Business Travel with Celiac Disease

Business travel adds pressure to the already-challenging task of eating safely. You’re representing your company. You’re navigating professional dynamics. You can’t always choose the restaurant.

Here’s how to manage it.

The Professional Stakes

Business eating isn’t just about food. It’s about:

• Relationship building
• Professional image
• Not being “difficult”
• Focus on work, not logistics

Celiac adds complexity to all of this.

Pre-Trip Planning

Research Your Destination

Before you go:

• Find GF-friendly restaurants near your hotel and meeting location
• Locate grocery stores
• Research the conference center’s food situation
• Note safe backup options for each day

Pack Right

In your carry-on:

• Substantial snacks (bars, nuts, dried fruit)
• A meal’s worth of food for the flight
• Emergency backup food

In your suitcase:

• More snacks
• GF bread if you’ll want it
• Anything else you can’t buy there

Communicate Dietary Needs

For conferences: Contact organizers in advance:

“I have celiac disease and require gluten-free meals. What accommodations are available for conference meals?”

For company events: Tell your admin or travel coordinator:

“I need GF meals arranged for this trip. Here’s what that means…”

For client dinners: Tricky, but possible (see below).

Conference Meals

Before the Conference

Email the organizers. Most conferences have a process for dietary accommodations.

Follow up a week before to confirm arrangements.

At the Conference

Day 1:

• Find the registration desk or catering manager
• Confirm your GF meals are arranged
• Know where to pick them up

At meals:

• Identify your special meal before sitting
• Don’t assume the buffet is safe
• Have backup snacks if the GF meal doesn’t appear

Networking breakfast/lunch:

• Sit with your special meal
• Don’t make it a big deal
• Focus on the conversation, not your food

When Conference Meals Fail

They sometimes do. Your backup:

• Snacks you brought
• Know nearby quick options
• Eat less at the conference, get proper food later

Client Dinners

Client dinners require finesse:

If You’re Choosing the Restaurant

Pick somewhere you know is safe. “I know a great place” = I know a safe place.

If the Client Chooses

Options:

• Research the restaurant immediately
• Call ahead to discuss GF options
• Know what to order when you arrive

At the Dinner

Be matter-of-fact:

“I’m going to order the grilled salmon, I have a dietary restriction so I’ll just skip the sauce.”

Don’t make it a long discussion. State what you need, move on to business.

Drink strategy: If you’re mostly drinking and not eating (because options are limited), order something safe to pick at and nurse your drink.

The Delicate Balance

You want to:

• Not make your dietary needs the topic of conversation
• Not appear difficult or high-maintenance
• Actually get food you can eat

Usually possible with brief, confident communication and moving on.

Hotel Room Eating

Sometimes the best option:

Room Service

Many hotels can accommodate GF requests:

• Call room service directly
• Explain celiac disease
• Ask for plain preparations
• Verify what they can do safely

Grocery Runs

If you have a fridge in your room:

• Stock up on breakfast items
• Have lunch supplies ready
• Reduce dependence on restaurants

Takeout

Find safe restaurants that deliver:

• Chipotle bowls
• Thai with rice
• Any GF-friendly local option

Team Dinners and Networking

Collegial Eating

With coworkers:

• You may need to explain once
• After that, most people adapt
• They’ll start asking “is this safe for you?”

Script:

“I have celiac disease, can’t eat gluten. It’s an autoimmune thing. I’ll find something on the menu.”

Keep it brief and unworried.

Happy Hours

Bar food is often problematic. Strategies:

• Eat before you go
• Order a drink and stick to safe items (many bars have plain wings, nuts)
• Focus on the social aspect, not the food

The “I Already Ate” Move

Sometimes effective:

• Eat before the event
• Order a drink or safe appetizer
• Participate without eating a full meal

Not ideal for formal dinners but works for casual networking.

Expense Reports and Practicality

Documenting Dietary Needs

Some companies need documentation:

• A note from your doctor
• Explanation of why certain accommodations are needed
• Justification for special meal expenses

Worth having on file.

Expense Considerations

Reasonable accommodations:

• Higher cost for GF meals
• Grocery costs for safe snacks
• Room service when alternatives aren’t safe

Most companies understand medical dietary needs.

Managing Energy

Business travel is exhausting. Celiac makes it more so:

• Food planning takes mental energy
• Worrying about meals distracts from work
• Getting glutened destroys productivity

Protect yourself:

• Prioritize safe food over adventure
• Build in buffer time for food logistics
• Don’t sacrifice health for appearance

The Long-Term Play

Over time:

• Colleagues learn your needs
• Frequent clients may remember
• You develop routines that work

The first business trip is hardest. It gets easier with experience.

A Note on Disclosure

You’re not obligated to disclose celiac as a medical condition:

• Saying “dietary restriction” is enough
• Most people don’t need medical details
• Choose what to share based on context

But also: celiac isn’t shameful. Being matter-of-fact about it models healthy handling.

Your Health > Their Convenience

Business relationships matter. Your health matters more.

Don’t eat something unsafe because:

• The client ordered it
• Everyone else is eating it
• You don’t want to seem difficult

Take care of yourself. The work will go on.