As an example, this is what I bring when we travel by airplane:

• Food
  • sandwiches placed in a small, soft cooler pack with an ice pack
  • dry snacks (so it isn’t messy) like chips, crackers, dried fruit, beef jerky, cereal, bars — these will also last if needed during the vacation or to save for the plane trip home
  • rice milk in no-spill cups for my daughters (airlines allow passengers to bring milk for children — just let the security guards know)
  • a few lollipops (either Yummy Earth or Dum-dums for any child-bribing that needs to be done!)

  • I also bake a loaf of bread before the trip and bring the rest of the loaf (after making the sandwiches) to my destination. It can be used for more sandwiches or toast at breakfast.
• Medicine
  • Bottle of Benadryl

  • Epi-Pen and a doctor’s note
• Wipes, wipes, and more wipes for hands, the seat tray, the armrests and the windows (depending on the severity of the allergy)

We never eat any airport or airplane food. The big treat for my daughters is that they get to have apple juice on the plane (and sometimes a goodie that I have brought as a surprise).

This is our routine and my daughters know what to expect with regards to food. They have become quite the little airplane travelers… see my daughter’s first time by herself on the “people mover” (as my husband explains it)!

My travel list above is a quick one, but many others have written extensively on traveling with food allergies and traveling gluten-free. Here are some articles with great tips to get you going on your next trip!

Traveling With Severe Food Allergies from Delicious Baby

Traveling With Food Allergies from Kids with Food Allergies

How to Manage a Child’s Food Allergies When Traveling from Parenthood.com

Traveling with Food Allergies and Restricted Diets from About.com

Gluten-Free and Allergen-Free Meal Availability by Global Airlines from Gluten Free/Allergy Free Passport

Airline Travel Tips from FAAN

Food Allergies and Travel for Teens from Kids Health

Food Allergy Travel Tips from Allergic Girl

Staying Gluten-Free in Hotels from About.com

If you would like to go on a gluten-free getaway, check out Bob and Ruth’s Gluten Free Dining and Travel Club

I recently had a fabulous gluten-free dining experience at Cyrus Restaurant in Healdsburg, California. I wanted to find out more about why this restaurant has chosen to accommodate gluten-free diners when other restaurants are still trying to figure out if potatoes are gluten-free (they are, in case you’re not up to speed either!)

In a phone conversation with Chef Douglas Keane, I asked him why they started having gluten-free items such as dinner rolls. The reason, he says, is that “it’s come up more.” He says he wasn’t really aware of it before this restaurant, but people have been requesting it more and more.

“It was frustrating to give the response in the beginning, ‘I can’t do anything.’” says Keane. It was frustrating, he says, because he couldn’t put any thought into the dishes. He felt like he was just putting food on the plate to feed them and not giving them the full experience. Plus, it is an expensive restaurant and he didn’t want people to feel that they weren’t getting their money’s worth. So, he thought, “I gotta do something.” He did research on gluten-free food and doesn’t find it hard to adapt the menu as needed.

He also added to the bottom of the menu a note: We welcome advance notice of special dietary requests to accommodate your needs and ensure dishes equal the integrity of the regular menu. Most people request a gluten-free or shellfish-free menu, but Keane has had people come in with gluten and dairy allergy, onion and garlic allergy, and a pea allergy. He tries to accommodate any dietary request, BUT, Keane says, he can’t pull it out of a hat! So no matter what your dietary need, it is important to call ahead. “If people do their part and let us know ahead of time”, then, Keane says, “I owe it to them to show them an experience.”

And those gluten-free rolls?
They started making their own breads at Cyrus and then Chef Drew Glassell thought that they could come up with something gluten-free. Within a day they had done it. They par-bake the rolls and freeze them, and then bake them upon request. What a treat for the GF diner! (But if you can’t have butter, beware!)

Keane still gets nervous when someone with a food allergy comes in. He jokingly says, “First rule is don’t hurt or kill anyone.” At Cyrus, they do take it very seriously and they work as a team to try to meet the customers’ requests. Meet our requests they did, flawlessly.

Last Friday night I had the pleasure of dining at one of the finest restaurants in northern California, Cyrus Restaurant in Healdsburg.
(I was also lucky enough to be treated to the dinner by friends visiting from Los Angeles… if you can get someone else to pay the bill, I highly recommend it!) While I had been told that the food and service were going to be wonderful, I had no idea how amazing my experience as a gluten-free diner was about to be.

