UPDATED September 2023
Master Traveling With Food Allergies Internationally
Can I let you in on something? We’ve traveled with food allergies internationally many, many times yet I still get nervous EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. I want you to know that it’s NORMAL, and you’ll likely feel that way always.
BUT, you don’t have to let it stop you, because it is safe to travel with allergies if you take the right precautions. It’s just that there are more things to think about and plan for when there are food allergies involved but trust me, it’s totally doable!
So how do I know this?
My name is Corinna and our family has traveled with food allergies internationally to Spain, Italy, Ireland, France, Portugal, the UK, Mexico, Bahamas, and also closer to home, all over Canada (where we’re from), and all over the United States.
We’ve traveled on our own, taken tours, river cruises, an ocean cruise, and more.
After many trips and experiences, we consider ourselves to be food allergy travel experts because we’ve stayed safe and learned so many things along the way.
I share what we’ve learned so things are safer and easier for you. Don’t worry, what I share will work for any food allergy or Celiac and any travel group from families with food allergies to couples and singles.
So let’s dive in…
Gain Confidence Traveling With Food Allergies Internationally
To start, the biggest and most important thing when traveling with food allergies internationally is to BE PREPARED. So let’s start with some common questions that people have about preparing for traveling with food allergies internationally.
How do you travel on a plane with food allergies?
There can be a lot of scary news articles about traveling on a plane with food allergies. But I want to remind you that with every scary situation, there are many, many safe experiences. The safe experiences much outweigh the scary situations. But with scary headlines, it’s easy to feel afraid in the air. I want you to know that with the right preparation and mindset, flying internationally with food allergies is possible and safe.
I wrote a blog specifically to help you feel more confident about traveling on a plane with food allergies. This blog post is specifically about nut allergies, but rest assured, the information will work for any food allergies. Especially the links to the articles about airborne anaphylaxis and contact reactions.
If traveling on a plane with food allergies scares you, I highly recommend you read that post.
Is it safe to travel with allergies?
Overall, based on our extensive experience, YES, it is safe to travel with allergies. But you have to take extra precautions to make it that way. Yes, it does take extra planning and research, but if you know where to spend your time and how to plan, it can be MUCH simpler!
Let’s dive into this question a bit deeper.
Me and My Girls Traveling With Food Allergies Internationally in Barcelona, Spain
What is the safest way to travel with food allergies internationally?
The quick answer is to cook your own food. By cooking your own food, you can ensure that you’ve taken the right steps to make sure that your meals are allergy-safe. You don’t have to depend on anybody else or how educated they are with food allergies. This makes it easy to enjoy the country you’re visiting without food allergy worries.
You might be thinking; but what do I cook, and how do I know what each country’s labeling laws are?
I have a simple solution that has worked really well for us.
That is to plan our menu before the trip and pack all the baked goods and non-perishables needed. That leaves us only having to buy fresh meats and vegetables which don’t have labels and are easy to find.
I talk about EXACTLY how to do this easily in my Food Allergy Travel Workshop. I even supply you with food planning and packing checklists so that cooking feels easy on vacation and you still feel like you’re getting a break.
You’ll learn how to pack the right amount of food and how to do it so you don’t have to spend extra on luggage, worry about losing your bags, or worry about customs.
Not only that, but you’ll learn how to find the best accommodations with kitchens without breaking the bank and all our best food allergy tricks and tips from many years of experience. Make sure to check out this life-changing workshop!
Even though cooking your own food is the safest way to travel with food allergies internationally, I completely understand that you may still want to have a break from cooking on vacation and maybe even enjoy some of the local foods.
This leads me to my next tip…
Research 2-3 restaurants near each accommodation so that you can safely enjoy a night out.
It’s nice to have at least 1 restaurant near your accommodations that you have vetted so that you can enjoy a night out (or 2 or 3) while away. I know for our family, once we find a safe place to eat out, we usually return there more than once because it’s just easier.
That said, you need to know that even though you pre-vet a restaurant for food allergies, once you get there, they sometimes don’t seem to understand food allergies as much as you thought. Unfortunately, we’ve had to leave restaurants many times on vacation and at home, even after researching them first. To avoid disappointment, it’s good to have 2-3 restaurant choices so that you have a backup.
If you want to know all the ins and outs of pre-vetting restaurants (on your trip or while at home), my Dining Out With Food Allergies Workshop will take you by the hand and help you find the most allergy-friendly restaurants so you can relax while you’re away.
These tips have helped make traveling with food allergies internationally easier and more doable for our family, and because of that, we’ve been able to enjoy so many benefits of traveling with food allergies. Here are just a few:
Traveling With Food Allergies Internationally Is Worth It. Here’s Why…
It allows you to recharge & bond.
I know what you’re thinking, traveling with allergies doesn’t sound very relaxing, BUT I can tell you from experience that when you do it right, you’ll have a relaxing experience. By pre-planning and reusing your plans, you can make your vacations fun and relaxing for everybody (including yourself)!
Don’t forget how experiencing something different together can also help you bond with your kids and spouse. Our family tells so many travel stories and cherish those memories daily.
2. It helps you and/or your kids learn about different cultures and history.
We visited Pompeii, Italy a couple of years back, and my daughter was so excited to find that she would learn about Pompeii the following year in her Social Studies class. She did amazing during that unit because she had actually SEEN what they were talking about and she could explain it to others in her class.
These experiences help you and your kids understand the rich cultures that make up our world.
3. It’s empowering.
When it comes to food allergies, I want to teach my daughter that she can enjoy life and live fully with food allergies. Helping her navigate traveling with food allergies internationally allows her to feel empowered but also helps her to learn HOW to keep herself safe in different situations. It shows her that there is an extra responsibility, but with that comes the ability to live as well.
This applies to anyone with food allergies whether they are kids or adults.
What’s The Next Step For Traveling With Food Allergies Internationally?
If traveling with allergies is something you want to start doing, but you’re not sure, OR if you already travel but you haven’t felt completely confident, or you want to learn our specific process for safe food allergy travel, I have a workshop dedicated to helping you.
This workshop will give you the confidence to travel with food allergies, NO MATTER where you choose to go OR WHAT food allergies you have.
How Do You Travel Abroad With A Nut Allergy?
If you have a nut allergy, you might be wondering if there’s anything specific you need to do. Honestly, it doesn’t matter whether you have a nut allergy, peanut allergy, milk allergy wheat allergy, Celiac disease, or any other food allergy. What you do for one allergy you will have to do for the other. It just means packing different items and cooking the foods that are safe for your specific allergies. This is another reason that cooking for yourself is handy. You don’t have to worry if one allergen is more well-known than others, because you’ll be able to control the food safety yourself. So don’t get hung up on the type of allergy, but instead focus on planning and packing what’s best for you or your family.
Hey there, I’m Corinna!
I help severe food allergy parents keep their kids safe without missing out on life at home, school, at social events, and while traveling. I believe that food allergies don’t have to hold you back, it’s my goal to help you get there!
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