Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Traveling Overseas ... Any Guidance?

Pisqualie

By Pisqualie
in Coping with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

Pisqualie Apprentice
Pisqualie
Posted

Hello! I am still awaiting blood test results, but am about 99% sure I have Celiac. I have finally adjusted to not eating wheat at home, and have mastered a few local restaurants... but recently my family traveled to DC and wow, finding food to eat in new towns, in new restaurants... it was much harder than I thought it would be. I wound up pretty ill, honestly.

Here's my concern... my husband and I are finally going on our European vacation and I am so excited! Except, now I am sort of dreading all the food. We are spending three days in Paris (bread anyone?), three days in London, and then three days in Ireland.

What on earth am I going to eat? I am so tired of grilled chicken salads when I go out to eat. Though I have mastered the bun-less hamburger... only, I have never really been a big fan of burgers.

What do you do when you travel places where you are unfamiliar with menus, etc? Any guidance? I'm sort of preparing myself to be a little glutened ... I'm not sure I could avoid it 100% while traveling, realistically.

Thanks!

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


love2travel Mentor
love2travel
Posted

Hello! I am still awaiting blood test results, but am about 99% sure I have Celiac. I have finally adjusted to not eating wheat at home, and have mastered a few local restaurants... but recently my family traveled to DC and wow, finding food to eat in new towns, in new restaurants... it was much harder than I thought it would be. I wound up pretty ill, honestly.

Here's my concern... my husband and I are finally going on our European vacation and I am so excited! Except, now I am sort of dreading all the food. We are spending three days in Paris (bread anyone?), three days in London, and then three days in Ireland.

What on earth am I going to eat? I am so tired of grilled chicken salads when I go out to eat. Though I have mastered the bun-less hamburger... only, I have never really been a big fan of burgers.

What do you do when you travel places where you are unfamiliar with menus, etc? Any guidance? I'm sort of preparing myself to be a little glutened ... I'm not sure I could avoid it 100% while traveling, realistically.

Thanks!

Welcome here! You mention not eating wheat - I'm just checking to make sure you know that you also cannot consume anything containing barley or rye as well. Most advise us not to consume oats until our guts heal (even certified gluten free - there are differing opinions, of course).

Congratulations on your first European trip! My husband and I travel to Europe twice each year (leaving next week, actually) so I understand your concern. We travel to countries where English is not the first language so I take along restaurant cards (just google). That may help in France. The good news is that it seems many other countries are far more aware and better informed than in North America. And even better - in good restaurants, most menu items are naturally gluten free anyway (i.e. lamb, duck, etc.) so this is the time to splurge! :D Not only that but the chefs are far better trained than cooks in fast-food or casual places. Usually. Same is true here in Canada.

Be careful to explain cross contamination in the kitchen, too. It is not just the food itself that can cause trouble.

I would recommend frequenting the wonderful outdoor markets and also recommend renting an apartment if possible so you can prepare your own breakfasts and lunches. Go to the grocery stores and markets for picnic fixings.

Definitely take along plenty of snacks, especially for eating at airports. Many airports have little or nothing available for us that is safe other than the odd half-rotten banana. Same with gluten-free food on flights (make sure to request that). My experiences have been dreadful but I go prepared. Plan for flight delays and turbulence (i.e. you cannot get up to get a snack out of your bag - keep something with you).

Last of all, do not worry or panic. It truly is easier even in Central/Eastern Europe than here. Oh, yes. Some pharmacies carry gluten free products. Look for the Scharr brand. I HATE the sliced bread but I read on here that their rolls, I believe, are good.

When do you leave?

Pauliewog Contributor
Pauliewog
Posted

My friend just returned from London and brought me a bag full of gluten free goodies. It certainly is not uncommon there (unlike here in Asia). I think with some googling you can find a lot of restaurants catering to gluten-free diets. One thing I often do is use Google of that country to get better hits. In this case use Google.co.uk.

