Where to Eat Gluten-Free at Disney Springs Restaurants

ultimate guide to eating gluten free in orlandos disney springs

Where to Eat Gluten-Free at Disney Springs Restaurants

Whether you’re planning a trip to Disney World or just visiting Orlando, you MUST detour to eat gluten-free at Disney Springs! Disney Springs is not only fun, but probably one of the best concentrations of gluten-free in Orlando (or maybe even the best I’ve seen outside of large cities like NYC or LA).

Keep reading to learn more about many of the restaurants located at Disney Springs and the gluten-free options available.

Are you looking for tips on eating gluten-free at Disney World instead? Click here for my top Disney Dining gluten-free tips!

While each of these restaurants below do offer gluten-free menu items, always be sure to discuss gluten-free options with your server and ensure that they are able to accommodate your personal dietary needs.
Also, this post contains affiliate links. If you order through one of these links I’ll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you! My full disclosure isn’t that interesting, but you can find it here.

Is Disney Springs Free?

Disney Springs is the former “Downtown Disney” area of Disney World in Orlando. It’s a district full of entertainment, dining, and shopping experiences for all ages—but without the typical Disney World crowding!

Unlike the rest of Disney World, there is no park admission, nor do you need to be staying at a resort to visit. Parking is also free!

While it’s lots of shopping, there is free fun for kids too such as boat rides, bowling, and dining “experiences.” My kids really enjoyed racing cars at the Lego Store and more!

But the true highlight of Disney Springs for our family was the plethora of gluten-free dining options at Disney Springs!

Disney Springs Dining Options

Just like regular Disney World, there are both counter service (quick service) options and full-service (sit-down) options. Some of the restaurants at Disney Springs are unique and can’t be found elsewhere. However, there are also some trusty chains found across the United States.

If you’re visiting Disney Springs in conjunction with a Disney World vacation, you can use your Disney Dining Plan at Disney Springs. There are options across Disney Springs for snacks, counter service, and full-service dining credits. Just swipe your magic band, and you’re all set!

Hey—did you know that you can dress up your Disney Magic Bands with these super cute skins, bandits, and fasteners? These fasteners are great for helping the magic band stay on little child wrists.

Disney Vacation Planning

When I plan my Disney Vacations, I use a Disney Concierge like Jessica Tullino from Ears of Experience. She makes it totally easy by doing all your planning (reservations, fast passes, lodging) leaving you free to just sit back and enjoy (without any extra cost for her services)! If you’re planning a Disney vacation of any kind, I highly recommend you contact Jessica for a quote, and be sure to tell her I (Sharon McCaskill from The Helpful GF) sent you!

Disney Springs Restaurant Reviews

While not every restaurant in Disney Springs is listed here, if you pop in or call ahead, the host or chef will speak to you directly about how they may accommodate your dietary restrictions.

Click here to read more about how to eat out safely when you’re gluten-free.

Are you ready to do gluten-free living totally STRESS-FREE? Get FREE instant access to my online library of free printables including a gluten-free dining card designed to make your gluten-free lifestyle totally easy!

Blaze Pizza

Blaze Pizza is a chain that you may already be familiar with for “gluten friendly” and vegan options.

However, it must be noted that the company themselves have the disclaimer that although the gluten-free pizza crust does not have any gluten containing ingredients, “We work with wheat-based flour, and do not use a separate oven or press for our gluten-free dough. If you are highly sensitive to gluten, please consider your dining choices carefully.”

This makes their pizza not safe for Celiacs.

Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ Kitchen

Homecomin’ Kitchen is a restaurant founded by Celebrity Chef Art Smith. It features amazing southern comfort food, much of which is sourced in Florida. This is one of the first places we personally tried out in Disney Springs. Let me assure you, the food does not disappoint!

At Homecomin’ Kitchen, you can choose from Southern classics like gluten-free shrimp and grits, corn succotash, and Florida grouper.

Shrimp & Grits at Homecomin Kitchen — **Shrimp & Grits at Homecomin’ Kitchen**

Frontera Cocina Mexicana

Frontera Cocina Mexicana has both a table service restaurant and a to-go window at Disney Springs. Their menus have allergens (such as gluten, dairy, and shellfish) clearly marked. However, be sure you inform your server of your dietary needs and ask questions about cross contamination.

Items not containing gluten at Frontera Cocina Mexicana include their guacamole, Taqueria Salad, Carnitas, Fried Plantains, and many more menu items!

House of Blues

House of Blues’ menu features signature fare from cities across the South and locations in cities across the United States such as Boston, Las Vegas, and San Diego. In addition to delicious Southern food, the restaurant also has an atmosphere with amazing art and live music.

At House of Blues you can enjoy gluten-free menu items such as the jambalaya, blackened salmon, or a NY strip steak.

Morimoto Asia

Morimoto Asia is a restaurant featuring Pan-Asian cuisine designed by Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto. The restaurant has two separate entrances—a main dining room (with a glass walled kitchen so you can watch them cook!) and a sushi lounge.

Morimoto Asia features an expansive separate gluten-free menu with an assortment of gluten-free sushi, appetizers, and entrees such as Mongolian Filet Minon or Japanese A5 Wagu Beef.

Paddlefish

If you’re looking for good seafood in Disney Springs, Paddlefish is where to go! They even frequently feature live music on their rooftop.

While they do not have a gluten-free menu, the servers & chefs are trained to accommodate. They generally have GF pasta in stock, please ask your server upon arrival. The salads are gluten-free if you omit the croutons. In terms of entrees, both the Prime Strip and Filet Mignon are gluten-free as well as the half chicken entree.

Planet Hollywood

Planet Hollywood restaurants are a destination in and of themselves with Celebrity Chef designed menu items, live entertainment, and Hollywood artifacts! With locations both in major US cities and internationally, their Orlando location is at Disney Springs.

Planet Hollywood does not feature a separate GF menu, but the chefs are very knowledgeable about what you can and cannot have. They also are very friendly and happy to make accommodations.

Where to eat gluten free at Disney Springs

Raglan Road and Cookes of London

If you ask around on gluten-free message boards and Facebook groups where you should eat gluten-free at Disney Springs, you’ll definitely receive replies raving about Raglan Road (Cookes of London is also located at Disney Springs and is a counter-service extension of Raglan Road).

This Irish Pub is well worth a visit—not just for the daily live music and the Raglan Irish Dancers, but for gluten-free menu items such as gluten-free Fish and Chips (made in a dedicated gluten-free fryer)!

By the way, did you know that I have a exclusive Facebook group where we share gluten-free tips, recipes, and support? I’d love for you to join, click here to request access!

Rainforest Café

Rainforest Café is a fun national chain that kids love—and what’s not to live with its fun atmosphere? Visit the Wild Brunch Kid Zone or host a group event or party.

They also feature allergy friendly and gluten-free menu items made with quinoa spaghetti and some gluten-free salads such as a the kale & red quinoa salad.

Splitsville Lanes

Splitsville Lanes is another national chain with locations in Foxboro Mass, Tampa, Miami, and Anaheim. As you can gather from it’s name, it’s a bowling alley and restaurant in one! If bowling’s not your thing, then you can enjoy billiards or live entertainment.

