My niece, now in her late 20s, will be traveling with several members of our family to the Czech Republic, Poland, and Lithuania this coming Spring. She has just informed me that she was diagosed with Celiac disease last year and wondered about eating in those countries. Do any of you have any information or advice that might be helpful to her? For instance, one email reply I received suggested that we try to find support groups in those countries that might have information about suitable restaurants or sources of portable food. I haven't been able to find anything like this on the Web outside of the US and the UK. (I currently have more time than she does, as she's in graduate school.)

Any advice, suggestions, or information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Ann

Hi, Ann,
Just a note from another gluten/lactose intolerant person here...travelling requires some planning for us, but I have it down to a fine art for myself, now!
First, I always take safe and legal foods with me, in case I can't find a safe meal someplace or if I'm delayed in an airport. Big issue for me...the airport cafes are not the most reliable for finding gluten and lactose free foods!

So, perhaps she can pack a few snacks that are safe for her. I particularly like a couple of sandwiches made from gluten-free bread and peanut butter or cheese, because the protein will keep me from starving longer than anything else. It fills me up better and lasts longer, so allowing me more time to find a grocery store or a good cafe.

I also take a couple of ziploc bags full of a trail mix that I make for myself...cashews, macadamia nuts, raisins, dried cranberries, chocolate chips and so on. I pack a few juice boxes, some sesame snap bars, as many apples and oranges that I can stash away in my carry-on, and whatever other safe foods I have on hand!

I also found a brand of soup mix that contains rice noodles and no gluten or lactose based foods, so that helps. All I need is a source of boiling water, a cup/bowl/spoon and voila! Soup to go! That and one of my sandwiches fills me up pretty good, I tell ya!

I know that sounds like being a walking mini-mart, but it's way more preferable for me than finding myself in the middle of a strange place or an airport, late at night, and N-O-T-H-I-N-G to eat! Not the best thing for us gluten/lactose intolerant people, as making sure there is food in my system every couple of hours minimizes the worst of the reactions and physical symptoms for me.

I've learned the hard and painful way that I cannot trust that there will be something safe to eat at the other end, so I take lots with me and that buys me some time to look around for a grocery store or good cafe when I arrive.

Ask any questions you want, I'm happy to help, if I can!

"Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food." ~ Hippocrates
Brenda

Thanks so much, Brenda! I'll pass along your advice. I'm sure she will appreciate it greatly.

Ann