Holidaying with the family is something to look forward to, and with a coeliac child, it’s one more thing to consider. We’ve had some fairly good experiences in the following countries :
Thailand - because of the abundance of rice dishes and the relative simplicity of the stir-fried foods, it is quite easy to cater for gluten-free dishes in Thailand. The only thing to look out for is soy-sauce, which of course is not gluten-free! However, most traditional Thai dishes do not call for soy-sauce, it’s only because of some chinese influence that you occasionally see the use of soy-sauce in dishes. So, important to get to know the Thai word for soy-sauce! We holidayed in Phuket, and they were all very accomodating (as most Thais are!) for our daughters gluten-free diet. Luckily, she is happy to have a plate of steamed rice – if we’re really not sure about some of the dishes or sauces, or if we can’t communicate with the locals – like on a small deserted island in the Andaman Sea! (during a day boat-trip). I took gluten-free bread with us, and bought Skippy peanutbutter in the local supermarket – that took care of breakfast and any picnic meals!
Austria – We holidayed in Filzmoos, in the Tyrol mountains one summer. Filzmoos is also a ski-resort, but just as lovely in the summer. It’s a haven for walking, and mountain climbing, and also daytrips to Salzburg, ice-caves nearby. We had the half-board arrangement at the Unterhof Hotel, and they catered beautifully for her during the evening meal – either by offering something else or adapting the “normal” meal with a gluten-free version (ie leaving off the sauce, crust etc.). Breakfast was more limited, as there was only rice crispies on offer and fruit and yoghurt. We had lunch in the local restaurants, and we had very good experiences there as well. I presume this was mainly due to the fact that most of the hotels and restaurants in Filzmoos are family owned – ie the wife serves, whilst the husband is in the kitchen and the communication for gluten-free requirement is made that much more effectively and efficiently. The other reason was that the resort was not that busy, so there was plenty of time to listen to our requirements and agree a suitable and appropriate meal for our daughter (she is a fussy eater also!).
Since returning from Filzmoos, I keep a look-out for holiday opportunities in Austria as the experience was such a positive one. I’ve also found a Hotel in Ischgl – again in Tyrol, called the hotel Goldener Adler. www.goldener-adler.at Its advert speaks of “Accompanied by a superb range of leisure activities, perfect service and gluten-free cuisine – that you will only find in a house that has specialised in gluten-free holidays for many years. (a daughter of the family has suffered from coeliac disease for more than 30 years). You don’t need to bring any food with you. You needn’t worry about anything” Sounds idyllic, doesn’t it? I didn’t know places like that existed!
Italy – This summer we are vacationing in Lombardia, near Lake Garda. When looking for accomodation, we came across 2 hotels in Sirmione Hotel LaPaul www.hotellapaul.com and DuLac Hotel www.hoteldulacsirmione.com - both of which catered for gluten-free clients – it even mentions it on their website. I was quite surprised, as I always imagined Italian cooking to have a lot of gluten in it – pasta, bread etc. I presumed we would have to make do with risottos and polenta dishes. However, I have since found out they have quite an extensive coeliac society (unfortunately, regionalised, so you search for the region you are going to). Also, the catering industry and catering colleges are very big in Italy on training students and cooks with the necessary skills to deal with gluten-free cooking, not just the cooking part,but also the cross-contamination routines etc.
Finland – I’ve never been, but I read an article that they cater extremely well for coeliacs in this country. The article mentioned that you can step into a MacDonalds and order a gluten-free Big Mac – bun and all – no problem! Also, the writer of the article enjoyed ice-cream on a gluten-free cone – staff were careful not to put the cone in a holder that had had a gluten cone in it before. Also he described a street vendor selling gluten-free waffles, warm, straight from the waffle iron. They had 2 waffle irons – one for the gluten free ones and 1 for the “normal” waffles! I’ve not been able to substantiate the article I read, and have not met anyone who has been to Finland to find out whether it really is as easy/good as the article would have you believe. But it seemed worth a trip to find out, don’t you think?
