Flight from Dubai to LA Turns into a Gluten-Induced Nightmare for TikTok Star

I would NEVER trust an airline to give me gluten-free food, and especially if it was a croissant. I actually have Celiac Disease, so for me the gluten-free diet isn’t just a choice; it’s a medical necessity. I wasn’t diagnosed until I was 53, despite having classic symptoms. I’ve accidentally eaten gluten-containing foods since, but it was always someone else serving it and SWEARING it was gluten-free. I know better now. If traveling, I take my own food.

I do the same thing. Mercifully, I don't go into anaphylaxis as some people do if exposed to allergens, but on the other hand don't know whether I have been exposed enough to provoke an immune response and all the sequelae that involves. Apart from a handful of local places that I know are safe, I don't eat out. I got badly glutened several times in Sweden and just don't risk it. Some countries are a nightmare due to the culture. Certainly, I would never trust an airline to provide safe food.

I always bring or buy a snack for long flights. If I have to go without food for a few hours, it is WELL worth not being glutened. 

I am hesitant to eat out period. But we do have a red robin in town who does an excellent job of serving safe food to a celiac. I feel very confident eating there. For travel, I take my own food. I can't afford to end up on a bathroom floor in a plane or train. So I travel with my own food. I've even learned how to travel with an ice pack (TSA approved). Its a tough lesson to learn but once you've been glutened, you learn quickly. As far as family goes, they don't seem to care that there's nothing for me to eat. They just say sorry while others consume cake for a birthday party and then they wonder why I don't attend. Sometimes I just go for the celebration and don't care about the food. But sometimes I would like someone to accommodate me. In the end, you have to advocate for yourself and not leave securing gluten-free food to others.

On 6/24/2023 at 2:13 PM, momofceliacteen said:

We have the Nima- she did not test bc it was supposed to be gluten-free and was wrapped separately and all. We live by the Nima though now. 

"I don’t eat food from airplanes. It’s not worth the risk and so few people are aware of celiac disease and truly understand. "

Agreed I have gotten sick on a flight, and then had flight attendants banging on the bathroom door because I went to the bathroom too much. It was an unpleasant flight experience.