Gluten Free on the Camino

[JillHives]

Hello all.

I'm planning to walk the French Way in September but have a gluten intolerance. I always have stashes of nuts, dried fruit and such with me walking and hiking but bringing that along with me would cause a lot of weight. I know I can pick things up in towns and such along the way but I'm curious about meals in places I might stay and/or restaurants. What is the food like? Is it just the basics where I can avoid the evils (for me) of wheat, rye, malt and oats? Does a lot of the food have various sauces or would it be plain? I even need to think about soups with flour in it to thicken it.

I ask because I'd hate to feel sick and not be able to walk but also budgeting wise. I know people say one could get by on 20-40 euro a day but is that realistic? My goal is to do the 800 km in 33 days... with a few days at the beginning and end for travel (coming from Ireland) and adjustment. I'll pre-book places to stay for the start and end but the 33 days on the walk I didn't plan to book anything.

How much money would one need if possibly needing to spend more on food and not picking up just anything along the way. I've been to Barcelona a few times and I've had no real problems (lots marked in shops) and many options on menus to be safe, however that's a large city. How is it in smaller places?

Any thoughts would be helpful.

JH

 

[jirit]

Hi Jill

My wife has a wheat and dairy intolerance and does her best to avoid most wheat and dairy based products when we travel in Europe. This said we did the Camino Frances route in Spain back in 2007, the Via Francigena in Italy in 2008, and my wife walked the Jakobweg in Switzerland in 2010 by herself and we are about to walk the Chemin du Puy in France this May and June.

Like yourself, she loads up on fresh fruit and nuts throughout the day and this is actually less expensive that purchasing prepared meals in many of the cafes and restaurants. For extra carbs, she orders rice and potato based meals, hearty salads especially made with tuna and eggs, or hearty soups made with lentils and beans. Knowing a bit of Spanish to ask the right questions also helps. Overall she has managed to get by and this rarely means we are spending more for food than anybody else. We have been to Europe together approx a dozen times during the last 10-15 years too. Oddly the toughest place for her is probably the UK, not Spain, Italy or elsewhere.

This said, oddly for her she can tolerate more wheat and dairy based products while in Europe than at home here in Canada. We think is much to do with the way food is processed here as compared to places like Spain and Italy. We also believe that since she is more active (walking 20-25 km plus each day helps), she can digest complex breads, pasta and cheese products better than when she is back home.

Finally I think a budget of 20-40 euro per day, is just fine especially for Spain which is much cheaper than Ireland, Depending on what you are prepared to walk each day but 33 days to reach Santiago from say Saint Jean PdP should be fine too but some people longer and others less time.

Trust this helps

Neville
http://www.verderamedia.com

 

[camino77]

One evening while cooking in the kitchen in Carrión de los Condes (Santa María del Camino) i met a french couple. I offered them some food for cooking, but they friendly rejected. It turned out that the woman had a gluten intolerance. I asked her about the differences and difficulties of walking the Camino under such circumstances. She told me that her gluten intolerance was very serious. Her choices of food were very limited and she was not able to take any risk she told me.
They relied on their own food basically. In the beginning they tried restaurants, but eventually gave up. They chose the albergues with kitchen facilities and cooked their own meals. As there are plenty albergues with kitchen facilities all along the Camino, this was an important help. In the supermarkets she was able to find the food she needed so in the evening they were sure she had her healthy meal. As Neville says a budget of 20-40 euro per day is fine and 33 days to walk are realistic. i hope this info helps.

Buen Camino!

 

[JillHives]

Thanks. I had a feeling this might be the case. I know some things are generally safe like potatoes bravos and paella, which traditionally wouldn't have any gluten. I've had no problems in places like Barcelona where there was a wide choice (even my favourite gluten free beer is made in Spain) but some of these smaller places made me wonder. Good to know that I should stock up on supplies when possible along the way.

What are the pilgrim meals like in some places? What would they consist of generally? Any bit of gluten makes me sick. I once used an unmarked ketchup bottle and was uncomfortable for a few days from the malt vinegar in it. Generally if in doubt, I avoid.

 

[na2than]

I live and work in London England. Here there seems to be a wide range of food intoerences(i own a deli). if i may add in my twopennies worth;the average cost of a pilgrim menu is 8 /10 euro....this will also purchase you an excellant single plate of food such as one of the famous "platos combinardos"

Secondly the wheat generally used in the UK and USA is a hybrid, both spelt and ancient pastas may not affect persons with an intolerance...whereas if you are allergic still stay clear of them.

 

[JillHives]

Yeah, spelt (although wheat free) contains gluten. I generally know (due to my daily routine) what I can and can't have. What would generally be in a pilgrim meal though? You mentioned, "platos combinardos".... can you give me an idea of what foods that would consist? I'm sure it varies from place to place but in general what foods appear a lot on a pilgrim menu?

