Dietary Restrictions Abroad

_{Banner photo credit: Tinu Sinha, "Nutty Deal"}
_{(UCalgary International Photo Contest)}

Having dietary restrictions, allergies, or food intolerances can be daunting when it comes to travelling in new environments. However, plenty of students go abroad every year safely and successfully.

Whether you have Celiac disease, a major food allergy, religious dietary restrictions, or you are vegan, all you need to have an enjoyable experience is some careful planning and preparations. The main key is communication. Ensure your advisors, friends, roommates, and instructors are aware of your needs and restrictions.

Please find helpful questions, resources, and links below to better assist your research into global learning opportunities. If you have any questions or would like additional assistance or guidance, please do not hesitate to contact one of our advisors at study.abroad@ucalgary.ca.

The local cuisine

What are common dishes in the area you are going? This may vary depending on whether your destination is more urban or rural. Do you think it is likely they will cook or use ingredients or allergens that might be hard for you to avoid?

Communicating your needs

How will you tell people what you can or can’t eat? Do you speak the local language? If not, is English commonly understood? Can you learn the appropriate words/phrases or carry a written note to show others?

Access to support services

Are you able to bring necessary medications with you or obtain them in your host country? If exposure to certain foods/ingredients would result in hospitalization, do you have a plan of action?

Talk to a Global Learning Advisor

Some programs may be more or less flexible to accommodate different diets. If you have any dietary restrictions, allergies, or intolerances, our advisors are happy to discuss your needs and help identify programs & destinations that will work well for you.

Talk to your instructor

For students attending Group Study Programs, your instructor will have more detailed information about the types of food and facilities that are available in-field, and what types of diets can be more or less easily accommodated.

Research your host institution

For students attending Exchange/Research/Internship programs, your host institution may have online resources. Your Global Learning Advisor can support this research and help contact past students or the host institution for additional information if needed.

Consider your housing situation

Housing varies on different programs. You may live on or off campus, source your own meals, or have food provided (can you reach out to food providers in advance to check about allergens & cross-contamination?). You may have roommates whom you want to inform of your dietary restrictions as well.

Research medication import rules

If bringing medication with you, check your host country's embassy website for any regulations. Ensure your prescriptions are up-to-date and get them filled prior to travel so that you can bring enough to cover your trip. If bringing autoinjectors (e.g. EpiPens), these normally go in your hand luggage, but check with the embassy to be sure.

Plan what else to bring

You may want to consider bringing small meal supplements. This is especially relevant for short trips with tight schedules, where you might not have time to visit multiple restaurants/stores in search of appropriate food.

Make note of emergency numbers

In case of a severe food reaction or medical emergency, ensure you know how to call for help. You can find emergency numbers listed on the Government of Canada's Travel Advisories - check for all countries you plan to visit on your trip, as numbers may vary: https://travel.gc.ca/

As someone who has spent the last 12 years of her life eating gluten-free since being diagnosed with celiac disease at nine, I had become used to the awareness of the gluten-free lifestyle and the many options for eating gluten-free in Canada. Upon arriving in Hong Kong for my semester abroad, I quickly realized that gluten-free food was not easy to find – no one even knew what gluten-free meant!

Mairin Rockliff

Past UCalgary student who did an exchange in Hong Kong

How did Mairin handle being gluten-free in a culture that didn't recognize that label? Read her blog for some advice: Gluten-Free Girl in Hong Kong

Compare with these other student stories: A Guide to Eating Abroad for the Adventurous, Cautious, Gluten-Free & Vegetarian

A large square pizza loaded with toppings sits on a paper sheet on a table. The wall behind the table has an artistic blue-and-white mural of a large cat with its mouth open, aligned with the pizza.

"Hungry Eyes" (Chalcuapa, El Salvador)

Rodrigo Cortez

Food Allergies:

Celiac:

The Celiac Travel Guide
Celiac Travel Recommendations (Instagram @thenomadicfitz)
Gluten-Free in Europe

Diabetes:

Religious dietary restrictions:

Vegetarian/Vegan:

We are actively building our library of resources for future students. If you're interested in sharing your experience with global learning to help educate & inspire other students, or if you are aware of any resources that you think would be valuable to add to our website, we encourage you to connect with one of our advisors! Please submit inquiries and questions to study.abroad@ucalgary.ca.