Traveling when you have allergies or conditions that require you to avoid certain foods, or for which you require a unique diet, is never easy. It requires a lot more preparation, and you have to be very thorough when researching destinations and places where you plan to eat. This is the only way to avoid complications and suffering from severe health issues in a foreign country. Here are some essential travel tips for people with restricted diets.
Pack Travel Size Options
Whether you need to supplement foods or beverages, or you can’t eat things with certain ingredients, try to see if you can find versions of whatever foods or additives you need in travel packs or individual sizes. If you’re suffering from dysphagia, Simply Thick LLC has thickeners in all sizes that will come in very handy. You have to make sure, however, that you check the list of TSA-approved foods and know how much you can bring in your carry-on bag.
Research the Destination’s Main Cuisine(s)
You have to know what the local main cuisine or favorite cuisines are before you go. If you don’t eat pork, for instance, then it’s important to realize that some countries use mainly pork as a meat source, and that could make things very difficult for you. Or, if you’re a vegan, then a country like India or Singapore would be a much better option than the Philippines, for instance.
You shouldn’t automatically scratch a country off a list because of some food incompatibilities, but some things could be deal breakers. People with a severe peanut allergy cannot go to a country that mainly uses peanut oil to cook with or has poor food hygiene practices. So, make sure that you know what those deal breakers are and look at the cuisine as one of the main factors for choosing a destination.
Choose Accommodation that Will Allow You to Cook
If you want to make things easy for yourself, book accommodation that will allow you to cook your food. This way, you’ll have full control over what you eat and how it’s being cooked. You could go for an Airbnb or a serviced apartment instead of a hotel, for instance. Or you could get a villa with a chef if you’re traveling with a large group or have the means for it.
Bring an Allergy or Diet Restriction Card
If you don’t know what an allergy card or diet restriction card is, it is a card that will list all the restrictions or allergies you have in the target language. You can make one on your own, or you can use a service like AllergyTranslation.com, DietaryCard.com, or CeliacTravel.com.
If you don’t want to worry about getting seriously ill or eating something that goes against your principles on your next trip, follow the above tips. Remember to research your dining options thoroughly and make things as easy as possible for the people who will be serving you.