My husband called ahead to let the restaurant know that 2 out of 4 in our party would be gluten free. Calling ahead is always a good idea when dining out — not only does it raise the awareness of the waitstaff, but it allows the chef to make any special arrangements if he/she so desires. At Cyrus, Chef Douglas Keane went way beyond our expectations! We were made to feel that we were special as opposed to being a burden.

Let me explain what was so special about our dinner (and hopefully some restaurant owners and chefs are reading this and taking notes!) First we were served “canapes” — tiny little bites of food, either to eat with your fingers or with teeny little spoons, meant to awaken your senses of taste before the meal. They were served on 2 towers of tiered plates. They told us that one of the towers was all gluten-free. It was evident right away that the chef understood gluten-free because one bite on the regular tower contained beer and was replaced with something else on the gluten-free tower. Several other little bites were replaced by a gluten-free ones also. Each gluten-free bite was as thoughtfully prepared, artfully presented, and delicious as the others. What an impression that made!

Usually when it is time for the bread or rolls to be brought to the table, I get ready to say “no thank you” before they set it down on my plate or on the table. This time I didn’t have to say no because when the waiter came around with a basket of rolls, he explained that he would be serving the gluten-free guests first and that the servers used on the bread had not touched any other bread yet. He proceeded to place a hot-out-of-the-oven baked roll (gluten-free!) on my plate. I have to admit I was a little shocked! And then I tasted it… heaven. Hot buttery heaven. Yes, I had another. (And another, later, with the cheese course — okay, I went a little overboard, but I was so excited!)

Next came caviar, ordered by our friends. Usually one would put caviar on some wheat-y thing like a cracker or potato cake, which often contains flour. When the caviar arrived, so did a plate of rice crackers and potato cakes (no flour) that were separated from the panko-crusted (i.e. gluten-crusted) cakes. Again, I was impressed by the level of understanding.

The appetizers and main courses were beyond delicious. I’m not going to describe each one because I could never do them justice. There were many gluten-free options to choose from, and they did make a substitution in one of the dishes that came with pasta, which was nice.

It was so gratifying that a highly acclaimed restaurant was recognizing the need to serve gluten-free diners. What really stood out was their proactive approach. Not once did I have to say, “Can you ask the chef…” or “Could you just double-check?” When one (of the many) waitpersons brought the menu, she went through the menu with us, telling us what was gluten-free and what was not before we had to ask. When they brought a plate of various chocolates and other sweet things at the end of dinner, they said “All of these are okay for you.” One time I asked if a dark salty sauce that came drizzled on one of the small plates contained soy sauce, and the waitperson (a different one) politely assured me that it was gluten-free, that it was dark because it had been reduced for 4-5 hours, and not to worry, that the Chef knows what he is doing with regards to gluten-free. Yes, he really does, and this was one of the only times that I have thoroughly relaxed and enjoyed a meal in a restaurant without wondering and second-guessing.

After the chocolates came the offer of dessert. There were no gluten-free dessert items on the menu, but we were told that we could have a selection of ice creams and sorbets. We were too full for dessert anyway! And then they gave each one of us a little white and gold gift box with a brownie to take home. Yes folks, there were gluten-free brownies in ours.

As I was leaving the restaurant, I passed the maitre d’/owner, Nick Peyton, and expressed my thanks and kudos for accommodating us. He responded something like, “Thank you for letting us know ahead of time. We want you to have the same dining experience as everyone else.” Well, let me tell you something, I definitely had a better dining experience than everyone else!

An interview with the Chef coming soon!

Gluten-free and allergy-free people have to pay more in general for their groceries. I love Whole Foods Market and am grateful that they carry so many gluten-free items. It’s just that I end up spending so much money there because I buy a lot of my other groceries there too. Great products, but it’s killing my bank account!

One thing I started doing this year to save money is shopping on Amazon. You can find great deals on, well, everything, but also on food. If you have products that have become regulars in your household, buying a case of your favorites can save you money.

Let’s do the math

Here’s a practical example of my money-saving technique: at Whole Foods I think I pay $4.59 for a package of Pamela’s bread mix (a staple in our house). On Amazon, I can buy a case for $23.80, which comes out to $3.97 per package. But wait, there’s more! Amazon now has a subscription service that allows you to set up regular shipments of products, either every 1 month, 2 months, 3 months or 6 months. Setting up a subscription saves you an extra 15% on every shipment. I figure I make bread (or something else with the mix, like pizza) every 1-2 weeks so I signed up for 1 case of 6 to be sent every 2 months. With the extra 15%, the case now costs $20.23, which works out to $3.37 per package. If you don’t use bread mixes, then think about other favorites like Erewhon crispy rice cereal or Larabars or Pamela’s pancake mix.

