The What's For Dinner Tonight Chat

[kareng]

Well, strike one for my first night at the hotel.  NO refrigerator or microwave in the room.  The guy at the desk offered to store my food in the fridge in the employee area so that is good.  The hotel is next door to a grocery store so I walk over to find something for dinner.  I finally found some cut salami that was gluten-free so I added that to the cheese and crackers I brought for snacks.  I was hoping to get something hot at the deli but the girl gave me the deer in the headlights look and said "gluten, that's sugar right"..so I passed.  The only restaurant in town besides Kentucky Fried Chicken is called Bread, Brew and something....nothing gluten-free there.  One more night here...

 

I thought you had a Koolatron?  Can't you just use an adapter and plug it in in your room?

[SMRI]

I am stumped by this because I just traveled over 1300 miles in 2 weeks and I found food at every grocery store even in a tiny town in Southern Georgia.. I also made sure I got hotel rooms with a fridge and a micro. It's just better for us if those things are available. Or at least find one with a micro in the lobby.

You have to assemble a to-go kit with a knife, some utensils, zip locks, paper plates, paper towels, bowls I picked up at Walmart's for a buck--that sort of thing. I have a small bottle of dishwashing soap too.

Not picking on you here, hon--not at all!

but seriously....  advance planning is essential and every supermarket has food you can eat. Almost all packaged deli meat  is gluten free. It is RARE for gluten to be in deli meat (mortadella is about the one that any company has ever told me will contain it)

You can eat ,Cheese, yogurt, fruit, cut up veggies, peanut butter. Bring crunchmaster crackers, kind bars, chex G F cereal, nuts etc....buy a small bottle of milk. Did you bring ANYTHING with you? I also have canned soup and a can opener in my car when I travel.  

it's not good to be hungry when you are trying to recover. 

 

 It's a Hampton Inn. I haven't stayed at a Hampton Inn in years that has not at least had a fridge in the room. None of the rooms at this hotel have a fridge or microwave.  I brought food with me.  I brought some microwavable dinners and such but no microwave.  I have cheese, crackers, some "granola bars", pudding, some single serve vegetable cups (that need to be heated).  I brought some yogurt and a few other things as well.  I just wasn't expecting to not have a fridge in my room.  I have a knife, paper plates, etc, etc, etc.  I'm on the road for 2 months and will put on about 6000 miles or so.  I do this every year, this is the first year I've done it gluten-free however.   I'm not hungry, I ate, just was hoping for a hot meal .  When you are in a town of 3000 people, you only have so many choices however.  I knew the restaurant situation wasn't going to be good but the grocery store chain next door is usually very good and their deli people are usually better trained than that.  The "deli" is broasted chicken, Chinese Food, etc.  The also have a meat counter with sliced meats and such, but all of that was sitting near their breaded meats and the guy at the meat counter suggested I didn't buy any of their cut meats.  I went over to the regular refrigerator section to get the deli meat.  They have a wonderful health market with a large gluten-free section---they even had gluten-free pop-tarts (Glutino :D).  They have a great selection of Amy's frozen bowls as well--but again, no microwave.  I'm going to ask tomorrow if they will open the breakfast area for me so I can cook something in the microwave but I just ate the other stuff tonight.  

 

I thought you had a Koolatron?  Can't you just use an adapter and plug it in in your room?

 

Well, I could, if it had an adapter .  I have 6 frozen waterbottles in the Koolatron keeping some of my snacks cool. The more perishable foods like my cheese, salami, etc. is in the fridge at the front desk.  

[kareng]

 It's a Hampton Inn. I haven't stayed at a Hampton Inn in years that has not at least had a fridge in the room. None of the rooms at this hotel have a fridge or microwave.  I brought food with me.  I brought some microwavable dinners and such but no microwave.  I have cheese, crackers, some "granola bars", pudding, some single serve vegetable cups (that need to be heated).  I brought some yogurt and a few other things as well.  I just wasn't expecting to not have a fridge in my room.  I have a knife, paper plates, etc, etc, etc.  I'm on the road for 2 months and will put on about 6000 miles or so.  I do this every year, this is the first year I've done it gluten-free however.   I'm not hungry, I ate, just was hoping for a hot meal .  When you are in a town of 3000 people, you only have so many choices however.  I knew the restaurant situation wasn't going to be good but the grocery store chain next door is usually very good and their deli people are usually better trained than that.  The "deli" is broasted chicken, Chinese Food, etc.  The also have a meat counter with sliced meats and such, but all of that was sitting near their breaded meats and the guy at the meat counter suggested I didn't buy any of their cut meats.  I went over to the regular refrigerator section to get the deli meat.  They have a wonderful health market with a large gluten-free section---they even had gluten-free pop-tarts (Glutino :D).  They have a great selection of Amy's frozen bowls as well--but again, no microwave.  I'm going to ask tomorrow if they will open the breakfast area for me so I can cook something in the microwave but I just ate the other stuff tonight.  