The menu at Splitsville has many gluten-free options including a spicy edamame appetizer and entrees including a couple signature sushi rolls, grilled salmon with mango chutney, a spicy veggie bowl, and more!

gluten free restaurant options in disney springs orlando

Starbucks Coffee

It almost feels silly mentioning the coffee giant Starbucks here. But if you love coffee like we do, you’ll find a Starbucks coffee counter at Disney Springs (along with many of their gluten-free grab & go staples like Kind Bars, Goodie Girl cookies, and more).

As an added bonus, it’s located close to the Lego Store making it easy to refuel while your kids play!

STK Steakhouse Orlando

STK Steakhouse is an upscale steakhouse with locations across the United States (and some international locations as well). While they don’t have a separate gluten-free menu, the chef will modify the majority of entrees to be gluten-free with the exception of items containing pasta and burger buns.

Enjoy their Raw Bar, seafood platters, steaks (all from the Linz Heritage Certified Black Angus Program), and other main course entrees such as Smoked Lobster & Grits or black truffle & butternut squash risotto.

Wine Bar George

Wine Bar George houses over 140 wines, and their menu is exceptional. There are many gluten-free options (as well as vegetarian, lactose-free, and vegan options).

Notable gluten-free options at Wine Bar George include various salads (such as the gluten-free & vegan Jicama-Kohlrabi Salad or the Grilled Octopus Salad), cheese boards (however, there are not gluten-free bread options for the cheeseboards), entrees (such as skirt steak & sea bass), and even a chocolate & wine pairing that is gluten-free.

Disney Springs Gluten-Free Bakeries

Not only does Disney Springs have restaurants that cater to gluten-free needs, but two bakeries that hit the mark as well. Did you know that regular flour particles can remain airborne for over 24 hours? This makes it basically impossible for a traditional bakery to produce gluten-free baked goods that are truly safe for Celiacs.

In order to meet my standards, baked goods must be produced in a 100% gluten-free bakery. Both Erin McKenna’s NYC and Sprinkles Cupcakes meet these standards.

Erin McKenna’s Bakery NYC

Erin McKenna’s Bakery NYC has locations in New York, Los Angeles, and Orlando’s Disney Springs. This is a 100% gluten-free, vegan, nut-free, and refined-sugar free bakery. They also feature some of their menu items to resorts and restaurants across Disney World!

You can also use Disney Dining snack credits here on items such as cupcake toppers, donuts, vegan soft serve, and cookies.

I’ve done a whole in-depth review of Erin McKenna’s with amazing drool-worthy pictures. Click here to read it!

cupcakes at erin mckennas — **Gluten-Free/Vegan Cupcakes at Erin McKenna’s NYC**

Sprinkles Cupcakes

While Sprinkles Cupcakes features both gluten-free and traditional baked goods, the gluten-free cupcakes are produced in a dedicated gluten-free facility and individually packaged for distribution in their various locations.

While cupcake flavors vary by date and location, you should be able to find either (or both!) lemon blueberry or red velvet gluten-free cupcakes.

There are many other restaurants at Disney Springs—and, in true Disney fashion, most will do their very best to accommodate. If you tried another restaurant that had excellent gluten-free accommodations, please comment below and let us know!

Also, if you’re planning any kind of Disney vacation, be sure to contact Jillian for her amazing Disney planning services and tell her I, Sharon McCaskill from The Helpful GF, referred you!

Me at Homecomin Kitchen — Enjoying lunch at Homecomin’ Kitchen!

Vote Now for the Best Gluten-Free Eateries in Albany, New York

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I’m teaming up with the Gluten Free Albany, NY Facebook group to find the restaurants and bakeries with the BEST gluten-free food in Albany!

And we need your help.

Please take the time to tell us YOUR favorites in the Albany area for the best:

All-around restaurant with gluten-free entrees
Gluten-free bakery
Gluten-free pizza
Mexican/Central/South American restaurant with gluten-free entrees
Asian restaurant with gluten-free entrees
and gluten-free burger!

How to Participate

To nominate and vote for your FAVORITE Albany area eats, please be sure to do the following:

Take the survey below between 1/27/19-2/09/19 and vote for your FAVORITES from those already nominated or if not already listed, write in your favorite eateries within 1 hour of Albany, New York.
Before nominating an eatery, please verify they have good practices in place to prevent against cross contamination. Not sure what to check for? Please see this post on eating out safely gluten-free.
Follow The Helpful GF on Facebook and Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter below to be sure you are notified when the results of the survey are posted!
Use the grey social buttons at the bottom of this page to share this post with your friends so they can vote too!
Have fun!

Voting is now closed. Click here to see the results!

Don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter to ensure you get the survey results once posted. Plus, you’ll get FREE instant access to my online library of free printables designed to make your gluten-free lifestyle totally easy!

Do you live outside of the Albany area but want to work with me to do something like this in YOUR hometown? Comment below or email me at sharon {at} thehelpfulgf {dot} com.

HOW TO EAT GLUTEN-FREE AT DISNEY WORLD

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HOW TO EAT GLUTEN-FREE AT DISNEY WORLD

I just returned from my family’s first trip to Disney World. I was a bit nervous about finding good food options for gluten-free at Disney World. You know, delicious food—not food that leaves you feeling left out of the fun.

~~To have the best experience possible, I used Jessica Tullino from http://www.imagineeredvacations.com. She is a Disney Concierge and she planned everything for us (fast passes, meal reservations, tips, and more!) plus found us some excellent deals at no extra cost to us! I highly recommend her—click through to her website for a quote and tell her I, Sharon from The Helpful GF, recommended you.~~

To say I was floored by the dietary accommodations they provided is an understatement. We were wined, dined, and treated so well!

Keep reading to learn more about how Disney World accommodates gluten-free and other allergies.

The tips below are based on my personal experience and research. Always be sure to discuss gluten-free options with your server and ensure that your personal dietary needs are accommodated.
Also, this post contains affiliate links. If you order something through one of these links I’ll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you! My full disclosure isn’t that interesting, but you can find it here.

Eating at Disney World

For the Disney newbies—there are 3 levels of food options when it comes to eating both at Disney World parks and resorts:

Disney World Restaurants (table service),
Quick Service (counter service),
and Snacks.

Keep reading for my experience in navigating gluten-free and allergy accommodations with all three levels for you.

Keep reading for my full eating gluten-free at Disney World review–but also be sure to download our FREE printable restaurant card for safe gluten-free dining! It is business card sized, perfect to keep your wallet and give to restaurant staff to ensure they understand your dietary needs.

Eating Gluten-Free at Disney World Restaurants

Each Disney World Restaurant operates a little bit differently in how they treat gluten-free and allergies. Some will have an official “Disney World Allergy Menu” they will give you, others will bring out a chef or someone trained in special diets to go over your options.

For example, when we ate at Be Our Guest in Magic Kingdom, we ordered our food with a cashier instead of at the kiosk so the cashier could discuss our options and tag specific meals as needing gluten-free accommodation. They always serve pastries at breakfast, and we were surprised that in addition to the gluten-free breakfast platter, they brought up a couple different slices of gluten-free tea breads such as banana bread.

By contrast, at 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian Resort, they did have a Disney World Allergy Menu detailing which options were gluten-free. Furthermore, the servers working the buffet gave us further guidance on which options were acceptable. They even prepared a special dessert not on the buffet of a delicious brownie with berry sorbet and served it to our table.

gluten free dessert at 1900 Park Fare — gluten-free dessert at 1900 Park Fare

Whether or not the Disney World Restaurant had a specific Disney World Allergy Menu, at each restaurant, the table servers always had a receipt detailing who in our party had the allergy and which allergy it was.

