Our cross country adventure this summer was just that – an adventure! Let me explain that my husband (Eric) and I drove separately in order to get both of our cars over there. Eric drove our van, with a U-Haul trailer attached, and our son and dog went with him.
I, on the other hand, drove our smaller car by myself (which I have to admit was actually kind of nice)! I could be alone with my thoughts, which is a blessing for an INFJ, and I had the radio all to myself.
Having to be gluten-free has tested my patience because I’m used to eating whatever I want. With this newfound intolerance, I have to read labels, go online to research, annoy serving staff with questions and plot out any dining establishments beforehand. This made this trip quite the challenge!
Fortunately, there is a free app called Find Me GF. This app can map your location and find the closest gluten-free dining options for you!
Our first day was devoted to getting through most of the state of Florida. We drove 450+ miles to get to Tallahassee. It was a long day, but fortunately, we found a gluten-free place near the hotel that had a delicious meal. I give a big shout out to Zoe’s Kitchen! Their food was delicious, fresh, and I had no reaction.
On day two we drove to New Orleans, and I absolutely loved the change of landscape. The flat terrain of Florida turned into rolling hills, beautiful mossy trees, bridges, and swamps. (I should note that I packed gluten-free breakfast bars and snacks with me, so I wouldn’t have to constantly be looking for gluten-free dining establishments.)
I was worried about what I would find to eat in New Orleans but was pleasantly surprised by De-No Seafood. They use a separate fryer for their GF customers, and the owner actually came to my table to explain my options for my meal. It was a great experience. The food was delicious, and I had no reaction again! Score!
Side note – the next day I ate a quick BBQ meal in Louisiana and had a reaction. It is much more difficult to stay gluten-free in smaller towns. Pretty much everything is cross contaminated. 😦
The final destination on our third day was Houston. I was glad because we would be staying with my cousin, and I knew that eating would not be so stressful. Boy, was I right! I had a delicious meal at Goose’s Acre and had no adverse effects. My cousin also made me a great breakfast before our fourth day of travel.
Texas is quite a large state and East Texas was very similar to Florida – flat and hot. As we moved through Central Texas, it got more exciting. The flat landscape turned to rolling hills and mountains, trees, and windmills. We ended up in in Sonora, Texas, where people still said “ma’am” and “sir”. I also felt like I was in an old movie as our motel room still had decor from 1980.
Unfortunately, the restaurant we went to was chock full of gluten-loaded meals, so I stuck to the salad bar and went to bed unsatisfied. Here are some photos from our trip so far.
My next post will be about the second-half of our trip.
