motion sickness (travel sickness), but for those who don’t there are treatments available and things you can do to help prevent it and ease the symptoms.

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14 Best Destinations for Gluten-Free Travel (and Where to Eat)

Written by Becca

Updated on April 26th, 2024

Is it easy to find gluten free places to eat when you travel? We have a list of some of the best and worst countries for celiacs and eating gluten-free food.

This article may contain affiliate links. We earn a small commissions when you purchase via those links — and it's free for you. It's only us (Becca & Dan) working on this website, so we value your support! Read our privacy policy and learn more about us .

Table of contents

• Mexico (Mexico City and more)
• New York City
• Vietnam (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City & Hoi An)
• Guatemala (Antigua)
• Canada (Vancouver & Nova Scotia)
• Estonia (Tallinn)
• Israel (Tel Aviv & Jerusalem)
• Sri Lanka (Kandy & Ella)
• Italy (Milan, Florence, Rome & Naples)
• The Netherlands (Amsterdam & Rotterdam)
• Costa Rica (San Jose, Monteverde & Santa Elena)
• Peru (Lima & Cusco)
• India (Mumbai & Kerala)

I found out that I had celiac disease in 2005. While not being able to eat gluten is hard, I did not let it stop me from seeing the world. I’ve been traveling on six continents on my own since 2009, and I’ve eaten a lot of amazing GF foods!

I’ve had a few challenges while traveling around the world in some countries that were not at all friendly to gluten-free travelers. But I’ve had some excellent experiences in countries that were awesome for gluten-free travel, and I want to tell you about those.

Let’s see the travel destinations that have been easiest for eating gluten-free. I’ll tell you about where I ate, too. Read on!

Key takeaways for gluten-free travel around the world:

• Latin American countries that have corn-based cuisines like Mexico and Guatemala are good for gluten-free travel.
• Countries in Western Europe often have well-marked menus and English is widely spoken.
• Rice-based cuisines in Vietnam, the south of India and Sri Lanka are good for gluten-free diets.
• Mediterranean countries like Israel have food with lots of fresh vegetables, dairy and meat.

Mexico (Mexico City and more)

Mexico is the best gluten-free destination for my travels as a celiac. Visitors to CDMX should visit my guide to eating gluten-free in Mexico City to check out the specifics!

The gluten-free nature of Mexican cuisine allows me to order great food from an authentic restaurant and be pretty sure that I don’t have to ask for any alterations or substitutions to the meal. The food in Mexico is based on a lot of corn products (tortillas, tamales, tostadas and totopos). For this reason, I eat so much in Mexico!

If you’re interested in going around Mexico City with a local guide, a food tour is great for that. We took one of CDMX’s best food tours, and our guide double-checked with every vendor on the tour to make sure something gluten-free could be made for me. It was so kind! To learn more, you can visit my review of the Eat Like a Local Food Tour .

Here are my favorite things to eat in Mexico: I look for all of these items on a menu to determine if I can eat a restaurant I see!

• Tacos al pastor These tacos are made with corn tortillas (it helps to check, as, on rare occasions, tacos might be made with wheat tortillas) and have meat and sometimes pineapple. They’re always served with cilantro and raw onions. They’re typically dairy-free as well.
• Enchiladas : Enchiladas are corn tortillas bathed in salsa and have a filling of chicken, beef or cheese. I usually add extra hot sauce.
• Chilaquiles : Chilaquiles, which I ‘discovered’ in Mexico, are strips of corn tortillas in a bath of salsa (my dream come true!) and have either chicken or cheese on top.
• Tacos de canasta These are tiny little tacos that sit in a ‘canasta,’ or basket, all day until they’re sold. Typically these will be sold from breakfast time until after lunch, or whenever the vendor sells his entire supply of tacos de canasta. They’re usually served cold and filled with potato, beans or meat.
• Tamales : Tamales are corn flour steamed in big leaves and usually have a small filling of chicken, beef or cheese. To find out the filling, you have to ask the vendor, so speaking some Spanish or using Google Translate will be crucial!
• Totopos : This is the way to say “tortilla chips” in Mexico. They are served in many restaurants, just like you’d find them at home, with salsa or guacamole.
• Tostadas : I ate the famous tostadas at the Mercado de Coyoacan’s tostada vendors. Tostadas are toasted (rather than fried) thin corn tortillas, and will have toppings on them for a complete meal.

If you don’t speak Spanish, I suggest getting a pocket-size Spanish-English travel dictionary for your trip, like this Lonely Planet phrasebook to help point out your allergies and learn about food words.

New York City

I can’t believe the best answer for a gluten-free travel destination was right under my nose, this whole time! As someone who has lived in NYC for a decade, I always recommend NYC to friends who have gluten-free diets.

I think what makes NYC such a great gluten-free eating place to go is that you can find any type of food in the world in NYC. When I go out to eat, I typically opt for Thai, Mexican, Vietnamese, Middle Eastern, Indian or salad/health food. NYC is also home to several 100% gluten-free restaurants that are attractive for celiac travelers.

I would call NYC the #1 most gluten-free-friendly destination in the entire country, due to the sheer amount of restaurants. There are so many restaurants in NYC that I typically don’t have to go far to get something gluten-free, whether street food (Halal cart!), fast casual (CAVA!) or a sit-down restaurant.

While there are of course many, many places to dine out with gluten-free food in NYC, here are a few of my personal favorite restaurants:

• CAVA : I recommend CAVA a lot of the time in Facebook forums for gluten-free travel groups. CAVA has clear menu markings in regard to gluten and dairy, and I always get a “grains & greens” bowl with chicken, spicy harissa, olives, Israeli salad and more. There are several locations throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn. Find the NYC locations .
• By the Way Bakery : My old roommate once got me a birthday cake from By the Way Bakery and it was one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. It’s a totally gluten-free and dairy-free establishment in the NY area. Amazing! See the goodies at the website .
• The Little Beet : I’m into the fast-casual dining scene, as you can tell (I’m always on the go!) and The Little Beet makes some delicious food for sitting down or takeaway. You can see a “full ingredient list” which helps find out what exactly is in a dish before you order.
• Tacombi : Dan and I used to go to the Fort Greene location of Tacombi while living in Brooklyn! I’d always get tacos, and never had any issues with glutening at this location or others. There are quite a few locations of Tacombi, so check out the website .
• National : This Thai restaurant (a sister restaurant to Joya) never failed me for gluten-free curry or Pad Thai. A lot of Thai restaurants in NYC can do a gluten-free curry. Either the menu will be labeled, or you can ask! Here’s the website menu .
• WILD : This Park Slope (Brooklyn) restaurant is 100% gluten-free and they make pizzas to die for! I like sitting down for a cocktail, too. Follow the Instagram .
• Bakeries at “Greenmarkets” : I’ve had gluten-free baked goods from vendors at the “greenmarkets” in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, as well as on the Upper West Side. Just keep your eyes peeled and look at ingredient labels! You may find hidden gems.

Vietnam (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City & Hoi An)

Vietnam is the easiest place for gluten-free travel in Asia. I would be the expert to tell you that, as a gluten-free person who lived in Asia for 2.5 years! I’ve traveled to 15 countries in Asia, and Vietnam is the best for being gluten-free.

As a gluten-free traveler both my times in Vietnam, I ate a LOT of pho. Pho is Vietnamese noodle soup, and it is delicious, fragrant and filling, as well as gluten-free. The pho noodle is made completely of rice!

If you are a gluten-free traveler and you happen to love pho (note that it’s hard to get the vegan type, as most of the broths will be beef-based), you can try it from a ton of restaurants in Hanoi . It’s great to try the different flavors and styles at all the restaurants if you love it like I do.

More celiac-safe gluten-free foods in Vietnamese cuisine are vermicelli (round tubular thin rice noodles), ‘bun’ noodles (wider rice noodles) and noodles made of mung bean (glass noodles). Things to note are that the yellow noodles (“mee”) are made of wheat. Avoid those!

Other gluten enemies in Vietnam soy sauce and banh mi (baguette sandwiches). But, fish sauce and shrimp paste (two items that tend to give Vietnamese food its flavors) are OK. To see where I ate in Vietnam, check my Hanoi travel guide for starters.

My favorite Vietnamese dishes for a gluten-free diet are:

• pho ga (chicken pho)
• pho bo (beef pho)
• bun bo (cold bun noodles with beef)
• bun cha (rice noodles with pork. It’s still debatable how it’s made, but by looking up authentic recipes, few called for soy sauce.)