Victoria6102 Contributor
Victoria6102
Posted

I would feel uncomfortable eating at any restaurant unless it has a good reputation for gluten free cooking, such as PF Changs does here. Buy some fresh fruit to carry around with you. GoPicnics have many gluten free options and those were my lifesaver when i traveled to Africa, as they don't have to be refrigerated or heated up. Buy some potatoes when you get there, something to fill you up. I also brought my pans with me which was a help so I could cook some chicken. Definitely get a hotel where you have a microwave and stove.

Also, don't expect to get glutened. With the right precautions you will be fine! I did not get glutened and I traveled to a country that has no understanding if allergies or gluten. If you try, you will have nothing to worry about! Good luck and have fun on your trip!

AVR1962 Collaborator
AVR1962
Posted

Congrats on the trip! I live in Germany, have for 10 years...lived in Italy for 2 years, and we travel alot. Get your cards ready and be prepared to ask questions. I have found that most understand "allergy" and will work with you but you have to get your point across so they understand that you cannot have foods with breading or sauces (gravy) made with flour and that would be what I would ask....."does this come with a sauce on it?" I always ask for "natural" which is another word they undertand.

As far as the medical side I think there is more awareness among docs but I have never seen the awareness in food establishments like you see in the US. Grocery stores or health food stores carry gluten-free products but still quite limited. In Germany you will find them in the grocery stores on the health food aisle so be very careful not to mix up gluten-free and bio, not the same.

Ireland will not be an issue, wonderful wonderful people there, enjoy! France, especially Paris, the language will not be an issue and they have wonderful salads and grilled meats. England again will not be a problem, just make sure you specify no sauce. I have had issues where it did not say on the menu that the item I wanted had a sauce and then it woudl come out covered.

Enjoy!

nora-n Rookie
nora-n
Posted

You will be just fine eating gluten-free in Europe.

Especially Ireland, where celiac is rampant, and everybody knows about celiac, the same with Italy. And England should be just fine too.

I was in Italy four days last week, and took no gluten-free eating card with me, and had no problems. I do not speak any italian either.

Pisqualie Apprentice
Pisqualie
Posted
  • Author

Wow, thank you so much everyone! Talk about relief! I was so worried - wonderful, thank you!

We leave on Tuesday.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


love2travel Mentor
love2travel
Posted

Wow, thank you so much everyone! Talk about relief! I was so worried - wonderful, thank you!

We leave on Tuesday.

Excellent! We leave Wednesday for the month of May with no celiac-related worries! :D

Have the time of your lives.

Pisqualie Apprentice
Pisqualie
Posted
  • Author

Excellent! We leave Wednesday for the month of May with no celiac-related worries! :D

Have the time of your lives.

Thank you so much - you too!! PS - just got a neg result from blood work at the drs. She said it may be because of gluten-free diet. Doing an endo/colon when we return from our trip. I tested out a hamburger bun this morning and am writhing. Eek. I need to stop 'testing' and just trust that that is the problem... Thanks!

Dellers Apprentice
Dellers
Posted

I live in the UK but I am from Ireland, Take my advise and ask to speak to the chef if there is not a gluten free menu. If you have doubts don't eat it. So many times I have heard its gluten free when I would find my soup swimming in barley, we personally find if you say gluten-free you have to list what that is dont take for granted that they know what gluten-free is :) in all supermarkets there is a gluten-free section so you will find breads etc. On a lighter note Smirnoff ice in the bottles is gluten-free in the UK unlike the USA .

Dellers Apprentice
Dellers
Posted

You will be just fine eating gluten-free in Europe.

Especially Ireland, where celiac is rampant, and everybody knows about celiac, the same with Italy. And England should be just fine too.

I was in Italy four days last week, and took no gluten-free eating card with me, and had no problems. I do not speak any italian either.

I really don't think that is true about Ireland not a lot of people know about coeliac disease or gluten free. To find someone that has even heard of it is very far and few between .

Gemini Experienced
Gemini
Posted

I really don't think that is true about Ireland not a lot of people know about coeliac disease or gluten free. To find someone that has even heard of it is very far and few between .

