The GF Traveller
Gluten Free Hostelling
What’s In My Gluten Free Backpack
Oct
08
Gluten Free Bars
When I travel, I travel light. When I’m exploring weird and wonderful places I’d rather not be held back by my luggage. I want something sturdy and I want something flexible. I don’t want to have to take a cab or a bus just because my bag is too heavy. This is why I love my rucksack.
I bought my Black’s rucksack ten years ago when three friends and I decided to backpack around Europe for the summer and it’s been with me ever since. It came with me when I decided to move to Toronto for a year after University. It accompanied me to South Korea when I decided to try my hand at English teaching. It survived with me when our bus was hijacked in Guatemala. It was on my back when I reached the North Pole and the southern most tip of Argentina. It’s here with me now and it will come back home to Scotland with me for Christmas. It’s one bag and it’s not even very big but regardless, I always ensure that I pack the things which make gluten free travelling possible. (more…)
Top Ten Tips For Cooking Gluten Free At Hostels
Nov
29
delicious home made empanadas!
It’s always exciting to discover gluten free eateries or at least restaurants and cafes that serve gluten free options when travelling. They make us happy and add to the cultural experience of travelling. There are gluten free wonders awaiting us, the gluten free travellers, in all corners of the globe but unfortunately these places are not limitless.
Some countries and locations are better than others in catering for gluten free visitors but no matter where we choose to explore there will almost certainly come a time, especially on longer trips, when you want to cook your own meal. For six months of 2010, John and I lived and travelled in South America, through Argentina, Chile andUruguay. As we travelled down through Patagonia to Tierra Del Fuego and back up through Chile to the Atacama Desert we stayed in hostels and prepared at least one meal in the hostel kitchen every day. Sometimes it was stressful but these tips saved me from going hungry or glutenating myself.
When ready made gluten free food is impossible to find and no restaurant has coeliac friendly options, preparing your own meals in the hostel is the safest option, not to mention by far the cheapest. Choosing naturally gluten free products will keep your costs down too. Bases like rice, potatoes and polenta are going to be much cheaper than specially produced gluten free pasta or spaghetti (and much easier to find). When combined with simple, low cost and naturally gluten free ingredients such as eggs, tomato paste, yoghurt and various fruits, vegetables and spices, fast, simple and delicious meals can be made. (more…)
Hostel Stadion – Helsinki
Apr
12
This hostel provides breakfast for customers but not free of charge. They responded within 20 minutes of my emailing! More evidence of efficient Scandinavians!
Hi!
We have also gluten free products for breakfast. If you think you like to have it, please inform the reception upon arrival.
kind regards,
STADION HOSTEL
At 6 Euros per person I doubt I will take them up on their breakfast but it’s good to know that they provide gluten free options!
Haraldsheim – Oslo
Apr
12
This hostel offers free breakfast to all customers. Again, I received a response to my inquiry within a few minutes…
Hello, we have gluten-free bread, just ask the kitchen staff during the breakfast
Med vennlig hilsen/Best regards
Oslo Vandrerhjem Haraldsheim
Oslo Vandrerhjem Haraldsheim
Sounds good…I wasn’t expecting this to be honest. Hopefully they will have something I can put on the bread too because dry gf bread wouldn’t be the most exciting breakfast!
Intersail – Amsterdam
Apr
12
This hostel offers free breakfast for all customers. I received a response to my email from this hostel within 5 minutes…very impressive!
Dear Laura,
To be honest i’m not entirely sure if we have anything gluten free.
Our breakfast exsists out of :
-brown and white bread
-hot buns
-boiled egg
-peanutbutter, chocolate spread, chocolate sprinkels, jam, ham, cheese, salami.
-cornflakes, muesli
-milk, chocolate milk and jus d’orange and soy milk(on request)
-tea and coffee
You probably know better then me what has gluten and what not.
I could ask the owner if we could buy something special.
Kind regards,
Tommy Sevens
Intersail
I responded by thanking him for his fantastically quick response, saying that eggs, milk, orange juice, tea/coffee and possibly some spreads are gf and that if the owner would be willing to get either gf bread or cereal it would be greatly appreciated!
The following day I received this… 
i forgot to mention there is also yoghurt on the list.
Unfortunatly, the owner said we won’t supply gluten free bread or cereals.
We have normal cereals and muelsi probably not gluten free.
If you want gluten free bread or cereals you will have to suply it yourself, we can store it in the fridge for you if needed.
I’m sorry about this, but there is nothing more i can do about this for you.