A frequently asked question is about vacationing. “Can it be managed? Can one stay on SCD/GAPS?” The answer is, “Yes.”
I’ve traveled twice during SCD and GAPS. The first time was a disaster, er, learning experience. The second totally rocked. Some tips for the road:
- plan meals and snacks; bring a clipboard of recipes with you
- bring staples that travel well: coconut oil, spices; etc
- if traveling by car, bring coolers – or even plug in a tiny fridge! (For more car-based tips, please see Justine’s comment immediately following this post.)
- bring Thermoses of food in the car or onto the bus/ferry/plane*
- check a cooler into the baggage compartment*
- distract children with games and fun rather than food
- use a hostel or book a motel room with a kitchenette (make a pot of simple stew; let it simmer while you shower, etc; turn the burner off; fill a day’s worth of Thermoses)
- call ahead to the accommodation to ensure there is: a can opener, immersion blender, pot with lid, pan, chopping knife and cutting board
- shop for food as soon as you arrive at your destination
* Call ahead to your airline, etc, to ask if you are able to bring these. If there is a problem with bringing food/Thermos/cooler, ask if a letter from your doctor stating medical necessity will help. Lots of SCDers have had success with this approach.
When you think you can’t, consider SCD moderator Marilyn, who has managed SCD through more than one lengthy hurricane evacuation!
We traveled frequently last year to my son’s regattas and always ate GAPS. We used your techniques, but sometimes there was no kitchen and we had to improvise. I got a crock pot and would bring the basic utensils, cutting board, etc. I just looked at it as camping indoors. Often there was no fridge, but there is always an ice machine to replenish the coolers (filling water bottles with ice water makes non-messy ice packs, though they do need to be replaced daily).
Meals like chili, stew, soup are easy to make in a crock pot–and it can cook all day while you are out. You can bring enough “snacky” things to stand in for lunches on-the-go–at that point we were eating cheese, I make coconut crackers, found a “legal” salami. We bring nuts and fruit and water and we’re good for hours.
I will say that I am not an organized cook usually–I figure dinner out at six most days. But for these trips I made a very detailed plan for each meal and brought all of our food, leaving nothing to chance.
This makes me feel so much better cause I was a bit worried about what to do if I ever left Ann Arbor or was somewhere new.. I think buying a crockpot is the next step.. What is a crockpot exactly and why is it better than just heating water in a large pan?