What about shipping?

Many grocery items qualify for Free Super Saver Shipping with a $25 minimum order. Now, if you are a serious Amazon shopper (as I am), sign up for Amazon Prime! You pay $79 for the year and get free 2-day shipping on anything that ships from Amazon. There is no minimum order. You even get the free 2-day shipping if you send it to someone else, which is great when you need to send a gift quick. I am an Amazon Prime customer and let me tell you, it is great to get your gluten-free groceries in only 2 days (especially when you need them for a party or a trip) and not have to pay any shipping.

Is this an ad for Amazon?

Really I just want to help everyone out there struggling with their grocery bills (not to mention the time and gas spent to go find all of the special products). I do get a small commission if you buy on Amazon when you click through from my site (at no extra cost to you). So if you want to show Sure Foods Living some love, you can either shop at my Amazon gluten-free store where I have hand-picked the products I recommend, or you can just click here to shop anywhere on Amazon. These links are also always available in the right sidebar. Every little bit helps keep this site going and I appreciate those of you who have been doing it!

People say to me “Wow, that must hard” when I tell them about my daughter ’s food allergies. “Eh,” I say with a shrug, “you just do what you have to do.” And I almost never cry about it. (You can read about the last time I cried).

But last night, I read an article about a 30 year old guy who collapsed in anaphylactic shock and died after taking a bite out of a cookie that contained peanuts. He had 2 previous reactions in his life, according to the article: when he was 3 months old, he had a rash and blistering after peanut oil got on his skin, and when he was a little older, he had blistering in his mouth after eating a chocolate. Then, 29 years later, a fatal reaction.

After reading the article I suddenly felt sick to my stomach and my whole body tensed up. I went to talk to my father, a retired pediatrician, about the article (I was visiting my parents) and as I spoke, I began to cry. I’m not sure why this particular story affected me so much, but I think it was because of what Gina at Allergy Moms said about this story: “This is a tragic reminder that past reactions cannot predict the severity of future reactions…”

When my daughter was tested for cashews, her scratch test indicated she was allergic, but according to the allergist, the test is not a reliable indicator of the severity of the allergy. Then, her lips swelled one time after kissing someone who ate cashews. I asked the allergist about the need for an epi-pen, and he thought that I was being overly cautious. He didn’t think it was necessary because since she hadn’t had a systemic reaction, meaning that her blood pressure didn’t drop the first time, then she most likely is not at risk for anaphylactic shock. Most likely. Well, unless that doctor could tell me that there was a 100% certainty that my daughter is not at risk, I was getting that epi-pen prescription. My father and my daughter’s pediatrician agreed with me. Why not carry one? Plus, I don’t know what would happen if she actually ate a cashew. So I am erring (in the allergist’s mind I guess) on the side of caution.

One of the things that I uttered to my father through my my tears was “I feel like I’ve done everything that I can do for her, but then it’s out of my control.” There is a feeling of powerlessness that parents of food-allergic children have. We can control our immediate environment, but beyond that we have to hope that our children really understand the seriousness of their allergies, we have to rely on other people to remember the dangers, we have to trust that schools are prepared for an emergency, we have to have faith in grandparents and friends that they will not take it lightly, and then, after all that, we just have to pray that everything is going to be all right. (Breathe.)

I think we are allowed a little cry now and then, don’t you?

I was skeptical… vegan rice cheese? Surely it won’t melt, and will probably taste weird too. But the prospect of my dairy-free soy-free daughter getting to have “cheese” — on tortillas, in a sandwich, on pizza! — was too exciting to pass up, so I bought a pack of sliced cheddar flavor.

I thought I would try a quesadilla first. “Quesadilla?” she asked, her nose in a quizzical wrinkle. “Yes, do you want a quesadilla?” I responded. “You mean… with cheese??” she asked incredulously. “Yes, with a special kind of cheese that you can have.” “A special kind of cheese that I can have?” she parroted. Boy, I thought, this better be good after all this!

I put a little oil in a pan, threw in a corn tortilla and let it heat up and soften a bit, then turned it over and laid down a slice of cheddar flavor rice cheese. I doubled the tortilla over and waited… please melt, please melt. I peeked inside the tortilla — it melted! I gave it to her and watched her reaction. “Mmmmmm! I love this quesadilla! I love this cheese!” she emoted as she ate it all… and asked for another. It not only passed the test, but exceeded my expectations. And the best part is that she can have CHEESE.