All of our restaurant reservations were made by Jessica, our Disney concierge.

Gluten-Free Quick Service at Disney World

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Throughout the parks and resorts there are lots of quick service options!

Each quick service counter we visited either brought out a manager or special cashier to discuss options or pull up options and flag them as “gluten allergy” on the computer.

For example, at the quick service counter at the Art of Animation Resort, someone specifically trained in allergies would come forward to the counter and prepare our meals.

While all the quick service counters we went to had gluten-free options, some may not. However, we had a great experience with gluten-free quick service at Disney World.

Plus—did you know that you can bring a reusable water bottle into the parks and the quick service restaurants will fill it up for you with ice water? We brought in our insulated reusable water bottles and Arbonne fizz sticks to stay hydrated and energized!

Snacks at Disney World

There are a number of gluten-free snack options throughout Disney! In general, the same rules apply to getting a gluten-free or allergy friendly snack as ordering quick service.

For example, at the ice cream shop we visited at Magic Kingdom, a manager came out to the cashier to specifically ensure that what I was ordering was gluten-free. Furthermore, the manager scooped the ice cream with a clean scoop from a brand-new ice cream tub to further protect against cross contamination. The manager then personally served our ice cream to us from a different section.

At kiosks, the server will be able to look up the gluten-free options available at their specific stand.

Many of the Disney favorites are gluten-free such as Mickey Ice Cream Bars and Dole Whip. Plus, if you’re looking for a trusted gluten-free treat, step into a Starbucks and look for easy grab and go treat labeled gluten-free (like Marshmallow Dream Bars or Kind Bars).

Don’t want to spend money on snacks? You can bring your own into the park! Stash some Lara Bars or other favorite in your string backpack.

Looking for other grab and go snack suggestions? Check out this post for some more suggestions.

Are you interested in reading my general tips to eating out gluten-free at restaurants? Read my tips for eating gluten-free at restaurants here.

Visiting a non-Disney all-inclusive resort? Read my top recommendations and tips here!

If you’re planning a trip to Disney, start getting excited about the gluten-free and allergy friendly options available to you! There are so many, and you will be treated like a princess. And don’t forget to contact Jessica and tell her I referred you. She made our whole trip totally easy.

Also, download our FREE printable restaurant card for safe gluten-free dining! It is business card sized, perfect to keep your wallet and give to restaurant staff. Plus, you’ll get FREE instant access to my online library of free printables designed to make your gluten-free lifestyle totally easy!

Did you love these tips? Be sure to use the social buttons below to share this post with your friends or pin it to Pinterest for quick reference later.

GLUTEN-FREE GIFT IDEAS FOR ANY OCCASION

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GLUTEN-FREE GIFT IDEAS: THE ULTIMATE GLUTEN-FREE YEAR-ROUND GIFT GUIDE

It’s difficult enough to come up with a good gift, but good gluten-free gift ideas? Well shoot!

Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Here’s the ultimate guide to gluten-free gift ideas for all ages and price ranges!

This post contains affiliate links. If you order something through one of these links I’ll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you! My full disclosure isn’t that interesting, but you can find it here.

1. Gluten-Free Candy

Candy is a great gluten-free gift idea for stocking stuffers, coworker gifts, and more!

This caramel candy by Lovely Candy Company, is not only gluten-free, but also non-GMO and made without high fructose corn syrup and soy! Order them from Amazon here.

You also can’t go wrong with chocolate! These peanut butter cups by Justin’s are 100% awesome! Not only are they certified gluten free (learn more about gluten-free certification and labeling here!), but they are also Kosher, vegan, dairy-free, and made with fair trade chocolate. Buy a pack of 12 here!

2. Gluten-Free Gift Basket

This gift idea is perfect for a college student—or someone who just doesn’t like to cook! You can always make your own, but if you need convenience, you can order one that’s already premade here!

click to see what’s inside the box at amazon.com

Want to add some cute printables inside your gift basket? Get FREE instant access to my online library of free printables designed to make your gluten-free lifestyle totally easy!

3. Gluten-Free Essential Oils

I love essential oils and use them daily! You can be sure that your oils are gluten-free when you order them from Young Living (read more about that in this post).

Go all in by ordering the Young Living Starter Kit. Learn more about the starter kit and what to do with the oils inside in this post.

Are you just looking for a stocking stuffer? Order the Christmas Spirit blend! Diffuse it in this diffuser and your house will be sooooo Christmasy!

4. A Mug for the Gluten-Free Coffee Addict

This mug is a reminder of the blessing that coffee is naturally gluten-free! See this mug and other mug styles here.

Gluten Free Gift Idea_Coffee Mug — shop now at spreadshirt.com

5. Gluten-Free Skincare from Arbonne

ALL of Arbonne’s products are not only high quality, but are formulated without gluten or animal byproducts making these products great gifts! I actually wrote a whole post on why I think Arbonne is such a great gluten-free company AND detailing how to get discounts as a preferred customer.

Some of my favorite gift ideas by Arbonne are:

ABC Arbonne Baby Care

This baby care line makes for perfect baby shower gifts!

Calm Collection for sensitive skin

This collection of skincare is so gentle, plus the product lasts a really long time!

6. Gluten-Free Beer Kit

When searching for a good gluten-free beer the struggle is REAL! This kit has everything needed to make your own gluten-free craft beer at home! (It uses sorghum in place of barley malt!)

7. Rose is Gluten-Free Shirt

Into wine more than beer? This shirt would be perfect! It comes in multiple colors—see them all here!

Gluten-Free Gift Idea_shirt — shop at spreadshirt.com

Check other women’s and men’s graphic tees with gluten-free sayings here!

8. Aroma Dough

Play Doh is one of those places where gluten likes to hide…. Don’t let the kids miss out on the fun with this gluten-free version! Order it on Amazon here.

9. Fresh Gluten-Free Baked Goods

DIY your gluten-free gift and bake up some sweet treats! There are so many great baking mixes that make baking gluten-free super easy. I actually love the baking mixes sold at Brandless.com. The gluten-free mixes are only $3 each and are certified gluten-free! Is it your first time using Brandless.com? Order through this link and you’ll save $6 off your first purchase (that’s TWO free baking mixes!)

Are you new to baking gluten-free? Be sure that you avoid cross contamination when baking—learn how in this article.

Is baking not your thing? Order from a local gluten-free bakery!

10. Cookbooks

If you’re looking for a gluten-free gift idea for someone who loves to cook, get them a new cookbook (or two!) to try out! Need a good suggestion? I really love the cookbooks by Danielle Walker and the True Roots cookbook by Kristin Cavallari.

You can see my review of Danielle Walker’s Meals Made Simple here and my review of Cavallari’s True Roots here.

11. Gluten-Free Magazine Subscriptions

Stretch out the gifting fun by ordering a subscription to a top gluten-free magazine!

Some of my favorites are:

Simply Gluten Free Magazine

Delight Gluten Free Magazine

Gluten Free Living Magazine

All three of these magazines are filled with such great tips on living a gluten-free lifestyle! I have some great tips in my library of printables and you can gain access to everything in it for FREE! Just click the I want it button.

12. Gluten-Free Spice Set

Spice blends are another place where gluten likes to hide. They can cook safely and with a TON of flavor with these spice sets!

Grilling Spices by Kitchen Crafted

International Flavors by Kitchen Crafted

Do you want to know more about what other spice brands are gluten-free? I list a couple brands and where to find them in this post!

