The Classy College Cookbook Has Moved!

Thank you to all that have visited this blog! I have recently created a new blog to focus on two aspects of my life that I like to share; gluten-free living and my obsession with beauty products. Please visit and follow my new blog BeautyFULL & GlutenFREE. I have rolled over my gluten-free blog posts from this blog to my new one and will continue to share tips, recipes and more on my gluten-free lifestyle. 

5 of My Favorite Gluten Free Products

Being on a gluten free diet for the past 2 years has been more of a project than an adventure. I have tried countless products; some good, some bad, some terrible. Here are a few products that are almost always in my house.

1. Rudi's Bread. In my opinion, it's the absolute best. Like most gluten free bread it comes frozen and is best when toasted. You can buy it in a double bag at Costco.

2. Bob's Red Mill Oatmeal: I order this on bulk from Amazon every few months. My go to breakfast is oatmeal with blueberries, walnuts and pure maple syrup. Bob's oatmeal tastes great and has the same consistency as "normal" oatmeal.

3. Angie's Popcorn: I could probably live off this snack! I love Angie's Boom Chicka Pop and the fact you can get big bags at Costco!

4. I Love Peanut Butter & Co: Their dark chocolate peanut butter is so delicious. It's great on toast or with a banana. I also like their original and cinnamon raisin peanut butter.

5. Aleia's Bread Crumbs: These seasoned Italian bread crumbs are the real deal and they are easy to find in super markets. 

Friedman's Lunch NYC!

I've eaten at Friedman's a couple of times and absolutely love it! The staff is really friendly and they have a ton of gluten free options. They even pride themselves on preventing cross contamination. If you are in the city, you definitely need to stop at Friedman's. And no matter what you get, you have to ask for their apple butter and toast. It's out of the world! Just remembered they don't take reservations and it fills up quickly, so if you have some other things to do before you plan to eat, stop at Friedman's and put your name on the list. 

Royal Caribbean is Gluten Free Friendly!

I am long over do for a blog post, so I think it's the perfect time to share my experience sailing with Royal Caribbean, Allure of the Seas! I recently spent a week cruising to Haiti, Jamaica and Mexico with my family. Before every vacation I always make sure to do my research on gluten free options while traveling. When booking my reservation my travel agent put a gluten allergy notice on my account. Later-on I also called Royal Caribbean to confirm that I would not have a problem eating at any restaurant on the ship. I was pleasantly surprised by staff's knowledge and ability to accommodate my gluten allergy. If you have a gluten allergy you have nothing to worry about while sailing Royal Caribbean! You can eat EVERYWHERE on the ship! A major gluten free plus - Royal Caribbean uses a lot of Udi's products!! I definitely recommend spending a little extra money for Rita's, Chops and Giovanni's Table. My family really enjoyed our meals these nights. For the most part, we felt the "free" dining options providing average an dining experiences. 

Allure of the Seas in Labadee, Haiti

Here are some of my cruising tips:

-The first night you eat in the main dining hall for dinner, immediately notify your sever of your allergy (mine was already aware).  Although the menu identifies which items can be prepared gluten free, the sever will likely walk you through the menu. With the exception of the first sailing day, you will be asked to chose your dinner for the main dining hall a day in advance (ex - when you finish dinner on Monday night, you will be asked to choose dinner for Tuesday night). I believe this is done to ensure the best cross-contamination prevention.  The main dining hall is the only restaurant on the ship that severs fresh gluten free bread.

-In the main dining hall and any other restaurant look for a manager (they are likely wearing a different uniform and are easy to spot) and go to them with any food allergy related questions. 

-In the buffet style restaurants, tell one of the mangers of your allergy and they will likely bring you a chef who will walk you around the buffet.

-If you are going to dine at a specialty restaurant, stop by ahead of time or the night before to discuss and select your meal. 

-At the Central Park Cafe, one of the food managers took it upon himself to prepare my gluten free sandwich to prevent cross contamination. 

-I suggest bringing peanut butter, instant oatmeal and a few snacks as backup, especially if you plan on exploring your destinations. If you are on an island for lunch it may be difficult to find a gluten free option! However, Margaritaville in Falmouth, Jamaica was gluten free friendly.

Gluten Free at MSG!

Fear not, sports fans! The revamped Madison Square Garden is gluten free friendly. Their gluten free stand is called, "Healthy at The Garden." The menu includes hot dogs, nachos,  fries, chicken fingers, pizza, multiple beers and more! They also offer pre-made sandwiches by The Bare Naked Bakery on Long Island. I bought the sandwich, but the bread was VERY dry. Although the sandwich wasn't my favorite, I have to say the gluten free menu at The Garden blows away those of  the other arenas/stadiums I've been the.

FYI - Yankee Stadium, Citi Field and The Barclay's Center have gluten free stands as well!