Globetrotting with Dietary Requirements

From businesstraveller.com

Travelling with dietary requirements is significantly easier now than it was ten years ago. Whether you follow a plant-based diet or have food intolerances, restaurants, hotels and even airlines are rapidly expanding their offerings to accommodate different needs.

Recent developments include Novotel committing to making at least a quarter of menu items plant-based across all its hotels, while China Airlines has launched vegetarian and plant-based dishes in partnership with Taipei’s Michelin Green Star vegetarian restaurant Little Tree Food.

Nevertheless, finding suitable food options while on the road can still be a challenging and often anxiety-inducing feat – even more so on a business trip when you might not have control over the restaurant choice.

I should know. At home, I follow a strictly plant-based diet (no eggs, dairy, fish or meat). But when travelling, I find it helpful to have the extra flexibility of a vegetarian diet.

Of course, some cities are great for vegan food. I’ve had excellent meals in Berlin, Amsterdam and Los Angeles, while New Zealand recently ranked number one globally for vegan dining options per capita in The Vegan Society’s Veganism Around the World report. More commonly, though, I’m faced with menus where chips and bread are the only suitable options.

Eating a vegetarian diet takes the pressure off slightly, especially when attending events or organised dinners. But in some parts of the world, even this is a challenge. On a recent trip to China, I tried my best (with the help of Google Translate) to explain that I’m vegetarian, but I was often still served dishes containing meat and fish. My guide explained that sometimes in China a dish was thought to be suitable for vegetarians if it contained vegetables.

Colleagues with allergies also had a tricky time. Seafood seemed to be understood, but for those with nut allergies, a plate of plain rice was sometimes the safest bet. That’s not to say there weren’t any options available. I had a great experience at the entirely plant-based restaurant Lotus Vegan in Shanghai, for example. But usually, you do have to hunt these places out.

Zen Dining: Buddhist culture in places like Thailand, Myanmar and Sri Lanka encourages a plant-based lifestyle

Credit: Getty

Tips on How to Manage Dietary Needs on Your Next Trip

• Pack lots of protein-rich snacks to keep you going – protein bars, energy balls etc.
• Locate a supermarket near to your hotel to stock up on extra supplies if needed.
• Learn how to say “I’m [insert dietary label] and don’t eat X” or “I’m allergic to X” in the language of the destination, and save a screenshot of the translated phrase on your phone in case you forget it.
• Research vegetarian/vegan restaurants in the area (see the helpful apps below).
• Consider chain restaurants (McDonald’s, Subway, Starbucks), while not the most exciting or healthy choice, they often serve as a reliable back-up.
• Tap into the local culture. Buddhist restaurants and temples are usually a reliable option for food since many Buddhists traditionally adhere to vegetarian diets. Orthodox Christians also typically abstain from meat, fish, eggs and dairy during Lent. For this reason, I have found great plant-based options in the Balkans. Similarly, a lot of Indian cuisine naturally focuses on vegetarian-friendly ingredients, making it a plant-based diner’s delight.
• Pre-order a special inflight meal via the airline’s website or customer service helpline. Note that the timeframe varies by airline, so it’s down to you to check. Meals marked ‘VGML’ are usually vegan, for instance. Other meal options usually include raw vegetable meals (RVML), kosher meals (KSML), gluten-free meals (GFML) and low-lactose meals (LLML).
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Helpful Apps for Finding Restaurants for Different Dietary Requirements

HappyCow

A long-standing reliable travel tool for many vegans and vegetarians, this website and app are the perfect platforms for meat-free travellers. HappyCow lists vegan and vegetarian-friendly restaurants around the world.

Under each listing, users can view reviews, ratings, photos of dishes and menus to plan their dining accordingly.

Spokin

On the Spokin app, users with allergies and coeliac disease share their experiences of dining at restaurants locally and abroad.

Reviews highlight information such as whether menus are marked with allergen labels. It also rates how accommodating staff were, whether specific ingredients are used in the kitchen (for example, peanut oil), and even the ingredients of individual bakery items.

You can search for reviews by city, and the app even features travel guides and a dedicated travel page with insights about hotels and airlines.

https://www.businesstraveller.com/insights/globetrotting-with-dietary-requirements/