So where does one find this cheese? It is made by Galaxy Nutritional Foods and can be found in various locations, including Whole Foods (you can look up your area here). Be careful though — there are 2 different rice cheeses and one has casein milk protein in it. I don’t understand why they would put casein in a rice cheese — isn’t anyone buying rice cheese doing so because they don’t eat dairy? Anyway, make sure you buy the one that says “Vegan” and “Casein and Lactose Free” on it.

Update 7/20/08: My friend said her daughter didn’t like it. Quesadillas are definitely the best use of the cheese and my daughter still likes them.

I wish you all could win one! But since there can be only one winner, I had someone besides me pick a name out of a hat (truly a random drawing!), and the winner of the Laptop Lunch System is…
Gabrielle!

It just happens that Gabrielle is the writer of a blog called Peanut Free Mama about living with her daughter’s peanut allergy. I guess she will really get to put this prize to good use!

Congratulations!

for me, it means freedom from stomach pain, fatigue, leg cramps, asthma (and lots more)

for my husband, it means freedom from migraines (dating back to junior high), burning stomach, and acid reflux

for my daughter, it means freedom from hives, rashes, a bad tummy and sudden tantrums

Now go celebrate your freedom with a good ol’ allergy-free barbecue! Here are some tips to make your summer BBQ a hit:

Barbecue sauces
If you like your meat saucy, just be sure to read labels for allergens — manufacturers are required to list the top 8 allergens in plain English on their labels (and Kraft brand will also list if there is barley, rye or oats for gluten-free people). My personal favorite barbecue sauces are

• Daddy Sam’s (gluten-free and free of all top allergens) — spicy and delicious
• Bone Suckin’ Sauce (gluten-free and free of all top allergens) — it’s got a sweetness along with a spiciness that is so good. Go ahead and buy some!

Gluten-free hamburger and hot dog buns
I can’t say I have found any pre-made buns that I think are very good (please enlighten me if you have). My favorite buns I have made out of Pamela’s Amazing Wheat-Free Bread Mix. If you have English Muffin rings, you can use those for hamburger buns. If you don’t, just use tin foil to make a ring to fill with the bread dough.

I made hot dog bun molds out of aluminum foil and they turned out great. My advice is to make them skinny — mine turned out a little too big. I followed the bread directions, filled my molds and let them rise. I sprinkled sesame seeds on before baking and baked until they were done (normally this bread takes 60 minutes, so I think I baked them for 30 or 40, but it depends on the size of the buns). The result was a soft, not crumbly, bread-y bun.

Side dishes
For a refreshing and unique side dish try making a quinoa salad – it’s easy, delicious, and nutritious! Check out a quinoa salad recipe.

Roasted potatoes are a satisfying gluten-free side dish that everyone loves.

Gluten-free cornbread or biscuits also make a great accompaniment to the meal. Here are some I recommend:

• 1-2-3 Gluten Free Biscuit Mix
• gluten-free biscuits recipe using Bob’s Red Mill flour
• “Bisquick-type drop biscuits” from Pamela’s recipe pages
• The Really Great Food Company’s Cornbread Muffin Mix
• Gluten-Free Pantry Yankee Cornbread and Muffin Mix

Dessert
Don’t forget the gluten-free apple pie!

Have a happy 4th!

It was a gift to me, really, as it made my life easier and made my daughters excited about their lunch! And no more plastic bags.

Here’s why I like Laptop Lunches so much as a mom:

• It comes as a whole system, with carrying case (that looks like a laptop computer case, hence the name Laptop Lunch), water bottle and fork and spoon. I didn’t have to add a thing to start packing lunches.
• You can choose from various color options. Kids love color!
• It forces you, the lunch-maker, to be creative because there are 4 little compartments to fill, 5 with the little dipper one (it’s actually kind of fun!)
• It is so easy to wash!

Here’s why I like Laptop Lunches so much as a mom of kids with food allergies:

• Allergic children have to bring their own lunches ALL the time, so anything that makes it easier to pack a lunch is great.
• Most prepackaged foods are filled with allergens — think packs of cheese and crackers, little packs of goldfish, peanut butter and ritz crackers — so these aren’t an option to throw in a lunch. These little compartments make it possible to put in healthier foods and serve them like you would a meal at home, like beans or olives or fresh corn or gluten-free pasta salad.

