Food allergies and eating in Europe

[Anonymous]

Has anyone with food allergies had any problems in Europe? Specifically, dairy, egg, and shellfish? Did waiters at restaurants understand your needs or is it safer to not eat out?

[Anonymous]

where in Europe? Do you know the language well of the location you will be?

[Anonymous]

England and the UK I'm not really worried about. France, Spain, Italy, Turkey cause concern. I have found some cards I can print out that explain the allergy in the respective language but even here in the US I have had problems with restaurants not understanding that cheese and butter are actually dairy and that shellfish is more than just lobster and crab. Also the cross contamination that can happen in the kitchen.

I guess I wondering if food allergies are something as common there as here and if people would be likely to understand?

[Anonymous]

Im actually in France right now, and I would hate to have an allergy to any of the things you listed-They seem to use butter, milk, eggs, in everything.

Maybe do as the PP said and print out what you're allergic to in their language?

[Anonymous]

maybe google food allergies traveling in europe, or contact the food allergy network for advice? My son has nut allergies so I feel your pain, and while they're easier to avoid, you'd be amazed at the trouble I have sometimes, even with friends. We had to avoid the pecan-topped chocolate cake and the nestle ice cream bits laced with almonds this past Saturday. Doesn't held that my child is 2 and can't explain that he has allergies.

All I can say is, bring the children's benadryl and the epipen, too, and know how to access 911 in each country.

[Anonymous]

We took our nut-allergic son to Europe recently, and I'll be honest, it was difficult.

I concur that "they" don't have the same knowledge and concern about traces of allergens in their food (lucky Them), and as a result, the average waiter/gelato vendor/breakfast room aide had NO idea what trace things might be in the food. Even after you hand them the "my child has an allergy to X" card in their language ... they're still not really sure.

And we also found this: even after the waiter goes back to have a conversation with the cook/chef, the cook/chef does some hands in the air / oh-those-stupid neurotic Americans hand gesture. Then the watier comes back, irritated, and says something to the effect of "there is no cheese in the sauce." But is silent on whether there might be cream in the sauce, etc etc.

It was just really demoralizing, it made us nervous, and we stuck to bread alot for DS (which isn't even an option for you, I know).

[Anonymous]

Thanks, I figured there would be little sympathy and understanding. I guess we'll stick to plain meats, breads (though milk, butter in breads concerns me), fruits and vegetables.

Is lactaid widely available in Europe?

Has anyone had to go to the hospital/doctor while traveling in Europe due to food allergies (or anything else?) I checked with my insurance company and we have worldwide coverage but knowing this about the food situation I suppose it's more likely for a reaction to occur.

[Anonymous]

I haven't had to go to the hospital for food allergies while in Europe, but a former colleague with a chronic health condition used to always get as much information as possible from the US Embassy/Consulate in the cities she was planning on traveling to. They might also be able to recommend physicians (US trained docs, maybe?) who'll "get" the concept of food allergies, if that's a concern.

[Anonymous]

I once went to Italy with a vegetarian and she had a hard time there. She had to trust a lot of things were vegetarian, but I am sure that some her food was cooked with butter or meat in the sauce or in lard.

[Anonymous]

I don't believe lactaid is widely available. But you can get things like goat milk, sheep milk (and cheeses) - which a lot of people with lactose intolerance can drink/eat.

Typically there is no butter and milk in breads (at least in Germany - the home of hundreds of breads).

Btw, I had a couple of bad experiences in the US too, went to a Korean place and literally everything they made was cooked in sesame oil. (Not cool when you're allergic to sesame). I couldn't believe they didn't have regular oil or butter for substitution.

And cross-contamination can happen anywhere, not just Europe....

[Anonymous]

Can you bring some food with you (maybe crackers or some other kind of snack, or even something more substantial that doesn't require refridgeration) so that your son can at least have something in case there is nothing available for him to eat? Some countries are kind of strict about what you can bring in but you can look into that ahead of time. From personal experience, it seemed that in France everything is cooked in butter. Chances of cross-contamination are probably really high.

I am originally from Russia, and I don't know if it's a fair comparison to the rest of Europe, but food allergies there were much less prevalent, practially unheard of. I get the sense that in western Europe it's also much less prevalent than in the US. The average person probably doesn't know/understand that food can cause a severe reaction, or that even a trace amount of something can be a problem.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

This is the 10:13 PP again. One other thing that just occured to me as a possibility, albeit a remote one. You can avoid cross-contamination with dairy/shellfish at a kosher restaurant that serves meat. It would have to be certified as kosher by a proper authority (so not just "kosher-style"). Of course, finding a certified kosher restaurant would probably be a huge challenge in most parts of Europe, but I know some places (Paris, London) do have them. Just a thought!

[Anonymous]

It can be tough, but here are some tips from a gluttonous family with nut and shellfish allergies and lactose intolerance (and ironically of Mediterranean origin). Try to focus on what you CAN eat, do a little research on cuisine, and have some fun!

1. Visit local markets.
Take advantage of fresh, often minimally processed foods. It's a great way to pick up some terms/vocuabulary for what's in season that you can use elsewhere. Local vendors and customers (look for the grandma-types) are often more patient with gesturing tourists than waiters who have to endure busloads of often tired, hungry people and overworked chefs.

2. Research ingredients and preparation of common recipes and breads.
Like Imam Bayildi ("The Holy Main Fainted") in Turkey. If you like eggplant, in Turkey it is a high art form. And you can get it anywhere. Waiters and cooks are sometimes happy to tell you how THEY make it versus the guys across the street.

In Spain and Italy, bring with you a short list of your safe tapas to your local bar. Ask if bartender/waiter can put a plate together for you because you heard these ones were really good. Drink a mini beer. Hop to the next bar. Repeat.

3. Find locals with "restricted" diets.
Hallal meat in Turkey and you won't miss out on the joys of real kababs! In Paris, try Morrocan and Algerian restaurants. In Rome, try the Kosher restaurants in the Jewish Quarter. Don't miss the fried artichokes! Plus it's the only part of the city open on Sundays. Vegetarian restaurants are increasingly common across Europe.

4. Flatter chefs, visit kitchens, take notes.
If you'll be in one place for a few days and would like somewhere "safe", make friends. Flatter the chef by showing them a big name guide book entry you read on their place. Ask if you can come and see them cook their specialities during a slow time. Ideally bring kids and have them make innocent comments like "butter hurts my tummy". Take notes. They'll be more likely to consistently fulfil your requests than if you just hand them a translation card.

And of course the basics:
Bring a copy of your medical records
Explain your situation to the hotel/concierge
Find the local pharmacy and the 24 hour backup
Talk to the pharmacist about what the local terms are for your meds and how to get them if you need it

Have a WONDERFUL trip!

[Anonymous]

Exactly, go with what's readily available locally - you can ALWAYS find things in stores and markets that you can eat. (No need to bring crackers from America - I mean you can buy plain crackers all over developing countries now too)

Read up, do some research beforehand on the cuisine and ingredients so you know how things are made and what's in them.

[Anonymous]

DC moms, you are so wonderful!

Thank you all so much!