ABD Peru with Peanut/Nut allergies

[OffToDWD]

We're considering Peru for next summer (this would be our first time trying ABD and it sounds amazing!) but my kids have peanut/nut allergies. Any experiences with ABD Peru and food allergies? Or any other itineraries with food allergies? Just curious if ABD is good with accommodating food allergies. Thanks!

 

[RedHead0186]

Straight from the ABD website (https://www.adventuresbydisney.com/terms-and-conditions/):

6. ALLERGIES AND SPECIAL DIETARY REQUESTS:​

On the Trip, meals are prepared based on the availability of ingredients in each destination. Please keep in mind specific meal requests may not be available at every stop. Further, please be advised that food and beverage locations are not owned or operated by us. For food and beverage offerings arranged by us, we use reasonable efforts to communicate special dietary requests to the locations and, for pre-packaged retail food and beverage, we rely on supplier/manufacturer ingredient labels. Please contact us so you can make an informed choice because food preparation processes and menus vary by location. You are responsible for deciding whether any particular offering meets your requirements. We cannot guarantee that any offering is completely free of allergens.

 

[RebelHawk]

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[OffToDWD]

Thanks. Yes, I saw that on their website and reached out to them already. They said they can accommodate but I was curious how the actual experience is during the trip.

 

[abdgeek]

We're considering Peru for next summer (this would be our first time trying ABD and it sounds amazing!) but my kids have peanut/nut allergies. Any experiences with ABD Peru and food allergies? Or any other itineraries with food allergies? Just curious if ABD is good with accommodating food allergies. Thanks!

I’m lactose intolerant and I’ve been on 12 ABDs. I always note my intolerance with ABD and they do their best to accommodate my intolerance at group meals that are done by ABD. However, as they mention, they can’t always guarantee that the place that is serving the meal can provide an alternative meal. Having said that, I’ve never gone hungry on an ABD. To date, I’ve traveled to Egypt, Ecuador, Galapagos, Italy, Greece, Australia, New Zealand, and other places with ABD with my intolerance. I may have had to eat something I didn’t want, like always having fruit for dessert because everything else had dairy in it. If it’s a buffet, they will ask the chef to walk the line with you to let you know what you can safely eat. If it’s a plated dinner, the restaurant is told in advance that a special meal is needed and you sometimes select your meal in advance. When I did the Galapagos trip, it was interesting that they would make a special boxed lunch for me (on the days we had them) that actually had cheese in it—even though they said it was lactose free. Of course I didn’t eat it—I take lactaid if I know dairy is in something, but I’m not always sure and hate to waste pills. Sometimes even with the pills, I still get sick.

The guides will give out snacks during the trip. I would ask the local guide to point out the safe snacks that your children can eat so that they know what to take when the snack bag comes around. I’ve also seen other parents of children with allergies bring their own snacks from home.

I know an intolerance is different than an allergy, but wanted to share my experience. For the meals you do OYO, the local guide can write a message in the local language to show the waiter so that they know of the allergy. I would err on the side of caution and scrutinize everything that your child is served. The kids normally hang together and can also provide support. As I’m sure you do, make sure your child has their Epipen on them at all times. There was an incident on our ABD Danube River Cruise where one of the kids who had a nut allergy got a danish from a local vendor not realizing that it had nuts. He had a reaction, but thankfully the other kids in the group were able to get help and one of the people on the ABD was a doctor who assisted him. If you haven’t already, I would suggest doing your own research to see how prevalent peanuts/nuts are in Peruvian cooking. ABD will do their best, but since they’re not cooking the food like they would at most Disney restaurants, they can’t guarantee anything. Hopefully, someone with this particular allergy who has been on the trip will post.

 

[PinkPixel]

Following

 

[OffToDWD]

I’m lactose intolerant and I’ve been on 12 ABDs. I always note my intolerance with ABD and they do their best to accommodate my intolerance at group meals that are done by ABD. However, as they mention, they can’t always guarantee that the place that is serving the meal can provide an alternative meal. Having said that, I’ve never gone hungry on an ABD. To date, I’ve traveled to Egypt, Ecuador, Galapagos, Italy, Greece, Australia, New Zealand, and other places with ABD with my intolerance. I may have had to eat something I didn’t want, like always having fruit for dessert because everything else had dairy in it. If it’s a buffet, they will ask the chef to walk the line with you to let you know what you can safely eat. If it’s a plated dinner, the restaurant is told in advance that a special meal is needed and you sometimes select your meal in advance. When I did the Galapagos trip, it was interesting that they would make a special boxed lunch for me (on the days we had them) that actually had cheese in it—even though they said it was lactose free. Of course I didn’t eat it—I take lactaid if I know dairy is in something, but I’m not always sure and hate to waste pills. Sometimes even with the pills, I still get sick.

The guides will give out snacks during the trip. I would ask the local guide to point out the safe snacks that your children can eat so that they know what to take when the snack bag comes around. I’ve also seen other parents of children with allergies bring their own snacks from home.

