Nassau, Bahamas Travel has always been one of my greatest passions. I now have the opportunity to combine that passion with another important part of my life: helping families. While I continue to work as a school counselor, I also help families plan vacations that fit their unique needs, including those navigating celiac disease, food allergies, and gluten-free travel. For the past 25 years, I've worked with children and teens ages 5 through 18, helping students build confid

Overlooking Lower Lough Erne, Northern Ireland Have you or someone you love been diagnosed with celiac disease, a wheat allergy, or gluten intolerance? You want to travel, but figuring out how to do it safely while eating gluten-free can feel overwhelming. Exploring new places is one of life’s greatest joys, but when you need to eat gluten-free, travel can also come with added stress. Will there be safe dining options? How do you avoid cross-contact? Will language barriers ma

Sunset over the wing of the plane. Traveling is exciting, but if you need to eat gluten-free, it can also feel overwhelming. You’re not alone! Traveling with celiac disease or having to eat gluten-free for medical reasons can be very overwhelming. At Gluten Free Life & Travels, the goal is to help travelers confidently plan trips that allow them to eat safely and enjoy their travel experience. Here is how I plan my gluten-free vacation. Gluten-Free Trip Planning is Essential

Are you looking to travel internationally? Are you worried about traveling with celiac disease? Read my post to learn more!

Map with Polaroid pictures Summer is coming, are you ready? This is my favorite time of year, warm weather, swimming, and sunshine. What could be better? It's also a great time to travel. Traveling has always been exciting, with endless new adventures and people to meet. When I was younger, I used to like checking off all the places I visited and all the famous sites I saw. Now, I enjoy going with a plan but allowing for flexibility. Often the best places to see are of

Sunset out the window of a plane leaving Florida. Going on a trip can be so exciting! As I was flying recently, I realized there are some things I love about airports and some things, not so much! Airports tend to bring out the best and worst in people. Here are my top five of both. I'm ending with the best as that always outweighs the worst. Worst 1. The person next to you gets in your space & reads your phone. 2. Someone behind you is coughing everywhere & not coverin

Image of a woman packing You are so excited to be going away for the weekend. It should be great fun to catch up and spend time with friends. Then you start thinking…none of your friends need to be gluten-free. What can you eat? How are you going to navigate this? First, take a deep breath. You can do this! Communicate-let your friends know you need to eat gluten-free & you may have to eat different food. Plan ahead-it’s critical. Think about how many meals and snacks

1. Be Prepared- There are so many resources that you can use to find safe gluten-free places to eat. You can search Facebook groups for locations all over the country as well as all over the world. There are several apps such as: Find Me Gluten-Free or Gluten Dude, that can help you find safe restaurants to eat at. Instagram is another place where you can find lots of resources and people who can help you find safe restaurants in the United States or other countries. 2.

When I travel, I have essential items I can't leave home without! I feel like this list has grown substantially since being diagnosed with Celiac disease. I can't just grab any snack or sandwich and eat while traveling. I can't just pick up any over-the-counter pain reliever and take it. Everything has to be checked to ensure it is gluten-free. If not, it won't be a fun trip. Here are my top five travel essentials: #1 Food Portable gluten-free snacks are a must. This ca

So, you are going away on a fabulous vacation! You are so excited, and then you start to feel the worry seeping in. Where will you eat? What if you get sick? You need to do a “Full Investigation.” Adventure Awaits! Tip 1: The Investigation begins… The first place I start is Facebook groups. I look for gluten-free/celiac groups near or in the place I’m going and join. I start searching for restaurants that are recommended. If I can’t find the answer to my specific qu