Planning for a trip can be daunting. Add a special diet and the task can seem downright impossible.

My family will be taking a trip into Northern Michigan. We will be staying in a rustic cabin in the woods among several extended family members. We will be pretty far away from a grocery store, and forget about a specialty store. So, planning meals for my son, who is both gluten- and casein-free, is vital.

Here is my game plan:

1. Make a good list. I am writing down every meal I will be preparing and will be going on one big shopping trip a few days before our trip. Breakfast foods are especially important. I will be picking up some cereal (Enviro-Kids and some General Mills varieties are gluten-free). I also will get some storage containers and a Sharpie to mark them with while I'm out.

2. Cook ahead of time. In the days before our trip, I will be baking cookies (I like Red Mills brand), roasting a chicken for lunches, baking a loaf of bread and making some pasta and sauce. Fortunately, the cabins aren't too rustic. They are equipped with refrigerators, where I will be storing pre-made and frozen foods.

3. Bring lots of snacks. Vacations are filled with activity. Having the right fuel to get going and out the door can make things go a lot easier. While others pull out snacks that most likely will contain some kind of milk or wheat ingredient, we will have boxes of raisins, snack-sized baggies of gluten-free pretzels, chips, freeze-dried apples and cookies on hand.

4. Pack everything in single-serving containers. Not only do meals travel better in smaller portions, they are easier to grab and prepare. And every minute I can spend out of my gluten-free kitchen on vacation will be a luxury!

5. Think about what others will be bringing. Other campers in our group are having birthdays, so I plan to bring cupcakes for my son so he will be able to participate in the festivities. If others are having S'mores, we will have gluten-free graham crackers (Jo-Sef brand are gluten-free and casein-free) on hand to soak up the marshmallows (Kraft are gluten-free). If you want a good chocolate bar that is gluten free (such as Newman's), check in the health food section of you grocery store. Hershey's is not gluten-free.

6. Pack simple go-to items. Ballpark hotdogs, Kroger brand frozen french fries, Boar's Head lunch meat and Garden Fresh Gourmet tortilla chips are standard gluten-free fare at our home. I'm packing what I know will be gluten-free so I don't run the risk of not finding them at the store in case we do make the trek for some essentials.

As with any trip, planning ahead is the key to a more relaxed stay. It will be a lot of preparation, but I'm hoping to get a much-needed rest from the daily grind --- and daily meal planning!

Here is a recipe courtesy of Chex that would be a good take-along for any trip. Rice Chex are gluten-free. Check peanut butter and chocolate chip labels for ingredients:

Muddy Buddies

9 cups Rice Chex 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

.	Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.
	In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.
.	Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.