13. Air Fryer

Enjoy gluten-free fried foods at home with an air fryer (plus, it’ll be healthier!)

Check out the NuWave air fryer here.

14. A One Year Subscription to Thrive Market

Make shopping so much easier by purchasing a 1 year subscription to Thrive Market as a gluten-free gift idea! It makes gluten-free shopping so much easier when you can select to ONLY see gluten-free offerings, you can purchase it at a discount price, and they ship it right to your front door. Plus, they even see meat and wine!

Read more about why I love Thrive Market in this post!

15. Bread Maker with Gluten-Free Setting

It’s HARD to find a good premade gluten-free bread… so stop trying and gift a bread maker that has a special setting for gluten-free bread!

This one by Zojirushi is the BEST:

Looking for a more budget friendly option? Try this Cuisinart version.

Which one of these gluten-free gift ideas is your favorite? Comment below and let us know! And don’t forget to pin it for later or share it on social media using the share buttons below so you don’t forget these gluten-free gift ideas!

Are you ready to do gluten-free living totally STRESS-FREE? Get FREE instant access to my online library of free printables designed to make your gluten-free lifestyle totally easy!

HOW TO LIVE A GLUTEN-FREE LIFESTYLE WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE TIME

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HOW TO LIVE A GLUTEN-FREE LIFESTYLE WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE TIME

This post contains affiliate links. If you order through one of these links I’ll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you! My full disclosure isn’t that interesting, but you can find it here.

Learning how to live a gluten-free lifestyle comes with many challenges. But doing so when you have a super busy schedule feels nearly impossible. When you’re already juggling a lot, follow these 6 simple tips and see how to live a gluten-free lifestyle with ease!

Make a Plan

I know that meal planning feels like work—but honestly, meal planning is the key for how to live a gluten-free lifestyle! When you’re juggling multiple responsibilities, you need a plan. Nothing increases my stress more than coming home after a busy day, with a list of things that still must be done and NO dinner plans.

There are a lot of different ways to meal plan! I like to plan two weeks of meals at a time, make my shopping list, and do my shopping for those two weeks all at once. My sister-in-law does her meal plans a whole month at a time and aims to do about 2 grocery hauls a month. I have a friend who literally has the same meal plan each week for Monday-Friday and then changes it up and tries new things on the weekends. What kind of plan you have is not important—but what is important is that you have a plan.

Are you ready to do gluten-free living totally STRESS-FREE? Get FREE instant access to a downloadable weekly menu planner & shopping list designed to make your gluten-free lifestyle totally easy!

Stock Grab & Go Snacks

When you do your meal plan and make your shopping list—be sure to get some grab-and-go snacks for when you really don’t have time to cook! In my family this looks like keeping bars, veggie straws, and fruit in stock for those mornings you wake up too late to eat breakfast or times you need to run out the door. This is one of my top tips for how to live a gluten-free lifestyle. You’ll see it repeated in multiple posts throughout my blog!

For more grab & go gluten-free snack ideas, check out this article!

Find a Couple “Sweatpants” Recipes

Ok, so I know the name of this tip is ridiculous, but if you’re wondering how to live a gluten-free lifestyle when you just.can’t.even. this tip is for you. A “sweatpants” recipe is a recipe you can prepare on autopilot. You know, something you can put on the table for dinner when you’re so ravenous you want to cry, or toddlers are pulling on you and SCREAMING. Have two of these recipes in mind—and keep the items for the recipe stocked and ready at home!

Honestly, learning how to live a gluten-free lifestyle is so much easier when you have a few go-to recipes you can just whip out at a moment’s notice. We have a couple go-to sweatpants recipes: my 5 ingredients pizza quesadillas recipe, gluten-free noodles with sauce, and scrambled eggs. We also keep gluten-free soup in the pantry for real emergencies!

(note: for gluten-free noodles and sauce we like Barilla’s gluten-free pasta and also love the Tomato Basil Sauce from Brandless.com. If you haven’t tried Brandless.com—do it! They have a ton of certified gluten-free items and you can get $6 off your first order!)

Make a Crockpot and/or Instapot your BFF!

Crock-Pots are NOT just for making soup. You can make pasta, dessert, applesauce and much more. Honestly, I use my Crock-Pot at least twice a week. It’s the best for simple and easy meals at home. I love it because before I leave for work I can just dump my food in it, turn it on, and when I come home starving—dinner’s done and ready to eat. Some Crock-Pots even have timers—so even if you arrive home later than planned, it’ll switch to warm mode automatically.

InstaPots are great too, because if you’re too busy to prep your food in the morning, you can prepare dinner quickly in the evening. Most models even have a slow cooking option. An InstaPot is almost like an all-in-one appliance than you can use to make anything.

The other advantages? It makes a giant pot of food, so it’s great for leftovers. And clean up is easy too. Most inserts are dishwasher safe, and for even easier clean up you can purchase these Crock-Pot liners! No stuck-on soup residue anymore.

Make Meals Ahead of Time

Who says you need to cook on the day you eat?? I love making food ahead of time to eat throughout the week. Make a large egg casserole and cook once but have breakfast pre-made for 3 days! You can also prep your lunches for a week in individual containers.

See some of my gluten-free lunch suggestions here!

Bonus tip for how to live a gluten-free lifestyle when you’re super busy: When getting a meal together for the Crock-Pot or marinating meat for the oven, make an extra! Then put it in a freezer bag. This way on SUPER crazy weeks, you can just take the prepped meal out of the freezer, thaw it in the fridge overnight, and dump it in your Crock-Pot that morning on low OR it’s ready to toss into the oven.

Don’t Set Unrealistic Expectations

So, you saw this amazing gluten-free recipe on Pinterest with only 15 steps and the picture looks JUST like that thing you used to order at that restaurant back when you ate gluten….. go ahead and pin it! But save it for a time when you are not under time constraints. One of the quickest ways to become discouraged when you’re first learning how to live a gluten-free lifestyle is becoming overwhelmed with all these new ideas and recipes.

Listen—I love trying out new, fun recipes (this is why I review cookbooks for you all! See my cookbook reviews here). But when you have a crazy busy schedule, you just cannot do this every day. I save fun new recipes for Saturdays at lunch time. This is when we are usually at home and aren’t constrained by long to-do lists or scheduling. Maybe your extra time is a Tuesday evening. Build it into your meal plan!

Get FREE instant access to a downloadable weekly menu planner & shopping list designed to make your gluten-free lifestyle totally easy!

Experimenting with new recipes keeps things fun—but don’t let it add to your daily stress. Keep it simple in the day to day!

Do you have any tips on how to live a gluten-free lifestyle when you’re crazy busy and don’t have time? Comment below and share them with us.

Did you like these tips? Share this post with your friends and pin it for later!

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5 TIPS FOR EATING OUT GLUTEN-FREE AT RESTAURANTS

10 / 3 / 1810 / 3 / 18

5 TIPS FOR EATING OUT GLUTEN-FREE AT RESTAURANTS

Going out to eat when you’re gluten-free or have other dietary restriction is difficult. However, eating out gluten-free IS possible, it just takes more intentional planning and asking key questions. Here are my 5 top tips for eating out gluten-free at restaurants.

Tip #1: Do Your Research!