 

 

Well, I could, if it had an adapter .  I have 6 frozen waterbottles in the Koolatron keeping some of my snacks cool. The more perishable foods like my cheese, salami, etc. is in the fridge at the front desk.  

 

 

Guess I would have gotten one... so I thought everyone would.  But then, my family is like that.  

[SMRI]

Guess I would have gotten one... so I thought everyone would.  But then, my family is like that.  

 

I thought there was one with the cooler....I will pick one up but I didn't know I needed it until about 3 hours ago.....the purpose of the cooler was to keep my food cold in the car driving from one town to the next. I wasn't anticipating needing it in the hotel room....

[LauraTX]

Tired as heck from the job, I threw ore ida french fries and gluten-free chicken strips in the oven. Nutritious balanced meal for me!   Yesterday I made a huge batch of red beans and rice and froze up a bunch of servings to take to work. 

 

SMRI, a good tip for when traveling is that suite hotels/extended stay usually have fridges in rooms.  So, Hampton inn and suites may have them and maybe just in the suites, Just Hampton inn may not.  Extended stay hotels usually have kitchens/kitchenettes and you can just stay one night at them.   But the best way to see if they have fridges in the room is to check the individual hotel's website or call them.  Also, full service hotels usually are going to have more optional stuff available.  (Like Marriott vs fairfield inn kind of thing, Marriott is the full service one)  Also, you can call a reservation line and tell them you only want to stay in a hotel that definitely has a fridge/microwave in it, versus just requesting one and getting it if it is available.  Pre-planning is key there.

[SMRI]

Tired as heck from the job, I threw ore ida french fries and gluten-free chicken strips in the oven. Nutritious balanced meal for me!   Yesterday I made a huge batch of red beans and rice and froze up a bunch of servings to take to work. 

 

SMRI, a good tip for when traveling is that suite hotels/extended stay usually have fridges in rooms.  So, Hampton inn and suites may have them and maybe just in the suites, Just Hampton inn may not.  Extended stay hotels usually have kitchens/kitchenettes and you can just stay one night at them.   But the best way to see if they have fridges in the room is to check the individual hotel's website or call them.  Also, full service hotels usually are going to have more optional stuff available.  (Like Marriott vs fairfield inn kind of thing, Marriott is the full service one)  Also, you can call a reservation line and tell them you only want to stay in a hotel that definitely has a fridge/microwave in it, versus just requesting one and getting it if it is available.  Pre-planning is key there.

My next leg of this trip is in extended stay hotels, but it's not always an option.   Like I said, I haven't stayed in a Hampton Inn lately that hasn't had at least a fridge.  I checked my booking and it says that there is a fridge and microwave so I'm not losing my mind, but that was from my corporate travel site, not the hotel directly.  I'll have to double check that from now on I guess.  I have to book through my corporate travel site so I don't have a lot of options there and in a town of 3000 people, there are limited choices to begin with....I did pre-plan, or so I though.  Luckily I will be at a hotel I've stayed in before so I know what is available Friday night then after that I'm at a Residence Inn for a week .

[IrishHeart]

 It's a Hampton Inn. I haven't stayed at a Hampton Inn in years that has not at least had a fridge in the room. None of the rooms at this hotel have a fridge or microwave.  I brought food with me.  I brought some microwavable dinners and such but no microwave.  I have cheese, crackers, some "granola bars", pudding, some single serve vegetable cups (that need to be heated).  I brought some yogurt and a few other things as well.  I just wasn't expecting to not have a fridge in my room.  I have a knife, paper plates, etc, etc, etc.  I'm on the road for 2 months and will put on about 6000 miles or so.  I do this every year, this is the first year I've done it gluten-free however.   I'm not hungry, I ate, just was hoping for a hot meal .  When you are in a town of 3000 people, you only have so many choices however.  I knew the restaurant situation wasn't going to be good but the grocery store chain next door is usually very good and their deli people are usually better trained than that.  The "deli" is broasted chicken, Chinese Food, etc.  The also have a meat counter with sliced meats and such, but all of that was sitting near their breaded meats and the guy at the meat counter suggested I didn't buy any of their cut meats.  I went over to the regular refrigerator section to get the deli meat.  They have a wonderful health market with a large gluten-free section---they even had gluten-free pop-tarts (Glutino :D).  They have a great selection of Amy's frozen bowls as well--but again, no microwave.  I'm going to ask tomorrow if they will open the breakfast area for me so I can cook something in the microwave but I just ate the other stuff tonight.  

 

 

Well, I could, if it had an adapter .  I have 6 frozen waterbottles in the Koolatron keeping some of my snacks cool. The more perishable foods like my cheese, salami, etc. is in the fridge at the front desk.  

