Food Allergy Tips For Safe Family Travel
It’s time to take that long-awaited vacation and your whole family is looking forward to it. However, you’re wondering what you will eat. After all, you have that food allergy–and what if you can’t find something to eat while you’re away from home? Losing weight is good but not when you have to starve to do it. Why not take a little time to plan ahead for your vacation meals? Here are some things you might want to consider:
- How long will you be gone on vacation?
Obviously, if you won’t be away from home for very long, eating will not be as much of a problem for you. However, if you will be traveling for an extended period of time, you will need to do a lot more. Try to bring along some nonperishable foods that you know you can eat. You can use these as supplementary food or as a whole meal if you need to. For example, if you have a wheat allergy and have trouble finding bread that you can eat, take along some bread or crackers that you know you can eat. That way you can eat along with the rest of your family and not feel deprived or too hungry. Bring along some energy or complete meal bars that you can eat as well.
- How severe is your food allergy or sensitivity?
If you don’t have an extreme reaction to the food or foods you’re allergic to, consider just having an extra supply of allergy-related medications to handle any unexpected allergy experiences. For example, if you know that you experience sinus congestion when you eat a certain food, try to avoid the food as much as possible. However, have some of the medication you need with you so that you can take it as soon as you realize you may have a problem. If you catch it in time, you may be able to keep yourself from having a severe reaction.
- Where are you going for your vacation?
If you’re traveling in an RV or will be staying in locations which have their own kitchens, you will be able to prepare some of your own foods. You may even be able to find some of the foods you need locally if you are not traveling to an extremely small or isolated place. Consider purchasing what you need and taking it with you in a cooler. Once you reach your location, you can transfer your food over to the refrigerator and feel almost like you’re at home.
If you will be staying in motels or hotels, try to get ones that offer microwaves and/or refrigerators. If this is not in your budget, plan to take along a sturdy ice chest and add ice at each night’s stop.
If you will be staying with family and friends, you can contact them ahead of time and let them know that you have special dietary needs. With advance notice, most people will be able to prepare meals that you can enjoy along with everyone else.
If you will be traveling out of the country or to more exotic locations, you will need to check with your travel agent to see what food items you are permitted to take with you and what foods may be available in the places you are planning to visit.
Overall, traveling with a food allergy or sensitivity is a challenging experience. However, with advance planning and research, you can have a much more fulfilling experience.