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Susie
Europe with 4 little kids (Crazy I know)...What to eat?
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Europe with 4 little kids (Crazy I know)...What to eat?
My husband has to take a business trip to Europe (Luxembourg) and is able to take his family along. I was super uncertain at first, but it is such a great opportunity that we decided to go for it. Normally when we travel I take all of my food with me. Checked Customs in Luxembourg and we can't bring meat with us (currently eating Buffalo). We will be traveling to Luxembourg and France, and I am looking for any and ALL suggestions about what to do for food while travelling and in Europe. I have never been and don't speak French! If anyone has been and has suggestions or hasn't been and has suggestion they will all be considered
Thank You!
Susie
Thank You!
Susie
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Gabes-Apg
- Emperor Penguin
- Posts: 8367
- Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2009 3:12 pm
- Location: Hunter Valley NSW Australia
I spent 3 weeks in France for work in 2010 (9 mths post Dx)
it was not easy... given that bread, butter and cheese is a big part of their staples.
I took supplies for snacks in my luggage, and before travelling did quite a bit of research via the web I found an organic/health food shop that had further supplies (that was 5 min walk from my accommodation)
there are quite a few gluten free products - the problem arises if you have multiple intolerances.
highly recommend getting our chef cards that ant designed, translated to French (i will see if i still have one) that was my saviour in all of the restaurants.
with a bit of pre-planning it is dooable, and worth the effort!!!
it was not easy... given that bread, butter and cheese is a big part of their staples.
I took supplies for snacks in my luggage, and before travelling did quite a bit of research via the web I found an organic/health food shop that had further supplies (that was 5 min walk from my accommodation)
there are quite a few gluten free products - the problem arises if you have multiple intolerances.
highly recommend getting our chef cards that ant designed, translated to French (i will see if i still have one) that was my saviour in all of the restaurants.
with a bit of pre-planning it is dooable, and worth the effort!!!
Gabes Ryan
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
Hi Susie,
I wasn't sure if you have all of your accomodations booked? I know of a bed and breakfast where if you stayed you would have a great dinner, your husband would love the meal and it is very kid friendly. With advance notice I think Mme Blot would take care of your concerns. It is about about an hour east of Paris and about 20 minute-1/2 hour drive from Euro Disney. If you are going to be in that area and aren't already booked I'll give you the info.
Brandy
I wasn't sure if you have all of your accomodations booked? I know of a bed and breakfast where if you stayed you would have a great dinner, your husband would love the meal and it is very kid friendly. With advance notice I think Mme Blot would take care of your concerns. It is about about an hour east of Paris and about 20 minute-1/2 hour drive from Euro Disney. If you are going to be in that area and aren't already booked I'll give you the info.
Brandy
Thank you all for the replies...
Zizzle, I heard that too.....not really planning to eat at restaurants.
Gabes, It is nice to hear that someone did it and survived! I haven't heard of the chef's card? Does it list all of the intolerances? I was thinking about making something like that. Someone on the board made one?
Brandy, the only place we haven't booked yet is Paris. We were thinking of staying in the city, but I am open to anything and would love the info you have!
Thanks again and keep um coming :) I am planning to make my food for the plane and just eat it cold.
Zizzle, I heard that too.....not really planning to eat at restaurants.
Gabes, It is nice to hear that someone did it and survived! I haven't heard of the chef's card? Does it list all of the intolerances? I was thinking about making something like that. Someone on the board made one?
Brandy, the only place we haven't booked yet is Paris. We were thinking of staying in the city, but I am open to anything and would love the info you have!
Thanks again and keep um coming :) I am planning to make my food for the plane and just eat it cold.