The internet is your friend—at first! Do a google search for restaurants offering gluten-free menus or use the findmeglutenfree app/website. Look through the options available and use it as a starting point when you want to eat out gluten-free. Never completely rely on the restaurant’s website or someone’s review of a restaurant to see if it’s safe for your dietary needs.

Note: You all know I LOVE to review restaurants! You can even look through my reviews here. I write those to be a first step for you—not as a means to skip these next 4 tips!

Tip #2: Contact the Restaurant Ahead of Time

As I mention above, when eating out gluten-free never simply rely on an online menu. Always call the restaurant ahead of time to ask questions and ensure they are capable of accommodating your individual dietary needs. I personally find open-ended questions (ones not resulting in a yes/no answer) to be the most helpful here. Some questions I like to as are:

What kinds of accommodations are you able to make for individuals with food allergies?
How do you prevent against cross contamination?
Do you have any dedicated prep stations/fryers/ovens for gluten-free dishes? (While this is not an open-ended question, this can help you see how much they really are able to protect against cross-contamination)

Based on these questions you can often tell if it’s worth eating out gluten-free at this specific restaurant. I’ve often called a restaurant and it became clear within a couple seconds of the phone conversation whether they could truly accommodate allergies/intolerances, or just food “preferences.”

Bonus tip: Be considerate of restaurant staff. Try to call during a typical restaurant lull—like 2:30-4pm—so you aren’t rushed off the phone. And if they are busy, ask when a good time would be to call back.

Tip # 3: Be Clear, but Kind, to Waitstaff

When eating out gluten-free, ensure the waitstaff are well aware of your dietary needs. Use clear language to be sure that they understand what kinds of accommodations they will need to make. When eating out gluten-free, we often use the language “gluten allergy” even though we have Celiac disease. More people seem to understand the severity of “allergy.”

It may also be helpful to carry an allergy alert card to use at restaurants when eating out gluten-free (such as the one I’ve created and you can download for free below). Give it to the waitstaff—but be kind, not condescending.

Keep reading for more tips on eating out gluten-free, but also be sure to download our FREE printable restaurant card for safe gluten-free dining! It is business card sized, perfect to keep your wallet and give to restaurant staff to ensure they understand your dietary needs.

For example, you could say something to the effect of, “I have a serious gluten-allergy. Yesterday I talked to someone on the phone who assured me that the kitchen could accommodate my needs so I could eat safely here. This allergy card states what I can and cannot eat, plus some suggestions for the kitchen that could keep me healthy. I know that this is some extra work for you and the kitchen, so I’m happy to wait a bit longer for food.”

Tip #4: Always Double-Check

Once your food is delivered to your table, always double-check that the entrée in front of you is gluten-free! When eating out gluten-free, sometimes a separate person or a manager will bring out the gluten-free entrée so it’s always important to double-check! In cases when the incorrect food is delivered, ask for a correction/replacement meal. Better yet, ask the manager for one.

Tip #5: Don’t Give In to Peer Pressure!

Some restaurants can and will accommodate your food needs making eating out gluten-free easy. But some will not. You are under no obligation to eat if you are not sure that your needs are actually being considered. Do not compromise your health for the sake of ‘fitting in.’

If it becomes clear when ordering that your needs cannot be accommodated safely, leave.

If it is a social gathering, just order a gluten-free drink and enjoy the company. Also, if you know ahead of the social gathering that your needs may not be accommodated well, eat ahead of time and bring a snack to curb the hunger. Gluten-free bars like Kind or RX Bars are great for this.

Some places may even let you bring your own meal if they are unable to accommodate. For example, my family once attended a party at a Bowling Alley where they served pizza as part of the party. The bowling alley was happy to let us bring in our own gluten-free pizza since they could not accommodate gluten-free dietary needs.

Do you have any other tips for eating out gluten-free? Share them in the comments.

Also, download our FREE printable restaurant card for safe gluten-free dining! It is business card sized, perfect to keep your wallet and give to restaurant staff. Plus, you’ll get FREE instant access to my online library of free printables designed to make your gluten-free lifestyle totally easy!

20 Non-Candy Halloween Treats

9 / 12 / 18

20 Non-Candy Halloween Treats

Halloween can be difficult for gluten-free kids and others with food allergies and sensitivities. The Teal Pumpkin Project organized by FARE seeks to make it easy for these kids to celebrate Halloween safely! It’s easy to participate—just stock up on some non-candy Halloween treats to give away. This can either be in addition to (or instead of) regular Halloween candy. Then paint a pumpkin teal and set it out letting families with dietary restrictions know that your house is giving away non-candy Halloween treats.

Or, instead of painting a pumpkin, you can also print out the FREE sign I designed and hang it up so parents know that your house is a safe choice for their kids!

Download the free sign now and you’ll also get instant access to my online library of free printables designed to make your gluten-free lifestyle totally easy!

In addition to candy, please consider stocking up on non-candy Halloween treats like these to give away.

20 Non-Candy Halloween Treats

1. Sticky Hands

2. Plastic Bugs

3. Pencils

4. Erasers

5. Stickers

6. Spider Rings

7. Bouncy Balls

8. Stampers

9. Glow Sticks

10. Wristbands

11. Mini Slinkies

12. Temporary Tattoos

13. Glow in the Dark Vampire Fangs

14. Crazy Straws

15. Coloring Books

16. Slap Bracelets

17. Glider Planes

18. Bookmarks

19. Mini Flashlights

20. Stress Balls

Stocking up on a few non-candy items is a small way you can make a big difference in a kids’ life. Please consider participating to make Halloween fun for kids regardless of dietary restrictions!

Have you participated in Teal Pumpkin Project before? Comment below letting us know what goodies you gave away! Also–spread the word to your friends and family by sharing this post.

And, don’t forget to download a FREE printable sign advertising your house as one giving away non-candy Halloween treats.

Download the free sign now and you’ll also get instant access to my online library of free printables designed to make your gluten-free lifestyle totally easy!

HOW TO MAKE ANY RECIPE GLUTEN-FREE

8 / 31 / 1811 / 5 / 18

How to Make Any Recipe Gluten-Free

This post contains affiliate links. If you order through one of these links I’ll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you! My full disclosure isn’t that interesting, but you can find it here.

When I first married my husband Tyler, who has Celiac, in 2012, I don’t think I realized how different my day to day cooking was going to change. Although I knew the logistics of gluten-free cooking (hello cross-contamination and food labeling) and was comfortable in the kitchen, I also loved the comfort foods I grew up with. And they were not naturally gluten-free. The thought of “relearning how to cook” was so overwhelming! As I searched gluten-free recipes in cookbooks and on Pinterest I suddenly I had a realization. I don’t need to reinvent the wheel—I can make any recipe gluten-free by just modifying the ingredients!

What started out as a super daunting process quickly became simple as I learned what ingredients work where! While the recipe may not taste exactly the same when finished, you may even discover that the recipe may even taste better! Keep on reading for 4 simple steps to make any recipe gluten-free, PLUS a free printable checklist to use when analyzing your favorite recipes!

Are you ready to do gluten-free living totally STRESS-FREE? Get FREE instant access to my online library of free printables designed to make your gluten-free lifestyle totally easy!

1. Identify What Ingredients Need to Change

The first step to make any recipe gluten-free is to identify the ingredients that contain gluten. Beyond looking for the specific ingredients of wheat, barley, and rye, look in your recipe for the ingredients on this list as they likely contain gluten. While the ingredients on following marked with an asterisk* list do not always contain gluten, they often do—so check labels carefully!