• Food looks so appetizing when served this way, the allergic kid will not feel he’s missing out on a thing!

Here’s a lunch I made recently. It’s nothing fancy, but somehow looks a lot yummier than if it were in plastic bags.

Don’t have kids? Want to eat healthier? The Laptop Lunch is great for adults too. There are some mellow color options if you don’t think hot pink will work in your office!

You can win a Laptop Lunch System!

This is very exciting… one lucky reader will receive a complete Laptop Lunch System, courtesy of Obentec, Inc., the company that makes them. Just leave a comment below with an idea you have for what to put in the Laptop Lunch before July 4 and I will randomly select one of you as the winner.

For more information and to purchase Laptop Lunches, visit laptoplunches.com

CONTEST UPDATE: A winner has been announced… go here to see who the lucky gal is!

Perhaps you are getting traces of gluten, but the reality may be that you are reacting to another food. That’s right — you may be sensitive to more than just gluten! It’s not a pretty thought to have to cut another food (or foods) out of your life, but it may make you feel a lot better.

My discovery

After I was gluten-free and felt dramatically better, my body and especially my digestive system, felt clean… I don’t know how else to describe it, but it just felt like there was no turmoil going on inside, like a glass of water without any bubbles. If I did get a trace of gluten, I knew it, and I would track down the source. But then there were times when I had cooked at home and knew that there was no way I could have gotten glutenized (I am sure they will be adding this word to Webster soon!), but still didn’t feel perfect.

After keeping a mental food diary — really paying attention to when I didn’t feel well and what I had eaten prior — I realized that I was blaming gluten for those days when my tummy was feeling, well, bubbly. But it wasn’t gluten at all. It was… drumroll, please… soy! Yes, folks, I do not eat soy anymore. I do eat a little wheat-free soy sauce sometimes and soy lecithin, but other than that, no soy. My daughter is soy-intolerant also, so there you have it — genes at work. Lucky girl… at least she got some of my good genes too: charm, good looks, etc. — ha ha!

I’m not the only one with multiple food sensitivities. In fact, on the celiac.com forum, there is a whole category called Other Food Intolerance and Leaky Gut Issues with people talking about how they have realized that they are intolerant to more than just gluten. This is no coincidence…

Leaky Gut Syndrome

A reason that people can develop more food sensitivities could be leaky gut syndrome, also known as increased intestinal permeability. A very simple explanation of what happens with leaky gut syndrome is this:

1. Large spaces develop between the cells of the intestinal wall (due to many possible causes — see below).
2. Bacteria, toxins, and incompletely digested proteins and fats leak in. Normally these larger molecules would be kept within the intestines, but because of these holes in the intestinal lining, they leak through the intestinal wall into the bloodstream, where they normally shouldn’t go.
3. The immune system releases antibodies to fight what it sees as foreign invaders in the blood.
4. These antibodies also attack the body’s own cells, causing damage, allergic reactions, pain and inflammation throughout the body.

What causes leaky gut?

Some of the possible causes of leaky gut syndrome are:

• Damage caused by taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen
• Gastrointestinal disease, like celiac disease
• Eating allergenic foods
• Consuming alcohol
• Consuming caffeine
• Taking antibiotics
• Eating too much sugar
• Ingesting toxic chemicals
• Intestinal infection
• Parasites
• Stress

Food sensitivity can cause leaky gut, which can then cause other food sensitivities — it is a vicious cycle.

So, where do you go from here?

If you are gluten-free and you don’t know why you are still having reactions to the food you are eating, I would recommend that you keep a food diary — write down the time that you eat, what you eat, what symptoms you feel at what time of day. If you wake up in the morning and feel fine, and then have breakfast and feel rotten the rest of the day, examine everything you are eating in the morning, from coffee to juice to the milk you pour on your cereal. Once you think you know the problem food, cut it out and see how you feel. You can add it back in later and see if you react (please consult your doctor if you think you are at risk for a serious reaction to a food). In my case, after I cut soy out my diet, my lingering symptoms went away, and I have not wanted to try it again!

And what about that leaky gut? There are a lot of websites out there with advice about how to improve the permeability of your intestines. I am going to start doing some of these things for myself and my family in hopes of preventing more food sensitivities. Here are a few of the sites I found useful:

Liverdoctor.com
The Environmental Illness Resource
Dr. Weil
Leaky Gut Syndrome

Do you have more than one food sensitivity? Let me know in the comments… I’m curious!