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Gabes-Apg
- Emperor Penguin
- Posts: 8367
- Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2009 3:12 pm
- Location: Hunter Valley NSW Australia
For my trip, I wasn’t in paris, I was near the south coast near Marseille and Aix en Province. One restaurant we went to none of the staff spoke English, when the chef got my chef card she came out ( I think to see if I was for real). Another diner kindly translated for us and the chef could not believe that I was travelling when I could not eat gluten, dairy and salad. She hugged me and thought I was brave! To help facilitate the safe meal, she bought out all the veges she had available on one plate, and I had to choose which ones I could eat and put them on an empty plate, and those were the ones she cooked. The meal was lovely
I was working 12+ hour days in an industrial area so did my shopping once a week and stocked up, i was in an apartment with small kitchen so was able to have good breaky and boil some eggs etc to take for my lunch. Use the net and research health food/organic shops near to where you will be staying. They are generally open 9am till 7pm (especially in summer)
Whilst there, my trip was extended from two weeks to three, luckily there was a fantastic French national part of our working group and she got onto a French website that had supplies and did an order for me (using my credit card) and purchased ‘gabe safe’ goods for me to last the duration of my trip. We even got a cake mix that she baked for me!
None of the websites had an option to view the websites in english
Be assured that to go shopping and buy clothes you do not need to know French… you signal to the change rooms and they nod, you come out and signal smaller or larger and they get the clothes, and in the end you hand over your credit card and you get clothes!! No french needed.
I was also able to handle the champagne and wine in France! They are really low in sulphides and have no preservatives
The other area to do a bit of pre-planning for is the transit ie meals on your flights. Some airlines are really good and some are soo soo.
Try to carry some snacks with you. I had a letter from my doctor stating that I had the intolerances (the wording of which is located within this post: http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewt ... 53&start=0 ), and got the travel agent to put a notation on the itinerary that the “specialist meal requests had been made but can not be guaranteed”, based on this I was able to carry my own food and drink enough to sustain me for the 36 hour transit. I declared the items at each of the security points and with the letter and itinerary there was no issue carrying liquids etc.
Your transit will be shorter, the main issue is trying to get soy free at the airports. There are quite a few gluten free options, but none for multiple intolerances.
The other advice is not to get too worked up or over think things (as stress can be our enemy) with a bit of pre-planning and if you know your body, you will be fine. One of the challenges was walking past all the pastisseries, market stalls of amazing fruits, and restaurants and seeing things you can not eat. And most nights I was dining with work colleagues and also seeing lots of yummy things that pre MC were favourites.
Use the search function of this site - Gloria, Joe, Martha, Nancy have all travelled and posted information on how they handled it ...
I was working 12+ hour days in an industrial area so did my shopping once a week and stocked up, i was in an apartment with small kitchen so was able to have good breaky and boil some eggs etc to take for my lunch. Use the net and research health food/organic shops near to where you will be staying. They are generally open 9am till 7pm (especially in summer)
Whilst there, my trip was extended from two weeks to three, luckily there was a fantastic French national part of our working group and she got onto a French website that had supplies and did an order for me (using my credit card) and purchased ‘gabe safe’ goods for me to last the duration of my trip. We even got a cake mix that she baked for me!
None of the websites had an option to view the websites in english
Be assured that to go shopping and buy clothes you do not need to know French… you signal to the change rooms and they nod, you come out and signal smaller or larger and they get the clothes, and in the end you hand over your credit card and you get clothes!! No french needed.
I was also able to handle the champagne and wine in France! They are really low in sulphides and have no preservatives
The other area to do a bit of pre-planning for is the transit ie meals on your flights. Some airlines are really good and some are soo soo.
Try to carry some snacks with you. I had a letter from my doctor stating that I had the intolerances (the wording of which is located within this post: http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewt ... 53&start=0 ), and got the travel agent to put a notation on the itinerary that the “specialist meal requests had been made but can not be guaranteed”, based on this I was able to carry my own food and drink enough to sustain me for the 36 hour transit. I declared the items at each of the security points and with the letter and itinerary there was no issue carrying liquids etc.
Your transit will be shorter, the main issue is trying to get soy free at the airports. There are quite a few gluten free options, but none for multiple intolerances.
The other advice is not to get too worked up or over think things (as stress can be our enemy) with a bit of pre-planning and if you know your body, you will be fine. One of the challenges was walking past all the pastisseries, market stalls of amazing fruits, and restaurants and seeing things you can not eat. And most nights I was dining with work colleagues and also seeing lots of yummy things that pre MC were favourites.
Use the search function of this site - Gloria, Joe, Martha, Nancy have all travelled and posted information on how they handled it ...