I know an intolerance is different than an allergy, but wanted to share my experience. For the meals you do OYO, the local guide can write a message in the local language to show the waiter so that they know of the allergy. I would err on the side of caution and scrutinize everything that your child is served. The kids normally hang together and can also provide support. As I’m sure you do, make sure your child has their Epipen on them at all times. There was an incident on our ABD Danube River Cruise where one of the kids who had a nut allergy got a danish from a local vendor not realizing that it had nuts. He had a reaction, but thankfully the other kids in the group were able to get help and one of the people on the ABD was a doctor who assisted him. If you haven’t already, I would suggest doing your own research to see how prevalent peanuts/nuts are in Peruvian cooking. ABD will do their best, but since they’re not cooking the food like they would at most Disney restaurants, they can’t guarantee anything. Hopefully, someone with this particular allergy who has been on the trip will post.

Thank you SO MUCH! This is extremely helpful and very much appreciated!

I understand that there's no guarantee but it sounds like there's open communication and guidance offered - which is great! We travel a lot (independently, not in an organized tour like ABD) and my kids have been good at managing their allergies. Sounds like the guides from ABD do try to assist as much as possible!

 

[sayhello]

I agree with what @abdgeek said. I have food intolerances, also. (No tomatoes, green bell peppers, fresh citrus and limited fried stuff, besides being a Type 2 diabetic). I always give the full list to ABD, and then the Adventure Guides will go over it all with me when I meet with them the first day. The venues are made aware of my limitations, and, depending on the venue, either communicate directly to me or through the Adventure Guides what I can & can't eat. And they will provide me with alternative dishes if nothing on the set menu or buffet works. I can safely say I have *never* been hungry after an ABD meal. Also, I was on the Med cruise ABD add-on with someone who had Celiac disease, and they worked very hard to get her gluten-free alternatives, and when we made pizza, they made sure the prep surfaces had been *thoroughly* cleaned, and her family made their pizzas with gluten free dough before everyone else. Again, as ABD is not actually making the food, they have to rely on what the venue tells them, but my experience has been excellent. Just as an FYI, when I did the Danube River cruise, the kitchen staff were *exceptionally* careful to make sure I was taken care of at every meal on the ship.

Hopefully your kids' peanut allergies aren't severe enough to need "no peanuts or peanut products anywhere near them", as ABD definitely can't control that.

Sayhello

 

[OffToDWD]

I agree with what @abdgeek said. I have food intolerances, also. (No tomatoes, green bell peppers, fresh citrus and limited fried stuff, besides being a Type 2 diabetic). I always give the full list to ABD, and then the Adventure Guides will go over it all with me when I meet with them the first day. The venues are made aware of my limitations, and, depending on the venue, either communicate directly to me or through the Adventure Guides what I can & can't eat. And they will provide me with alternative dishes if nothing on the set menu or buffet works. I can safely say I have *never* been hungry after an ABD meal. Also, I was on the Med cruise ABD add-on with someone who had Celiac disease, and they worked very hard to get her gluten-free alternatives, and when we made pizza, they made sure the prep surfaces had been *thoroughly* cleaned, and her family made their pizzas with gluten free dough before everyone else. Again, as ABD is not actually making the food, they have to rely on what the venue tells them, but my experience has been excellent. Just as an FYI, when I did the Danube River cruise, the kitchen staff were *exceptionally* careful to make sure I was taken care of at every meal on the ship.

Hopefully your kids' peanut allergies aren't severe enough to need "no peanuts or peanut products anywhere near them", as ABD definitely can't control that.

Sayhello

Thank you so much for sharing!!

My kids can't ingest nuts but are fine if others have nuts near them (small wins!).

@sayhello and @abdgeek - thank you so much for sharing your personal experiences. Sounds like... ABD Peru, here we come!

 

[sayhello]

Thank you so much for sharing!!

My kids can't ingest nuts but are fine if others have nuts near them (small wins!).

@sayhello and @abdgeek - thank you so much for sharing your personal experiences. Sounds like... ABD Peru, here we come!

You are welcome, and congrats! Everyone I know who has done the Peru ABD has said it's fabulous!

Sayhello

 

[AprilsZoo]

Sometimes even with the pills, I still get sick.

My 8 y.o. GD has to take two tablets with a meal or snack that contains dairy as an ingredient. Occasionally, if dairy is the primary ingredient she may even take 3!

Pediatrician was concerned it was a dairy allergy when a single-tablet dose of Lactaid didn’t take care of the symptoms… but the allergist had them increase the dosage first before any allergy testing.

It worked.
As always, ymmv. Could be worth checking with your own doctor.

