travel smarts
Travel SmarTS
Have Allergies, Will Travel
how to travel and eat well with dietary restrictions
By Jennifer allford
When Tara Maniar became a vegetar-
ian more than 20 years ago—passing on
all meat, fish and many egg dishes—her
dining-out options were pretty limited.
“I ate a lot of fettuccine Alfredo,” the
Winnipeg resident says with a chuckle.
But these days, chefs and servers in
restaurants around the world are able to
accommodate all manner of food prefer-
ences, dietary restrictions and allergies
with a variety of delicious options.
On her recent trip to Greece with
CAA Travel, with stops in Delphi,
Mykonos and Santorini, Maniar left
What
and
Where
Food foibles
to avoid around
the globe
the fresh seafood and grilled lamb for
others, while she happily tucked into
Greek yogurt with honey, lemon pota-
toes and Greek salad. “I love anything
with feta cheese,” she says.
Before the group even sat down at a
table, restaurants were ready with dif-
ferent meals to suit everyone’s needs—
the CAA tour director called ahead to
provide guests’ dietary restrictions.
That’s a good idea when you’re trav-
elling on your own too, says Novella
Lander, a travel consultant with CAA
Travel who accompanied Maniar’s
Italy
the pasta-
obsessed nation
could be a minefield
for those with gluten allergies
or celiac disease. But many
restaurants now serve pizza and
tiramisu, senza gluten.
group to Greece. “I have had many
clients who research restaurants close
to their hotel and call them to see if
they have gluten-free, vegetarian or
other special meals,” she says. “Travel-
lers can also ask their hotel concierge
for help during their stay.”
When travelling to a non-English-
speaking country, Lander suggests
getting your dietary restrictions
translated into the local language to
better communicate what you can
and cannot eat. “Most touristy places
are familiar with what it means to
be diabetic or vegetarian,” she says.
“But depending on where you are,
they may not understand a specific
allergy or condition.” Having it in the
local language allows you to just show
it to the chef, so nothing is lost in
translation.”
If you’re going to an all-inclusive
resort, simplify your week of dining
by dropping by the buffet and à la carte
restaurants when you first arrive to let
them know your dietary restrictions.
Lander also suggests stocking up
on nibbles for the trip. “It’s sometimes
good to bring some snacks for plane
rides or bus trips in case you stop at
more remote places that don’t meet
the needs of your dietary restrictions,”
she says.
One of the great joys of travelling
is trying new foods in new places,
and not letting dietary restrictions
slow you down. Take Maniar’s
new-found love of the Mediterranean
dessert baklava. “I’m not one who
eats a lot of sweets but I wanted to
try it because ‘when in Greece’,” she
says. “The first time, I just had a little
piece of my husband’s. By the end
of the trip, I wanted a whole one
by myself!”
Thailand
Many dishes
and sauces
contain crushed
peanuts. nut-allergy
sufferers should as k about
both direct use and cross-con-
tamination when eating out.
France
the French cook
with loads of dairy:
butter, cream and
cheese. if you have a
milk allergy, avoid soups
and sauces. Stick to steak,
fish and mussels.
CAA MANITOBA
SprINg 2018
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