If you’re serious about traveling to this part of Asia, see my tips on how to plan a trip to Vietnam . My last tip is to get a pocket-size Vietnamese phrasebook , which I had on my first trip to Vietnam. It helped me point out foods in markets and talk to restaurant staff.

Guatemala (Antigua)

I’ve been to Guatemala twice, and having done it gluten-free the first time, I was not worried about going back again.

Guatemalan cuisine is heavy on corn, as well as eggs, chiles, salsas, meat and avocados. (I should note that the coffee is also excellent, and it’s why I wrote this Antigua coffeeshop guide .

I think what you’ll like about traveling in Guatemala as a gluten-free traveler is that the tortillas are not like Mexican tortillas (the tortillas you’d find in stores all over the world). Guatemalan tortillas (made of corn, and gluten-free!) are dense, thick and chewy. I think they are delightful.

In cities like Antigua, which is very much on the “tourist map” and very hospitable to foreigners, you’ll find some international food in addition to Guatemalan food. I enjoyed going to a taco restaurant (twice) and I liked getting a salad for takeout (with some modifications) from the cafe 12 Onzas.

Keep in mind that my options are more limited than the regular gluten-free traveler because I am also dairy-free and soy/bean-free.

Here’s where I ate in Antigua, and where you should try if you book a trip to this great gluten-free travel destination:

• 12 Onzas : This modern and Insta-worthy cafe has a healthy menu that I found easy to navigate. I had a salad with grilled chicken and got it to go!
• Pitaya Cocina Saludable : This healthy cafe has salads, smoothies, juices and a quinoa bowl on the menu for GF diners.
• Cafe Sky : I’ve been to this cafe and bar on both my Antigua trips: once for brunch, and once for appetizers and drinks. I can recommend the full
• Cafe Condesa : This cafe has some standard Guatemalan lunch fare. I was happy to have a tortilla with a fried egg, potatoes and fruit.
• Ta’Cool Taco Shop : I ate dinner at this modern taco shop and it was delicious! It was easy to navigate what was gluten-free (for me).
• La Taquiza Antigua : This simple taco joint was good for a gluten-free meal.
• Finca La Azotea (cafe) : We took a tour of this coffee farm, and at the end, had an awesome meal at the on-site restaurant. The staff was very personable and listened when I mentioned my allergies. There are chilaquiles, omelets and the Desayuno Chapin.

If you’re interested in a trip to Guatemala for your next gluten-free vacation, head to my Antigua, Guatemala, travel guide .

Canada (Vancouver & Nova Scotia)

Canada on the whole is hard to generalize, but chances are that you’re traveling to a few Canadian travel hot spots: Vancouver , Banff National Park, Toronto, Montreal or Halifax , Nova Scotia.

During my trip to Halifax and some other nearby parts of Nova Scotia, I was blown away by how gluten-free-friendly the restaurants downtown were! Every server knew about gluten allergies, and I was able to look at menus from my phone before sitting down anywhere, choosing to opt for restaurants with clear labels of GF as well as DF, for my dairy intolerance.

For traveling to Toronto, Montreal, Banff and Vancouver: these cities rate highly in terms of being friendly for gluten-free travelers and celiacs alike!

Keep in mind that in coastal Canadian cities like Vancouver and Halifax, there is a lot of seafood. Watch out for menu items like fried fish, fries, battered fish or fish that may have come into contact with breadcrumbs or Panko. If you eat shrimp, seafood, lobster, mussels and oysters, you’re probably in luck because these are typically prepared without breading.

I enjoyed a GF shrimp gazpacho and GF shrimp pasta, and there were usually options for adding baked salmon or smoked salmon to any salad.

As an example of how many restaurants in major Canadian cities cater to gluten-free diets, you can see these recommendations I have for a trip to Halifax:

• Bar Sofia : This trendy Latin restaurant has some Mexican as well as Argentine-themed dishes. Our server said most menu items could be prepared gluten-free and she was not kidding! I had the swordfish ceviche as a starter, and chimichurri chicken as a main. Here’s the menu .
• Darya : I looked at the Darya menu online and knew I had to go. It’s labeled with DF, GF, V and VE (vegan), which made it super easy for someone like me with both the gluten- and dairy-free requirements. I enjoyed a spread of three appetizers: the house-pickled vegetables, a side of mixed olives and braised green beans. The menu was overwhelming with gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan and vegetarian items.
• The Daily Grind : At this full-service cafe and coffeeshop , I was able to get a vegan smoothie (gluten-free of course), an oat milk latte (twice), the gluten-free house omelet and a fresh orange juice.
• Peace by Chocolate : Behold the treats! For celiac travelers into chocolate, try Peace by Chocolate . I ate a vegan gluten-free house-made peanut butter cup (amazing). If you’re not allergic to dairy, you can seek out your favorite chocolate bar, as most are milk chocolates.

Estonia (Tallinn)

Estonia is a relaxing place to travel, and English is widely spoken in the cities.

While Estonia’s cuisine is indeed true to the Northern Europe types, focused on breads of wheat and rye, meat and game, dairy products and cold-water fishes, I was delighted to find that Tallinn (the capital city) has a very health-first approach in many new coffee shops and cafes , along with restaurants.

Asking for something vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free is almost normal, which was impressive. There are lots of new healthy cafes offering modern takes on traditional Estonian food, and farm-to-table goodness.

Here are a few places to eat, where staff speaks great English and where veganism and gluten-free-ism are welcomed:

• Rock, Paper, Scissors (Kivi Paber Käärid) This funky gluten-free restaurant is located in Telliskivi and it’s the first (and “best,” according to the website ) gluten-free restaurant in the country. All food items on the menu at this restaurant is also labeled with vegan options, casein-free options and lactose-free options. Dishes on the menu like salmon tartare, creamy chorizo pasta, slow-cooked beef cheeks and a spicy rice noodle salad may make you want to eat here twice. Visit the Instagram .
• Must Puudel : Known for gluten-free-friendly meals, along with lactose-free, vegan, vegetarian and health food in a cool retro atmosphere. Also laptop-friendly, although the WiFi was not super strong. Check out their Facebook page .
• NOP : Take one look at NOP’s photos of food and you’ll be sold on this farm-to-table health-conscious eatery that also has a small health food market inside. Every item is marked with vegan/gluten-free/lactose-free markings so that you can eat with no stress. See the website .

For cafe lovers, I put together a list of the best cafes in Tallinn , and for any visitor, check out my list of what to do in Tallinn on your trip.

Israel (Tel Aviv & Jerusalem)

On my four trips to Israel , I’ve been delighted to see that servers in restaurants ‘get it’ when it comes to allergies and food intolerances. Many Israeli foods (not all, but many) are naturally gluten-free, and the Mediterranean cuisine is to thank.

A few excellent gluten-free Israeli foods to try are…

• Shawarma : Shawarma is meat that is fired on a rotating rotisserie, and it’ll be either lamb, beef or shawarma. Sometimes you can order ‘Shawarma mix’ which will be a combo of the designated meats that the restaurant has. If you get ‘chips,’ this is French fries, but you can ask if they’re fried alone (if fried with other items, the fries are likely glutened.)
• Shakshuka : This Middle-Eastern delicacy is a stew of spiced tomatoes and onions with baked eggs on top. Often, there’s a beautiful garnish of herbs. Shakshuka is usually served with bread, but you can ask for no bread, and note that you are gluten-free. Maybe the restaurant has gluten-free bread!
• Salads : Israel is famous for salads, which are all kinds of pickled vegetables or fresh vegetables with herbs. My favorites are anything pickled, as well as Israeli salad (cucumbers and tomatoes with herbs).
• Dairy : If you eat dairy, try Israeli yogurts and cheeses! Before I went dairy-free, these were some great things I liked in Israel.

At most shawarma and falafel eateries, you can treat yourself to a whole buffet of pickled vegetable toppings… all included in what you paid. This is one of the best parts about dining in Israel!

If you’re thinking of an Israel trip, start with my Tel Aviv city guide and Jerusalem local travel guide .

Travel in Colombia is enlightening and exciting, which is why I’ve gone there three times! Colombia has many types of cuisines due to being so large. When I think of eating gluten-free in Colombia, I think of ‘bandeja paisa’ and arepas, and all the tropical fruits and smoothies.