The guides will give out snacks during the trip. I would ask the local guide to point out the safe snacks that your children can eat so that they know what to take when the snack bag comes around. I’ve also seen other parents of children with allergies bring their own snacks from home.
For the meals you do OYO, the local guide can write a message in the local language to show the waiter so that they know of the allergy. I would err on the side of caution and scrutinize everything that your child is served. The kids normally hang together and can also provide support. As I’m sure you do, make sure your child has their Epipen on them at all times. <snip> If you haven’t already, I would suggest doing your own research to see how prevalent peanuts/nuts are in Peruvian cooking.

These are all great ideas.

Not sure of your children’s ages, but they sell “Medical Alert” temp. tattoos that could help someone help your child if you aren’t there. Most parents apply them to the back of the hand so they are plainly visible. I’ve seen tattoos that specifically mention that the child carries an EpiPen. Idk if you’re going to utilize an international calling plan… but if so, look for the tattoos that leave a space to add your phone #, just to be extra safe.
I wouldn’t even worry about the tattoos being in English. Google Translate is pretty ubiquitous all around the world.

Thank you SO MUCH! This is extremely helpful and very much appreciated!

I understand that there's no guarantee but it sounds like there's open communication and guidance offered - which is great! We travel a lot (independently, not in an organized tour like ABD) and my kids have been good at managing their allergies. Sounds like the guides from ABD do try to assist as much as possible!

It’s great that you’ve taught your kids early how to “manage their allergies”! Really! So many kids with life-threatening allergies have no idea how to deal with it, and/or they don’t know how to speak up for themselves.

I assume they know about reading labels or asking specifically about nut ingredients. It can be tough, when kids are shy (are yours?) but parents do no favors when they either step in at every opportunity to be the only advocate for the kids, or just refuse to let their kids go to parties, sleepovers, afterschool activities, or even Boy or Girl Scouts.

They have to learn, and the earlier they do, the safer they ultimately are.

All that said, keep in mind that people the world over have nut allergies— even in cultures with heavy nut use in the popular cuisine. Most chefs will have experience dealing with it. In particularly remote & off-the-beaten path areas, it may be a little tougher… but your guide should be helpful in those situations.

Have a great trip! Sounds like a lot of fun .

 

[abdgeek]

My 8 y.o. GD has to take two tablets with a meal or snack that contains dairy as an ingredient. Occasionally, if dairy is the primary ingredient she may even take 3!

Pediatrician was concerned it was a dairy allergy when a single-tablet dose of Lactaid didn’t take care of the symptoms… but the allergist had them increase the dosage first before any allergy testing.

It worked.

Thanks for sharing. It’s good you caught her lactose intolerance early. I didn’t realize I was lactose intolerant until I was in my early 20’s. I just knew I would get sick when I ate certain foods. My lactaid definitely goes with me everywhere; however, IMO, some things just aren’t worth a pill! My sister is also lactose intolerant and hers presents differently than mine. If the chemistry of the dairy changes when the item is cooked, I don’t need a pill. I can eat chocolate all day without getting sick as long as it doesn’t have whey or milk solids in it. Give me a slice of cheese, yougurt or ice cream and I definitely need multiple pills. I think the instructions on the label say one pill for each instance of dairy. For example, a half of cup of ice cream may require one pill, but each additional increment of half a cup requires another pill. In time, your GD will know how many pills to take with each food type. There’s some food that no matter how many pills I take I’ll still get sick. It’s also very hard to go dairy free because dairy or a dairy derivative(whey) is in everything. That cuts out hot chocolate, cereal bars, chicken nuggets or most things fried that are dredged in milk before they are battered, McDonald’s fries(coated in a milk derivative), certain meats, certain non-cream based salad dressings(some Italian dressings & balsamic vinaigrettes), and other items that IMO have no business having milk in them. The list is exhausting! A slice of Domino’s pizza requires 3 pills because there’s milk in the crust, tomato sauce, and the cheese. However, a slice of Papa John’s pizza only requires 1 pill because there’s only milk in the cheese. We are fortunate in that a lot of restaurants post their allergen menus online. Unfortunately, that’s not the case in other countries. It’s not the products I expect to have dairy in them that are a problem, it’s the ones that shouldn’t that do.

 

[Narcoossee11]

I don't think it is really ABD, but leaving USA.
Other countries handle food issues differently.
YOU will need to be alert of how they prepare your food.

 

[OffToDWD]

I assume they know about reading labels or asking specifically about nut ingredients. It can be tough, when kids are shy (are yours?) but parents do no favors when they either step in at every opportunity to be the only advocate for the kids, or just refuse to let their kids go to parties, sleepovers, afterschool activities, or even Boy or Girl Scouts.

Thanks for the tip on temp tattoos!

Yes, they are very good at reading labels, asking questions and using Google Translate even though sometime the translation is quite "interesting"! One of mine can be shy but not about asking/checking about ingredients. They have been traveling since they were very little so they are comfortable in different environments. They also understand there are no guarantees - unfortunately they've had cross contamination experiences but fortunately they realized it immediately.

We just returned from SE Asia... that was a bit more challenging but we were still able to try local foods and had a fabulous time (though crazy hot and humid)!