I really hate to disagree with you but the UK is excellent at gluten free dining. Having been there 9 times, 4 of which when I was diagnosed and eating gluten free, I was glutened twice. It was small CC issues and I recovered well enough that it did not ruin my vacation but eating out is a risk anywhere in the world and it can happen. However, seeing that I eat out once a day for 2 weeks on every vacation, those are not bad odds. Twice in 4 trips.....

Ireland was especially impressive as everyone knew exactly what I was talking about and the meals were excellent. All places I ate at had good gluten free bread also.

To the original poster.....take a look at this thread: London Dining. I especially love Cafe Rouge. Very good food and a great gluten-free menu. I have never been glutened by this chain. Also, the coffee house Cafe Nero had fabulous gluten-free brownies last time I was there, a year and half ago. They are individually wrapped to prevent CC....they do such a good job and the coffee is great!

A couple of things......check the ingredients for the breads served in Ireland as they sometimes use wheat starch in their baked goods. The bread that was offered at almost all places look like rolls and it's great because they are heated every time so you get nice hot rolls. Wheat starch is supposed to be safe as it's processed so highly but it is not accepted by American standards for gluten-free so I don't eat it. The rolls did not contain wheat starch and they were good and I felt fine after eating them.

They referred to them as "Celiac bread".

Watch for malted tea in Ireland...check the labels. I got bagged by malted tea. Never again..... :ph34r: Who knew?

Eat here in Dublin: Open Original Shared Link. This place is fantastic, with a very good gluten-free menu, which can be viewed on their website. The waitstaff were just great.

Relax and have a wonderful trip...you'll be fine. When in doubt, eat simply. The Irish food was plain compared to other places BUT wonderfully prepared and very good. They didn't have 500 choices on the menu like you see here in the States but that makes choices easier and I had no complaints about quality of food...and I'm a food snob! :P

We want a report when you return...... :D

Dellers Apprentice
Dellers
Posted

Sorry but as I said I live in the UK and I am FROM Ireland, So I have spent a lot more time eating out here and living on a day to day basis.

Dellers Apprentice
Dellers
Posted

Sorry but as I said I live in the UK and I am FROM Ireland. So I have spent a lot more time eating out here and living on a day to day basis. To put this into perspective the last time I had a gluten-free sandwich in Starbucks was a year ago as they never have them in stock ( not in the city I am in anyway )

Gemini Experienced
Gemini
Posted

Sorry but as I said I live in the UK and I am FROM Ireland. So I have spent a lot more time eating out here and living on a day to day basis. To put this into perspective the last time I had a gluten-free sandwich in Starbucks was a year ago as they never have them in stock ( not in the city I am in anyway )

The only thing I can say is that how could it be that this America, who has spent approx. 3 months in the UK and Ireland, had little trouble finding food I could eat, had little trouble with the locals in understanding what I needed, and have eaten out at least once a day on all my trips post gluten free diagnosis and only been hit twice, on a small level? One from tea and one from CC at a restaurant? The experience may be different for a local as opposed to a tourist as tourists have more money to burn on where they eat. I must admit I go to higher end restaurants where their education and knowledge of gluten may be higher. However, I found all the pubs I ate in did just great with my meals. Maybe they are more receptive to tourists? If we have a bad experience then we aren't coming back.

If you look at the travel thread, the vast majority of people who go to Ireland do not have any trouble and find it really gluten-free friendly. I am not trying to argue the point but my experience was phenomenal. I am sorry you think your country is tough for a Celiac but I am scratching my head over this.

Mango04 Enthusiast
Mango04
Posted

My advice is to not worry too much. I lived in Europe for an extended time and have spend a lot of time in London. I always found eating there to be extraordinarily easy. I felt the same way about Ireland and even Paris.

love2travel Mentor
love2travel
Posted

Thank you so much - you too!! PS - just got a neg result from blood work at the drs. She said it may be because of gluten-free diet. Doing an endo/colon when we return from our trip. I tested out a hamburger bun this morning and am writhing. Eek. I need to stop 'testing' and just trust that that is the problem... Thanks!