 

My reply to you was based on you saying you could only find one G F salami. This post is a lot more illuminating than your initial one where it sounded

as if you only had that to eat--along with a few crackers and cheese.  

[SMRI]

My reply to you was based on you saying you could only find one G F salami. This post is a lot more illuminating than your initial one where it sounded

as if you only had that to eat--along with a few crackers and cheese.  

 

Well, I guess you could read it that way but I didn't say I could only find, I said I finally found...again, I'm new at all of this and if the package doesn't say gluten-free, I'm not buying it right now until I get more experience with the chemical names and what not.  I also don't think the "old timers" on here realize how confusing their information is to us new people.  In one post you say check everything and then in the next post, it's peanut butter, it's fine, then it's not ok to use a strainer that has been washed and might have microscopic particles left in a hole but it's ok for a "little" bit of gluten in a product as long as it's under the 20 PPM.  I get the 20 PPM, but the microscopic bits on a cutting board and such will have less than 20 PPM too.  You can find 5 sources that say something is gluten-free and 5 that say it is not....when the manufacture doesn't have information, who is right??

 

I posted on this thread all of the stuff I found to bring previously, not that I expect you to remember but I just didn't repeat all of that I guess....

 

Everyone keeps telling me how easy it is to travel with this, how about traveling with me, going to the towns I have to go to, travel the way I have to travel and then tell me that "you should just...." . I'm not stupid, I thought I researched, just not deep enough I guess.  I took my work travel site at face value that they had a fridge and microwave in the room, lesson learned.  If I had another option, I would have changed hotels but I'm not saying at the "Roadside Motel" because they don't have refrigerators either...

[IrishHeart]

.  I also don't think the "old timers" on here realize how confusing their information is to us new people.  In one post you say check everything and then in the next post, it's peanut butter, it's fine, then it's not ok to use a strainer that has been washed and might have microscopic particles left in a hole but it's ok for a "little" bit of gluten in a product as long as it's under the 20 PPM.  I get the 20 PPM, but the microscopic bits on a cutting board and such will have less than 20 PPM too.  You can find 5 sources that say something is gluten-free and 5 that say it is not....when the manufacture doesn't have information, who is right??

 

I posted on this thread all of the stuff I found to bring previously, not that I expect you to remember but I just didn't repeat all of that I guess....

 

Everyone keeps telling me how easy it is to travel with this, how about traveling with me, going to the towns I have to go to, travel the way I have to travel and then tell me that "you should just...." . I'm not stupid, I thought I researched, just not deep enough I guess.  I took my work travel site at face value that they had a fridge and microwave in the room, lesson learned.  If I had another option, I would have changed hotels but I'm not saying at the "Roadside Motel" because they don't have refrigerators either...

 

I don't know which "old timers" you are referring to, hon, but I will answer for myself. I have never said any of those things to you.

 

I am in the camp that believes we should not make this G F life  harder than it has to be and I would never suggest "you are stupid".  I know some people get all crazy reading labels, calling companies, but I just read the label and use a lot of common sense when I shop. I choose pure foods, as I do not tolerate MSG, additives, etc.

 

I think you're reading a lot more into the messages in the posts than what is intended. I answered your post about the salami--innocently assuming you

were not finding other foods because you weren't sure what you could have. Sorry I gave you info you were already aware of. 

 

I can see you are frustrated, but we're all on your side, ok?

 

Please don't get upset with me just because I answered your question. I read and answer dozens of posts, emails, Pms on a weekly basis and I am sorry that I did not specifically recall what you told us you were bringing with you before you left on  your trip.

 

I hope things improve for you as you continue your trip.  Best wishes to you!

[GF Lover]

I will suggest that member's put Traveling Woes in the appropriate Forum Section  so future searches for "traveling" information come up with members's experiences while traveling.  The "What's For Dinner" thread is a fast moving, fun thread.  This is by no means a hard and fast rule, just a suggestion to keep relative information in the right places for members.

 

Carry on Dinner Peeps   

[BlessedMommy]

Yum, I found a dinner roll recipe that looks really good! http://mygluten-freekitchen.com/pull-apart-dinner-rolls-gluten-free/

[love2travel]

Ruth, strangely enough I found the same recipe last night...and cannot wait to try it!  These rolls really do look light and fluffy.  Trouble is, here in Croatia many ingredients are impossible to find, including most flours and starches.  The only ones available are white rice flour and I did see tapioca starch once, and two brands of blends.  Oh, wait...I did find chestnut flour the other day in Italy as well as buckwheat.  Better than nothing!    I did bring several with me from Canada, thankfully, along with xanthan gum which is nowhere to be found.  And coconut flour here is just finely-flaked coconut.  Weird.  I have yet to pulse some in my food processor - perhaps that will work.  No almond meal at all, I must make my own, if only I could find almonds that are not so incredibly expensive, about five times more than in Canada!!  It is very trying, actually. I am a skilled baker and struggle to make adequate substitutions here.  Please let us know if you try this recipe.  I am very curious about this one! 

