thetravellingmom

Our family is travelling to France this June and we are looking so forward to our trip, but...my 15 yr old daughter has a milk protein allergy (not lactose) and I am very concerned about what she will be able to eat in Paris other than a baguette and maybe steak frites.

She cannot eat any milk products, butter (is there anything in France that isn't cooked with butter?????), cheese, yogurt, etc.

Here in the states she drinks Rice milk and we have found a great "butter" (Earth Balance) that we cook with and she loves.

I'm concerned as to how to deal with this in all the cafes and restaurants as I don't want to make a big deal about it at every meal but she gets very sick (we'd lose the whole day) if she had any milk so we need to be very careful. I'm thinking this is going to be very difficult, especially with the language barrier - my french is pretty good but i don't know the specific words to explain this to a waiter. Does anyone have any suggestions, ideas?

Is there a fluent french speaker that could translate a paragraph for me if I wrote down what I would need to say in a restaurant?

I'm so sorry my daughter is going to miss out on one of the most wonderful parts of France - the food - but she is dying to go to France more than anywhere else in Europe so we're going to make it work!!

Thanks!

dlb716

Hi! I know your concerns. My husband has two very serious food allergies, but we have found that people in Europe are very sensitive to food allergies. Print this out and take it with you:

Ma fille est allergique à tous les produits laitiers. Veuillez préparer sa nourriture sans employer le lait, la crème, le beurre ou le fromage.

It means "My daughter is allergic to all milk products. Please prepare her food without using milk, cream, butter or cheese."

Hope this is helpful to you. Good luck and don't worry!

Donna

pittpurple

I'm very, very allergic to shellfish and I've never had a problem anywhere. I do admit when I'm tired I visit the restaurants with translated menus, but even in small places I've never had anything happen. I make sure to learn "I'm allergic to shellfish" in any language I need and it seems to work fine.

My mom is allergic to milk and she brings the small snack sized Rice milk packs with her when she travels for her morning coffee, cereal etc. - if there's a breakfast buffet, etc where you're travelling it might work well for you as well.

ira

Hi T,

What does DD usually eat at home?

Travelnut

Be aware that the baguette sandwiches are often spread with butter rather than mayo.

Don't forget 'haricots verts', those skinny little green beans - make a nice side dish. And 'poulet roti' or roasted chicken (usually w/ frites). Salad plates can be found, but still may need to avoid some kind of cheese product. Lovely fresh fruits from the markets, mmm. Also, you may have less dairy foods in Asian cooking?

Guenmai

I also have a dairy allery...except for butter... and it's a problem for me in Europe in general. I usually eat at Asian restaurants where I don't have to worry about it. I don't want a vacation possibly ruined from getting a hold of some hidden dairy. Happy Travels!

Underhill

Look for foods prepared in the south of France style, where olive oil is preferred to butter. Can't help you with the milk, but I'll bet you can find the soy variety.

Coquelicot

The written note in French is a good idea but not foolproof. The waitero might not be aware of all the possible problems and the chef will be pretty busy. They will do their best for you but any slipup means agony for your daughter, and you don't want to take the chance.

It would be a good idea to make up a list of dishes your daughter likes that usually have no dairy in them and these can be your fallback.

No doubt there is a French vegan website!

USNR

Try a Vietnamese restaurant.

marieparis

Hello travelling mom.


I am French and would gladly translate a paragraph for you.

If you stay in Paris, Monoprix ( food chain store) sells a particular brand ( including various products such as biscuits, milk, pasta etc.)for people with allergies. If you want, next week end when i go shopping there, I will look the name up, as i cannot remember it right now.

regards


marie

basingstoke2

OP- I read your post just after I finished researching vegetarian friendly restaurants for our Paris stay next week. This site http://nwfolk.com/vegparis.html lists a number of such with user's reviews. Most appear to have vegan options.

ekscrunchy

It is not surefire, but you will likely have more choice if you dine at restaurants featuring the cuisine of Provence (as mentioned above), where olive oil is the fat of choice, and of the SW (Gascony, Pays Basque) where they use lots of duck and goose fat in cooking.


Here is a list of Provencal places:

http://www.eat-out.net/restaurant/paris/provence

And restaurants oriented toward the SW:

http://www.eat-out.net/restaurant/paris/south-west

Guenmai

In Paris, go to Guenmai Restaurant in the 6th. If you walk out rue Buci between rue de Seine and Blvd St. Germain, then there will be one street between those two. Walk up that street...you can only turn one way...and walk straight ahead. You'll see a big green and white building. That's the restaurant and residence of Sophie and family. I've eaten there over 20 years. It's vegan, macro, and one plat du jour has a little fish on it. The fruit tarts are the best there and there's no dairy. The plat du jour is delicious,too. I think it's 13 Euro for the plat du jour. There are usually two choices. It's only open for lunch and she'll wrap food to go. Just tell her about the dairy allergy and she'll help you out. Tuesday is seitan brochette day and she makes the best seitan brochettes I've ever had. I always have one on the plat du jour and have her wrap two to go. Smiles. Happy Travels!

djkbooks

I think it's risky to depend on your wait person, or even the kitchen staff, if she is that sensitive.

But, this would be more reliable in those smaller restaurants with only M. in the kitchen and Mme. out front, for example, who would likely be most helpful and careful, and make appropriate suggestions.

In larger establishments, especially cafes, it would be much safer to stick with things you know would be free of any of those items.