Arepas are the national hot cake of Colombia, and they’re always made of corn by definition. Curious about how arepas are made? Check out this recipe from My Colombian Recipes .

Even though no one in Colombia really knew what gluten was (and I don’t expect people around the world to have heard the word), I was able to explain in Colombia that I had an allergy to ‘productos de trigo’ (wheat products). I stuck to safe foods made of rice and corn.

Finally, on my third trip to Colombia, I learned that empanadas in Colombia can be made from 100% corn (delicious… but do try to check as best you can by asking the vendor in Spanish or finding out from the restaurant kitchen if it’s completely corn-based, or not).

In the Cartagena region, you can enjoy ceviche or other seafood dishes like grilled fish. Due to Cartagena being so popular with North American tourists these days, gluten-free food is increasingly easier to come by.

In the Medellin region, opt for the famous ‘bandeja paisa,’ which will present you with a loaded plate of things like avocado, grilled plantain, white rice, a fried egg, sausage (maybe not GF), a thin piece of steak or chicken (depending on which bandeja you ordered) and an arepa, which will be a dry corn cake (gluten-free!).

For a trip to Medellin, gluten-free travelers can eat at:

• El Trompo: Modern Colombian food drawing from many parts of the country’s resources. See photos of the food at the Instagram .
• Mondongo’s : This famous mainstay is kind of like a Colombian diner — Colombian comfort food, ‘paisa’ style. Find it on TripAdvisor .
• Criminal Taqueria : I have been to Criminal Taqueria for tacos multiple times, and I’d recommend it to any gluten-free visitor in Medellin. You can visit the restaurant’s Instagram .
• Burdo : This trendy restaurant and bar has a splendid brunch and great staff (I got tacos, corn tortillas and all! No gluten). See the pretty Burdo Instagram .

If you plan to visit Medellin, look no further than my Medellin travel guide for some tips, and bookmark the list of the best restaurants in Medellin , where I ate gluten-free every single day!

Sri Lanka (Kandy & Ella)

Traveling in Sri Lanka is such a great surprise. I knew some things about tropical and coconut-based food, but the true pleasure was eating Sri Lankan food all over the country.

Sri Lankan cuisine focuses on rice, and that is a great thing for me as a gluten-free traveler. This is a gluten-free destination that I highly recommend!

Most foods in Sri Lankan cuisine have rice and coconut oil (great for lactose intolerance). Curries are made with coconut milk and coconut oil, and served with rice.

The best Sri Lankan gluten-free foods I found were:

• String hoppers : flat pancakes made from rice noodles
• Pittu : rice flour mixed with coconut and served in a conical shape
• Curry : Sri Lankan curry usually has chicken as its protein, and no gluten nor dairy ingredients among the spices, coconut milk, oil and vegetables.
• Tropical fruit : The best treat for breakfast and dessert was juicy pineapple, mangoes, passion fruit, watermelon and bananas.
• Sambol : This is a special side dish and comfort food made of coconut, onion, lime and chilis. Wow, it’s perfect! (Want to see how it’s made? Check out this recipe .)

There are some things to watch out for, though: roti (Indian bead) and kottu (chopped wheat noodles, stir-fried). These are not gluten-free in Sri Lankan cuisine. I think it is also worth noting that in smaller establishments, minimal English is spoken, and it will be important to have a translation in the Sinhala language for “I cannot eat wheat/flour ingredients.”

If you don’t get a translation card, you can use your phone.

Italy (Milan, Florence, Rome & Naples)

For me, the first thing that comes to mind about Italy is pizza. And as we all know, pizza is made purely of gluten-containing dough. Is gluten-free eating in Italy possible?

I spoke with Catalin, an American living in Florence. She was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2016 and has since become the founder of The Celiac in Italy . Catalin consults clients on traveling safely in Italy with celiac disease, hosts gluten free culinary experiences in Florence, and is an English- and Italian-speaking resource/content creator for all things gluten-free Italy. Wow!

Catalin (who has a cool Instagram ) says, “It’s no secret that Italy is one of the best countries in the world when it comes to gluten free options. Though it may seem counterintuitive with so much of the cuisine centering around gluten-filled delights, Italians have gone out of their way to make sure the gluten-free counterparts are just as accessible.”

As an American celiac who moved to Italy a few years into her diagnosis, she can confidently say that the awareness and understanding of the severity of a celiac diagnosis in Italy is unlike any other place she has visited.

Italy even has the Italian Celiac Association (Associazione Italiana Celiachia-AiC) which, among other things, offers a certification program for restaurants to learn about celiac disease, gluten-free menu options and best practices in the kitchen for avoiding cross-contact.

“All this to say that celiacs can rest assured that a trip to Italy will be a piece of gluten free cake,” Catalin says. “Though you don’t need to speak fluent Italian to safely navigate the cuisine, it is important to have a few Italian words in your back pocket.” And here they are:

• “I am a celiac” = “Sono celiaco/a”
• “Celiac disease” = “Celiachia”
• “Gluten free” = “Senza glutine”

Catalin is a firm believer that all celiacs should have the opportunity to visit Italy and enjoy the food. Here are her favorite spots:

Mama Eat (Milan, Florence, Rome, Naples)

Mama Eat is a delicious restaurant with six locations across the country, and it features a large menu of Southern Italian classics. It is certified by the AiC and known for having a dedicated gluten-free kitchen in each restaurant. The chef, Mama Marcella, is a celiac herself and has committed her career to making sure all celiacs feel welcome at the table. When you visit, Catalin recommends ordering the “A genoves” or “A amatriciana.”

Quinoa (Florence)

As the first 100% gluten free restaurant to open in Florence, Quinoa remains one of the most popular dedicated gluten-free spots in the city. The menu is a blend of traditional Italian and Asian cuisine. That’s right, Pad Thai and Bolognese are neighbors on the “primi” page. This is one of Catalin’s favorite local spots.

Risotteria Melotti (Isola della Scala, Florence, Rome)

This is a 100% gluten-free risotto restaurant with three locations in Italy. The Melotti family didn’t intentionally set out to open a gluten free restaurant; they were simply focused on growing rice and making risotto (which hails from their home region, Veneto), and later decided to lean into this naturally gluten-free tradition. The menu is always changing with the seasons.

The Netherlands (Amsterdam & Rotterdam)

As a health-first and forward-thinking modern European nation, the Netherlands is a great place to be gluten-free.

It’s not because the cuisine itself is gluten-friendly, as it’s not (heavy on bread), but it’s because people will understand what you want and there’s a wide range of international cuisines available, along with health-conscious shops and eateries, at least in Amsterdam and Rotterdam .

In nicer restaurants (figure a sit-down establishment rather than a grab’n’go), main dishes will consist of poultry, meat or fish, with sides of vegetables, and this is the route I took in order to have some grilled or roasted GF protein.

Eat gluten-free food in Amsterdam and Rotterdam at these places I tried!

• Fenix Food Factory, Rotterdam : A Rotterdam staple for locals and visitors, this revamped space is now a trendy indoor market with vendors selling international cuisine, health food, cheese, cider and coffee. Visit the Facebook page .
• STACH Food, Amsterdam : This Amsterdam-prepared goods store has several locations in the city and is a spot for picking up coffee, gluten-free snacks and healthy drinks. Visit the website .
• Anne & Max, Amsterdam : This fresh and health-focused brunch restaurant has a full menu of breakfast and lunch foods. Make sure to check out the menu, which notes gluten-free dessert options! See the website and menu .

Costa Rica (San Jose, Monteverde & Santa Elena)

Costa Rican food is Central American, so it’s pretty simple and focused on rice and beans. At a ‘soda,’ or a Costa Rican bodega/diner, you can get “casados:” rice, beans, fried egg, corn tortilla, plantain and sour cream or cheese. This is a typical meal in Costa Rica and it’s great for my gluten-free diet! Unless there’s a wheat tortilla, you’ll almost always be in the clear for gluten sensitivities.

If you have questions, you can say, “Tengo alergia grave de harina y productos de trigo.” (“I have a grave allergy to flour and wheat products.”)

In Costa Rica, I also recommend trying the local fruits. One thing you can count on to be gluten-free during your travels is amazing fruits and vegetables! In Costa Rica, a few I recommend for being wonderful and sweet are: pitahaya (dragonfruit), guayaba (guava), mango, papaya, passion fruit and granadilla, starfruit and bananas!