Spain - We’ve holidayed in Spain and Mallorca a couple of times now, mainly because we like the sun and the beach, but also because we can speak and understand the language. That makes it easy to explain to staff about the coeliac diet, but also to question things and agree what meals are suitable for a coeliac. I speak Spanish fluently and my children have Spanish at school, so it’s a bit of a learning experience for them as well. Spanish cooking caters well for coeliacs, as most of the main dishes are prepared in a simple fashion, grilled meat and fish and salads. Paella and other dishes are naturally gluten-free and most “tapas” items are also! The Spanish are not big on cakes, cookies etc and the times I’ve tried them, they haven’t really been that nice anyways…..
Hope the above experiences have inspired you on your quest for your summer holidays!
Gluten Free Holidays
Once diagnosed with coeliac condition you will need to maintain a gluten free diet. This means being gluten-free at all times including when on vacation and gluten free holidays will be a requirement for you, year after year.
The best gluten free holidays are created by planning in advance. Aa simple tool to make eating out gluten-free is to take a gluten free restaurant card with you containing a local translation of your needs, explaining what foods contain gluten, which foods do not contain gluten and why you must avoid the substance.
Gluten-free holidays can also be successful if you take some foods with you which you know to be gluten-free. if you have a favourite bread, fruit bar or biscuit package them up and put them in your hand luggage (not in your suitcase which could be delayed with baggage problems). In this way you will be able to have a snack and a simple breakfast on arrival without relying on the local shops to be open.
Often people decide to cook for themselves to guarantee gluten free holidays. Many larger supermarket chains now post gluten-free lists and food ingredient lists on the Internet and these are accessible from anywhere in the world. If you are going to a popular tourist destination in a less remote part of the world your research may find that one of these restaurants is hereby and you can do all your food shopping research before you get on holiday. In this way you will arrive confident that you can get the foods that you want before you ever leave your home.
Remember that all restaurant owners are in competition with other restaurants and welcome your custom. If the vacation provider you have selected for the holiday are able to advise you of the names and addresses of some recommended local restaurants you could always on e-mail them beforehand to ask how they could cater for a gluten free diet. Assess the responses that you get and build a relationship with the restaurant before you set foot on the plane.
Having gluten free holidays should not be a challenge and, as with everything in life, the second and third one you take will be easier than the first as you will have learned many of the little tricks that go into making a holiday truly gluten free. So the message is don’t delay, go out and book a holiday for yourself this year and take those little planning steps that will ensure that it is relaxing, enjoyable and gluten-free.
Gluten Free Vacations
If you suffer from coeliac disease and need to be gluten-free you might initially think that vacations are off the agenda, being too troublesome and prone with risk, and this should not be the case.
It is true that taking a vacation will present new challenges and expose you to new situations. Whilst this might take you out of your comfort zone for a while there is no reason why you should not be able to have a gluten-free holiday provided that you make a few basic preparations beforehand.
We don’t suggest that you search the holiday brochures for gluten free vacations, holidays are not graded in such a way. The first requirement for your holiday should be that it is enjoyable and provides the relaxation and enjoyment that you are looking for. Once you have found this ideal holiday the glute free requirements you’re planning should then be put into motion.
One very simple item that is recommended for all gluten free vacations is the basic restaurant translation card. Taking a pre prepared laminated card with a local translation of your gluten-free dietary requirements for eating out takes away many communication problems with the waiter, and can help to remove any doubts you might have over eating the meal. The information it contains is not complex, it should advise of the foods where gluten is most commonly found, state that you need to be free of gluten and advise that most foods such as potatoes, rice, vegetables and salads are gluten-free.
Gluten free vacations can also seem less like a challenge if you take some of your basic food requirements, and some of your favourite foods, with you. These days gluten free breads and cakes are available in most supermarkets. Take some of these packaged items with you to ensure that they are available on your vacation rather than spending many hours on your holiday searching for suitable local produce. Take care with the immigration requirements for some countries, you may need to declare these foodstuffs on your import documentation although this should merely be an administrative task rather than a major import negotiation.
After a while you will find that gluten-free vacations are not a challenge to be tackled but a normal regular part of your year and very relaxing, of course this is before you return to the grind of the office.