Building Your Go-Bag: Always Be Prepared

The difference between a celiac who’s always stressed and one who’s mostly calm? Preparedness.

A go-bag, a kit of safe foods and supplies that travels with you, means you’re never stranded, never desperate, never forced to eat something unsafe because you have no other option.

Here’s how to build one.

The Philosophy

Having backup food isn’t about expecting the worst. It’s about giving yourself freedom.

When you know you have safe food available:

• You can take risks (try new restaurants) knowing you have a backup
• You can travel without anxiety
• You can survive delays, cancellations, and surprises
• You can say “no thanks” to unsafe food without going hungry

This is power.

The Basic Go-Bag

For everyday carry, your purse, backpack, or car.

Non-Perishable Snacks

Foods that won’t spoil and can handle some abuse:

• Protein bars: Find a GF brand you like. (Larabars, RXBars, Kind bars, check labels)
• Nuts: Almonds, cashews, mixed nuts. Calorie-dense and satisfying.
• Dried fruit: Raisins, apricots, mango. Pairs well with nuts.
• GF crackers: Individual packs stay fresh longer.
• Nut butter packets: Single-serve peanut or almond butter.
• Dark chocolate: A treat that travels well.
• Beef jerky: Check for GF, some contain soy sauce.

The Minimum

If space is limited, this is the minimum:

• One protein bar
• One bag of nuts

That’s enough to bridge you through most emergencies.

The Travel Go-Bag

For longer trips, air travel, road trips, all-day outings.

All of the Above, Plus:

• More snacks: Double or triple your normal amount
• A small meal: A sandwich on GF bread, or a container of safe food from home
• Instant oatmeal packets: GF, of course. Add hot water from a coffee shop.
• Rice cakes: Bulky but versatile
• Nut butter jar: Small size if you’re flying (TSA allows foods, but liquids have restrictions)

Travel-Specific Additions

• Dining cards: Translated cards explaining your needs in local language
• Restaurant research: Addresses of safe restaurants at your destination
• Low-gluten hosts: If you’re Catholic and traveling

The Emergency Go-Bag

For situations where you might be stuck for an extended period, natural disasters, unexpected delays, etc.

In Your Car or Home Emergency Kit:

• GF instant meals: There are GF backpacking/camping meals that just need hot water
• Canned foods: GF soups, beans, tuna. Plus a can opener.
• GF granola or cereal: Can eat dry in emergencies
• Water: Always have water
• Utensils: A fork and spoon that are yours

Organizing Your Go-Bag

In Your Purse/Backpack (Daily)

• 1-2 bars
• Small bag of nuts
• Maybe a packet of crackers

In Your Car

• Dedicated snack box
• Rotated every few months (check expiration dates)
• Include something that satisfies (not just crackers)

In Your Suitcase (Travel)

• Day’s worth of snacks in carry-on
• Extra snacks in checked luggage
• At least one “meal” worth of food

At Your Desk (Work)

• Snack drawer
• Emergency instant meal
• Backup option for the day you forgot lunch

What I Actually Carry

My purse always has:

• Two Larabars
• A small bag of almonds

My car has:

• A box of GF crackers
• A jar of nut butter
• Dried mango
• A few protein bars

When traveling:

• All of the above, doubled
• GF instant oatmeal packets
• A sandwich made before leaving home
• Low-gluten hosts and dining cards

The Mental Shift

At first, carrying food everywhere feels like a burden. Another thing to manage.

Over time, it becomes second nature. You check for your snacks the way you check for your phone.

And the first time your flight is delayed six hours, or a business meeting runs through lunch with pizza as the only option, or a road trip takes you through food-desert territory, you’ll be grateful.

Rotation and Maintenance

Go-bags need maintenance:

• Check expiration dates monthly: Eat what’s expiring, replace it
• Rotate seasonal items: Chocolate melts in a hot car
• Replenish after use: Used a bar at the airport? Replace it before the next trip
• Reassess periodically: Still like those crackers, or time to try something new?

Set a monthly reminder if you need to.

For Parents of Celiac Kids

Kids need go-bags too:

• Snacks in their backpack (for school, activities)
• Snacks in your bag (for outings)
• Safe treats (for when other kids have cupcakes)
• A small “party pack” (GF cupcake or cookies) for unexpected birthday parties

Teaching kids to carry their own safe food builds independence.

The Confidence Factor

Here’s what changes when you have a go-bag:

Before: “What if there’s nothing safe? What if I’m stuck? What if they don’t accommodate me?”

After: “I’ll figure it out. And if I can’t, I have backup.”

That shift, from anxiety to confidence, is worth the minor hassle of carrying extra food.

You’re not at the mercy of circumstances. You’re prepared.

A Final Note

I once had a delayed flight that turned into an overnight in an airport hotel. The only food available was a vending machine (not safe) and a closed restaurant.

I ate my backup bars and nuts for dinner. Not glamorous. But I didn’t go hungry, didn’t get glutened, and woke up fine.

That’s what a go-bag is for. The not-glamorous moments when having safe food means everything.

Build yours. Keep it stocked. Carry it always.