Gabes Ryan
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
Oh Gabes I am so glad to hear that about the airplanes and liquids. I make banana smoothies for breakfast and I was wondering what I was going to eat on the plane! There is no way I could eat an airplane meal even if it is gluten free! I am more wondering what I can eat than singling out what I can't so any pre-made meals are definitely a no go.
I guess at least the French are sympathetic about it? I will be in the south of France too for a week.
All very good tips. Thanks again and let me know if you think of anymore!
I guess at least the French are sympathetic about it? I will be in the south of France too for a week.
All very good tips. Thanks again and let me know if you think of anymore!
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Gabes-Apg
- Emperor Penguin
- Posts: 8367
- Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2009 3:12 pm
- Location: Hunter Valley NSW Australia
as long as you take any liquids ie almond milk / rice milk / coconut milk in its original packaging there will be no issues - the smaller the container the better.
If you want chef cards done up in French - one of my closest friends speaks and writes french (and italian) if you PM or email me the text that you want translated i can get this done for you. having a native speaker do this works better as the sentences will be constructed properly. If you use something like google translate, the sentence will be disjionted (and this can tend to offend native speakers of that language, the french are quite protective of their language)
my cards had the sentence in french on one line and then the english underneath, that way if they had any questions i knew what word they were querying!!
i remember a funny evening in one restaurant they didnt have the menus in english, the owner did not speak english, so the owner explained the menu to our table via animal sounds baaa for lamb, mooo for beef, fish face for salmon. it was hilarious. after we got through the charades and ordered, the next group to come in to dine were from the UK, none of them spoke french so he had to do it all AGAIN, by this stage we had had a bit of wine and it was even funnier...
where abouts in the south of france are you going?? Nice? Cassis?
I still have the details of the 'safe' restaurants in Aix en Province (i marked them on a map for safekeeping) and the location of health food stores that had GF/DF/SF ingredients in both Aix en Province and Vitrolles.
I just remembered that we have a PP forum member who lives in monaco (not far from Nice) additionally if we need any assistance before you travel (locating stores that sell supplies, or important information translated) we could contact him for assistance
If you want chef cards done up in French - one of my closest friends speaks and writes french (and italian) if you PM or email me the text that you want translated i can get this done for you. having a native speaker do this works better as the sentences will be constructed properly. If you use something like google translate, the sentence will be disjionted (and this can tend to offend native speakers of that language, the french are quite protective of their language)
my cards had the sentence in french on one line and then the english underneath, that way if they had any questions i knew what word they were querying!!
i remember a funny evening in one restaurant they didnt have the menus in english, the owner did not speak english, so the owner explained the menu to our table via animal sounds baaa for lamb, mooo for beef, fish face for salmon. it was hilarious. after we got through the charades and ordered, the next group to come in to dine were from the UK, none of them spoke french so he had to do it all AGAIN, by this stage we had had a bit of wine and it was even funnier...
where abouts in the south of france are you going?? Nice? Cassis?
I still have the details of the 'safe' restaurants in Aix en Province (i marked them on a map for safekeeping) and the location of health food stores that had GF/DF/SF ingredients in both Aix en Province and Vitrolles.
I just remembered that we have a PP forum member who lives in monaco (not far from Nice) additionally if we need any assistance before you travel (locating stores that sell supplies, or important information translated) we could contact him for assistance
Gabes Ryan
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
Susie,
Here's an example of a "To The Chef" card:
http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewt ... p?p=109969
Tex
Here's an example of a "To The Chef" card:
http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewt ... p?p=109969
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
I just made a free allergy card in French here:
http://www.allerglobal.com/step2.php?sl=en
Easy. Only downside is they don't have the word gluten or barley (just wheat and flour). My sample text is below. I spoke French as a child, so I know it's correct.
There are plenty of similar allergy cards online, but I think you pay for some of the better ones. I would just borrow the text from this one and make my own. Google translate can help you with the missing terms.
Carte d'Allergies et Intolérances Alimentaires
Je suis allergique ou intolérant(e) aux aliments suivants:
•beurre
•blé
•farine
•fromage
•graine de soja, soja
•grains de sésame
•lait de vache
•produits laitiers
•yaourt
Je vous prie de tenir compte de ces informations lorsque vous préparerez mon repas.
