jmk3

I will be travelling in Ireland next week, and have been wondering if I will have difficulty finding soy milk/yogurt in Dublin-area grocery stores. Does anyone know of a good health food grocer in Dublin? Might you also have an address or general location?

keb0503

I can't help you with locations of health food stores but have you tried Lactaid pills? If your intolerence is severe buy the ultra strength and take two. Also soy milk is shelf stable so you could always pack a carton in your suitcase.
Good luck!

jmk3

Actually, I am allergic to all dairy products so lactaid tablets are ineffective. I know I could pack my own soy milk if necessary, but if it is readily available in Dublin, I'd rather just purchase it there. But thanks for the response.

IrishEyes

Soy milk and products are available all over Ireland in grocery stores. You can check for health food stores online at the Golden Pages: http://www.goldenpages.ie/Search.asp

The Irish love their dairy products so be sure to quiz them at restaurants and when eating.

jmk3

Thanks Irish Eyes. The Golden Pages helped me find links to vegan markets in Dublin. Thanks much!

LoveItaly

Hi jmk3, I have the same problem you do. And quizzing the waiter, and having him check with the chef if you do not think the waiter knows for sure regarding dairy products is a good idea.

I had a tomato based sauce with pasta on evening in a small restaurant by a lake in the Dolomities. Fantastic food!

I was very sick later. It turned out the chef added some cream to the tomato based sauce!


So ask, have it verified that the chef/cook knows and understands that you cannot tolerate any dairy product. And by the way, watch out for the breads also. Most soda breads have milk in them for example Wishing you a happy and healthy trip!

LoveItaly

I wanted to clarify about the tomato sauce. The discussion with the waiter was fine. But unbeknownst to the waiter the chef that day decided to expirement and change the sauce and thus cream was added to the sauce without the waiters knowledge.

A lot of people suggest writing out a few cards stating exactly what you cannot tolerate. Perhaps at the top of the card write (SEVERE ALLERGY).

Take these cards (perhaps use index cards) to somewhere like Kinko's and have them laminated. Then have the waiter take the card back to the chef/cook when ordering your meal. Take more then one card in case on or two get lost or not returned.

I have never done this but I think it is a fantastic idea. One more thing on my "to do list".

Budman

I didn't know they had milk products in Guinness.

SiobhanP

Most larger towns will have a health food store and most supermarkets sell soya and rice milk. You could always ask in a coffee shop if they have soya milk. I don't know where but a few places in Dublin do soya lettes etc and chai. There is an organic market on Pearse street each saturday in St. Andrews resource centre that is pretty much veggie and has a lot of products as well as hot foods to eat there...nice veggie indian and breads. There is a new health food shop on Grafton street in Dublin and a larger more established on on Georges street. Don't bother bringing it over.

A lot of people I noticed are celiac lately so you will not be seen as a pain for inquiring and saying you are very allergic to certain foods.Always ask if you get a soup as many veg soups will have a little cream.

Barb_in_Ga

I strongly agree that a typed laminated card with a brief list of your requirements is a must. My husband has celiac disease and must avoid gluten in any form. We use a paragraph taken from a guidebook put out by a national organization. We carry our card in English and whatever language applies to our travels--it has enabled us to order safely in restaurants all over the world.

Even though it sounds too simple to those familiar with lactose intolerance, it is good to use this format:

I have a severe allergy to any food that contains dairy. This means that I must not eat even small amounts of milk, cream, or butter. If a sauce, soup, or other food contains even the smallest amount of butter, milk or cream, please do not serve it to me. Thank you for your help in this matter.

LoveItaly

Hi Barb_in_GA (I will be in your state for the first time in a little less then two weeks BTW) I would add cheese to that comment as cheese is a dairy product. Yogart is also.

Barb_in_Ga

LoveItaly--your addition is well-noted; I obviously overlooked an important category of dairy products. That just goes to show that listing the possibilities is very important, since people have a tendency to only think of certain items.

Enjoy your trip to Georgia; we are starting to burst into springtime flower in Atlanta and nothing can take your breath away like the clouds of cherry blossoms.

LoveItaly

Thank you Barb, I am really looking forward to the trip. And cherry blossoms! That sounds delightful.
Take care.

welovedonegal

hi jmk3. you'll have no problem finding soya milk anywhere in ireland nowadays i would think.

my husband is allergic to all allergies. it is not life threatening or anything but i always make a big deal about it when ordering food in restaurants, to try to ensure that they are alert to the fact as opposed to 'no, there is no packet soup used in the fresh soup' attitude which prevails. i always answer: well it's just that my husband has a very EXTREME allergy to additives - turns out 9 times out of 10 we are never given food that may have additives. litigation and all that. just up the ante and say you have an EXTREME allergy and it will focus their minds!

have a great holiday in ireland.