How To Travel with Dietary Restrictions

Hey Travel gurus!

As much as traveling is about going out and exploring the world around you, it’s also about tasting the world around you. Food is great, and that is not the argument. Food is an amazing window that can allow you to delve into and learn all about the culture that devised the dish. It teaches you about regional tastes, available resources, how much a community is willing to waste and give a unique experience you can’t authentically achieve anywhere else. However, a large portion of today’s population has some sort of dietary restriction whether it be allergies, lactose intolerance or religious rulings. This of course does not mean you can’t enjoy the food your trip has to offer, you’ll just need to plan ahead and inquire a bit more.

Planning ahead is vital to people with food restrictions who want to make the most out of their trip. Look up where you’re going and whether or not the region is generally accommodating to your needs. When there, ask locals or research restaurants that are able to cater to your needs and whether or not they offer a substantial amount of menu items to choose from. And in the rare scenario that you fail to find a restaurant that offers quality food that fits your dietary need – like I said, rare – try and plan ahead by bringing along some of your favorite foods from home or make your own meal using local ingredients.

If you have a health related food restriction, it is seriously important to make sure you what you’re eating. If you’re at a restaurant, make sure to inquire about the specific food item you cannot consume and if the ingredient is already incorporated into the dish, ask if the chef could make an exception and cook a special meal, excluding the food item. Most restaurants are very accommodating. This goes for religious restrictions as well. Just make sure you ask, are informed and ready to handle the situation.

And if you’re dietary restrictions are economic in nature, have no fear, there’s always a way to save money. The main tip on saving money on food is avoiding touristic areas.

I hope this helped you and your taste buds be ready to fully experience the adventure you’re about to embark on, and relieved you of the stress of worrying what you’ll eat.

Thanks for reading!

Taz