One of the biggest fears I had about studying abroad was finding food that I could eat in another country. I am very lactose intolerant, so I need to be careful to avoid milk products. Many foods use milk in some form, including those you may not expect. For example, meatballs may have cheese in them, and many restaurants will add butter to the bread of their sandwiches. This is why it is important for me to ask if a meal includes any milk products. Because of the language barrier in other countries, I was worried about how I would communicate my dietary restrictions to others when ordering food.
I was interested in applying for the Business, Technology, and Engineering the German Way study abroad program, so before I applied, I looked into the food culture of Germany. Specifically, I researched the traditional foods I could expect to find in Germany and the country’s practices for indicating food allergens in meals and products. That way, I knew what to expect to encounter. From that initial search, I learned that many menus in Germany label each item with the different allergens the food contains. Also, restaurants in Germany often offer vegan options, so I know that most restaurants I go to will have a food option that I can eat.
Currently, I am on the study abroad program in Munich, Germany. One of the program’s German Ambassadors recommended that I translate my dietary restriction were and write them down on a piece of paper that I keep with me. That way, if I wanted to order food and the server did not speak English, I could give him/her the piece of paper with my dietary restriction on it, so they know what I need to avoid. A large portion of the German population also speaks English, so luckily, I have not struggled too much with finding food that I can eat!
One thing that I was worried about was not being able to take part in experiencing the different foods Germany had to offer due to being lactose intolerant. Food is a big part of any culture, so I wanted to try the food with the rest of the students. While I have not been able to eat everything that has been offered while abroad, I have still been able to take part in trying many of the foods! I think my favorite food so far has been the schnitzel, but I liked the bratwurst I got at Spring Fest, too. Overall, I would recommend being mindful of dietary restrictions while going abroad, but don’t let it hold you back from trying to go somewhere new!
Swanson School of Engineering 