girlonthego

Thank you all so very much! Wild wanderings, I am printing your German for her! She speaks some German, but it is good to know the proper wording. Her sister is taking Italian in college, so hopefully she can learn how to say some of this stuff in italian.

We are staying in all hotels. Only one hotel doesn't show a mini bar as listed. We will be there three nights. (Florence)I might be able to email that hotel and request one.

I realize that an apartment would have been better for her diet, but wasn't considering that such an issue when I booked our hotels, and of course our longest hotel stay is in rome and is on points. But that is a hilton so I can probably request a fridge over the mini bar for the kids' room.

When planning a family trip that you want everyone to enjoy themselves it is not always that easy. I think if she can have some staples in her diet that she is familiar with, than she can learn to add new items from both switzerland and italy. I realize many things are cooked with some olive oil, and I think that is fine, but coated in oil is what she doesn't want. So, grilled fish/chicken and steamed veggies will be a good choice if she can get it.

HappyTrvlr

From our travels to Italy, I think she will do fine.She can be selective. We never eat beef and basically eat fish and vegetables, some pastas. Switzeraland , however, was always a challenge for us. We rented an apartment on our last visit and only ate out a few times due to the local restaurant menus. And once we found incredible Thai food.

girlonthego

Hotels we are staying in are :
Lugano: Hotel Parco Paradiso on Via Carona 27 6900 Lugano
Florence: L'Orolgio Hotel Piazza Santa Maria Novella6
Rome: Rome Cavaleri Via Alberto Cadlolo 101
Zurich, Courtyard marriott Max-Bill-Platz 19


If anyone knows of grocery stores within walking distance of these hotels, please post the name and address of the grocery. Thanks!

madonnadelpiatto

You will find that Italians are very accommodating to special diets. Good Italian restaurant food is not oily. Tourist style or cheap restaurant/cafeteria food is oily. Even then you will find it much less oily than in other countries.

Try to plan meals away from big tourists attractions where, by the way it will be dfficult to get special attention. Your daighter can always order vegetables without dressing. Grilled vegetables are actually served witout dressing in a proper restaurant. Italians expect to be able to dress the vegetables themeselves if it's a salad or grilled.

Start your daughter's order with this sentence: mia figlia è a dieta non mangia grassi. (my daghter is on a special diet she eats no fats). Cosa potete preparare per lei? (what can you prepare for her?)

In fact I don't think that in Rome or Florence you will have problem explaining this in English. Can she have mozzarella or ricotta? Almost every restaurant will be able to give her that. Pasta con pomodoro senza olio (pasta with tomato with no oil). Poached fish (pesce al vapore). Greek yogurt is available in every supermarket. Low fat foods are available in every supermarket. However note that supermarkets are not frequent near historic areas and often are underground. Ask your hotel.

girlonthego

thank you madonna! I am printing out your italian for my daughter. All good info here! love fodors!

nytraveler

On the oil issue - the body need a certain amount of oil/fat for good health. A totally fat-free diet is a really bad idea unless there is some medical reason for it.

And agree that I have not found food in italian restaurants to be oily - but we avoid tourist traps and pizzerias - and generally only eat in better places. We never had any problem asking for something specific (ordered a couple of shared veggies w/o garlic since it gives my SIL indigestion - and they always were exactly as ordered).

It is true that fish is often very expensive - since you are often ordering the whole fish. Those that might not be true - salmon, etc - are more oily fishes anyway - and I'm not sure how local. Don;t recall seeing it on a lot of menus.

girlonthego

She does not do fat free. A little olive oil to cook with is fine, but she won't eat fried food either. I cook with just a small amount of olive oil. She won't be eating pizzas or gelato.
If I could learn to live 10 percent the way she does, I would be so much better off!