Highly recommend having an extensive food glossary along.

I have a book (now out of print) called Food Lover's Companion to France. I think you'd find something similar most helpful. And, your daughter would enjoy reading!

annhig

hi, 'mom,

are you staying in a hotel or apartment?

i realise you've probably already booked, but an apartment would make life a lot easier for you.

even so, you could still get round some of the problems by doing some shopping - make up your own bagettes from bread and fillings bought at the supermarket, buy your own fruit for dessert - at the worst, you'll only have dinner to worry about.

good luck,

regards, ann

yellowrose22

I too am lactose intolerant but find when I travel to England and France dairy products do not cause a reaction. It could be that the dairy products are not processed. Here is a website might be helpful to you when traveling. http://www.allergytranslation.com/Home/home.php

thetravellingmom

WOW!!!! I was truly hoping i would get just one reply for this posting. I was never expecting 15 in the first day! THANK YOU everyone for giving me such good advice!!!!

DLB...thanks for the translation - i know that will really help us in speaking with the waitstaff at the restaurants.

PITTPURPLE...i will definitely be bringing the small travel containers of Rice Milk - thanks for reminding me to add them to my packing list!

IRA...my DD really eats everything and anything here in the States b/c i am able to cook with her "butter" or use oil. We just don't make a lot of sauces. All meats, fishes, poultry, lots of salads and fruits and she does love french bread so i think she will be living on baguettes (unfortunately while i am eating croissant after croissant!!) while in France. Oh and she loves Sushi and Chinese food so that is where we tend to go when dining out.

Anyone have any recommendations for Good Chinese or Japanese/Sushi in Paris??? GUENMAI??

TRAVELNUT...can you order a baguette sandwich with mayo rather than butter or is that a faux pas? And is the Poulet Roti roasted without butter do you think - here in the states usually they have butter on them when buying them pre-roasted at the grocery store?

UNDERHILL & EKSCRUNCHY...thanks for the excellent suggestion re: eating at provencal & SW restaurants - never would have thought of that...I will look through the list tomorrow - any in particular that you recommend??

MARIEPARIS- thanks so much...i would really appreciate the name of the brand that you recommend at Monoprix. I'm sure we will be doing some grocery shopping and hopefully going to some food markets. We're staying in St. Germain...any ideas of a good local market?

BASINGSTOKE2 - thanks for the vegan website - will check that out tomorrow. Since we aren't leaving for 5 weeks, please let me after your upcoming trip, if there are any great recommendations for vegan restaurants which you tried.

GUENMAI...so is this your restaurant?? Noticed the name similarity?? Sounds perfect and since we are staying in St. Germain (@ des Maronnieres), i am sure we will go at least once! What is a Seitan Brochette??

DJKBOOKS...another great suggestion - to eat in Mom and Pop restaurants - do you have any specific recommendations? Also, I heard of a guide similar to what you are describing. This one is called "Eating & Drinking in Paris; French Menu Reader and Restaurant Guide." So i was just thinking of picking that up.

ANNHIG...we are staying in a hotel. I seriously looked into staying in an apt. but they almost all want a full week's stay and we're only there 5 days. I am definitely planning on going to some markets and putting together some breakfasts, lunches and snacks. Thanks for the suggestion.

YELLOWROSE22...thanks or the allergytranslation website. Will definitely peruse it. My daughter's allergy is actually milk protein not milk sugar (lactose) so I believe it is more prevalent and therefore harder to discern what foods have it or not. Milk protein is usually listed in the ingredients as Whey or Casein. Makes it hard to find - especially in a foreign language.

Speaking of which DLB716 or MARIE ROSE, could you tell me what the translations for "Casein" and "Whey" are in french? Are they the same?

THANK YOU EVERYONE. I am overwhelmed with all of your helpful responses. I feel like i can worry a little less about my daughter either starving to death or being sick in a hotel room for the duration of our trip. MERCI!

WillTravel

Some Paris restaurants that are vegan-friendly:

http://tinyurl.com/2qbj4w

ira

Hi T,

> All meats, fishes, poultry, lots of salads and fruits and she does love french bread so i think she will be living on baguettes (unfortunately while i am eating croissant after croissant!!) while in France. Oh and she loves Sushi and Chinese food so that is where we tend to go when dining out.

Paris has many good Oriental, Indian, Italian and vegetarian restos.

Look up restaurants etranger for your arrond at www.pagesjaunes.fr

You can make your own sandwiches by buying bread at the bakery, filling at the grocers and your own mayo.

There are also charcuteries where you can take out premade foods.

Suggestions:
Choucroute Alsacienne
Roast chicken
Breast of duck (magret)
Duck or goose giblets
Any seafood or fish
Steak frites
All kinds of sausages (andouillete are an acquired taste)
Kosher restos where you won't get milk and meat together. (Corned beef and a potato knish, chicken soup with matzoh balls and gefilte fish)

Stews, such as boeuf bourguignonne or coq au vin are likely to have butter in them.

Hope this helps

basingstoke2

Ira you are a genius! Why did I not think of Kosher restaurants? If a restauarant is certified as Kosher, anything that contains or has come in contact with meat cannot contain or have contacted any dairy product whatsoever.

You can find a list of Kosher restaurants in Paris at http://www.geocities.com/yldcohen/ko...ris96kash.html
These are listed by arrondissement and notes if they are certified as Kosher.