Love me a smiley face!
If you’re unfamiliar with the Nima, it’s a portable testing device that detects gluten in food. It works like a compact chemistry kit: place a pea-sized sample of the food into a capsule, insert the capsule into the Nima sensor, and about three minutes later the device indicates whether gluten was detected. A smiling face on the screen means “no gluten,” which offers real peace of mind when testing meals.
We were early adopters of the Nima. Over a year ago I had the chance to connect with people at Nima Labs when CEO and co-founder Shireen Yates joined one of our Raising Our Celiac Kids meetings via Skype. She tested food we had sent and answered questions, so I was already somewhat familiar with the device. I pre-ordered the Nima and received it last fall. This February break was the first time we traveled with it, and the whole family was excited to bring the sensor along.
For background: my son was diagnosed with celiac disease and has followed a strict gluten-free diet for over six years. We’re used to asking questions, reading menus and ingredient lists carefully, and making cautious choices about what’s safe for him. Dining out on a restricted diet always takes planning, and eating away from home for ten days can be stressful—especially when traveling with extended family. Ten people visited two states and passed through five airports. Having the Nima Sensor with us felt like an extra layer of protection and confidence when deciding what was safe to eat.
Before the trip we wondered how often we’d actually use the Nima and what we’d do if the device showed gluten present (a wheat symbol). The updated Nima also reports “low gluten” and “high gluten” results—would that change our approach? With those questions in mind, we headed first to Napa, California for a cousin’s wedding and then on to a family vacation in Hawaii, Nima in hand.
What we found
We were especially grateful for the Nima when our usual questions and instincts didn’t give us full confidence. Cross-contamination is always a concern, and when dining out we often choose to skip a meal if we don’t feel comfortable with the answers we get. At airports and on the West Coast, where dining options felt limited, we relied on the Nima more often.
The first time we used it was at JFK before our flight. The servers at the only seemingly safe spot—Jamba Juice—didn’t demonstrate strong knowledge of gluten-free practices. The ingredients appeared safe, so we ordered a fruit smoothie and tested it with the Nima. Smiley face—good start.
Nima to the rescue
At our Napa inn the breakfast buffet initially looked overwhelming: lots of open items and potential cross-contact. But there was an omelette station, roast potatoes and fresh fruit—items my son could eat. Staff assured us those items were gluten-free, but we were cautious. We tested the omelette and potatoes with the Nima and both returned smiley faces. That extra reassurance made us more comfortable letting him eat.
Throughout the wedding weekend we continued to use the Nima. Everything we tested showed no gluten and my son remained symptom-free. Later, at LAX during a long delay, we tested several meals and were relieved each time to see smiley faces. We still did our usual due diligence—asking questions and assessing preparation methods—but the Nima added an extra layer of confidence. On several occasions, without the device we might have had him skip a meal or eat nervously and worry afterward about accidental gluten exposure.
Anticipation and practical limits
Using the Nima at every meal can slow things down. Each test is roughly three minutes, and when everyone else is already eating, that wait can feel long. There were times we chose not to test for the sake of timing or convenience.
In Hawaii we were impressed by how knowledgeable many hotels and restaurants were about celiac disease and cross-contamination. We called ahead, noted that we were celiac and needed strictly gluten-free meals, and encountered staff who clearly understood the risks and preparation best practices. With ten people dining together, we often relied on questions and our usual judgment rather than testing every dish. That felt freeing after several days of cautious testing.
Overall, we loved traveling with the Nima. Being away from home for ten days and unable to control ingredients or preparation can be stressful on a restricted diet. Having an additional tool to help guide our choices felt empowering. Nima isn’t perfect—cross-contamination is not always evenly distributed, so a small sample might miss gluten present elsewhere in the dish—but used alongside careful questioning and common sense, it proved valuable. Best of all: my son didn’t get glutened on this trip.
Discount code for purchasing a Nima Sensor
If you’re interested in purchasing a Nima, you can use the promo code HGFF for $15 off a Nima Starter Kit.
Disclaimer: I want my readers to know where I stand with products and ingredients I mention. While Nima sponsored this post, the opinions here are entirely my own. Because I’ve found the Nima Sensor useful, I agreed to act as an affiliate; I receive a small payment if you purchase a Nima using my promo code.