Great news! Glad you are having great follow up. Stop that cheating - it is NOT worth a few minutes of pleasure, is it?? ;)

Victoria6102 Contributor
Victoria6102
Posted

Well, you will need to be on gluten for your endoscopy to be profitable. If you're eating gluten free, no reason to have an endo cuz it will be negative for celiac :) just a side note haha!

love2travel Mentor
love2travel
Posted

Well, you will need to be on gluten for your endoscopy to be profitable. If you're eating gluten free, no reason to have an endo cuz it will be negative for celiac :) just a side note haha!

Good call! Duh. Can't believe I let that one slip past me.

It's true - you must be consuming the equivalent of 3-4 pieces of bread a day for 3 months before your scopes are done.

user853 Apprentice
user853
Posted

I am a vegetarian and I travel overseas a lot (not since dx celiac though..). Anyway, the cards are AWESOME! At first you kind of feel like a weirdo, but people really try to make it work for you. Japan and Thailand are the best. They wait staff would just smile, shake their heads, and bring out plates and plates of delicious food. Anyway...

The restuarants in London and Ireland have more options than US restaurants (I feel). I really don't think you will have too many problems (as you eat meat and fish). I have to second Cafe Rouge in London. I was suspecting celiac when I was there recently and they had many gluten-free vegetarian options! Plus, so so yummy!

I always travel with way too many "snacks" in case I don't have meal options. My husband is always like, "do you really need that many Kind bars?" Ha! And I find a grocery or farm stand the first day and stock up on fruit, veg, etc. I haven't found an international hotel yet that didn't have a knife to lend to cut up fruit and veg (though on US hotel gave me a plastic knife).

Have an amazing trip.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      @Jane02, I hear you about the kale and collard greens. I don't do dairy and must eat green leafies, too, to get sufficient calcium. I must be very careful because some calcium supplements are made from ground up crustacean shells. When I was deficient in Vitamin D, I took high doses of Vitamin D to correct the deficiency quickly. This is safe...
    2. Jane02
      - Jane02 replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty for this insightful information! I would have never considered fractionated coconut oil to be a potential source of GI upset. I will consider all the info you shared. Very interesting about the Thiamine deficiency. I've tracked daily averages of my intake in a nutrition software. The only nutrient I can't consistently...
    3. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      Hello, @Jane02, I take Naturewise D 3. It contains olive oil. Some Vitamin D supplements, like D Drops, are made with fractionated coconut oil which can cause digestive upsets. Fractionated coconut oil is not the same as coconut oil used for cooking. Fractionated coconut oil has been treated for longer shelf life, so it won't go bad in the...
    4. Scott Adams
      0

      Penobscot Bay, Maine: Nurturing Gluten-Free Wellness Retreat with expert celiac dietitian, Melinda Dennis

      until
      Hello! Join me and treat yourself to a four-day, three-night restorative gluten-free retreat in a peaceful, private coastal retreat setting near Penobscot Bay in Maine. Dates: April 10-13, 2026 Enjoy engaging classes...
    5. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      I do not know this, but since they are labelled gluten-free, and are not really a product that could easily be contaminated when making them (there would be not flour in the air of such a facility, for example), I don't really see contamination as something to be concerned about for this type of product.
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,331
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Kristy2026
    Newest Member
    Kristy2026
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @Jane02, I hear you about the kale and collard greens.  I don't do dairy and must eat green leafies, too, to get sufficient calcium.  I must be very careful because some calcium supplements are made from ground up crustacean shells.  When I was deficient in Vitamin D, I took high doses of Vitamin D to correct the deficiency quickly.  This is safe and nontoxic.  Vitamin D level should be above 70 nmol/L.  Lifeguards and indigenous Pacific Islanders typically have levels between 80-100 nmol/L.   Levels lower than this are based on amount needed to prevent disease like rickets and osteomalacia. We need more thiamine when we're physically ill, emotionally and mentally stressed, and if we exercise like an athlete or laborer.  We need more thiamine if we eat a diet high in simple carbohydrates.  For every 500 kcal of carbohydrates, we need 500-1000 mg more of thiamine to process the carbs into energy.  If there's insufficient thiamine the carbs get stored as fat.  Again, recommended levels set for thiamine are based on minimum amounts needed to prevent disease.  This is often not adequate for optimum health, nor sufficient for people with absorption problems such as Celiac disease.  Gluten free processed foods are not enriched with vitamins like their gluten containing counterparts.  Adding a B Complex and additional thiamine improves health for Celiacs.  Thiamine is safe and nontoxic even in high doses.  Thiamine helps the mitochondria in cells to function.  Thiamine interacts with each of the other B vitamins.  They are all water soluble and easily excreted if not needed. Interesting Reading: Clinical trial: B vitamins improve health in patients with coeliac disease living on a gluten-free diet https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19154566/ Safety and effectiveness of vitamin D mega-dose: A systematic review https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34857184/ High dose dietary vitamin D allocates surplus calories to muscle and growth instead of fat via modulation of myostatin and leptin signaling https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38766160/ Safety of High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31746327/ Vitamins and Celiac Disease: Beyond Vitamin D https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11857425/ Investigating the therapeutic potential of tryptophan and vitamin A in modulating immune responses in celiac disease: an experimental study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40178602/ Investigating the Impact of Vitamin A and Amino Acids on Immune Responses in Celiac Disease Patients https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10814138/
    • Jane02
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Jane02 · Posted

