Coping with Food Allergies in London

Barbara, I stayed near Euston last month and it is truly a neighborhood. I don't know of a store, but you should have no problem finding food that doesn't have these items. Check with the hotel or hostel you're staying at. They are almost always either full of advice or willing to find out for you. Also I suggest the vegetarian restaurants. I saw a number of items on menus that offered glutton free foods.

I should have mentioned that I am also allergic to soy, various nuts and quite a few vegetables (carrots, peas, tomatoes, peppers etc). I also can't tolerate nitrites and sulfites. What I am looking for are stores that sell things like rice milk, baked products and cereals made with grains other than wheat, pumpkin or sunflower seed oil etc. Restaurants are also tricky: pizza and sandwiches are out, vegetarian food and curries no good, Chinese food tricky (soy, sulfites), pub food seems to be dairy and wheat based. Help!

This is my first overseas trip since the allergies were diagnosed. I have relatives in Germany that will help me there, but in London I am on my own.

Also check out www.happycow.com. It is a vegetarian site showing stores and restaurants worldwide. I know you said that "veggie" can be a problem, but these people usually know exactly what is in their food and can, therefore, direct you to what you can eat. Good eating!!

You are not going to have too much of a problem. Five minutes walk from Euston Square is a small street called Marchmont Street, it's near to the Russell Square tube station. On Marchmont Street is a restaurant called 'Veggie Mania'. Go there and talk to the couple who run it. They can direct you to a wide variety of shops in Bloomsbury that stock all the things you need. Bloomsbury is a goldmine of specialist shops. I guarantee you can find shops that meet your requirements within a ten minute walk of Euston Square and 'Veggie Mania' are very happy to share their local sources. P.S. - it's also a source of very good, very cheap meals.

Travelling with food allergies can be challenging at times.

Don't forget, if there is any possibility that your allergies are so servere that you could go into anaphylactic shock, carry your Epipen or Anakit.

IME, it is very helpful to have allergy testing done. Especially when you are a traveller who likes to try new things and eat local specialties.

I was visiting the seaside in Portugal once and a Fisher offered me some kind of shell fish that clings to the rock. He didn't speak English but my partner was fluent in Portuguese. Apparently it was some sort of honour to try this straight from the rock. So I tried it not knowing that I was allergic to shellfish! Not a good discovery to make while abroad!