Audra’s Story – Gluten & Dairy-Free Travel in Europe
When I first started traveling internationally, I rarely thought about food restrictions. My reactions to gluten and dairy were minor — a little skin irritation here, a bit of fatigue there — nothing that felt worth missing out over. I considered it part of the deal: you travel, you indulge in local cuisine, and you live with the consequences. After all, it was all about the experience, right?
But in my late 40s and early 50s, that began to shift. During COVID, I did a food experiment and reset that made it impossible to ignore the connection between what I ate and how I felt. What I had once blamed on jet lag, new soaps, or general “travel body weirdness” was, in fact, my body reacting to gluten and dairy. The symptoms got stronger, and the trade-off no longer felt worth it.
While visiting Lyon, France, I ate scrambled eggs from the breakfast buffet. They were rich and velvety and (of course!) made with butter and cream. I hadn’t thought to ask or to look for any allergy notifications.
By mid-morning, we had to delay our funicular ride up to the Notre Dame de Fourvière so I could find a bathroom. Quickly.
Now, I approach food with more intention. I use Google Translate to read menus and explain my allergies in the local language. I look for allergy symbols — increasingly common in Europe – in the menus at the restaurants.
When all else fails, like it did on my recent trip to Marseille where the menu was on a chalkboard, I used Google Translate to say “I need your help finding something on the menu without dairy”. Our wonderful server understood and had the kitchen make me a delicious pizza without cheese!
Being gluten- and dairy-free abroad requires more than avoiding bread or skipping dessert. For me, it has meant relearning how to travel. Not traveling with less joy, but with more awareness. And that has made my travel experiences feel calmer knowing that I am able to take care of my body and give her what she needs to be the nerdiest traveler!
Lisa’s Story – Avoiding Onion & Garlic Around the World
People often assume that traveling with food sensitivities means avoiding a few menu items or asking the server to hold the cheese. But for me, onions and garlic are more than inconvenient — they’re migraine triggers. And not the kind of migraine you can “power through.” If I get exposed, I could be down for 48 hours.
And yet, onions and garlic are in everything — especially sauces, soups, and local staples. Traveling internationally and even locally means I have to do more than just glance at the menu. I research restaurants before I ever leave home. I contact hotels and resorts to ask how meals are prepared. I book places with kitchens so I can cook for myself. When I’m in MesoAmerica, where local ingredients are fresh but dishes are often onion-heavy, I have to make sure I know simple phrases to say and ask, like “No cebolla y ajo?”.
Grocery shopping has become a part of how I travel. It gives me control over my meals and removes the anxiety of wondering if I’ll lose a full day (or two) of a trip because of what I eat.
It is not always convenient. But it is empowering. Traveling with food sensitivities like mine has taught me that preparation is not paranoia — it is care. It means I get to enjoy the trip, rather than recover from it.