TRAVEL ADVICE

Dining out when travelling abroad can turn into a real drama because of language difficulties and because some countries are more familiar with food intolerances then others.

If you are planning a trip abroad order a restaurant card in the language of your destination which explains the foods you cannot eat. You can order these in a wide range of languages from www.selectwisely.com

Here are some general guidelines to help make your trip easier.

Think about the cuisine of the country before you book. Some countries are easier then others for the wheat or dairy free diner.

Think about the journey. If you have a long-haul flight you may want to order a special meal. Many airlines will now offer you a gluten-free meal. Some airlines require a note from a medical practitioner. A letter from a nutritionist should be sufficient. The gluten-free meal can be a bit hit and miss (I once got served a large container of cold cooked mushrooms and nothing else!). For long flights it is probably wise to bring a back-up option with you. Consider bringing the following: sandwiches made from wheat free bread with a non-perishable filling (cured meats like parma ham are good as are wheat free pates, hummous or sugar fee jams), wheat free muesli bars, crisps, fruit.

Bring some staple foods with you. If you are staying in a hotel which offers breakfast consider bring the following: ryvitas or other wheat free crackers (you can eat these with hotel breakfasts instead of toast to fill you up), small cartons of rice or soya milk (for eating with cereals served with hotel breakfasts), your own teabags if you are caffeine free. If you are going self-catering consider bringing the following: porridge or wheat-free muesli (muesli can be eaten with locally bought fruit and yoghurt), rice or soya milk, wheat free bread or crackers, your own teabags, a bag of wheat free pasta.