Travelling to Spain with Food Allergies

Hola! Como estas? Spain is a beautiful country to visit filled with lots of culture, history and delicious food! If you prepare in advance and are aware of the common cuisine, your trip to Spain should be enjoyable despite your food allergies.

Depending on where in Spain you are going, locals will know variable levels of English. In major cities like Barcelona and Madrid, many people who work at restaurants are able to speak fairly good English. However, if you are getting into smaller more coastal towns you may find that it is harder for people to understand you. It is a good idea when travelling anywhere with a foreign language to get allergy statement cards. There are a variety of websites where you can order cards that translate common sayings such as “Does this food contain ‘your allergen?’” This can make the language barrier a lot easier for you to work with. It is also important to look up the Spanish words for your allergen so that you are able to read packages if you are buying your own food. Here are some examples: Peanut = Mani, Shellfish = Mariscos, Milk = Leche.

Spanish cuisine includes a wide variety of dishes from paella to tapas. Seafood and shellfish are very common in Spain, especially when visiting coastal towns. There are definitely options that do not contain these, but if you have an allergy to these foods you should be very aware of what you are eating. If fish is being cooked or fried in the same oil or in the same area as other foods, you should clarify the risks of cross-contamination with the restaurant staff. Tapas are very common fare in Spain, with some restaurants being dedicated to only serving this type of food. Tapas are kind of like appetizers and there are many options to choose from. When eating tapas just be careful to check exactly what the ingredients are, as you typically just pick them out buffet-style and do not have a menu describing what is in each dish.

Overall travelling to Spain is absolutely amazing and I highly recommend it! There are amazing sights to see and delicious foods to try. There is no reason why you can’t go there and eat safely with your food allergies – you just need to be actively ensuring you are safe!

– Lindsay S.

Adios amigos!