Why I Created The Gluten Free Traveling Toon App!
My name is Sinéad.
When I first started the gluten free journey, eating out was a constant puzzle and anxiety-inducing, and travel? That felt downright impossible.
I decided to change that, I enrolled in Hunter College and NYU Continuing Education programs to learn web languages and In March 2011 I launched my first website, listing every gluten free friendly restaurant I could find mostly in New York and wherever else I could reach. Back then, truly 100% gluten free places barely existed. Shared kitchens were the norm, and every meal felt like a gamble. Too often I lost that bet and paid the price.
I dreamed of a world where we never had to roll the dice again.
Today, dedicated 100% gluten free restaurants and bakeries are opening all over the globe, and I’ve made it my life’s mission to find and personally vet every single one. I visit when I can, call, email, and dig deep to confirm they’re as safe as possible for people with Coeliac/Celiac Disease in today’s world.
This is why I created the Traveling Toon app one of the first apps that lists exclusively 100% gluten free establishments. Even if a city or country has just one or two safe options, knowing they’re there can turn a nerve wracking trip into a real adventure. A reliable base changes everything when you travel with Coeliac/Celiac Disease.
My mission is straightforward: keep discovering these incredible places and make sure you can always eat without fear.
And then there’s Nessa, The Traveling Toon and our trademark. I’ve never been comfortable in front of the camera, but I love capturing my travels. In 2018 I asked a talented artist, to turn a simple idea into our official mascot. We gave our little character an Irish fairy soul and I named her Traveling Toon, trademarked her that same year, and by the end of 2019 the Gluten Free Traveling Toon app was launched and The Traveling Toon as its globe-trotting guide was born.
The Traveling Toon travels ahead so you don’t have to wonder what’s safe. She’s the heart of every safe meal we help you find.
This work is deeply personal to me. The longer these restaurants and bakeries thrive, the longer we all get to enjoy them. I’m still as obsessed with accuracy and safety as I was on day one, but I also know restaurant supply chains inside out so my advice will always be: never let your guard down completely. Ask questions, call ahead, confirm protocols and opening hours. Your health is in fact your wealth.
I’ll keep hunting down every 100% gluten free gem I can find, anywhere in the world. They are all listed on this site for your convenience while giving you free access.
Our app has a one time IOS Apple fee of $7.99. Here’s to eating safely, traveling freely, and many happy Traveling Toon adventures along the way.
Sinéad – Traveling Toon & Gluten Free Tours Founder
How the Gluten Free Tour Was Born!
In 2020, when the world suddenly stopped, I did too and I took a long, hard look at my employment decisions. Years of sitting at a desk for endless hours had taken a toll on my body and my spirit. I knew that when the city came back to life, I didn’t want to go back to that chair. I wanted sunlight, fresh air and to be able to exercise weekly.
That’s when the idea hit me: combine everything I’m passionate about, New York City, walking, and helping people with celiac disease eat safely into something real.
I studied and earned my official New York City Sightseeing Guide License, (2100579-DCA) determined to create the tour I wished had existed when I was first started my health journey: a 100% gluten-free food walking tour right through the heart of Central Park, New York City; watching people bite into a warm gluten free bagel or a perfect croissant, some who believed they would never enjoy again.
These tours aren’t just about food they’re about freedom. Freedom to explore this incredible city, to taste its flavors, to walk and enjoy the sights of Central Park knowing every gluten free stop is 100% safe.
Voice Map:
I went one step further: I’ve always loved exploring at my own pace, lingering when something catches my eye, and never feeling rushed. That’s why, after launching my in person gluten free walking tour, I went looking for a way to give you the same 100% safe food experience on your own terms.
I discovered VoiceMap, a brilliant self guided audio tour platform, and spent six intense (and occasionally cringe worthy) months recording every step of my favorite Central Park routes. Yes, hearing my own voice narrating still makes me squirm a little, most of us hate that part! but their incredible editor was patient and a perfectionist, together we created something I’m truly proud of. Now, for just $9.99, you can download “Living Gluten Free: A Tour through New York’s Central Park” on the VoiceMap app and set off whenever you like. Stop for photos, sit on a bench and people watch, total freedom, zero worry and yummy gluten free treats along the way.
Whether you join me in person tour “Gluten Free Walking Tour of Central Park NYC” or download the VoiceMap app and tour on that platform, I will lead the way through your headphones or in person, my promise is the same: every single bite is gluten free and every moment is yours to enjoy. See you out there in person or self-guided!
Sinéad – Traveling Toon & Gluten Free Tours Founder