EuroTrip2k17 Gluten Free Food Travel Series: Snacks and Drinks

I couldn't end this EuroTrip2k17 Gluten Free Food Travel Series (I know, the title is unbelievably long, but it's accurate!) without a post discussing another important travel staple: snacks and drinks. Obviously an essential part of any vacation is packing or purchasing munchable goodies, but in Europe, you are surrounded by cultural delicacies that can be intimidating to pick up and enjoy if you have a food allergy.

Snacks

Various Potato Chips

Let's start with my good ol' (usually) gluten free standby: potato chips. Chips have been and will always be my Kryptonite. I don't usually buy them unless I KNOW I'm hanging out with at least one other person because I'll finish a bag solo in one sitting. However, traveling is another story. When you are in a foreign country and can't find ANYTHING on the go that looks safe to eat, why not just grab a bag of chips where the major ingredients are potato, oil and salt? I had to do this a few times on our tour when our bus stopped at various gas stations and my only real option was some prepackaged salty potato crisps. (They call chips, crisps in London. SO fun!) Now I know that chips are not the healthiest option, but if you end up watching everyone else sampling gluten filled international goodies, it's nice to splurge a little and eat something fun too!

Two types of (the many) chips I splurged on were Lay's Pickle Chips and M&S Chorizo Red Pepper Tortillas. I know some pickle chips exist in the US, but I never had the opportunity to try them, and they were excellent. They are also bizarre, because you are crunching into a flavor that doesn't seem to belong on a potato, but it's still great.

I also picked up M&S Chorizo Red Pepper Tortillas out of sheer desperation. One night, everything closed early (or at its usual time, but I'm a New Yorker and didn't expect it) and I was starving. Thankfully M&S was still open, and I saw the best symbol ever: Gluten Free. These were smoky, spicy and filling. Definitely a good buy if you see them in your travels!


Vietnamese Fries, Manneken Pis, Amsterdam

Fries are tough for gluten intolerant people. If they aren't cooked in a dedicated gluten free fryer (like the ones at Red Robin!😍), they can wreck absolute havoc on your stomach. Personally, I tend to risk cross contamination by sometimes eating fries. I try not to, but it happens. One particular indulgent occasion was in Amsterdam. I read a lot about how Amsterdam is KNOWN for its fries. Since I knew I probably wouldn't be able to find another Dutch delicacy, the StroopWafel, in an allergy friendly variety, I figured this one wouldn't hurt. Manneken Pis is famous (re: very busy), but the line moves pretty quickly! I was able to peek at the allergen list near the register for sauce ingredients and Samurai Sauce/Samuraisaus is listed as gluten free. These fries were incredible, and the sauce was even better. It tasted like spicy mayo with a lingering HEAT. We went a little crazy and bought a large, which was definitely worth every penny, uh, Euro. Again, this option is not for everyone. After reading over their site, I cannot find any information about whether or not these fries would be cross contaminated, but it obviously depends on what other fried food they have at that location. This one depends on your tolerance level, but if you can, buy a cone of fries!

Vacations call for giant french fry containers bigger than my head. 

Pastel de Nata, Zarzuela, Lisbon, Portugal

Even though I'm half- Portuguese, I wasn't lucky enough to grow up eating Pastel de Natas. Such a travesty, I know. However, I was lucky enough to be introduced to them fairly quickly after a few of my Portuguese friends brought these delicious custard egg tarts to events. Since we had an eight hour layover in Lisbon, my husband and I were determined to find some that we both could eat. Thankfully, Zarzuela had a TON of food allergy friendly options as well as regular gluten-filled options including the pastel de nata. It was JUST as good as I remembered. I even ended up getting another gluten free chocolate custard-y pastry that brought me back to working at a bakery when I was sixteen. (Yes, I ate ALL the gluten back then.) This place is awesome and worth a visit whether you have a food allergy or just want to satisfy your sweet tooth. 

Drinks

Note: This is how high they filled my wine glass,
not to the top like the beer.
They aren't crazy.

Riesling in Hofbrauhaus Munchen

Hofbrauhaus is THE place to go in Munich. Beer, pretzels, dirndl dresses, lederhosen and real Bavarian music makes visiting this location a top choice on everyone's Germany bucket list. I was lucky enough to visit here before I was gluten free, but was curious about what it would be like ordering drinks at arguably the most famous beer/bier hall in the world. The answer: easy. Gluten free beer was not an option, but wine is! Not just any wine, but Riesling! Might as well try a German wine if you can't drink German bier! Riesling is sweet, refreshing and a wonderful alternative when you want to drink an adult beverage in a place known for its beer. Plus: the waiter automatically put my wine in a giant beer glass, so I didn't feel left out drinking with those with LITER beers around me, which was a nice touch. Prost!


Adelholzener Apfel Schorle (Apple Spritzer) in Germany

If you are looking for a non-alcoholic beverage traveling through Bavaria, I also highly recommend grabbing a bottle of Adelholzener Apfel Schorle, which is essentially a sparkling apple juice with a ton of flavor. I remember purchasing one during my last trip to Europe and absolutely loved it. It can be found at many different vendors for a unique quick sugar fix that's a little different from what's already available at home. I was also excited to trick my husband into taking a giant swig of this without telling him it's carbonated. Feel free to use that trick on your own loved ones at home. (You're welcome.)


San Benedetto Iced Tea, Italy

Yes, I put my Italy/NY Iced Tea pictures together.
Wouldn't you?
We need to talk about this tea. Just YESTERDAY I discovered that it is sold in my local La Bottega Italian Bistro. (I made a huge scene and fully confused my waitress by asking her to add a few bottles to my bill.) It's definitely sugary, but part of the reason why is because it contains REAL juice. Oh cool, most drinks now try to contain real juice, whatever. No. I'm talking PEACH juice, people! Who doesn't want an ice cold iced tea that tastes like you are biting into a juicy peach?! If peach just isn't your jam, they have lemon iced tea, with, you guessed it, lemon juice. It's a bit more subdued in flavor, but still refreshing.

This brand is just a nice change of pace from other iced teas on the market and it's even marked gluten free. (Soft drinks made of mostly water and sugar marked as gluten free crack me up, but this label is incredibly helpful when you are traveling internationally!)

I hope you enjoyed my EuroTrip2k17 travel series! Next up, I'll be discussing some vitamins, supplements and other fun medicinal items that have worked for me and my sensitive stomach!

Talk soon!

-KB

*Links!*

More information about Gluten Free Fritolay Chips in the US:

Famous Amsterdam Delicacies, mostly for your gluten tolerant friends:


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