Tips for Travelling with Celiac Disease

Don’t let having celiac disease stop you from travelling to any place you want to go, but some destinations may be easier than others. First-world countries may better understand food allergies and have food regulation and labeling policies in place. Consider different types of trips such as cruises, group tours, and Disneyland. Places with gluten-free foods as staples in the cuisine such as corn and rice may increase food options for you. Countries with the same first language will minimize misunderstandings due to language barriers (see tips below). This is more important if you’re new to travel than an experienced traveler with celiac disease.

What if the country does not have the same first language as you or English isn’t widely spoken? Learn the word/phrase for gluten-free or have google translate ready with the language downloaded. If buying food from a store you can type in the ingredients on labels or use the camera function to translate.

Pack medications (such as steroids and painkillers) to manage any symptoms if you do consume gluten. If you have severe diarrhea drink lots of water and consider an electrolyte drink. Talk to your doctor about what they recommend before you go.

Research the destination and the places you’re going ahead of time. Look up specific restaurants and create a list of ones you feel comfortable eating at and when they’re open. Does the country require labels to include allergens such as wheat? Do they use a specific word or phrase to label the food as “gluten-free”?

I do not have celiac disease so I cannot recommend specific places to go or relate to how stressful it can be. Find bloggers with celiac disease who are experienced travelers. Look up possible Facebook groups for eating gluten-free in a country. Ask any people you know with celiac what their experience was like in a country or restaurant and where they recommend.

You can prepare food at hostels and vacation rentals (Airbnb, VRBO) with kitchens. This will alleviate stress by reducing your risk of consuming foods with gluten and cross-contamination. If you are staying in a place with a shared kitchen, consider washing your dishes and utensils before using them in case they were not properly cleaned by the person before you.

At the very least try to buy some snacks such as fruit, veggies, cheese slices, etc. Buy groceries to cook meals and reduce eating out if the restaurant scene regarding gluten is not easy to navigate. If you’re having trouble with labels buy whole foods such as fresh produce, milk, rice, eggs, beans, meat, & yogurt. Prepackaged and processed foods with numerous ingredients on the label will be harder to figure out. If you don’t want to bother going to the store when you’re there, bring some foods from home but make sure they are allowed through customs (ie. no fruit, veg, meat, dairy).