But when you have dietary restrictions—whether that’s allergies, celiac disease, or you’re vegan or vegetarian by choice—indulging in local delicacies far from home can feel stressful and sometimes downright frightening. After all, if one meal has the potential to derail your entire trip, you’re much less likely to indulge with abandon. Fortunately, technology can make travel easier and more comfortable for those with just about any dietary restriction. “It’s not an exaggeration to say that it has completely changed the way we travel,” says Matt Hansen, founder of the travel blog Wheatless Wanderlust, and an adventurer with celiac disease that loves to eat. “The combination of social media, blogs, and new apps has transformed travel from ‘book a place with a kitchen and eat simple meals,’ to being able to take part in the food culture of places we visit.” Hansen recommends Find Me Gluten Free (free for iOS and Android), an app that points him toward restaurants with gluten-free options. Travelers can search by type of cuisine and location, see menus, and even find out if the location has dedicated gluten-free operations for those with celiac. For other allergies, AllergyEats (free for iOS and Android) and iEatOut Gluten Free & Allergy Free (available only for iOS) can help you find restaurants that can accommodate your needs. Ask for recommendations, tips and tricks, if there are any events happening soon, or even if anyone wants to meet up for lunch. Most locals with dietary restrictions are more than happy to offer mini dining guides to the city they live in and point you in the direction of gastronomic nirvana. If you’re traveling in a region with limited or spotty Wi-Fi or cell service, you can also download a dictionary for offline translation. This can be especially helpful in regions where you’re entirely unfamiliar with the local food scene and culture. Vegetarians who live in Brussels, for example, may be able to point out which frite stands don’t fry their potatoes in lard. Those with celiac disease in Japan can tell you who makes sushi with imitation crab and who uses the gluten-free real thing. And Turkish hummus lovers with dairy allergies can inform you which restaurants add butter to their chickpeas and which don’t. While searching, you may also find a number of travel blogs, which Hansen likes to consult for ideas and tips for dining at your destination. Articles and blog posts written by food lovers who either live or have recently visited where you’re going will likely be in abundance. On Twitter, you can also type in simpler search words like #vegan or #dairyfree and hit Search. On the next page you can scroll through the results or filter them—on the web, use the tools you’ll find to your right; but if you’re on the Twitter app, tap the toggle switches right next to the search bar. There, tap the bubble next to Near you to only see tweets that have been posted from your location. If you’re on the web, you can also click on the three-dot menu to the right of the search bar, and do an Advanced Search. On Instagram, tap the Explore button at the bottom left of your screen (the magnifying glass) and type in your keywords on the search bar at the top. Use “vegan,” “gluten-free,” “nut-free,” or any others that apply to you, plus the name of the city or neighborhood you’re at, and hit Search. On the results page, tap Places to see images people have posted directly from your location, or Tags to see what people have labeled. Continue to feast your eyes on an abundance of imagery before you feast in person. On the Google Maps app, use the search bar to locate a destination. On the emerging card, scroll to the left under the listing details and tap Save. You can then add it to a list, tag it, and even make a note like “good brunch spot” or “famous for gnocchi.” That icon will then appear on your map. On Apple Maps, search for a restaurant and simply select Add to Favorites at the bottom of the listing page. Its icon will then appear in the Favorites portion of the app’s main menu—drag up from the bottom to see it. When you need directions, tap the icon and Apple Maps will immediately plot a route. “The hardest part is saying ‘yes’ to that first trip,” Hansen says. So the next time you head off to explore a new locale, whether it be across the state or around the world, don’t let the fear of what to eat stop you from filling your plate—and your belly.
