Nut & Gluten Allergies on the Camino

[EveE]

Hi guys, I'm doing the Camino Frances in June 2023 and have anaphylaxis with nuts and coeliac disease (so I can't have gluten). How accommodating are the albergues at catering for allergies? I'm stressing because if I book through a company, they say they can organise food for me, but I'd ideally like to not book through a company and book the albergues as I go along the Camino, to get the most authentic experience. Plus it seems to be a lot cheaper doing it myself.

Any help would be really appreciated! I get nervous travelling with my allergies BUT I don't want them to stop me from experiences like this!

 

[trecile]

While I enjoy eating communal dinners in albergues they really are not very common. I eat most meals in restaurants/bars. Many pilgrims also take advantage of albergue kitchens (when they are available) to cook meals together. This usually involves a group of pilgrims going to the grocery store together and deciding on a menu.

 

[Chiara15]

I can’t speak to gluten, but i did 12 days on the Camino Frances a few years ago and I’m allergic to tree nuts. I didn’t really have any issues. Many places had a list of allergens, but i also just only ate fairly simple things that i knew wouldn’t be an issue. I had Tortilla (egg and potato omelet) every day for breakfast, usually stuck to straight forward meat with veggies for lunch and dinner and always chose a fruit option for dessert. I’m headed back this year and i plan to pay more attention to going to grocery stores and really getting stuff to eat for lunch. I honestly forgot most days and then by the time i was hungry it was siesta and nothing was open haha. I’m sure staying away from gluten will be a little more tricky, but I’m sure it’s totally doable. If you don’t want to book through a company, don’t. I’m positive you can do it safely. That being said, everyone has a different amount of risk tolerance for these things and if it makes it that much less stressful then book ahead. You’ll have a great time either way! Buen Camino!

 

[J Willhaus]

I cook with pilgrims at the albergues where I work and always ask about allergies and make accommodations.

 

[EveE]

While I enjoy eating communal dinners in albergues they really are not very common. I eat most meals in restaurants/bars. Many pilgrims also take advantage of albergue kitchens (when they are available) to cook meals together. This usually involves a group of pilgrims going to the grocery store together and deciding on a menu.

Really helpful - thank you!

 

[EveE]

I can’t speak to gluten, but i did 12 days on the Camino Frances a few years ago and I’m allergic to tree nuts. I didn’t really have any issues. Many places had a list of allergens, but i also just only ate fairly simple things that i knew wouldn’t be an issue. I had Tortilla (egg and potato omelet) every day for breakfast, usually stuck to straight forward meat with veggies for lunch and dinner and always chose a fruit option for dessert. I’m headed back this year and i plan to pay more attention to going to grocery stores and really getting stuff to eat for lunch. I honestly forgot most days and then by the time i was hungry it was siesta and nothing was open haha. I’m sure staying away from gluten will be a little more tricky, but I’m sure it’s totally doable. If you don’t want to book through a company, don’t. I’m positive you can do it safely. That being said, everyone has a different amount of risk tolerance for these things and if it makes it that much less stressful then book ahead. You’ll have a great time either way! Buen Camino!

Thanks for the advice

 

[Chiara15]

Thanks for the advice

Also just be aware “frutos secos” means tree nuts and “nueces” just generally means nuts.

 

[MariaSP]

Also just be aware “frutos secos” means tree nuts and “nueces” just generally means nuts.

"Nueces" means walnuts, not just any any nuts.

 

[dbier]

Like other threads here, I would suggest bringing a small card in Spanish. Might want to keep it simple: "Por favor, no nueces o frutas secas, o (whatever the Spanish word for Gluten is, I don't know that one)"

 

[dbier]

Sorry, frutos secos...I think I just said dried fruit...

 

[Vacajoe]

I would definitely prepare your own food at mealtimes. While people will try to accommodate your needs, servers may not be aware that premade foods may contain nut products or gluten and accidentally serve you something hazardous.

“Torta de Santiago” may sound delicious and they’ll tell you it’s gluten-free, but that’s because it’s made with almond flour! Albondigas are meatballs, but the mass-manufactured ones often have wheat fillers since they are more like “meatloaf balls”. And nuts are often served as pintxos in bars or carried by pilgrims as snacks, so if your allergies are severe, contact with them will be difficult to avoid.

You CAN safely walk the Camino and mamy with allergies do, but realize that the best intentions of food service folks will not protect you from accidental ingestion of these items. Eat very simple combinations of foods and prepare as much as possible on your own.