Peru (Lima & Cusco)

Peru, somewhere I’ve been twice (and spent an entire month!) was good for eating gluten-free because of one thing (among others): ceviche .

The national dish of fish marinated in lime juice, accompanied by camote (sweet potato), choclo (big corn) and onions is 100% gluten-free, and is sometimes made of shrimp as well.

A big plus for Peruvian cuisine is that potato is a big part of the national food dishes. When I was in Lima for four weeks, I went to a Peruvian cooking event where I learned that the country has more than a thousand types of potato types. Can you imagine?

This being said, there are a few Pervuian foods to avoid, as well as some to be very wary of, as a gluten-free traveler. AVOID fried items, as fryers will often be shared with fried things like chicken and seafood that are coated in potential wheat products. Also, avoid things like the other nationally-famous dish lomo saltado, which is made with soy sauce (not safe for celiacs or gluten allergies!).

There is a lot of fast food in Peru, and that means fried food, cross-contamination and sauces that may contain wheat. When possible, opt for fresh food and avoid foods with dark sauces. While in Peru, I mostly ate out at health food restaurants or ate fish and seafood, including ceviche, while being able to ask in Spanish about ingredients.

_My best advice is to go to Peru armed with the Spanish version of letting restaurants know about your allergies to gluten, or helping you eat something safe. A resource for Lima is Find Me Gluten-Free: Miraflores (Lima) and Find Me Gluten-Free: Cusco .

India (Mumbai & Kerala)

India is a massive country, and I’ve been to two distinct regions there (the Mumbai area, and Kerala province, in the southwest). As India is diverse, some regions are better for eating GF than others. In general, India stretches from the very northern and ‘wheaty’ region near the Himalayas and closer to Everest, all the way to the tropical ‘rice-based’ areas that get tropical in the south.

Which region of India is best for gluten-free?

In general, cuisines in the tropics have more rice, due to how it grows best. Regions closer to higher altitudes will have more wheat and cheese. This is what my experience has shown me all over the world!

Foods in the south of India (Kerala province) are pretty gluten-free friendly, similar to Sri Lanka. Rice is served at most meals, or at least always an option. Curries are made from coconut milk and heavier curries have dairy milk.

In the middle of the country, food options will mostly always be vegetables simmered in curries or sauces or yogurts. You will usually be able to eat rice wherever you go.

Is street food in India gluten-free?

The danger for gluten-free diets undoubtedly lies in street foods, which will be very exciting because there are so many of them. It’s hard to ask a vendor if something is 100% rice from how it looks, depending on what it is. With street vendors, limited English may be available.

As with traveling anywhere, it pays to have a way of translating into local languages (Malayalam in Kerala and Marathi in Mumbai, for instance) or having a guide for the day. For a severe gluten intolerance, I would NOT advise eating street food in India under any circumstances.

Gluten-free foods in India

My favorite gluten-free traditional Indian food that I tried to eat as many places as I could was Baigan Bharta. It’s also the Indian dish I tend to eat the most often if I go out for Indian food at home, because it’s gluten-free by default (I’ve even tried to cook it)! Baigan bharta is a vegetable-based dish made of eggplant, tomato, onion and spices. It is served with rice. If you’re feeling doubtful at a restaurant, try to seek out foods you know from home, like a curry with vegetables or boiled meat, or sauteed vegetable dishes with rice.

For more resources on how to eat gluten-free in India, check out this gluten-free guide to Goa , this gluten-free Mumbai guide , which recommends upscale dining there, and Find Me Gluten-Free can help out with New Delhi.

This gluten-free adventure blog has a gluten-free dining card available, translated into Hindi.

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Celiac Travel: The Best Gluten-Free Travel Snacks

Celiac travel can be hard. You can’t rely on having safe, gluten-free food to eat on the plane (even if you’ve ordered the gluten-free meal in advance). Out exploring a ...

By Ashleigh Holden

Celiac travel can be hard. You can’t rely on having safe, gluten-free food to eat on the plane (even if you’ve ordered the gluten-free meal in advance). Out exploring a new city or on a road-trip? You might not be able to just stop into any restaurant you want and find something gluten-free and satisfying to eat.

This doesn’t mean you can’t travel and enjoy local delicacies — it just means that you should pack some snacks to stave off hunger until you can get to a place serving safe gluten-free food. These gluten-free travel snacks can mean the difference between “I have to eat RIGHT NOW” and “Let’s wander over to that cool Celiac-safe restaurant”.

I’ve divided this list into the best gluten-free road trip snacks as well as the best gluten-free snacks for planes (that you can take in your carry-on without losing to the TSA), plus gluten-free snacks that are easily carried around in a cooler.

Best Gluten-Free Road Trip Snacks & Best Gluten-Free Snacks for the Plane

These easy-to-pack snacks will keep without refrigeration for long road trips or flights, and keep you from having to stand in the aisle of a gas station frantically reading the labels on all the snacks.

These are all solid foods or pass the 3-1-1 rule for flying. Remember, if you are packing snacks to bring abroad an international flight, you’ll need to declare any food you intend to bring in on the customs form, and many countries are strict about allowing in nuts, seeds, fruits, and other snacks. (The solution to this is to just eat it all or throw away on the plane whatever you don’t finish before disembarking.)

• A quick bread or muffins. I feel like a piece of pumpkin bread or a muffin can fill me up more than a packaged snack bar can. Right before I leave on a trip, I like to bake up a batch of King Arthur Flour’s super easy and delicious pumpkin muffins and pack them for my trip.
• Gluten-free trail mix. (Weirdly, lots of trail mix “may contain” gluten.) I like these ones from Kar’s because they are gluten-free, and individually packaged, which is great for portion control, and more sanitary than digging your hand into a shared large bag of trail mix.
• Fruit. Bananas are filling and easily portable—try packing a mix of ripe and green ones to make them last for your whole trip. Pre-washed grapes are also easy to eat while driving.
• Gluten-free almonds. These will give you plenty of protein and help keep you full. To make them feel like more of a fun treat, I love these cinnamon sugar flavored ones.
• Gluten-free oatmeal. Bring individual packets of gluten-free oatmeal, and you can get a cup of hot water from any coffee shop or gas station to make it. (You can even request a cup of hot water on a plane to make these.) This variety pack is good to keep you from getting bored, and takes up minimal space in your bag. For road trips, I like the gluten-free oatmeal like this one that comes in its own container so you don’t need a bowl or a cup. This one is the best of both worlds, as it packs flat but pops up into its own bowl. For extra protein, these ones from RX Bars are like their famous RX bars, but in oatmeal form.
• Speaking of RX bars, they make a great portable and healthy snack, with minimal ingredients and lots of protein.
• Annie’s Organic Original Crispy Snack Bars taste exactly like a Rice Crispy treat, but are gluten free and healthy thanks to their rice and quinoa blend.
• Boom Chicka Pop. These individually packaged bags of popcorn are the perfect serving size, and will fill you up without adding a ton of calories (and has plenty of fiber to keep you full). Available in a bunch of flavors, my favorite is the salty and sweet kettle corn style .
• Freakin Awesome Chocolate Covered Almond Protein Balls. Made with real ingredients, these gluten-free snacks are Gluten Free, Palm Oil Free, GMO-Free, Soy Free, and vegan
• Bare Fruit Snacks are made from 100 percent real fruit, baked until crunchy. These are a healthier alternative to dried fruit snacks.
• Worthy Bowl Blended Fruit and Veggie Bowls are shelf-stable, but do taste better chilled, so pop one in your hotel room’s fridge to have for breakfast the next day. They’re high in fiber and protein, but low on sugar.
• Bear Real Fruit Snack Rolls. These gluten-free treats are the healthy version of Fruit Roll-Ups, and don’t contain anything besides real fruit and vegetables.
• Pirate’s Booty is sneakily gluten-free, and these snack-size bags are great for travel. The new ranch flavor is amazing if you can find it!
• Craving a candy bar but want something healthy? Kind’s chocolate-covered or caramel-drizzled ones are super tasty. The mini versions are great for kids or travel, and the variety pack prevents you from getting sick of them.
• Nature’s Bakery Gluten-Free Fig Bars taste exactly like a Fig Newton, but are actually good for you.
• Lance’s Gluten-free Peanut Butter Crackers are the closest thing you can get to a classic peanut butter sandwich on a trip.
• Annie’s Gluten-Free Chewy Granola Bars taste just like regular granola bars, but are gluten-free.
• Keep yourself from getting bored while traveling by getting this fun gluten-free healthy snack box, which comes with a huge variety of gluten-free snacks to try. You might even find a new favorite brand!
• Organic Superfoods’ Carrot Sticks in Ranch flavor are like having carrots dipped in Ranch, no refrigeration required.