 

[Anniesantiago]

In my experience, the standard Pilgrim's meal consists of 3 courses:

1. Usually a choice between a large salad or a pasta dish
2. Main dish is usually meat or fish with potatoes or some other veggie
3. Dessert can be fresh fruit, flan, cake, or any number of sweets
Usually includes bread and wine

But you are not limited to a Pilgrim's Plate.
Other choices include tapas of your choice, a la carte, or buying food and cooking your own.

I want to comment here that in the United States I am also considered "gluten intolerant" but in spain I can freely eat wheat without consequence. Wheat in the United States is commonly sprayed with bromine as a preservative and insecticide and this causes much of the "gluten intolerance" diagnoses. I know of many people who are able to freely eat wheat in Spain, so you might give it a try, slowly at first, and be pleasantly surprised!

 

[JillHives]

Thank you. That gives me a better idea. Much appreciated. I live in Ireland and I find here I still have major issues with any bit of gluten. Wheat, rye, barley, malt and even oats.

My fear was running out of snacks and being stuck somewhere with nothing to eat. If salads, potatoes and fruit are common, even if I can't eat the whole meal... I won't starve or lose energy.

Thanks again.
JH

 

[Anniesantiago]

JH, you'll be fine.
You should learn early to recognize a "tienda" when you see it. It is an (often) unmarked tiny market in the village. You will see an open door with a fly curtain and people often going in and out, but no sign. You just have to peek in. Here, you can find all sorts of gluten-free snacks and edibles.
Buen Camino!

 

[JillHives]

Thank again.

This forum is wonderful. Almost all my questions have been answered in previous threads and I'm nearly done planning it all out. Maps, books, lists, and I just figured the cheapest and easiest transportation to and from both the start and end. Bring on pay day so I can start booking flights!

Buen Camino!

JH

 

[Rachel48]

Hello
I have just been diagnosed with gluten intolerance, just in time to come back to Portugal and am now half way through the Caminho Portugues and loving it. BUT while my husband swigs beer and eats tostadas and pastries like mad there are often times when I sit sipping an orange juice because there is nothing in many cafes that I can safely eat. Sometimes I order an omelet sandwich and discard the bread. I hoped that I would be able to eat more than I seem to be able to, sometimes even a yogurt can make me feel ghastly. There are days when I am very hungry between meals but you can find dates, nuts, bananas and rice cakes so I stock my bicycle panniers up and then eat huge meals when we get to a restaurant.
I have found the Portuguese very helpful and patient when I ask whether there is gluten in things but I haven't always got the right answer. It would be worth finding out how to ask if things have starch or flour in things in Portuguese rather than gluten as this is a term that a lot of people seem unfamiliar with.
Good luck
Rachel

 

[Yallah]

This website has an explanation of gluten intolerance translated into different languages to present in restaurants: http://www.celiactravel.com/cards/spanish/ Might be a good idea to have. In larger cities, I often saw gluten-free options, so it might be worth stocking up on gluten-free bread, for example, or other lightweight but handy options.

 

[anniethenurse]

You are either gluten intolerant or you are not. And if you are the only way to keep healthy is to exclude gluten out of your diet totally. Nobody with gluten intolerence should eat gluten- it destroys the villi in your small intestine.

The diagnosis is done by blood tests and upper endoscopy with a biopsy from small intestines.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001280/

There was one albergue in Ages serving menu Celiaco! €12.

buen camino to you all!
annie

 

[JillHives]

That makes me feel better!

Yes, I am intolerant and as much as I LOVE cake, bread, and pasta I would never even be tempted to try and see because it's not worth the discomfort.

After researching a lot of recipes of typical Northern Spain dishes, I will probably be cooking a lot for myself. I wish paella was more of a northern staple. My plan, if I see a shop go in and buy food. Never be without something, which means trying to make sure my pack is super light since I'll be carrying more weight there.

Also, I apologize... I started this thread without realizing there was a food/health section below.

 

[Pieces]

I prefer not to eat too much meat, and when there wasnt a meatfree dish on the menu i usually asked for an omelet with chese, salat and fries (cause that is about the limit of my spanish), I don't think they said no anywhere, so there will be food, may not be exciting food, but food nontheless...

 

[JillHives]

I prefer not to eat too much meat, and when there wasnt a meatfree dish on the menu i usually asked for an omelet with chese, salat and fries (cause that is about the limit of my spanish), I don't think they said no anywhere, so there will be food, may not be exciting food, but food nontheless...

I don't need exciting, I only need plain to rule out guess work. I could easily be happy eating eggs, cheese, salad and potato for bigger meals. Repetitive meals don't bother me in the least but not eating enough will make me miserable. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Welly]

Hi all, just wondering what you tended to do for breakfast? From reading up I feel confident that lunch and dinner I will be fine but not sure how to manage breakfast wise. Any advice greatly a appreciated!x