BBQ Sauce*
Breading
Broth*
Couscous
Farro
Flour
Graham
Malt
Marinade*
Oats* (if using oats, make sure you are using oats processed under a purity protocol like Gluten Free Harvest Oats)
Pasta* & Orzo
Salad dressing*
Sauce*
Semolina
Soy Sauce/Teriyaki
Spelt
Stuffing
Tabouli

Beginner tip: start with recipes that only need 1-2 minor ingredient swaps!

2. Find Your Substitutions

For most recipes, you can find an EXTREMELY similar (if not identical) substitution. Just make sure you read labels to be sure that your ingredients are gluten-free. If it’s not a whole food ingredient, I like to look for products labeled “certified gluten-free.” Below are common substitutes when trying to make any recipe gluten-free.

Learn more about gluten-free certification and labeling in this post!

pasta: there are SO many kinds of gluten-free pastas, but it may take some experimenting to find one that you love. My personal favorites are gluten-free pastas with a combination of ingredients (corn, rice, quinoa) such as Barilla and Aldi’s. I also prefer shorter pasta shapes (such as penne or macaroni) over long strands like spaghetti or fettuccine. In my personal experience, the long strands tend to stick together really terribly and I have a difficult time getting it to cook evenly.
condiments: Worchester sauce, soy sauce, vegetable oil, and other condiments may contain gluten! These are super easy swaps—just make sure to read labels and ONLY purchase gluten-free versions.
- special note about soy sauce: there have been cases over the past few years of companies & restaurants getting into trouble with the FDA for incorrect labeling of soy sauce. To keep it safe, look for Tamari or Soy/Coconut Aminos clearly labeled gluten-free.
bread crumbs: Probably the yummiest solution is to make your own from your favorite gluten-free bread, however there are countless other gluten-free substitutions for bread crumbs! Some stores sell gluten-free bread crumbs. One option is to grind gluten-free cereal, gluten-free crackers, or gluten-free chips in a food processor until desired consistency. Sometimes you can even sub grated Parmesan cheese or a coarser ground almond flour. It really depends on the recipe and the desired outcome.
flour: If your recipe calls for flour for dredging, I recommend using a basic gluten-free all-purpose flour. If it calls for flour for thickening (i.e. gravy or a roux) you can sub corn starch or arrowroot powder.

I buy a lot of my gluten-free specialty ingredients from Thrive Market. Click here to read my post about Thrive Market PLUS get a free trial month and 25% off your first order.

3. Special tips for Baking

In addition to the above 2 tips, baking requires its own bonus section. Baking really is a science, and mastering gluten-free baking is like graduating with a PhD.

If new to gluten-free cooking (or if you just aren’t that adventurous—like me) I HIGHLY recommend that you stick with gluten-free box mixes for baking. These companies have experimented, taste tested, and mixed flours like crazy to get them to come out right. I’ve even tried a bunch out and written reviews throughout my blog.

If you’re curious about gluten-free cake mixes, you can read my cake mix reviews here.

But if you just have a sweet spot for baking from scratch or have some amazing family recipes you just can’t spend the rest of your life without, here are my special tips for how you can make any recipe gluten-free when baking.

Choose the right flour (or flour blend).

Not all gluten-free flours are equal—nor do they behave like regular all-purpose or wheat flour when baking. Mimicking an all-purpose flour requires mixing all kinds of different flours together to make any recipe gluten-free. The best recipe for all-purpose gluten-free flour I’ve tried is the on in the How Can it Be Gluten-Free Cookbook by America’s Test Kitchen.

However, mixing your own flour blend is time consuming, not to mention being fairly expensive up front due to buying such a wide variety of specialty flours. Therefore, I recommend beginning with a good quality all-purpose cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend like King Arthur.

Measure by weight instead of volume.

Instead of measuring your gluten-free all-purpose flour in a measuring cup, weight it on a food scale for more precise baking. One cup of all-purpose flour equals approximately 125 grams.

Add additional ingredients to improve the texture.

Even when using a premixed gluten-free all-purpose flour, you might still need to add special ingredients to get the composition of the batter or dough correct. Try adding a tsp of xanthan gum to thicken or help the dough hold together. Add an egg to help ingredients bind if it seems too dry. Is the mix too wet? Add some more flour. Is it super sticky? That’s probably normal—haha!

Tip for working with super sticky dough—if it’s too sticky to work with you have a few options: a. wet your hands before mixing or patting down (this will keep the dough from sticking to your hands), b. spray plastic wrap with a gluten-free cooking spray and work with the dough underneath the plastic wrap (this is great if you’re working with pizza crust), or c. refrigerate the dough!

Let the batter sit for 15-30 minutes BEFORE putting it in the oven.

GF flours are often coarse, letting it sit allows the flours to absorb the wet ingredients which will help eliminate grittiness.

4. Write Down Your Modifications

Make sure you write down what you tried for a substitution and review the finished product. Analyzing the recipe right after you eat it is a great way to keep experimenting. For example, did you like gluten-free cornflakes for breading on chicken? Why or why not? If it was too crunchy, maybe you need to grind into finer crumbs. If it was too sweet, next time try kettle chips or tortilla chips.

Reviewing what worked, and what didn’t, will set you up for greater success modifying recipes in the future. Download and print the free template below to record your modifications and your review, then store it with your recipe for the next time!

Are you ready to do gluten-free living totally STRESS-FREE? Download the free template for modifying any recipe to be gluten-free, PLUS get FREE instant access to my online library designed to make your gluten-free lifestyle totally easy!

Do you have any tips on how to make any recipe gluten-free? Share them in the comments below!

PS–If you enjoyed this post on How to make any recipe gluten-free, share it with your friends on social media and pin it for later!

four simple tips on how to make any recipe gluten-free

4 Steps to Prevent Gluten Cross Contamination in the Kitchen

7 / 27 / 189 / 1 / 18

4 Steps to Prevent Gluten Cross Contamination in the Kitchen: Basic Gluten-Free Tips for a Safe Kitchen

This post contains affiliate links. These links help me to earn enough money to refill my coffee so I can keep up with life! My full disclosure isn’t that interesting, but you can find it here.

Studies have shown that individuals with Celiac disease may have increased anxiety after diagnosis (this is highly correlative to disease management, read more about it here). For individuals with gluten-free dietary restrictions, the kitchen transforms from being a place of gathering and fellowship to a place of great anxiety. How can you ensure a safe kitchen for your gluten-free family member or guest to avoid gluten cross contamination? Let’s start with the basics.

Are you ready to do gluten-free living totally STRESS-FREE? Get FREE instant access to my online library of free printables designed to make your gluten-free lifestyle totally easy!

1. EDUCATE YOURSELF ABOUT GLUTEN CROSS CONTAMINATION AND WHY IS IT A BIG DEAL

You can’t protect your loved ones with a kitchen safe from gluten cross contamination if you don’t understand what gluten is. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. Individuals diagnosed with Celiac Disease and other gluten-intolerances can become very ill from ingesting gluten. For Celiacs, even a crumb of glutenous food can cause damage to the small intestine. It is currently estimated that 1% of the United States population has Celiac, so chances are, you may be faced with cooking for an individual with Celiac in your home! So, keep reading. 🙂

Lean more about my husband, Tyler’s journey with Celiac disease here.

2. CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN!

In most cases, a thorough cleaning will clear away gluten. yay! However, there are some cases in which this isn’t the case. (Continue to point 3 for more information on these exceptions.) Now, when I say “thorough cleaning” I mean cleaning EVERYTHING. All counters, utensils, pots, plans, dishes, the sink, the table. Everything.

Really? Clean EVERYTHING IN MY KITCHEN?

If you’re only having someone over for one meal, you obviously don’t have to take everything out of your cabinets and clean everything in your kitchen. But at the minimum, you must be sure you wash everything that will be a part of food preparation & service. This includes all counter tops, tables, the sink, or anything else that may be touched during preparation. And now that the sponge or rag you used for cleaning probably contains gluten, it’s even a good idea to throw it in the wash after. While it may not be as good for the environment, I often just use paper towels or these gluten-free cleaning wipes!

If you have someone permanently sharing the kitchen who is gluten-free, it’s probably a good idea to have a “gluten station.” This means restricting all gluten-containing foods to one area to avoid any wide-spread gluten cross contamination from the beginning.

In our family, our kids eat regular bread and tortillas, as well as cereal and some snacks. All gluten-filled bread is stored inside a metal bread box (we have this one from Amazon, isn’t it so cute? I love it!). Gluten-filled cereal is only served in kids’ plastic bowls with kid’s plastic spoons; and any special ‘kid snacks’ containing gluten are stored in a special “snack basket” in the pantry. Most of the time, these snacks are only packed in their lunches for school or trips. If you’re a toddler parent, you know that toddlers + snacks = crumb disasters. If the kids eat gluten at home, they are restricted to the kitchen table which allows for easy(ish) clean up to reduce gluten cross contamination!

3. BUY DUPLICATES

Remember how I mentioned that some things probably can’t just be cleaned? There are several items in which you just need to buy duplicates, use one solely for gluten-free use, and label it clearly. This applies to kitchen gadgets and food. Here’s a list of common items to have duplicates of (or to avoid using when hosting a gluten-free guest):

Kitchen Gadgets

Toaster. (Can you say crumbs galore?? Either buy a second toaster and label “gluten-free,” or switch to a toaster oven like we did. With a toaster oven, you can buy a mini cookie sheet to use for gluten-free toasting.)
Wooden Utensils. (Wood is porous and gluten proteins can easily hide in the cracks)
Cutting Boards. (Whether it is wooden or not, after frequent use there are often cuts or cracks in the surface of the board which can trap gluten. Color coded sets like this make it easy to keep all gluten on one board!)
Colanders. (It’s easy for gluten to be trapped in the little drain holes)
Baking stoneware and cast iron. (Just like wood, these materials are porous. In addition, to truly care for stoneware and cast iron, you should not “wash thoroughly.”)
Knives. (Knives are pretty simple to clean, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched someone cut gluten-filled bread with a knife and slide it right back into the block without washing it first. This contaminates the block. One tip could be to store knives on a magnetic strip. We have this one.)
Cooking & Serving Utensils. (While these are easily cleaned—unless they are fraying, then replace!—it’s extremely important to always use separate utensils when preparing both gluten containing and gluten-free food. For example, if you are making two pots of pasta, one regular and one gluten-free, be sure you do not stir them with the same spoon! This will contaminate the whole pot of gluten-free pasta.)

Bonus Tip:

Although they aren’t technically “in the kitchen,” grills are another place where contamination is super common due to grilling hamburger buns, brushing gluten-containing BBQ sauce on ribs, and more. The grill is an appliance that’s difficult to clean thoroughly (gluten proteins can hide in various bumps and cracks) and they’re too expensive for the typical family to have a separate one labeled gluten-free. Although our family’s personal grill is always gluten-free, we’ve invested in a set of these grill mats. These are super easy to bring with you to cook outs and it greatly lessens the risk of gluten cross contamination! If you’re extra worried, bring your own set of grill spatula and tongs too!

Read 7 tips about avoiding gluten cross-contamination at a cookout here!

Food

When utensils are dipped in a condiment jar, spread on bread, and dipped back into the jar, the condiments are now contaminated with crumbs. To ensure a safe kitchen, buy condiments in squeeze bottles. Otherwise, you will need to buy 2 and label the gluten-free one very clearly! Some of the common foods that we have duplicates (or a squeeze bottle when applicable) of are:

Butter. (In our home, butter is only used on gluten-free bread. When we go to someone else’s home, butter is cut off a fresh stick and put directly on Tyler’s plate.)
Peanut (and other nut) butters.
Jelly or Jam. (We usually buy these in squeeze bottles.)
Mayonnaise and other condiments. (Again, we usually get squeeze bottles if intending to use for both gluten and gluten-free cooking.)

4. STORE AND SERVE GLUTEN-FREE ITEMS SEPARATELY

Once you have a safe kitchen for prepping and cooking, it’s necessary to keep ingredients, prepared food, and leftovers safe from contamination as well. Always store gluten-free food separate from gluten-containing food (like the bread box mentioned previously). One easy tip is to keep gluten-free food on higher shelves, and gluten containing food on lower shelves. This way gluten crumbs can’t drop into the gluten-free food.
When serving food (either family or buffet style), serve the gluten-free food first. This helps ensure that gluten crumbs don’t drop into gluten-free food.

Also, please let the gluten-free individual go through first. This helps ensure that there’s no accidental gluten cross contamination through the switching of spoons in dishes, or even the serving spoons touching gluten. Think of a taco bar with regular and gluten free tortillas. Once someone touches the spoon used to serve meat, sour cream, etc. to their flour tortilla and sticks it back in, they’ve now contaminated the food. Cue sad tears for the contamination of your carefully prepared food.

When storing leftovers, be sure tightly wrap gluten-free foods and keep on an upper shelf.

Do you have other tips on how to keep a safe kitchen for individuals with gluten intolerance? Share them in the comments below!

Also, download our free restaurant card—it is an excellent “cheat sheet” on what ingredients contain gluten and simple steps to take while cooking to avoid cross contamination! You’ll also gain instant access to the rest of the free resources designed to make living gluten-free totally stress-free!

6 TIPS FOR EATING GLUTEN-FREE AT ALL-INCLUSIVE RESORTS

7 / 19 / 183 / 28 / 19

6 Tips for Eating Gluten-Free at All-Inclusive Resorts

All-inclusive resorts are amazing—you can explore, eat, and drink to your little heart’s content. Relax. It’s already paid for! However, when you have a restricted diet, the thought of ‘all-inclusive dining’ is the opposite of relaxing. When my husband Tyler and I were planning our wedding in 2012 I tried to research resorts, cruises, etc., but the information I found on gluten-free dining experiences was varied at best. I was new to the ‘gluten-free thing’ and researching the topic filled me with anxiety. We didn’t risk it.

Four years into our marriage, my parents invited us and the kids to Camp of the Woods, a retreat center in the Adirondacks. Meals would be shared in the dining hall. *cue the anxiety.* Despite my fears, the week was amazing. We went back again this summer.

You guys, the people are right, all-inclusive resorts ARE amazing! Six years later, I’m here to share with you my top 6 tips for eating gluten-free at all-inclusive resorts.

This post contains affiliate links. These links help me to earn enough money to refill my coffee so I can keep up with life! My full disclosure isn’t that interesting, but you can find it here.

