8 replies to this topic

[MindytheOrganist]

Son-in-law is being stationed in Germany, in Grafenwoehr. My first grand-baby will be born there this coming August. Any suggestions/ideas on gluten-free options? We will probably have to stay in a hotel. I've already written down suggestions from the previous posting about long flights, but any new ideas would be appreciated. Husband is celiac, but shows no obvious symptoms, even after being accidentally severely glutened at a Biaggi's. I'm hoping daughter will be able to "scope out" the area for us, but, obviously, she will have other things on her mind

[aming44]

I don't know that specific area in Germany, but the brand Schar is made there and widely available places the I've been to...It's got great breads, pretzels, snack kinds of things...

I would also suggest writing down/saying to restaurants the advice from this website: http://dzg-online.de...chef.157.0.html

[mushroom]

I did not have to eat gluten free when I was in Germany, but your mention of Grafenwoehr brought back a whole host of memories, Mindy, since that was a first-line-of-defense town on the border of east and west in the cold war days I worked in the psychiatric clinic of a USAH and many's the time a young private would be brought in having cracked under the stress of the tensions back in that time. Sad to say, I still think of all the wonderful breads (and wurst, of course) when I think of Bavaria. I am sure that things in Grafenwoehr are very different now from what they were then

[secokely]

Congratulations on your grandchild! I am currently living in Bavaria myself as my husband is stationed at another (much smaller) Army base over here. Fortunately Graf is a very large post and has a sizable commissary, if you are able to get temporary access to post you can help go shopping for both yourself and your son's new family there and should be able to get whatever you are used to eating back home. If you are looking at German markets and are curious about a product "gluten frei" is the designation they use and any "bio markt" will have a variety of gluten free items. I will say it will be incredibly challenging since the traditional German breakfast a roll with meat or jam and at four they typically have coffee and cake. The majority of food in restaurants will come breaded or with gravies so either find items that will not have these or get comfortable being able to special order things. Again, Graf is a large instilation so the surrounding area is very good with English so if you aren't very comfortable conversing in German you shouldn't have too many problems

[GermanUSAfan]

In Germany there is a big drugstore chain called "DM". There you get a lot of different bread, rolls, cookies, snacks. Normally you find a DM-market in every town, even in the small ones.

[OleMissLass]

Thanks so much for all these tips!  I am traveling to Frankfurt and Heidelberg next week and will definitely need access to safe gluten-free snacks since I'm pregnant and can't take the chance of contamination. 

[MindytheOrganist]

Grafenwoehr is now a training facility, from what I understand from my son-in-law.  I remember most of the Cold War, the bomb drills and such.  I'm sure it's very different now.  It seems like the Army bends over backwards to help people transition from the US to Germany.

 

I did not have to eat gluten free when I was in Germany, but your mention of Grafenwoehr brought back a whole host of memories, Mindy, since that was a first-line-of-defense town on the border of east and west in the cold war days I worked in the psychiatric clinic of a USAH and many's the time a young private would be brought in having cracked under the stress of the tensions back in that time. Sad to say, I still think of all the wonderful breads (and wurst, of course) when I think of Bavaria. I am sure that things in Grafenwoehr are very different now from what they were then

[seezee]

We spent a month in Germany near Munich. It seemed really hard to eat out as everything is breaded and waiters. The other thing to watch out for was wheat syrup that they have in a lot of things we can normally eat here that are made with corn syrup like candy and yogurt. We cooked a lot. Train stations were especially hard as they were filled with baked goods and not much else. 

[HadassahSukkot]

I'm late to the party, but I did want to say if anyone needs anything re:Germany, feel free to ping me. I've been here for six years and gluten free the entire time. I'm in the west south of Frankfurt am Main if that helps any, but the availability of items and products are nationwide.