Food allergies and intolerances can make traveling to unfamiliar places challenging, or even dangerous. These tips from a frequent traveler will help you be prepared and avoid issues that can ruin your trip.
Photo © Getty Images / Silvia Otte
I can’t eat garlic. I’m not allergic to it – I won’t die if I eat it, but garlic really doesn’t like me. If I get garlic-sabotaged, it’s straight to bed for me and at least a day ruined.
More than 20 million Americans have food allergies, according to the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America. Food intolerances, like my garlic issue, affect even more people. In Australia, a quarter of Australia’s population believes they have a food intolerance, according to the New South Wales Food Authority.
My garlic intolerance can make eating at restaurants challenging because garlic hides in many things. Traveling, especially in places where I don’t speak the language, is even more tricky.
But I won’t let food sensitivities stop me (or you!) from seeing the world. So here are some suggestions for my fellow travelers with dietary restrictions, intolerances, and allergies.
- Do your research ahead of time
- Learn it in other languages, and write it down
- Beware of sauces and other hidden allergens
- Notify your travel suppliers
- Bring snacks
- Pack medication or supplements
- Additional resources
Do your research ahead of time
You’re already researching flights, accommodation, and travel insurance – take some time to research common foods in the countries you intend to travel to. For example, South Korea would be particularly challenging for me because garlic is a very common ingredient there. People with gluten intolerance, surprisingly, may fare quite well in Italy. Vegetarians may struggle in parts of South America and Eastern Europe, but will fare much better in Western Europe, Australia, and most of the US. Generally speaking, bigger cities will have more variety, but options may dwindle the more remote or rural you go.
“As someone with Coeliac disease I always do my own research ahead of time, so I am aware of what I may or may not be able to eat,” says Dyan Mckie, a Senior Product Manager at Intrepid Travel. “Plus it helps me prepare if I want to take my own snacks with me. This also sets my own expectations when I am in country. If I know I can't get gluten-free bread then I acknowledge I will be eating eggs or fruit for breakfast most mornings.”
Learn it in other languages, and write it down
This is particularly important if you have a food allergy. Learn how to say your allergy, dietary restriction, or intolerance in the languages you’ll encounter. But also write it down or print out some chef cards.
Don’t rely on Google Translate in case you can’t find wifi or your phone battery dies. A few years ago, I tried my best to say “no garlic” in Vietnamese, but I couldn’t get the tones of the language right, so I was very grateful for my written translation.
Beware of sauces and other hidden allergens
Sauces are a common culprit for food reactions. Fish sauce and soy sauce are commonly used throughout Asia (even in vegetable dishes) though the menu might not call it out. Travelers with fish allergies should also be careful with tomato and barbeque sauces and some dressings.
Travelers with egg allergies should watch out for glazes on pretzels and bagels. People with tree nut or peanut allergies should be careful with veggie burgers, curry sauces, Italian mortadella ham and even some alcohol, such as Bombay Sapphire gin, which contains almonds.
Planning an overseas adventure? Find out how travel insurance can help if you get sick or injured while traveling abroad.
Notify your travel suppliers
For international flights, most airlines offer special meals including vegan, gluten free and kosher. For those with less common food intolerances or allergies, a fruit plate may be a safer, sauce-free option.
If you’re traveling with a tour operator or cruise line, be sure to inform them of your dietary restrictions at the time of booking, so they can advise local suppliers and tour leaders.
Mckie says that if travelers are unsure about a destination, they can call Intrepid before booking a tour to see whether their dietary requirements can be catered to.
Sean Hughes, Head of Sales for Wild Frontiers says that it's important for a tour operator to not only to know your food intolerances, but also the ramifications if you accidentally eat them.
“If you're allergic to onions, please also tell us if that means garlic and shallots are out too,” Hughes said. “And knowing the ramifications helps us prepare local staff on the importance and what to do in an emergency. But it also allows us to guide travelers. If a small bit of onion (as a recent example) requires a hospital visit, we might recommend against going to countries where their use in dishes is endemic – or prepare you to expect bland food.”
Mckie says “The Intrepid leaders are also a big help in country as they can help ask questions to ensure there is no gluten in prepared meals or can suggest dishes I can try.”
Bring snacks
Sometimes you’ll get stuck without decent food options, especially if you're dining as a group and you don’t have a say in where you’re going. So, bring snacks – in particular, hearty, protein-filled snacks to keep you fuller longer. Protein and granola bars, nuts, and dried fruit travel well. Meat eaters can consider jerky sticks or tuna pouches, just beware some countries like Japan, Taiwan and Iceland restrict the import of meat, including jerky. (So again, research.)
Travel Wellness expert John Ayo swears by chia seeds, which are full of protein, fiber, and antioxidants to boost the immune system. He recommends adding chia to your water bottle or smoothie to help you hydrate at a cellular level.
Pack medication or supplements
If you have ever had an anaphylactic reaction to food, it’s essential to bring an epi pen and keep it with you at all times. For those with milder allergies, an antihistamine might suffice. And for those of us with intolerances, stock up on Tums, Imodium, ginger, or whatever else helps you manage your symptoms.
I always travel with peppermint oil, which I rub on my belly to lessen nausea. IBGard is a great supplement for people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Be sure to check with your doctor before starting any new supplements.
One caveat for medication: always research your destination to make sure the countries you’re visiting don’t have any restrictions on what you’re bringing. And it’s always best to carry medication and supplements in their original bottles (and carry the original prescription note if you’ve got one).
When you’re organizing your supplements, don’t forget your immune boosters like vitamin C, zinc, or elderberry. If you run into trouble finding nutritious food that won’t trigger issues, your immune system could weaken, making you more susceptible to colds.
Bottom line: don’t be afraid to travel with dietary restrictions. Advance research and preparation can help keep you safe and reaction-free. Garlic doesn’t like me, and it hides in everything. But I haven’t let that stop me from seeing the world, and neither should you.
Additional resources
Food Allergy Research & Education or FARE offers country-specific tip sheets and links to chef cards which include translations of the most common allergens in more than 10 languages.
The FODMAP app helps travelers with IBS with a traffic light system to help identify foods with common triggers.
Happy Cow helps vegetarians and vegans find friendly restaurants around the world.
The US Center for Disease Control, in addition to vaccine recommendations, has food allergy checklists in their online Yellow Book.
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