Food Allergies

[jesshirecat]

Hello,

Has anyone visited DLRP with food allergies? What was your experience? My daughter is allergic to egg, peanut, sesame and mustard.

I've read the brochure on Namata, has anyone eaten the Namata meals? How are they?

Have you been able to get any regular meals that are safe?

It's hard dining out with food allergies in the US, but I'm really nervous to go to France where I don't speak the language. Disney is the only reason I'm willing to make this leap of faith!

Any help or advice from others is very greatly appreciated.

Jessica

 

[Fiona35]

Hi I am a coeliac and just about get by at Disney.

To be honest the Allergy Free Meals - Namata - are pureed pots of food that are heated up in the location where you request them, I think its an insult to people with allergies personally and would rather not waste my money on them! However I do realise that it is hard to cater for all allergies, just wish we didn't have to all fit under one umbrella!!

I have a French translation card that explains what I can eat and I will show this when I go to dine anywhere, if its at a Buffet restuarant the chef is very happy to come out and point the foods that you can eat, at table service the waitor/waitress will go and check with the chefs as to what is suitable, they may change things around from the set menu but I've never gone hungry!

Sorry that I can't be much more help, I only have to avoid Gluten etc and not the list that your poor daughter has to avoid so I couldn't say what sort of cooking oils they might use.

Hope you have a lovely time when you do go, I have found the french to be very helpful when I have been.

 

[jesshirecat]

Fiona,

Your message is very helpful! Thank you for providing me with reassurance. It sounds like DLRP will accomodate as much as possible just like in WDW.

One of the great things about travelling is learning more about yourself, and I've learned that the EU requires listing of mustard and sesame on packaging, in the US companies can just put "spices" in their ingredient list. Since mustard and sesame aren't part of the US top 8 allergins they can be hidden ingredients. So, I'm looking forward to travelling and learning with a whole new appreciation having my 3 year old with me. I want to teach her that we can manage these food allergies and she can still see the world.

We feel lucky she can eat wheat/gluten!

Let's just hope we don't have to experience any French hospitals!

Jessica

 

[Cyrano]

There is a link to a guide "Food Allergies Disneyland Paris has got it covered" in the Very Useful Info sticky Special dietary requirements

 

[aussietravellers]

To be honest I really struggled food wise with my peanut and tree nut allergy at DLRP. There were so many yummy things that I was wanting to eat but I was very restricted. I had the best meals at Cafe Mickeys and Annettes and also King Ludwings I think it's called.

At Walts and a few others I was offered that allergy set menu and really they were not very pleasant. It's not that they tasted bad, they just tasted bland and lots of purees and extremely unexciting in the flavour department. When you are at Walts with this divine menu and you are offered bland mince with mashed vegies, then some pureed fruit for dessert and it comes in its plastic container with a foil lid that is just heated up, the food wasn't even put onto plates to at least look a little more exciting . One soup wasn't even heated through properly, it was still hard in the middle and the staff didn't know as the meal was bought out to me still with the foil lid on it. At breakfast there was a gluten free allergy bread. All I wanted was to gobble down one of those delicious rolls at breakfast but they could not guarantee there was no peanut oil used.

So there was always something to eat, you often just don't get to choose off the menu like you do at other places and a chef or waitstaff will tell you what is ok and what is not. You will be offered the allergy meals. The meals will probably suit a child more actually.

I had allergy cards printed from Select Wisely ( www.selectwisely.com ) They do ship internationally as we are in Australia and I think the company is in the US (but I many be wrong). Peanut oil is widely used in France in all sorts of things. I found the cards to be absolutely marvelous as sometimes it was hard to get across the severity of the allergy. I recommend always talking to a manager and mentioning the allergy when you check in at the restaurant. Eating at DLRP with a food allergy is nothing like eating at WDW with a food allergy in regards to the chef coming out and telling you what is ok off the menu or making something for you, at DLRP its the allergy meals.

 

[jesshirecat]

Thanks Aussie for your experience.

I'm thinking breakfast will be challenging with all the delicious breads and pasteries. I'm hoping to pack lots of sweet fun stuff so my daughter doesn't get too upset.

I'll get the chef cards as well!

Believe it or not, in the US McDonald's is our standby, so I'm hoping to be able to get DD her favorite, chicken mcnuggets at the Village. I willl just need someone to review the ingredient list as I want to ensure France McDonalds has the same ingredients as US McDonalds.

 

[jesshirecat]

ugh, France and the UK have eggs in there McNuggets, which is one of my daughter's allergins :-(

 

[aussietravellers]

Believe it or not, in the US McDonald's is our standby, so I'm hoping to be able to get DD her favorite, chicken mcnuggets at the Village. I willl just need someone to review the ingredient list as I want to ensure France McDonalds has the same ingredients as US McDonalds.

I would still be careful a McDonalds . The main oil used in France is Peanut Oil So just be careful of anything fried, You will need to ask the specific question, "do you cook or use peanut oil?", I had that printed on my allergy cards. At the time we were there Annettes did not use peanut oil (that could have changed so always check), so theirs was ok (great burgers, fries there) and also at Cafe Mickeys at the time the Pizza was ok (and it is really good pizza).

There is a large hypermarket in the next town, its the next stop on the train, so very close. We went there and bought some groceries and was able to buy some bread and rolls without peanut oil, but I also bought some chesse (didn't think cheese had peanut oil). Just before I ate the cheese, I thought I had better read the label and sure enough there it was "huile d'arachide" peanut oil So that went in the bin

I am severely allergic to peanuts (Anaphylactic and I have an airbourne allergy too) and I managed 8 nights there with no visit to the hospital It was fine, just not as carefree as in the US and doing your homework before you go, like you are doing now, you will have a wonderful time