Do not be put off travelling abroad due to being gluten free (coeliac)

[Falk1]

I have been coeliac for many years, and things are so much easier these days. We have travelled extensively, and have not had problems with food in any country. Obviously if you are away for months, you cannot take bread etc., with you. The best country I have found was Australia, where even in outback places I was able to get gluten free food. In Sicily I was able to get gluten free pizzas, and gluten free ice cream cones!!!

[Liana]

We're considering a long stay in Portugal this winter. We expect to be there about a month and have our own cooking facilities. Do you have any information on Portugal and being gluten free? I make everything from scratch, so I wouldn't be looking for a lot of processed foods.

[Falk1 in reply to Liana]

Had no problems in Portugal, and the supermarkets have lots of lovely fresh meat and fish, vegetables and fruit, so you should be OK. Enjoy

[NorthernSoul]

I'm going to rural Malawi for 2 months next year. That will be interesting... Having said that, most of the traditional dishes are cooked with corn (maize) flour so you never know, maybe it will be fine!

[Falk1 in reply to NorthernSoul]

Sounds fab, and enjoy. I didn't have any problems in South Africa, or Kenya, and as you say most dishes are cooked with corn flour.

[NorthernSoul in reply to Falk1]

That's encouraging- thanks! I just hope people speak enough English for me to make myself understood. Either that or I can try and get someone who does to jot down a translation for me in the local language/s.

[LilacPrincess in reply to NorthernSoul]

You can order travel cards through yellocross.co.uk, they can put what ever you need, in whatever language on the card.

Literally saved my son's life last week when we were in Greece!

[Maryelle]

I do know that in holiday resorts the H10 hotel group have a fridge full of gluten free foods that you just take to the chef and he cooks them for you fresh...............

[Mia1057]

Avoid fried fish, fried meat, esparregado ( green vegetables mixed with olive oil, garlic and flour, its like mashed potatoes with green colour ), meat gravys. Grilled meat is okay.

" Bacalhau à Lagareiro is nice" grlled cod wit garlic/onions and olive oil. Other dishes with bacalhau could contain flour. Some sausages have flour plus sopa alentejana

açorda de gambas both contain flour. Take with you the Portuguese travel card

celiactravel.com/cards/port... plus the Portuguese coeliac society has great info in English celiacos.org.pt/

[Liana in reply to Mia1057]

Thank you! I have printed it off. I'll try and have it made smaller and laminated so I can carry it in my purse... much appreciated.

[maidforit]

Wow, this is all great news,Thanks guys. I'm planning on a trip to.Italy as I've heard that they are very clued up over there. I think I need to learn a bit of Italian and I will definatly get cards for trips. The whole point for me of going somewhere abroad is to try all the food, at first I thought it would be qn impossibility but hearing things like this makes me much much happier.

[Falk1 in reply to maidforit]

We also are going to Italy in September, would recommend you take some of your gluten free pasta just in case, and the risottos are fantastic. Enjoy.

[Hidden]

Italy is great for GF food. Most of the restaurants will get GF pasta in for you if you get in touch with them first. They apparently test all children by the time they are 5 for coeliac disease and so are very clued up. I stayed in Rome and ate really well. The only thing I'd take with me again is crackers to have with my breakfast.

[Falk1]

Thank you so much for your comments, very much appreciated. Will take on board re the crackers.

[marylou85]

Hi me and my partner booked a very last minute trip to Ibiza just 8 hrs before bording the plane. So being Coliac I popped to my local store and panic bought (probably enough to last me a month) having not done any research into our accomodation I had no idea if there would be any suitible foods. I was over the moon when I had to bring every last scrap of food back home with me. The hotel manager spoke near perfect English and would meet me before every meal to take me through what was on offer. (We were all inclusive) if there was nothing suitible or even nothjing I fancied he worked with the chef to prepare me a delisious meal. They had an abundance of fresh bread crackers and deserts. A huge thumbs up we are off to Vegas this weekend too and have spoken with an employee there who totally understands cd and says we won't have any problems with food out there. So I would like to agree don't be put off travelling because off food allergies enjoy and embrace it as it seems a lot of countries are well clued up x

[Falk1]

Hi so pleased you had a good experience in Ibiza, and I have to agree, by talking to the people wherever you stay, they generally are most helpful. Coeliac is now so well known worldwide, and whenever we travel, we have so much help from people, think you have to think positive. Our worst contenders seem to be the airlines, I still don't believe they have the proper information, however haven't gone hungry yet - enjoy your fab time in Vegas.x

[Hidden]

It really depends on the country you go to. I found South East Asia a nightmare - Indonesia and Malaysia both left me really ill. Lots of things pre-marinated in soy sauce, lots of cross-contamination and low/no awareness of requirements. Singapore was much better. Italy is meant to be good, but got glutened there once or twice, but good GF restaurants generally. Spain/Barcelona was my favourite GF location by far. To be fair, eating out in UK is a bloomin lottery at the best of times so I seldom/never eat out here anymore, so no more risk with travelling really.