The Best Gluten-Free Travel Snacks (If You Have a Cooler)

On a road trip, packing a small cooler and ice packs (or simply filling ziplock bags with ice at home and refilling them from a hotel ice machine on the road) can greatly expand your snack options. Having fresh food can make you feel better than endless packaged snacks. If you can keep them cold, these options make great gluten-free travel snacks:

• Baby carrots (I like to get these that are cut like chips, to fool myself into thinking I’m snacking on chips).
• Individual cups of hummus, for lots of protein and fiber.
• String cheese
• Greek yogurt cups (get in those probiotics!)
• Sargento’s Balanced Breaks, which are delightfully-packaged and delicious mixes of cheese, dried fruit or chocolate, and nuts.
• Perennial Plant-Based Nutrition Drink. These tasty drinks can replace an entire meal, and are vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

Related posts:

• 9 Things to Pack for Gluten-Free Travel 2023: Gluten-Free Vacation Rental Packing List
• How to Travel Gluten-Free: The Ultimate Celiac Travel Guide
• Gluten Free Azores Travel Guide

I'm Ashleigh, the owner of How To Travel Gluten Free & a proud coeliac. With my firsthand experience and a deep love for both travel and delicious gluten-free cuisine, I’ve made it my mission to share my knowledge, tips, and incredible discoveries with you.

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Gluten-Free Thailand: Celiac Travel Guide

May 6, 2022 · 8 Comments

This gluten-free Thailand travel guide will help you be prepared to visit the land of smiles with celiac disease. But heads up, it isn't easy!

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure page for more information. Thanks! This post was updated in July of 2022.

Thailand's friendly people, diverse history, stunning temples, and picturesque beaches were some of the reasons we fell in love with this backpacker's paradise. But since celiac disease is not as common in Asia as it is in other parts of the world, it definitely requires planning and preparation. It's definitely challenging. But if you are going to Thailand, rest assured that this guide will help you feel a little more prepared to eat there!

Dylan and I spent three weeks in Thailand in March of 2019 as part of our six-month round the world trip. In this guide I'm walking you through my top tips for visiting Thailand with celiac disease. You can read my 3-week itinerary for Thailand here and how we planned a 6 month trip around the world to more than ten countries right here .

NOTE   & DISCLAIMER

Everyone’s experience with celiac disease is different. Dedicated gluten-free facilities are usually the safest places to go, and you’ll some of those listed here. For non-dedicated facilities and restaurants, I only recommend places I have visited or where clear protocols are in place for celiac diners. My experience is not your experience. This is a guide – a list of suggestions to point you in the right direction.   Restaurants can change. Use your own judgment and only eat where you feel safe doing so . Please be aware that restaurants in Thailand are lacking in recent, updated reviews due to the country being closed to tourists from the pandemic. Visiting Thailand now will be even more challenging than when I visited in 2019.

This guide was originally published in Gluten-Free Living Magazine in 2019. It has been updated here for your reference. Always double check as places may have changed since the pandemic as I visited in 2019.

Gluten-Free Thailand Travel Guide

About Celiac Disease in Thailand

In general, celiac disease is not as common in Asia as it is in other countries. The prevalence of gluten-free food is thanks to a large part in tourists. You'll find that large cities like Bangkok or Chiang Mai will have more gluten-free options and products in supermarkets available.

But unfortunately, due to cross-contact, lack of awareness of celiac disease, and use of sauces with wheat (soy sauce and oyster sauce), Thailand will be challenging- especially in restaurants. But you're here and reading this guide, and that's a great place to begin!

Staying Somewhere With A Kitchen

Upon our arrival in Thailand, I was extremely nervous about finding safe food, as I was not familiar with Thai cuisine at all. And rather than expose myself to more possible risk by dining out for almost every meal, Dylan and I opted to find a place with a kitchen for the first few days.

And this was really helpful and kept me calm our first few days in Thailand.

It's why I highly recommend booking a place with a kitchen when traveling with celiac disease. It gives you the option to balance out speaking up and risking exposure at restaurants by preparing something easy, safe, and quick in your accommodation. We also did this for the majority of our trip.

You can do this by booking an Airbnb (make sure it's owned by a local, so you are supporting the local community and economy) , using Booking.com to find a small apartment, or just reserve a hotel room with a kitchenette, microwave, or refrigerator. When deciding on a location, try to book something close to a market or grocery store, if possible. If it's within walking distance, even better!

During our time in Thailand, Dylan and I stayed in this Airbnb in the Sukhumvit neighborhood of Bangkok , then this hostel with a full breakfast in Chiang Mai , and various hostels/guesthouses on the island of Koh Lanta. You can read more about where we stayed in my 3 Week Thailand itinerary here.

Learn About Thai Cuisine & Take A Cooking Class

Thai cuisine is filled with various dishes, spices, curries, stir-fries, and steamed dishes. The more you know about Thai cooking, the better equipped you will be to visit Thailand with celiac disease. It means you will know what recipes contain what ingredients, what dishes are safer, and which to stay away from.

I highly recommend taking a Thai cooking class when visiting Thailand to further understand the ingredients that go into common dishes you'll see on restaurant menus. The more information and knowledge you have about Thai food, the stronger advocate you can be for yourself.

Dylan and I took a Thai cooking class in Chiang Mai, with Mama Noi's Thai Cooking School . The experience was excellent. We each had our own clean cooking tools and station, and I brought my own gluten-free soy sauce and oyster sauce from a brand called Megachef, that I found at the local Rimping supermarket. I was able to eat almost every dish we made that day except one!

The class was so much fun to be a part of, and everything we made was scrumptious. I learned how to make gluten-free pad thai from scratch, which is still a dish I enjoy making at home on a regular basis.

Gluten-Free Groceries in Thailand

In large cities with a lot of tourists, such as Bangkok or Chiang Mai, you'll be able to find gluten-free imported products in larger grocery stores. I was also able to do this in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia , and Hong Kong .

Unfortunately, there's not really great labeling of gluten in packaged foods in Thailand, and I didn't buy anything that wasn't in English I could clearly read. You can use your phone and the Google Translate app (and your camera) to translate ingredients on packages. However, you will find plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, protein, and rice to cook your own meals.

Rimping supermarket in Chiang Mai has an large selection of gluten-free imported products, as well as most of the large malls & grocery stores in Bangkok!

How To Find Safe Restaurants in Thailand

Locating gluten-free food can be tough when you're traveling - especially abroad. And while it's critical to speak to the restaurant directly to make sure their protocols work for you , sometimes you just want to get an idea of what's available. One of the best ways to do that while traveling is by doing your research first , on an app/website like FindMeGlutenFree.

FindMeGlutenFree can help you get an idea of what gluten-free restaurants, bakeries, and safe menus are available in Thailand. Yes - this app is used around the globe! And with a Premium Subscription , you can filter by most celiac friendly, see what's open now (so you don't drive all the way to a bakery for breakfast and discover it's closed) , and what's gluten-free in the direction you're headed. It's like Google Maps, but a gluten-free version. And no Ads!

I've been a FMGF user for over a decade, but I think their Premium version is much more effective. Take $5 off a Premium Subscription with the code THENOMADICFITZ to make your trip to Thailand less stressful.

Note: This app is usually very helpful when traveling, but in places that were closed to tourists during the height of the pandemic, they are very outdated . So it's going to be up to you to speak up, understand Thai food and know what dishes are *usually* safe, and give yourself a break by staying somewhere with a kitchen. And to help with restaurants - you should definitely have a translation card.

Gluten-Free Thai Dining Card

Do you speak Thai?

I learned to say "Thank you" and "Hello" during our three weeks in Thailand.

Unfortunately, my skills as a former Spanish teacher didn't really matter in Asia, unless I ran into someone who spoke Spanish .

But using proper colloquialisms, grammar, and vocabulary makes a big difference in comprehension - regardless of the language you are speaking.

