Traveling Abroad with Dietary Restrictions: A Guide for Vegetarians

Traveling abroad with dietary restrictions can be extremely challenging. When you’re exploring places like Africa, South America, or the United Arab Emirates and adhering to a vegetarian diet, you’re likely to encounter difficulties due to the limited variety of vegetarian food options available.

Meat-eaters can easily relish delicious non-vegetarian meals while on vacation, but for vegetarians, the choices tend to be very few. Furthermore, when you have dietary restrictions, it’s even more essential to monitor what you consume.

How Vegetarians Can Have a Great Time Traveling Abroad

With scarce options available, you might believe that there isn’t sufficient food. However, this is actually not the case. When preparing to travel, you need to be attentive to your diet. Nevertheless, vegetarian fare outside of India may lack variety and can also be somewhat pricey.

Thus, you should carefully plan your entire journey considering dietary limitations. Here are some top suggestions that might prove useful:

1. Budget Wisely

Always remember to keep a budget for meals while traveling internationally. In foreign countries, vegetarian food tends to cost more than non-vegetarian food. Some eateries may charge a higher price for serving vegetarian dishes and other amenities.

Considering the elevated food expenses, you should establish a budget early on. You might be able to save on certain extra expenses as you obtain overseas travel insurance. You can also consider claiming bonuses and discounts to access healthy dining options at reasonable rates.

2. Opt for Potatoes and Salads

Potatoes and salads are among the most reliable choices when it comes to vegetarian dining abroad. You’re likely to find these items at most restaurants at relatively lower prices, so you won’t need to struggle much.

In countries like Poland and Slovakia, you can enjoy tasty potato and beetroot salad accompanied by cabbage and grated carrots on the side. You can also ask the chef to modify any dish to better suit your preferences.

3. Learn the Basics

When visiting any country where English is not the primary language, it’s advisable to grasp the basics. This will aid you in conveying what you can eat and what you cannot. If you wish to avoid confusion, it’s best to write down your dietary restrictions and allergies.

While traveling abroad from India, you should steer clear of street food. If you have a reaction to any allergens, it could pose serious risks to your health.

4. Eat Like the Locals

One of the most effective ways to enjoy your vegetables is to eat like the locals. They are familiar with their vegetables, greens, and fruits. Consequently, they can assist you in understanding how to consume and what to select. Additionally, some vegetarian meals may already be integrated into their everyday diet.

You can engage with the locals initially to learn more about vegetarian food options. You may also perform online research regarding the local vegetarian cuisines and dishes so that you can relish them. Some locals are very friendly and hospitable. They may even invite you into their homes to experience their tasty vegetarian meals.

5. Visit Religious Institutions

If you wish to sample delicious vegetarian cuisines, consider visiting religious institutions. Because vegetarian food is essential in certain religions and cultures, these institutions provide a wide array of vegetarian dishes.

These religious institutions offer either vegetarian meals or vegan options, though this might apply only on particular days of the week or month. You can investigate some options and confirm if any of them serve vegetarian food year-round.

6. Dine at Vegetarian Restaurants

As veganism and vegetarianism gain popularity, they are slowly being embraced across the globe. Many new restaurants are being established, providing solely vegetarian or vegan dishes. While some of these establishments serve basic meals, others offer unique and elaborate dishes.

While traveling internationally, if you wish to indulge in local specialties, you may ask the restaurant to offer you the same. They might create a blend of local specialties with vegetarian alternatives for you to savor. Some vegetarian restaurants also provide mock meats made from mushrooms or other vegetables.

You can explore various food apps internationally to discover delightful food items. Some overseas restaurants also offer delivery services, so you won’t need to leave your accommodation.

7. Be Mindful of Nutrition

When you follow dietary restrictions and strictly consume only vegan or vegetarian food, you need to monitor your nutrition. You should aim for a balanced intake of vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates.

While traveling, select nutrient-rich vegetarian food. Incorporating chia seeds into your smoothies and salads can be extremely beneficial. Furthermore, enjoying some superfoods can help ensure you don’t miss out on essential nutrients.

You can visit health food stores and try alternatives such as milk and soy. Keep your vegetable breakfasts light yet rich in nutrition. Additionally, carry some vegetarian snacks with you so that you can have them on the go.

Conclusion

As a vegetarian, you need to be very cautious during your travels. Naturally, you don’t want to become unwell or encounter any issues. When traveling internationally and adhering to specific dietary restrictions, you can procure your travel insurance online and be ready to go. Online insurance ensures that if anything goes awry, you’ll be able to recover from the situation. Moreover, you won’t have to pay extra for your meals either, as coverage may sometimes include certain options, thus saving you money.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for demonstration purposes only. For additional information, kindly consult the policy documents and prospectus prior to finalizing the sales.