 

[Anamiri]

Hi guys, I'm doing the Camino Frances in June 2023 and have anaphylaxis with nuts and coeliac disease (so I can't have gluten). How accommodating are the albergues at catering for allergies? I'm stressing because if I book through a company, they say they can organise food for me, but I'd ideally like to not book through a company and book the albergues as I go along the Camino, to get the most authentic experience. Plus it seems to be a lot cheaper doing it myself.

Any help would be really appreciated! I get nervous travelling with my allergies BUT I don't want them to stop me from experiences like this!

A lot depends on the severity of the condition. My husband is a severe coeliac (but not allergic to nuts), so food could be an issue.
We bought a lot from supermarkets, and he ate a lot of cheese, fruit, nuts etc as snacks. He had a great time, and it wasn't really much different from travelling at home.

At home we have a gluten free house - ie never any wheat based products, as he cant share a toaster for instance.
So it is doable, but you do need to plan.

 

[RJM]

Just prepare your own meals and skip any notion of the occasional communal meal at an albergue as it isn't menu based. They prepare a group meal, say pasta and meat sauce, wine and bread and everyone partakes.

 

[Carmelo2]

Having walked the Frances in August with coeliac disease, I found that different sections were more gluten-free friendly than others. Navarra and Rioja both were far easier to eat gluten free than in Leon. Of note in Navarra I could often pick between 2 gluten free beers (a nice treat after a hot day). We ate at restaurants and albergues along the way, and found it easier to seek out the best meal vs. our travel companions that often were sent to some undesirable place for a prepaid meal. Tortilla espanola was ubiquitous, and when in doubt a good choice (although I would ask "sin gluten?"). The protein on most menus was usually simple and gluten free. Most of the soups were gluten free and dessert usually included flan or rice pudding. From Sarria on you have a million choices for meals and can find gluten friendly restaurants fairly easy. And, of course, all the wine is gluten free

 

[Felizcamino]

Hi guys, I'm doing the Camino Frances in June 2023 and have anaphylaxis with nuts and coeliac disease (so I can't have gluten). How accommodating are the albergues at catering for allergies? I'm stressing because if I book through a company, they say they can organise food for me, but I'd ideally like to not book through a company and book the albergues as I go along the Camino, to get the most authentic experience. Plus it seems to be a lot cheaper doing it myself.

Any help would be really appreciated! I get nervous travelling with my allergies BUT I don't want them to stop me from experiences like this!

Hi check out LivGood.pt they have many many Gluten free products you could eat on your trip.We are hoping to open a online shop this year,for pilgrims like you, we will send to the Albergues along the way.good luck.FelizCamino

 

[Optimistic Traveler]

Ensalada Mixta and Tortilla Espanola will be both gluten-free and nut-free. The Ensalada is a mixed salad - usually includes lettuces, tomatoes, tuna, boiled egg with a variety of other vegetables like carrots & white asparagus. The Tortilla is potatoes and eggs - perhaps some onions added. Both are found nearly everywhere & offer good protein. Also look for rice dishes like paella or arroz con pollo, although these are not as common in the northwest of Spain as in the south.
I didn't need to follow a gluten-free diet when I last did the camino, but now I must be strictly gluten-free, so I understand. Even the teeniest speck of flour will cause problems.
I did find a good resource for printing up cards in other languages to specify what gluten-free means for use in restaurants. I used these recently when traveling to Switzerland, with good success. I printed on heavier card stock. Here is the website where you can get these: https://www.celiactravel.com/cards/spanish/

 

[EveE]

Ensalada Mixta and Tortilla Espanola will be both gluten-free and nut-free. The Ensalada is a mixed salad - usually includes lettuces, tomatoes, tuna, boiled egg with a variety of other vegetables like carrots & white asparagus. The Tortilla is potatoes and eggs - perhaps some onions added. Both are found nearly everywhere & offer good protein. Also look for rice dishes like paella or arroz con pollo, although these are not as common in the northwest of Spain as in the south.
I didn't need to follow a gluten-free diet when I last did the camino, but now I must be strictly gluten-free, so I understand. Even the teeniest speck of flour will cause problems.
I did find a good resource for printing up cards in other languages to specify what gluten-free means for use in restaurants. I used these recently when traveling to Switzerland, with good success. I printed on heavier card stock. Here is the website where you can get these: https://www.celiactravel.com/cards/spanish/

This is really helpful - thanks for the advice!