Just because you want to take a holiday, doesn’t mean your food allergies are going to take a holiday too! You need to be well prepared when visiting a new country.
- Pack an Epi Pen or other allergy medication
In case of an emergency, make sure you have medications like an Epi Pen or inhaler, if used. Pack these medications in a carry on while flying in case needed an the airport or mid flight, or in case your luggage is lost or delayed. - Talk to your airline
Some airlines are known to take special care of allergy sufferers, by going beyond simply offering various meal options, which cater to different dietary and allergy requirements. - Learn the food allergy related words
Try to learn the words related to your food allergy in the language of the country you will be visiting. If you have to, write the words down and bring them with you. This will make it easier to communicate with those are restaurants. It will also make it easier for you to shop at the store, reading food labels, and asking for assistance. - Learn the abroad emergency information
In the United States and many other countries, the emergency number is 911. However across most European countries, the number is 112. Check out this list of emergency ambulance and police phone numbers in other countries. - Bring your own
If possible, bring your own sealed pouches of allergy friendly food or snacks to avoid excess hunger. - Fresh might not always be the best
Although you may think that fresh foods are the best, but be careful of prepared foods. Without ingredient lists, you may not know what is in the food you are eating.