That's why a restaurant card properly translated into the local language allows your host, server, or chef to know what foods you can and cannot eat, and how the preparation of your food is critical to your health and safety. Google Translate is great for identifying individual words (and you can download the app to use when reading menus or products), but it is not ideal for explaining your needs in restaurants.

This Thai restaurant card , created by fellow celiac and world traveler Jodi of Legal Nomads , is translated by a local in Thailand, to be sure travelers are understood. It goes into detail about cross-contact and ingredients to help your dish be prepared as safely as possible. This is crucial, especially in Asia where celiac and food allergies are not as common.

In general, in most touristy areas, people do speak English. But it always helps to try and speak the language of where you are visiting. This is their home, not yours. A Thai dining card will help with this.

Things To Be Careful Of Eating Gluten-Free in Thailand

One of the biggest challenges of visiting Thailand with celiac disease is cross-contact and sauces . This will especially apply to food stalls and outdoor markets, where there is one cooktop for everything. You really won't be able to get a lot at outdoor markets except mostly fruit/fruit smoothies (what I always had) and mango sticky rice. The majority of items will be risky due to cross-contact.

Soy sauce, fish/oyster sauce contain wheat, so they are not safe to consume with celiac disease. Pad Thai is also not gluten-free, due to the sauces. Yes, they use rice noodles, but the sauces are not. The sauces will be the bane of your existence when in Thailand.

Here's a list of some of the dishes I ate in Thailand in restaurants where there were no specific gluten-free options mentioned. Please keep in mind that for each of these dishes, I always spoke to the server, used a Thai translation card, asked about the ingredients, confirmed it was made separately, and that no soy sauce or oyster sauce, or other flavorings were added, where applicable. Some of the dishes I ate in Thailand :

• Plain steamed white rice
• Curries: Massaman curry (chicken, potato, peanuts - I ate this daily in Koh Lanta ). Most curries are gluten-free, but always double check.
• Fresh fruits
• Mango sticky rice
• Eggs - scrambled or fried
• Fruit smoothies (only from smoothie venders that served fruit only. No cookies or anything else)

Restaurants With Gluten-Free Food in Thailand

Since my visit to Thailand was 3 years ago,  I cannot speak to the current gluten-free safety procedures of the restaurants we visited as they may be outdated .  And due to the pandemic and the fact that Thailand was closed to tourists for over a year, many reviews/places online are not up to date. It is up to you to do your own due diligence and verify these places are options for you when you visit Thailand. This section was last updated in July of 2022.

We stayed in an Airbnb in Bangkok to be able to cook our own quick meals and did minimal dining out as we got accustomed to Thailand and Thai cuisine. According to my research and FindMeGlutenFree , there aren't many dedicated gluten-free places in Bangkok. But there are a few options you can try:

Theera Healthy Bake Room: Vegan and gluten-free bakery in Bangkok! For more information, visit their website . They serve breads, snacks, and desserts.

Rice Bakery : Gluten-free bakery. While I know this place was open pre-COVID, I can't find any updated information if it still is, or has closed. Here's the website with more information.

Peeps Thai Eatery : We ate here and had gluten-free dishes back in 2019. The staff was well aware of allergies and cooked everything separately - with gluten-free sauces. A rare find! The last I read they were reopened in 2021, but that's the last I have found. Their Facebook page is here.

Malls: The malls in Bangkok are massive, and wonderful places to cool off when it's almost 100 degrees Fahrenheit. In some malls I was able to find acai bowls or smoothies, or rice.

Chiang Mai is a backpacker paradise and was home to one of the best gluten-free spots - but unfortunately, due to the pandemic, many places we spent a lot of time in have now closed. We stayed in a hostel that had a full kitchen available and fresh breakfast every morning (fruit and eggs).

Unfortunately, there are no 100% gluten-free places in Chiang Mai anymore.

Pink House Garden: CLOSED (Sad News) : It breaks my heart that the BEST Thai restaurant, Pink House Garden which was 100% gluten-free that we went to almost every day in Chiang Mai back in 2019, has closed due to the pandemic. This is where I had my first bite of pad thai and fell in love with Thai food in a 100% safe way. The owner is still making vegan & gluten-free cakes for pickup/takeaway, but the restaurant has closed. This is truly such a loss for the Chiang Mai gluten-free scene as they were cheap, delicious, and the staff so friendly.

Butter is Better : This diner has two locations in Chiang Mai and serves American fare with lots of gluten-free options, including meals and baked goods. I am not sure if their options are the same as they were in 2019. In previous years, they had many gluten-free choices, including baked goods, pancakes, sandwiches, cakes, etc. and strong understanding of allergens. Please inquire with them directly.

Salsa Kitchen : This is a Mexican restaurant in Chiang Mai, down by the university, with great tacos and corn tortillas. They were aware of allergies when we visited in 2019, and everything was very good. Their Facebook page can be found here.

Pa's Fruit Smoothies:

My friend Jodi, of Legal Nomads , who has lived around the world with celiac disease, wrote about Mrs. Pa and her fruit smoothies at the Chiang Mai south gate night market . Her smoothies are phenomenal and only 20 baht (less than $1USD) - Dylan and I paid her a visit almost every day and it became a ritual. After speaking with Jodi, I learned Mrs. Pa is doing very well and still keeps in touch. I hope one day to return to Thailand and enjoy Mrs. Pa's smoothies and her lovely company again someday!

The island of Koh Lanta (also spelled Ko Lanta) had very minimal gluten-free options. I relied on my knowledge of Thai cuisine and stuck to the same dishes every day we were there (eggs and fruit for breakfast, curries and rice for lunch/dessert, plus any snacks I could find at local markets). We stayed at small beach resorts & hostels that had breakfast available.

The only restaurant we visited that had gluten-free meals on the menu was The Happy Veggie , which is a vegetarian/vegan restaurant. The portions were tiny, and after walking 1.5 miles in the 100 degree heat, I was really upset and starving!

For more information about planning a trip to Thailand, be sure to read my 3-week itinerary to all three of these locations - Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Koh Lanta!

Final Thoughts: Gluten-Free Thailand

It's tough looking back on Thailand because I know that anyone who visits now, it's going to be much different than the experience I had in 2019. But I'm hopeful that as tourism comes back to Thailand, maybe more gluten-free places will pop up again like Pink House Garden. It truly was a magical place (and 100% gluten-free) that made cities like Chiang Mai, one of my favorite destinations around the world.

Be careful of sauces and cross-contact in Thailand. Learn about Thai cooking and hidden ingredients so you know what to expect. And most importantly, book a place with a kitchen so you have the option to cook for yourself!

Thailand isn't easy to visit with celiac disease, but it is possible. I hope this guide has helped!

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Daniel says

July 14, 2022 at 11:07 pm

Great post about Thailand. I love the emphasis on finding a place with a kitchen. Unfortunately, Thailand is EXTREMELY difficult for celiac disease. Unless you have a great command of Thai language (or someone you know) and the ways gluten can sneak in foods in Thailand, I'd recommend anyone with celiac to really stay away from street food unless it's something like fresh fruit, mango sticky rice, etc.

One thing that might be helpful to add to this blog post is seasoning powders and MSG, which are used everywhere. Plain white MSG is usually okay, but in Thailand, there are two seasoning powders called Rosdee (รสดี) and something else I forget the name of. They DO have gluten and are used a lot :(. Unfortunately, it makes the usual dishes of curries and the like more of a crapshoot, because they are sometimes used. So while a restaurant might not use soy sauce, these powders can sometimes be used, especially on meats.

Jennifer Fitzpatrick says

July 16, 2022 at 5:50 pm

Thanks for sharing. As I stated in the post, street food is very limiting due to cross contact and I only recommend fruit, mango sticky rice, or fresh fruit smoothies that ONLY make fruit smoothies. Having a Thai translation card can help with those hidden ingredients as well.

Stefan Lindholm says

August 29, 2022 at 6:16 pm

I havent been to Thailand yet since I got celiac disease. Benn there on and off fot 30 years. Good information. Thank you. One thing that surprises me is that in most blogs I never see tom yum mentioned. To me it seems very safe and fortunately it is my favourite thai dish if not my favourite in the world! /Stefan

August 30, 2022 at 11:23 am

Thank you Stefan for your comment. Unfortunately I believe it would be the fish sauce in Tom Yum soup that is the culprit, which typically contains gluten. I use gluten-free soy, fish, and oyster sauces when recreating dishes at home from our time in Thailand. Hope that helps!