Tip #1 for eating gluten-free at all-inclusive resorts: Do Your Research

In 2012 when we wanted to book our honeymoon, finding an extensive menu with options that are gluten-free at all-inclusive resorts was difficult (at best). But today, many of the top resorts have prioritized allergy-friendly and gluten-free meals at all of their restaurants. Looking for a tropical resort such as Beaches or Sandals? Gluten-free options abound. Wanting a family friendly trip like Disney? It’s gluten-free heaven.

When researching what’s gluten-free at all-inclusive resorts, I start with a list of 2-3 specific resorts and dig in. I recommend beginning at the resort’s official website and finding their dining page. Search for their restaurant menus, a note on food allergies, and if you don’t see anything, look for a search bar. The best search terms to use are “gluten-free” or “food allergy.” Many websites also have a help box or customer service who can be very helpful.

Sandals accommodations for stayinggluten-free when traveling to an all-inclusive resort. — Allergen statement from Sandals

For example, I went to Sandals’ website, I quickly found that they not only do accommodate Celiacs and food allergies, but they even have Culinary Concierges to assist you with finding allergy-friendly options! Chefs at each restaurant will accommodate gluten-free needs and can prepare almost any dish gluten-free. Score!

Once you think you have a top contender (or two) I recommend searching social media and Pinterest to read about others’ experiences at the same resort. You can even check out my “Gluten-Free Traveling” board where I’ve rounded up many reviews in one place!

Note: be mindful of the publishing dates of blog posts—resorts may have put new standards into practice since a negative post or review was written. That said, if you read something in a review that concerns you, it never hurts to call the resort back and ask some more questions!

If you struggle finding information on gluten-free dining on the website and customer service is not helpful, I recommend moving on to a different resort. If the resort isn’t helpful before booking your vacation, then they likely won’t be helpful once you arrive and they already have your money.

Tip #2 for eating gluten-free at all-inclusive resorts: Call Ahead

Even if you conducted thorough research before booking your stay, call the resort about one month before your stay to ensure that you’ve done everything necessary to have a safe gluten-free experience. Before our stay in the Adirondacks, the resort wanted us to fill out a form online with our reservation number, number of people in our party, and detail any dietary restrictions. Other resorts have similar requests of their guests requiring dietary restrictions.

In addition, it’s a good idea to ask for a contact to meet with when you arrive. At Camp of the Woods we talked to the hostess at the dining hall. Food was served buffet style, so she showed us which lines to find the gluten-free options. Furthermore, we learned that they kept gluten-free bread, rolls, and desserts behind the buffet line for their gluten-free guests and that their waitstaff would get it for us. More about eating at buffets in tip #4 for eating gluten-free at all-inclusive resorts.

Tip #3 for eating gluten-free at all-inclusive resorts: Voice Your Need

Even if the resort seems very accommodating, be sure to voice your need. Just like when eating out at a restaurant, do not assume that just because you order something that the menu claims is gluten-free, that it will be when it comes to your table. Always ensure you tell your waitstaff that you have a gluten sensitivity/allergy and that your meal must be gluten-free. An easy way to do this is to give the waitstaff an allergy-alert restaurant card like the FREE one in my resource library:

Are you ready to do gluten-free living totally STRESS-FREE? Get FREE instant access to my online library of free printables designed to make your gluten-free lifestyle totally easy!

If traveling internationally, ensure you have something similar translated into the native language.

Also, if something doesn’t seem right (i.e. your tacos seem to be on flour tortillas) always double check that you received a gluten-free meal. The slight inconvenience of double checking is much better than being sick for the rest of our vacation.

Click here for more tips on eating out gluten-free at restaurants!

Tip #4 for eating gluten-free at all-inclusive resorts: Choose Safely at Buffets

Since buffet lines are high risk for cross contamination, speak to the buffet attendants. Ask what’s safe! Many buffets will label their items as “gluten-free,” but it may be worth a follow up to ensure against common preparation concerns (such as, “Were these French-fries fried in the same fryer as gluten-containing food?”). If they aren’t sure, ask that they please confirm with the chef.

Also, if cross-contamination seems to be a concern on the buffet line, speak up! Ask the server if you can have the item fresh from the kitchen! For example, when it was pasta night at Camp of the Woods, although they kept gluten-free noodles behind the buffet, there was fear that the sauce (labeled gluten-free) might be contaminated with gluten due to the ladle touching regular pasta. The buffet attendant happily retrieved a cup of sauce from the kitchen and brought it to us. It’s always safer to ask!

Tip #5 for eating gluten-free at all-inclusive resorts: Pack Smart

I always get stressed out packing for vacation and fear that I didn’t bring the right things. When you’re gluten-free, always remember the following items: gluten-free snacks, essential vitamins/medicines, and gluten-free personal care items. Although the resort may be very accommodating at their dining facilities, you may have a harder time finding gluten-free snacks outside of meal times (especially if traveling internationally). Many of these resorts have room service, but at some, room service is an extra charge. Furthermore, if you are a diabetic (like Tyler), you might need a gluten-free snack at 2am. Therefore, I recommend you pack a couple trusty snacks to bring with you. I recommend some good bars like Kind or LaraBar. These are small and compact, but also filling.

Want more great ideas of what to pack? Check out my post on the gluten-free snacks I bring on vacation here!

In addition, if you rely on any specialty items, don’t forget to pack them! For me, these specialty items are stevia packets for my coffee and my Arbonne Fit Chews for sweet treats and Fizz Sticks to mix with my water. Any time we travel I also pack a couple basic medicines (like Immodium, Tylenol, or activated charcoal) just in case.

If you’re sensitive to gluten on your skin as well as ingesting it (due to an allergy or celiac dermatitis) make sure you bring your own personal care items as well. It may be difficult to find toiletries (such as shampoo and sunscreen) that are gluten-free at all-inclusive resorts. If you have a topical sensitivity, make sure you pack the following gluten-free personal care items:

Shampoo/Conditioner (I recommend Aubrey Organics or Grandpa Soap Co.)
Body Wash/Soap (I recommend Arbonne’s shower products or South of France–both brands are certified gluten-free.)
Sunscreen (I recommend Badger and Kiss my Face for sunscreen too)
Toothpaste/Mouth Wash (I recommend JASON and Dr. Brite)
BONUS: Don’t forget your travel-sized bottles! These are just TOO adorable.

Note: While each of these are available on Amazon, many of them are cheaper at Thrive Market. You can read more about my experience with Thrive Market here. Also, Brandless carries gluten-free body lotion, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toothpaste, mouthwash and MORE for only $3 each—which is an amazing price for gluten-free personal care. Click this link to check out Brandless and save $6 off your next purchase (which means you get 2 items for FREE).

Tip #6 for eating gluten-free at all-inclusive resorts: Know Your Alcohol

If you’re going to be hitting the bar on your trip, be familiar with what brands of alcohol are or aren’t gluten-free. Know the specific brands and drinks that are safe. Ask questions and order appropriately. Tip: If your resort does give you a culinary concierge, make sure you discuss the gluten-free drinks available as well.

Have you had experience eating gluten-free at all-inclusive resorts? If so, share your experience in the comments below.

Are you planning a trip soon? Pin this post and check out my “Gluten-Free Traveling” Pinterest board for gluten-free friendly destination suggestions. Also, download this restaurant card I created just for you to bring along on your vacation.

Are you ready to do gluten-free living totally STRESS-FREE? Get FREE instant access to my allergy-alert restaurant card PLUS the full online library of free printables designed to make your gluten-free lifestyle totally easy!