How to Travel with a Sulfite Sensitivity

Are you living life with a sulfite sensitivity? Do you feel as though it’s restricting your options for traveling, vacationing, or adventuring? Is it even more daunting if you have severe reactions?

If so, don’t worry – this is an extremely common feeling.

A sulfite sensitivity is already confusing – we know this all too well! And it doesn’t help that public knowledge of sulfites is still rather limited. BUT that does not mean you shouldn’t or can’t travel. It is entirely possible to journey far and wide outside of our homes and enjoy traveling all while navigating a sulfite sensitivity. And as you should – life is short!

Research Before you Leave

When planning a trip, you likely search for the best flights, hotels, must see sights, things to do and much more. You want to know the best options out there before you go. So who’s to say food research is any different? Being prepared is going to make the world of a difference!

Doing research beforehand such as looking into the types of food stores that are in the area you will be traveling to is a great place to start. This will help you know what to pack and what you can stop and grab once you’re there. If you’re headed to a resort or all inclusive, inquire about the types of restaurants on site and give them a call to see how they prep the food you like to order. Not only will this make them aware – this will also give you an idea of what you’re going to eat ahead of time. Which in the end, can help reduce anxiety around traveling!

It’s also great to learn about the food processes and procedures of the places you’re traveling to. Here are two examples of why this is important:

1. In southern US states, it’s more common to fry things in peanut oil than it is in the northeast. Who would’ve thought?
2. The UK has ingredients (like BHA and BHT) banned from food, but the United States allows them in food.

Being aware of these types of practices and researching before you go is just step one! Knowledge is power here folks 🙂

Flying with a Sulfite Sensitivity

Shorter flights can be relatively simple. Pack some snacks for the trip and purchase a safe drink of your choice before or on the flight. Bring along plenty of low sulfite protein bars, nuts, seeds, and other snacks from trusted brands (check here!). Remember it’s always good to avoid trying something new on the plane – it can wait!

For those long haul journeys, here are some good steps to take to ensure you don’t go hungry.

1. Inform the airline. Contact your airline ahead of time to inform them of your sulfite sensitivity and explain what that entails. However, regardless of if they’re aware or not – I’d always recommend bringing along some snacks incase the food provided seems questionable. As we know, some people don’t understand where sulfites can be found (not their fault!) and the in-flight meals are likely highly processed. When in doubt, play it safe and fall back on the snacks or food you brought.
2. Eat before your flight. Sounds silly, but a lot of us forget to eat in the hustle of packing up and getting to the airport – especially if you’re responsible for others (kids/husbands/wives/parents/pets)! Even if you get to the airport and didn’t eat, there are likely more options in the terminal that have lower sulfite levels than the inflight meals.
3. Stay hydrated. Regardless of what you’ve eaten, you get really dehydrated while flying. Keeping your body hydrated will help support digestion, maintain your blood pressure, flush out toxins and much more! Most of this helps lower inflammation from sulfites in the body.
4. Carry medication on you. Don’t check your epipens/steroids/supplements or whatever it is that you utilize to manage your sulfite reactions. This is a good practice to get in the habit of doing with any sort of medication you may need.
5. Stay calm. While flying with a food sensitivity can be stressful, staying calm and prepared will help ensure a smoother and safer journey!

Looking to go on a Cruise?

Cruise lines can be very accomodating for people with food allergies or sensitivities. You can follow similar guidelines as listed for the long haul flights when you’re prepping for a cruise. There are some variations with cruises so here are a few tips and tricks specifically for sailing:

1. Inform the cruise line. On two Royal Caribbean cruises I’ve been on since being diagnosed with a sulfite sensitivity, I actually even met with the head chef after getting on board. It was a great show of customer service on behalf of the cruise line and they listened to my questions and were highly accommodating! While I wouldn’t feel this is necessary to do again (after 2 trips), it’s a great idea if you’re anxious about eating on board!
2. Know what food/drink you can bring on board. Depending on the restrictions for fluid ounces / types of liquid you can bring on board – you’ll want to bring what you can from the start. Royal Caribbean allowed me to bring extra club soda cans, my preferred alcohol, and a few other things that were outside of the “normal” regulations. Again, make them aware beforehand and they’ll work with you.
3. Be cautious with buffets. Some may advise to avoid them altogether, but I think it’s possible to navigate the buffet. If you ask the right questions about how they keep the food fresh, you should be able to avoid highly sulfited foods! For example, ask if the potatoes are fresh cut or pre-marinated. Or ask if the guacamole or pico de gallo has vinegar or bottled lime juice in it. (etc. etc.) When you know what to avoid – you can ensure you are eating as low sulfite as possible!
4. Drink the safest alcohol for you. Alcohol can have a lot of sulfites. Of course we know wine, beer, some rums, malted drinks, etc. but you also want to be weary of pre-mixed drinks, frozen drinks, and fruit based drinks – especially coconut. There can be a lot of hidden sulfites in drink mixes – so once again just ask the bartender how it’s made or ask to see the bottle.
5. Don’t skip the sit down meals! The sit down breakfasts, lunches and dinners are great opportunities to have food made to order. You can communicate with the staff in a slow-paced environment where they can be very attentive to what you need. This is a great place to fuel up if you’re heading out on an excursion for the day or if you are struggling to find the best options at the buffets.

Traveling Abroad with a Sulfite Sensitivity

If you’re traveling to a different country, you’ll want to research where they source their food from and/or how they grow their food. You can learn about their labeling system and what their “organic” labels mean versus their “natural” labels in advance. Sometimes you can even find they label sulfites more often than other countries. In addition, if you know anyone from these countries, reach out and see what they know!

While abroad, here are some tips and tricks I have found helpful:

1. Stick to whole foods. When dining out, choosing the most natural options will help lower your sulfite exposure. Choose steaks, fish, chicken, burgers, that you know you can order fresh. Pair these with steamed or grilled vegetables and fresh cut potatoes. Ask how they prep the food and if it’s pre-packaged or not. Try to avoid desserts – they can be sulfite heavy.
2. Be cautious with street food. Street food can be tempting, but it is important to realize that it might not be the freshest option. Sometimes there’s a lot of unknown ingredients and the food can be preserved with sulfites. The same goes for chain restaurants and fast food joints.
3. Carry medication. It’s important to carry your own medication with you especially when traveling abroad (regardless of a sulfite sensitivity). This is because different countries may not have the same types of supplements or enzymes you use to counteract sulfite exposure. It is also more challenging to visit a doctor in another country – so plan ahead.

Building confidence before you’re there is key – especially if there will be a language barrier. And being prepared with snacks and a plan will make your trip a lot easier!

To summarize, here’s a good plan of action for traveling with a sulfite sensitivity!

• Research beforehand.
• Pack snacks (Check out some of my favorite snack brands here).
• Notify airlines / hotels / cruise lines / etc.
• Learn basic phrases if you don’t speak the language!
• Pack necessary medicine, supplements, and enzymes.
• Stay flexible!

At the end of the day, it is likely we will all travel at some point or another and run into the (somewhat) daunting thought that is: “but what will I eat??” The goal is to not let this overpower our desires or need to travel. As someone who is on the go all the time, I can tell you it’s much more possible than you may think to travel and enjoy food! The more you practice, the more knowledge you have, and the more prepared you become will help you get to a place of comfort. Trust me there!

Need additional help?

If you’re still finding it hard to plan trips, eat while traveling or if you’re finding it too difficult to dive into the deep end – I’d be more than happy to help! Schedule a 1:1 session for only $35 dollars and we can work through it together.