Author Topic: food  (Read 8907 times)

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Offline conifir

food
« on: August 27, 2009, 03:31:06 pm »
having a food allergy my self...
i have always wanted to know about other cyclists who also have food allergies
and how they deal with their food allergy issues while touring...
as for me i am celiac...
so i have to stay away from any gluten foods
and all that there is out there is nothing but ready available to eat on the spot gluten based food products....big time bummer!
so tips or ideas are what i am looking for
for me stopping along the side of the road with a group to enjoy a big ass cheese burger...that drips down your chin
is not going to happen in my case....
if i close my eyes i can see and taste that cheese burger
do you realize how hard it is to find a gluten free beer?
that cheese burger screams for an ice cold beer along side
i am killing myself here...
we are out grilling a burger on the barbie

Offline jsieber

Re: food
« Reply #1 on: August 27, 2009, 04:19:43 pm »
I'm not of much help on this topic but I have heard good things about this beer. Sounds like it might be one to keep and eye out for.

Offline ToddBS

Re: food
« Reply #2 on: August 27, 2009, 04:49:08 pm »
Disclaimer: I am not full-blown celiac but I do have a gluten sensitivity - so I can probably stomach some things that you may not be able to.

Restaurant food is hit or miss.  It's easy to avoid the things that obviously have gluten, but sometimes it can be hidden.  I typically stick with a salad with a simple oil and vinegar dressing.  If they only have prepackaged dressings - which often contain hidden forms of gluten - I'm not above just liberally applying salt and pepper to a salad. Fruit is always good for a gluten-free energy boost.  In the diet-crazed US, quite a few places these days have a "low carb" menu which is often gluten-free as a side effect.  Many places offer low carb burgers which is just a burger wrapped in a large lettuce leaf instead of a bun.

On the road, you'll probably have to go with food of your own making (I prefer it anyway).  There are some decent recipes around the net for gluten-free trail mixes. My personal favorite mix usually contains some or all of the following: walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, chocolate chips (dark), dried coconut, raisins/craisins, some other dried fruit usually apples or apricots.  I've put dried banana chips in as well.  I'm currently experimenting with using honey as a binding agent to try and form the mix into bars for easier portability.  I may try some oatmeal in the mix as well to see how that goes.  Bob's Red Mill is a company who has a lot of oatmeal and other grain type products that are 100% gluten free.

Offline bogiesan

Re: food
« Reply #3 on: August 27, 2009, 11:59:23 pm »
for me stopping along the side of the road with a group to enjoy a big ass cheese burger...that drips down your chin
is not going to happen in my case....

So don't eat the bun.
You may be celiac but the last person I met on a bike tour with a gluten intolerance had it because it was suddenly the hip thing to be.

People with dietary restrictions cope at every meal, everyday. I don't suffer allergies but I still try to prepare and consume high quality nutritious foods instead of the typical American diet. I'm sure there are innumerable off-the-shelf products you can safely eat and, like someone who keeps Kosher, you can create lovely meals with a bit of study and creativity.
I just spent a few minutes at celiac.com. Remarkable, this Internet thing.

david boise ID
I play go. I use Macintosh. Of course I ride a recumbent

Offline mikedirectory2

Re: food
« Reply #4 on: August 28, 2009, 01:07:36 pm »
having a food allergy my self...
i have always wanted to know about other cyclists who also have food allergies
and how they deal with their food allergy issues while touring...
as for me i am celiac...
so i have to stay away from any gluten foods
and all that there is out there is nothing but ready available to eat on the spot gluten based food products....big time bummer!
so tips or ideas are what i am looking for
for me stopping along the side of the road with a group to enjoy a big ass cheese burger...that drips down your chin
is not going to happen in my case....
if i close my eyes i can see and taste that cheese burger
do you realize how hard it is to find a gluten free beer?
that cheese burger screams for an ice cold beer along side
i am killing myself here...
we are out grilling a burger on the barbie

That must be so frustrating.  Is there anything you can take so that it doesnt affect you?
May the skies be blue and the road be flat... Happy Riding.

Offline BikingViking

Re: food
« Reply #5 on: August 28, 2009, 02:04:40 pm »
I too have Celiac disease and I tour every summer for 3-4 weeks. At first it was difficult, but as I explored more foods and options, it became easier. Rice of course is gluten free and now there are many gluten free pastas out there that work well. When I go to the grocery store I usually get some potatoes, veggies, maybe some sausage and make a stew. This year I made some flax cereal bars at home and took with me for breakfast. One year as we did a 1200 mile stretch of the Northern tier we sent pasta and home made bars ahead to ourselves via general delivery mail. A good steak house works if they cook their steaks on a flame grill. Mexican restaurants are usually safe if you stick to beans rice and corn dishes. Corn chips and bean dip for lunch works well too.
Be aware however of advice like "don't eat the bun from a cheesburger" because you can get cross contamination from grills that cook the bun on the grill.
For a good list of do's and don'ts go to www.celiac.com

Offline Westinghouse

Re: food
« Reply #6 on: August 28, 2009, 08:15:12 pm »
Hmmm. That isn't exactly to do with cycling. It's medical. If you cycle southwestern states, your food choices could be sharply limited in some areas.

Offline LeahGW

  • Day Tripper
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  • biker for adventure's sake & powerful simplicity
Re: food
« Reply #7 on: July 19, 2011, 05:10:11 pm »
Hi! This is an old thread, but I thought I would reply anyway because I may have some good news! I am not sure how sensitive you are to gluten, Conifir. If you are highly allergic, than disregard the post! If you can handle foods that are free of gluten in the ingredients, but made in a facility that processes gluten, then I recommend you check out Chunks of Energy. These are my family's business, and they are bite-sized energy bars made out of real and really good ingredients, including super foods. We have 14 flavors in total with organic, raw, and vegan ones, and they are all free of refined sugar and low or free of salt...and survey says they taste really good!!! They are sold in natural food stores in all 50 states, so you could probably find one near your bike trips. You can find us at www.facebook.com/chunksofenergy, and www.twitter.com/ilovechunks or our site (soon to be redone!) www.chunksofenergy.com for nutritional info and ingredients. Or you can email me at leah@chunksofenergy.com!

I hope this is useful to you! It is so important to be properly fueled and be free to go fast and where you want to go!

Cheers and I hope to hear from you!

Just to make it clear: there may be trace amounts of gluten, so if you are highly allergic and can not take the risk of cross-contamination, then these are not for you!
I bike - I love biking - I love powering myself - I love seeing others being empowered - I love super foods - I work with my family to create and distribute Chunks of Energy that power cyclists - Happy Wheeling!