[BlessedMommy]

It sounds like the secret to their good texture is the almond flour. I have almond flour on hand, so I would like to try out these soon.

[love2travel]

Yes, it does.  I have not taken the time to check what is in her almond flour blend...have you? 

[BlessedMommy]

No, I haven't. What I will likely do is use 2 cups of my Pamela's Artisan Flour Blend with 3/4 cup of almond flour. One person wrote in the comments that they used 2 cups of all purpose G.F. flour with 3/4 cup of almond flour and that it turned out for them.

[love2travel]

Ah...I got a bit lazy.    If only I could find some almond meal or at least almonds that cost less than 5 euros for 125 g!  Many recipes require 2+ cups of it which would be about the equivalent of about $15+ USD for the almond flour alone!  I would be willing to pay quite a lot extra for some things but draw the line at some point.  It is insane!  I do try to steer clear of such recipes...the things I used to take for granted in Canada!    But I am low carbing so it is doubly challenging.  My first choice would be coconut flour as it takes far less as it is so absorbent.  I really must see whether I can grind the flaked stuff finely enough tomorrow.  On the other hand, coconut flour does not make the best breads so I do use buckwheat and sorgrhum (from Canada) for that, but high carb out of necessity.  I refuse to give up baking so those are my options.

 

If anyone is coming to Croatia soon, I will make out an order of items for you to bring along!    A long, LONG list! 

[BlessedMommy]

Wow, that is some insane pricing! Are almonds just as expensive? Some people have had good luck with making their own.

[love2travel]

Sorry, I was confusing...almond meal is impossible to find here (though I did find it in Italy but it said it contained wheat!) and almonds themselves are those prices I quoted above.  Strange, as almonds are grown here!  But most are exported.  All gluten-free stuff here is unbelievably costly.  We do actually have an almond tree but it winter killed a few years ago according to the neighbour.  There is not one single nut on it and it does not have any leaves, either.  "Winter" here is a lot milder than in Canada, believe me.  Actually, this will be our first winter here.  Ever.  And the warmest.  Ever.   

[BlessedMommy]

Wow!

[GottaSki]

Well I joined the snacking dinner crowd this evening. Was in ER with Mom for nine hours so my snack pouch was a couple meals.

Dinner was a bag of pretzels/almonds/toll house white choc chips along with astronaut squeeze of apple, butternut, carrot...oh and lots of coffee

Ps...has anyone found a gluten-free pretzel without soy?

Edited September 5, 2014 by GottaSki

[GottaSki]

Ah...I got a bit lazy.    If only I could find some almond meal or at least almonds that cost less than 5 euros for 125 g!  Many recipes require 2+ cups of it which would be about the equivalent of about $15+ USD for the almond flour alone!  I would be willing to pay quite a lot extra for some things but draw the line at some point.  It is insane!  I do try to steer clear of such recipes...the things I used to take for granted in Canada!    But I am low carbing so it is doubly challenging.  My first choice would be coconut flour as it takes far less as it is so absorbent.  I really must see whether I can grind the flaked stuff finely enough tomorrow.  On the other hand, coconut flour does not make the best breads so I do use buckwheat and sorgrhum (from Canada) for that, but high carb out of necessity.  I refuse to give up baking so those are my options.

 

If anyone is coming to Croatia soon, I will make out an order of items for you to bring along!    A long, LONG list!

Hang on a heartbeat......H E double hockey sticks...I'll carry the almonds and grind them myself!

Think you should keep a running shopping list going....never know whom will hop on a plane

[BlessedMommy]

Ps...has anyone found a gluten-free pretzel without soy?

http://www.ener-g.com/wylde-pretzels.html

[IrishHeart]

Ps...has anyone found a gluten-free pretzel without soy?

 

not any that actually taste like a pretzel.   

[GottaSki]

http://www.ener-g.com/wylde-pretzels.html

 

 

not any that actually taste like a pretzel.   

 

Thanks Ruth!  We never cared for most of the EnerG products...we did eat their pretzels when first dx'd, but then Glutino and others hoped onboard with better tasting pretzels Guess maybe I'll give them another go for me.

 

Lol Irish...that's what I thought...been buying the guys the Gratify brand lately and they are great...except for the Soy

[IrishHeart]

 

Lol Irish...that's what I thought...been buying the guys the Gratify brand lately and they are great...except for the Soy

 

You know I can't do soy sauce or soy flour, but that small amount of soy lecithin does not bother me and I thought the Gratify brand was very good.

Snyders's too. (J prefers those) 

 

 

Dinner tonight is looking like our old pal Chebe Pizza .....and a movie. Storms are rolling in....