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty for this insightful information! I would have never considered fractionated coconut oil to be a potential source of GI upset. I will consider all the info you shared. Very interesting about the Thiamine deficiency.  I've tracked daily averages of my intake in a nutrition software. The only nutrient I can't consistently meet from my diet is vitamin D. Calcium is a hit and miss as I rely on vegetables, dark leafy greens as a major source, for my calcium intake. I'm able to meet it when I either eat or juice a bundle of kale or collard greens daily haha. My thiamine intake is roughly 120% of my needs, although I do recognize that I may not be absorbing all of these nutrients consistently with intermittent unintentional exposures to gluten.  My vitamin A intake is roughly 900% (~6400 mcg/d) of my needs as I eat a lot of sweet potato, although since it's plant-derived vitamin A (beta-carotene) apparently it's not likely to cause toxicity.  Thanks again! 
    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Hello, @Jane02,  I take Naturewise D 3.  It contains olive oil.   Some Vitamin D supplements, like D Drops, are made with fractionated coconut oil which can cause digestive upsets.  Fractionated coconut oil is not the same as coconut oil used for cooking.  Fractionated coconut oil has been treated for longer shelf life, so it won't go bad in the jar, and thus may be irritating to the digestive system. I avoid supplements made with soy because many people with Celiac Disease also react to soy.  Mixed tocopherols, an ingredient in Thornes Vitamin D, may be sourced from soy oil.  Kirkland's has soy on its ingredient list. I avoid things that might contain or be exposed to crustaceans, like Metagenics says on its label.  I have a crustacean/shellfish/fish allergy.  I like Life Extension Bioactive Complete B Complex.  I take additional Thiamine B 1 in the form Benfotiamine which helps the intestines heal, Life Extension MegaBenfotiamine. Thiamine is needed to activate Vitamin D.   Low thiamine can make one feel like they are getting glutened after a meal containing lots of simple carbohydrates like white rice, or processed gluten free foods like cookies and pasta.   It's rare to have a single vitamin deficiency.  The water soluble B Complex vitamins should be supplemented together with additional Thiamine in the form Benfotiamine and Thiamine TTFD (tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide) to correct subclinical deficiencies that don't show up on blood tests.  These are subclinical deficiencies within organs and tissues.  Blood is a transportation system.  The body will deplete tissues and organs in order to keep a supply of thiamine in the bloodstream going to the brain and heart.   If you're low in Vitamin D, you may well be low in other fat soluble vitamins like Vitamin A and Vitamin K. Have you seen a dietician?
    • Scott Adams
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I do not know this, but since they are labelled gluten-free, and are not really a product that could easily be contaminated when making them (there would be not flour in the air of such a facility, for example), I don't really see contamination as something to be concerned about for this type of product. 
    • trents
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By trents · Posted

      Contact them.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.