January 03, 2023 at 2:55 am

Fish sauce almost never contain gluten. The most popular thai fish sauce does not contain gluten.

January 04, 2023 at 2:24 pm

Thank you for this clarifier! I misspoke in my earlier reply and was thinking of oyster sauce. Apologies! Soy and oyster sauce are still two sauces I would be most careful with when it comes to Thai dishes.

Eduardo says

September 21, 2022 at 12:20 am

If you're visiting Chiang Mai you can say hello in the "Gluten Free Chiang Mai" Facebook group. I've posted there a google maps resource with 40+ restaurants that have gluten free options. There is no coeliac safe place in this city.

If you're going to Bangkok there is also a facebook group, and they have also created a google maps resource with 100+ locations now.

September 21, 2022 at 9:10 am

Thanks for sharing!

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By Connie Sarros

By Connie Sarros • January 4, 2019

Gluten-Free Foods to Take Along When Traveling

Journal of gluten sensitivity summer 2011 issue. note: this article is from a back issue of our popular subscription-only paper newsletter. some content may be outdated..

Celiac.com 01/04/2019 - The beautiful, sunshine-filled days of summertime are finally here. This means more traveling and generally getting out of the house more to enjoy the glorious warm weather.  Whether you’re traveling half-way across the country by car with your family to enjoy a week’s summer vacation, catching a flight for an overnight business trip, or just traveling around town all day on errands, it’s a given that at some point while you’re away from home you’re going to get hungry.  

You can now take advantage of a luxury that wasn’t as readily available to you even five years ago and that’s eating out on the run.  More and more chain restaurants are catering to the gluten-free diet.  But if you’re running kids to swimming lessons and baseball practice, plus you have to stop out for groceries, pick up a gift for a birthday party, and stop in to see a sick friend, you may not have time (or the finances) to eat out all the time.  Besides, when you eat out, portion size generally goes up while nutrition goes down. Keep reading to find out how to eat healthier by bringing along some of your own foods when you’re away from home.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A12): Starting with your daily routine, whether you’re sitting at a desk at an office, on the road making sales calls, or carting the kids to and from their activities, when lunchtime hits, be prepared.  Some quick and easy foods to pack for lunch can include wraps made on rice or corn tortillas, and all kinds of salads, cubes of lean and low-sodium lunch meat and cheese with gluten-free crackers, or a slice (or two or three!) of gluten-free veggie pizza.  

When your tummy reminds you in the late afternoon that it’s been awhile since you’ve fed it anything, be prepared by having some snacks tucked away in a bag that you brought along.  Even snacks can be nutritious and add to your daily fiber count.  If you have a small cooler or insulated bag, tuck some yogurt cups, cottage cheese snack packs, or veggies and a low fat dip into the bag along with a frozen ice pack to keep foods cold.  Hummus with gluten-free pita bread, flat bread, or crackers makes a good snack, or pack some salsa with low salt tortilla chips.  If you want a “munchie” type of snack, spoon some trail mix into a small self-seal bag; add some dried, seasoned soybeans for extra nutrition but don’t add any chocolate pieces because they could melt if the sun hits the bag.  Fresh fruit (apples, pears, bananas) are super easy to take along or you can cut up melons, kiwi, and pineapple to take in a plastic container along with a plastic fork; toss in some berries for color and extra fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants.  Air-popped popcorn is another good option, especially if you add almonds and dried cranberries to the popcorn.  Natural fruit leathers always taste good and they’re easy to pack.  Or pack a self-seal snack bag with a nutritious, gluten-free dry cereal, tossing in some dried sunflower or pumpkins seeds.

Choose foods that not only travel well but provide as much nutrition as possible.  Peanut butter and gluten-free crackers is a healthier choice than a bag of gluten-free pretzels.  A small bag of sunflower seeds with dried cranberries is a better option than a small bag of M & M’s.  

If you’re heading for an airport, don’t assume you can buy food there or that a meal on the plane will be gluten-free.  Not many flights offer meals anymore, but even if you are served a gluten-free meal… beware.  The FDA issued a report on the sanitary conditions at the facilities of the three largest caterers providing food to airlines: LSG Sky Chefs, Gate Gourmet, and Flying Food Group.   These three companies provide more than 100 million sky meals annually to all the big airlines including Delta, American, United, US Airways and Continental.  The report states that “Many meals served to passengers on major airlines are prepared in unsanitary and unsafe conditions...” Included in the list of infractions are:  1) Unclean equipment, 2) Workers who practice poor hygiene, and 3) At some facilities, the presence of live cockroaches, flies, and mice.  Add to this that the people who make up the meals probably have very little knowledge about cross contamination issues with gluten-free foods.   Whether you’re on a gluten-free diet or not, you may seriously want to consider carrying your own food with you when flying.

If you’re taking your own food on the plane, be aware of airport security rules.  You can’t take any drinks through security; you’ll have to buy drinks once you have gone through the scanners.   Depending on your departure airport and the security team on duty that day, butter and peanut butter are considered gels and  may or may not be confiscated at the security check point.  

A little extra thought has to go into how you pack foods being taken into planes.  Tupperware and plastic containers are great except that cabin pressure changes can cause the seal to leak.  Self-seal plastic bags are ideal, just remember to squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing the bags.  If you have a large purse, put an ice pack into a small tote bag, add the packed food containers to the bag, then squeeze the tote bag into your purse (or briefcase).  Back packs also work for packing foods.  If you’re going on a long trip and need to take larger amounts of food with you, you can find soft-sided ice chests that have wheels and a handle or you can even use a small carry-on suitcase with wheels, or even think about shipping dried foods ahead of your arrival.  If you need foods for your return trip, be sure to pack non-perishable items.  It wouldn’t hurt to put a large sticker on your backpack, suitcase or ice chest that reads, “CELIAC”.  Finally, to be on the safe side, take a note along from your doctor that states both your diagnosis and the need for your special diet.    If you’re driving across America’s highways, you have more flexibility when packing foods because you can pack a cooler and probably have access to a microwave at the rest stops.  You’ll still want foods that are easy to hold and easy to eat.  Some one-handed snacks include celery sticks filled with cream cheese or peanut butter, gluten-free protein bars, homemade muffins, dry cereal, hard boiled eggs, and let’s not forget cookies.  If you take cookies, think about baking some that have nuts, uncontaminated oats, or some of the healthier alternative flours instead of the marshmallow-chocolaty-caramel-gooey kind that have almost no redeeming nutritional value.  If you remember to pack a plastic spoon, individual containers of applesauce and/or diced fruits with peel-off lids are very convenient to have in the car.  Individual cans of tuna with the small packets of mayonnaise are good with gluten-free crackers or bread to make a sandwich.  A marinated bean salad will hold for several days in a cooler, as will veggie gluten-free pasta salads or wild rice salads.  Assuming that rest stops will have a microwave available, there’s a large variety of gluten-free individual food packets you can pack like Thai Kitchen rice noodles, flavored or unflavored uncontaminated oatmeal packets, soup containers with tear-off lids… or pack some baked beans with cooked sausage slices in a plastic container; add a side of gluten-free cornbread and a drink and you’ve got a great lunch.  Cooked chicken wings can be eaten cold but remember to take plenty of extra napkins along.  Then there’s always the time-honored staple box of raisins.

Don’t let this disease keep you from getting out of the house.   There are always viable options of foods to take along when you’re away from home. 

Granola Bars by Connie Sarros

Loaded with fiber, these bars stay fresh for several days.

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup light corn syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• ¼ cup gluten-free flour mixture
• 3 cups uncontaminated oats
• ½ cup shredded coconut
• ½ cup sunflower seeds
• ½ cup sesame seeds
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• 1/3 cup chopped dark chocolate
• 1/3 cup raisins

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with nonstick spray.  In a large bowl, use a rubber spatula to blend the oil, brown sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla.  Stir in the flour mixture and oats until blended.  Add the coconut, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pecans, chocolate, and raisins.  Stir until evenly blended.  Spoon mixture into the baking pan, smoothing the top with wet fingers.  Bake for 30 minutes or until top is golden.  Allow granola to cool completely before cutting into bars.  Yield:  48 bars.

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Posted January 25, 2019 //--> Posted January 25, 2019

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I’ve seen gluten free warning cards printed in different languages on this website previously but can’t find them now!  Help!  We’re traveling to Mexico & I wanted to print up the Spanish gluten warning card. Thanks for your help!