Merci pour votre collaboration.
http://www.allerglobal.com/step2.php?sl=en
Easy. Only downside is they don't have the word gluten or barley (just wheat and flour). My sample text is below. I spoke French as a child, so I know it's correct.
There are plenty of similar allergy cards online, but I think you pay for some of the better ones. I would just borrow the text from this one and make my own. Google translate can help you with the missing terms.
Carte d'Allergies et Intolérances Alimentaires
Je suis allergique ou intolérant(e) aux aliments suivants:
•beurre
•blé
•farine
•fromage
•graine de soja, soja
•grains de sésame
•lait de vache
•produits laitiers
•yaourt
Je vous prie de tenir compte de ces informations lorsque vous préparerez mon repas.
Merci pour votre collaboration.
Oh my goodness, this is all so helpful it brings tears of joy to my eyes!!!!
Gabes, Again, good to know about the liquids. I guess I may have a little trouble if I make my own smoothie and try to take it on? But I think that encourages me to take some TJ boxed coconut milk for the kids. They are ALL very intolerant of milk, but I think I will just take it under the guise that it is for me. I am definitely going to type up the sheet you made from the doctor and get it signed. I am also Type I Diabetic, so that goes for me in the direction of Having to take food I can eat!
We are actually going to be quite close to Monaco, in Vence which is outside of Antibes. The member in Monace may know of some good stores??? We will be pretty far from Aix en Province though. The Chef's card is a must. I think I may use the site Zizzle posted and then post it for corrections. I definitely need the English translations!
Tex, Thank you for that. This very visual person was having trouble
Don't know why I don't have one for local use! I need to think about what I am willing to eat while I am out so that I can put this down on paper. I usually figure that if I stay away from the BIG offenders for me, Gluten, Dairy, Egg, Soy, and Yeast, that I will be OK. Maybe adding in the very well cooked veggies too.... I do get worried about cross contamination though.
Zizzle, that is a great site! Basically what everyone is talking about. I will definitely use that and then post it here for correction/analyzation! Funny though, I realized how little I know, cause looking at your list I could only figure out three of the French words!
Tex, thinking all of these replies should be marked somehow for eveyone who is traveling outside of the US! You guys are helping relieve my anxiety!! Thanks again, Susie
Gabes, Again, good to know about the liquids. I guess I may have a little trouble if I make my own smoothie and try to take it on? But I think that encourages me to take some TJ boxed coconut milk for the kids. They are ALL very intolerant of milk, but I think I will just take it under the guise that it is for me. I am definitely going to type up the sheet you made from the doctor and get it signed. I am also Type I Diabetic, so that goes for me in the direction of Having to take food I can eat!
We are actually going to be quite close to Monaco, in Vence which is outside of Antibes. The member in Monace may know of some good stores??? We will be pretty far from Aix en Province though. The Chef's card is a must. I think I may use the site Zizzle posted and then post it for corrections. I definitely need the English translations!
Tex, Thank you for that. This very visual person was having trouble
Don't know why I don't have one for local use! I need to think about what I am willing to eat while I am out so that I can put this down on paper. I usually figure that if I stay away from the BIG offenders for me, Gluten, Dairy, Egg, Soy, and Yeast, that I will be OK. Maybe adding in the very well cooked veggies too.... I do get worried about cross contamination though.Zizzle, that is a great site! Basically what everyone is talking about. I will definitely use that and then post it here for correction/analyzation! Funny though, I realized how little I know, cause looking at your list I could only figure out three of the French words!
Tex, thinking all of these replies should be marked somehow for eveyone who is traveling outside of the US! You guys are helping relieve my anxiety!! Thanks again, Susie
Hi Susie,
We have a forum just for archiving traveling discussions, and hopefully I'll remember to move this thread there after a few days of discussion:
http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=62
Tex
We have a forum just for archiving traveling discussions, and hopefully I'll remember to move this thread there after a few days of discussion:
http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=62
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Susie,
That's an anaphylactic reaction -- you're allergic (IgE reaction) to any nut that causes throat swelling.
Tex
That's an anaphylactic reaction -- you're allergic (IgE reaction) to any nut that causes throat swelling.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.