7 Tips to Manage Diet Restrictions while Travelling

How to Plan Your Trip without Compromising Your Dietary Needs

A person’s diet is their personal preference, and they have every right to maintain it. For religious, ethical or dietary reasons, food habits can affect our experiences in both good & bad ways. Someone may have been raised in a vegetarian household, while someone may have lactose intolerance. Some people may be uncomfortable with unexplored cuisines, which is perfectly okay. Without further ado, let us understand and plan different ways to make the most of your international trip without compromising on your food habits:

1. Pick the Right Destination

   You know your diet best, and your choices should be made around that knowledge. If you know you can’t tolerate seafood, you must avoid places that only serve seafood. South East Asian Countries that have an exclusive menu around seafood will disappoint you if you want an all-vegetarian menu. Even if there are vegetarian options, be prepared to pay for them. This should not be a surprise or a deliberate inconvenience; coastal areas and islands have abundant seafood, and getting other items costs them a lot.

   On the other hand, you can either pick an Indian restaurant in these countries or visit countries with similar food habits. If you’re a vegetarian, then you can pick a country with a high Indian diaspora so that you have a lot of vegetarian options.

   You May Like to Read: Best Long Weekend Foreign Trips for Indians

2. Plan Your In-flight Meals

   International flights usually have limited vegetarian food options. Luckily, most of them provide a lot of meal options to cater to different diet groups. Vegetarians can opt for their meal in advance so that there is no confusion later. A few airlines also consider your allergies, such as soy or milk. Whatever you need to consider, make sure to select your meals a few days in advance. In case yours is a highly restrictive diet, you can always pack your lunch for the trip.

3. Research Your Options

   This one is unavoidable if you have dietary restrictions. Globalism has made it very easy to get anything, anywhere. As soon as your hotel or hostel is arranged, look for global superstores, restaurants and eateries around that area.

   You must also research their most popular food options and understand their ingredients. You will know beforehand if there is anything in there you can’t eat. Make sure to do this for your entire trip as well as all the possible routes you plan to take abroad.

   There can also be confusion in the case of ingredient names, as well as cultural differences that you may not be aware of. For example, Indians are accustomed to eggless bakery products, but this may not be the case abroad. It can be an honest mistake, but if you are allergic to eggs or a vegetarian, then it may dampen your trip experience.

4. Pack for Your Stomach

   If you have an auto-immune disorder or an allergy because of certain foods, it is best to pack some snacks accordingly. You should definitely keep anti-allergy medicines along with other prescribed medicines if you are prone to certain food allergies.

   It is best to pack whey protein or protein bars if you are concerned about your muscle mass or overall nutrition while travelling. You can even pack some granola bars, essential nuts, seeds and dried fruits for munching if you want to control your hunger without compromising nutrition.

5. Carry Some Ready-to-Cook Options

   If you’re travelling for a short period of time, consider packing some pre-cooked meals that you can simply microwave or heat. Of course, you should consider your stay and first confirm if these facilities are available. Plenty of brands in India sell pre-cooked foods like shahi paneer rice, biriyani kit, rajma rice and more.

6. Cook Your Own Meals

   This one may sound like a chore but is a lifesaver for anyone who does not want to compromise with their food habits. It is also great for budget travellers who want to save money on restaurants. A lot of travellers prefer hostels and vacation rentals that come with a functional kitchen. All you need to do is to purchase some groceries and cook your meals.

   Now, before you complain about cooking on a vacation or being a bad cook, here are some foods that can’t possibly go wrong:

   • Whole grain pasta (you can get readymade pasta dressing)
   • Eggs
   • Vegetable fry
   • Tofu/Cheese Sandwiches
   • Smoothies and Milkshakes

   If this seems like a lot of work at some point, then you can always eat out at a restaurant. After all you’re going on a vacation, and you should totally indulge yourself once in a while!

   While you’re still looking for travel tips, here’s another one! Make sure to secure your trip with travel insurance policy. It will help you stick to your budget, provide any assistance during emergencies and guarantee peace of mind as long as you decide to travel.

7. Try Vegan Food

   The vegan diet has become a very popular preference and is an important moment for a lot of people in the world. Other than its environmental and ethical advantages, the diet is a boon for people who have a similar diet. For instance, vegetarians can safely eat vegan food knowing well that it has zero animal-based products. Similarly, many vegan restaurants use gluten-free food items that can be great for someone with allergies. You can enjoy your soy milk latte and shakes without worrying about lactose intolerance. Overall, it can be a great idea to stick to vegan food if you’re a vegetarian Indian travelling in a foreign country.

How to Stick to Your Diet While Travelling

Our purpose of travelling may be leisure or work, but ultimately, we want to make the most of it and have a lot of fun. Food is an inevitable part of our travel, especially when visiting a completely different country. However, not monitoring our food can affect our health, wallet and overall trip experience. Here are some ways to enjoy your trip while not giving up on your diet:

• Inform your travelling companions of any food allergies, addiction or food preferences. Whenever it gets difficult to stick to your diet, ask them to remind you of your reasons.
• Practice portion control while keeping a high protein intake. Lean protein will keep you satiated and stop you from craving food unnecessarily.
• Pack munchies and snacks that you love, especially while travelling. This will stop you from overeating or craving fast food.
• Include probiotics in your diet. You will easily find curd, yoghurt, miso soup, and kimchi while you’re abroad. It will keep your gut healthy and keep your immune system strong.
• Make a list of all the popular foods of the country you’re visiting and break down the ingredients. Now, pick the top 5 or 10 foods you can eat after considering all your diet requirements. Make sure to try them and stick to the ones that you like most!

Over to You,

Travelling should be an enriching experience meant to rejuvenate yourself. Health conditions and food preferences can definitely affect a trip, but there are always ways to overcome that. As you plan and pack for your upcoming international vacation, don’t forget to buy international travel insurance plan to help you with any emergencies on your trip. It will protect you from a range of issues, including medical and stay-related problems while you’re travelling.