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Share on other sites, kareng 2,327.

Posted January 26, 2019 //--> Posted January 26, 2019

6 hours ago, DH/gluten-free said: I’ve seen gluten free warning cards printed in different languages on this website previously but can’t find them now!  Help!  We’re traveling to Mexico & I wanted to print up the Spanish gluten warning card. Thanks for your help!

I think you can just google them.  There are usually ones you can print yourself for free

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Connie Sarros travels the country speaking to celiac support groups.  She has a DVD “All You Wanted to Know About Gluten-free Cooking” and has written the following books:

• Newly Diagnosed Survival Kit
• Wheat-free Gluten-free Dessert Cookbook
• Wheat-free Gluten-free Recipes for Special Diets
• Wheat-free Gluten-free Reduced Calorie Cookbook
• Wheat-free Gluten-free Cookbook for Kids and Busy Adults
• Gluten-free Cooking for Dummies
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Home › Travel › Travel Tips › 12 Tips that Make Gluten-Free Travel Easy

12 Tips that Make Gluten-Free Travel Easy

by Lisa Bryan

Updated Dec 04, 2017

This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy .

With the holidays right around the corner, I thought it was perfect timing to share with you a few gluten-free travel tips. Many of you will be jumping on planes and flying long distances to see loved ones. Or driving and sitting in probably way too much traffic. Well, this year, I’ve got it easy. I’m just driving an hour and half south to Orange County as we’re doing Thanksgiving at my brother’s. But remember that two years ago I traveled to Sydney for the holidays. A slightly longer trip.

So today, I’m sharing 12 tips that make gluten-free travel easy. In other words, a few things I’ve learned after trotting around the world quite a bit. And whether your travel plans include the upcoming holidays or an exciting, wanderlusting adventure in the future, these gluten-free travel tips will help to ensure your travel goes off without a hitch and that you remain healthy, happy and at ease.

12 Tips That Make Gluten-Free Travel Easy

1. Plan your transit food

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that my eating style is real, healthy and wholesome. So plan ahead and think of what foods will keep your tummy satisfied (usually a combination of healthy carbs, protein and fat) and pack them in a tupperware-like container . Some of my favorite foods include homemade salads (kale salads hold up the best), wraps on gluten-free  tortillas and raw zucchini noodle dishes. You can pack these in a small, packable cooler . If you’re flying, just remember to pack any liquids (including salad dressings) in a TSA-approved 3.4oz or less container.

2. Pack a variety of snacks

Whole fruits such as apples, bananas and oranges travel amazingly well. And homemade muesli or trail mix can definitely satisfy tummy rumbles. While I’m not typically a fan of packaged gluten-free food, I do have a few convenient, gluten-free travel snacks that I recommend and reach for time and again. They’re my faves.

3. Book a gluten-free meal with the airline

I’ll be the first to admit that airplane food leaves much to be desired, but when you’re 30,000 feet in the air, it’s always wise to have a back-up plan. So always order the gluten-free airline meal. If you’re flying internationally, dietary-specific meals usually need to be ordered 48 hours in advance, which you can do on the airline website. You don’t have to eat it this meal, but planning ahead is key.

4. Order gluten-free dining translation cards

If you’re traveling overseas, translation cards communicate to your restaurant server, in their native language, your specific dietary requirements. Translation cards can also address multiple food allergies and intolerances, in addition to gluten. These are far more affective than hand gestures which lead to miscommunication and confusion.

5. Speak in restaurant language

It’s easy to get comfortably saying things like “I’m celiac” or “I’m gluten-free” – but those phrases may not work as well overseas or in a foreign language. So it’s best to be clear and concise on the ingredients you can’t eat. Say things like, “I’m allergic to gluten, which includes wheat, barley and rye. Are any of those ingredients used in my meal?” You’ll have far better success with this approach.

6. Stick to naturally gluten-free foods

Whenever I hear unpleasant stories from people who’ve had problems traveling gluten-free, it’s usually because they’ve ordered things like gluten-free pizza or gluten-free pasta. Foods that have a high likelihood of cross-contamination or let’s be honest, are prone to kitchen error. So I always stick to naturally gluten-free foods, like vegetable salads, poached salmon or rotisserie chicken. Not only is it safer, it’s healthier.

7. Pack herbal teas

Herbal teas are mother nature’s medicine chest and can help with a variety of ailments while traveling. To help with digestion, upset stomach or motion sickness, reach for ginger tea . To help boost your immune system, aid digestion and reduce inflammation, reach for peppermint tea . And to help you sleep (always key when traveling), reduce anxiety and boost your immune system, reach for chamomile tea . What do I do? Pack a few of each, of course.

8. Double check customs restrictions

If you’re crossing through country borders (whether by car or plane), remember to double check customs restrictions regarding the entry of food. Some countries, like my motherland New Zealand, have more stringent requirements. And it’s never fun tossing out heaps of delicious, homemade gluten-free food that you’ve packed.

9. Request a microwave and/or mini-fridge

If you’re staying in a hotel, you may be able to have a microwave and/or mini fridge placed in your room, due to medical necessity. Call the hotel before your arrive, notify them of your food sensitivities and politely ask if any special arrangements can be made.

10. Book accommodations with a kitchen

I’m a huge fan of gastrotourism and eating local when traveling, but it’s always nice to stay in a place that has a kitchen, like my apartment in Lisbon . Besides, if you book an apartment, you can purchase food at the local farmer’s market and whip up a delicious meal inspired by unique flavors at your destination.

11. Travel more slowly

The more I travel, the more I appreciate slow travel. Instead of visiting five cities (and cramming it all in), I’ll now visit two and really get to know each place. It’s prioritizing depth over breadth and trust me, your chances of getting glutened are reduced happen when you’re calm, relaxed and you’ve become familiar with a location and cuisine.

12. Remember to breathe

Your worst nightmares rarely come true, so if you’ve got “what if’s” floating through your brain, take a deep breath and push those aside. The joy, adventure, laughs and once-in-a-lifetime memories from travel are worth navigating potentially uncertain terrain. Just keep a positive “can do” attitude and you’ll have a blast.

For more gluten-free travel tips, advice, travel-friendly recipes and wanderlust inspiration, make sure to check out my ebook Roaming Free . I’ve also written gluten-free city guides for Lisbon and Bali ….with more to gluten-free travel guides coming soon. Make sure to subscribe so you’ll be notified when new guides are released.

Other posts you might like:

What To Do If You Get Glutened

7 Must Have Pieces of Luggage for Your Next Healthy Adventure

Where would you like to travel gluten-free? What’s your dream destination? Let me know in the comments below!

About the author

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

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I can travel with prepacked GF food from melb aust ( stop over at Auckland airport ) to Canada & America

I can image how difficult it must be to be gluten free and a picky eater.

I’m not a picky eater. Just gluten-free. ;) And it’s really not difficult at all once you put a few of these tips into practice.

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TravaCalm Ginger

TravaCalm Ginger reduces symptoms of travel sickness, including nausea. It is a non-drowsy formula containing ginger, with no added sugar, lactose, yeast, starch and artificial flavouring.

Suitable for adults and children 6 years and over.

Take 30 minutes before departure.

• Adults: First dose 2 or 3 tablets. Then 1 tablet every 2 hours as required.
• Children 6-12 years: First dose 1 tablet. Then 1 tablet every 4 hours as required.
• Children under 6 years: As professionally directed.

INGREDIENTS

Active Ingredient per tablet:

• Zingiber officinale root extract dry conc. 10 mg equiv. to root dry 100 mg
• Zingiber officinale dry root powder 400 mg

No added sugar, lactose, yeast, starch or artificial flavouring.

Q. When should I take TravaCalm Ginger for motion sickness? A. Take the first dose 30 minutes before departure to reduce symptoms of motion sickness, including nausea. If you suffer from motion sickness, or think that you may experience motion sickness, it’s best to take TravaCalm Ginger before you travel, that is, before you experience any symptoms of motion sickness.

Q. Can TravaCalm Ginger be used by children? A. TravaCalm Ginger can be given to children 6 years of age and older.

Q. Can TravaCalm Ginger cause drowsiness? A. TravaCalm Ginger is a non-drowsy formula.

Products in the same range

TravaCalm Travel Band

TravaCalm Original