I'm going to Italy - help!
#311366 - 07/17/07 06:57 AM
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Zara
Reged: 06/07/06
Posts: 883
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We have a vacation planned in Ischia which is an island near Naples, Italy. I'm really excited yet scared at the same time. When people say "Italian cuisine" I think raw tomatoes bathed in huge amounts of olive oil topped with piles of cheese.
It is my understanding that authentic Italian bread is white and soft and should be OK for me to eat. But how about the main dishes? We will be having dinners at our hotel - it's a part of the package. My experience has been that usually they have a buffet with a variety of food. What if there's nothing safe for me to eat? What if all the pasta they have is already mixed with oil and sauces?
The fact that I speak no Italian doesn't help either. I know that usually the hotel staff speaks English but that can be limited to the needs of a typical customer and not someone with dietary needs.
Anyone here has been to Italy? Any pointers?
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IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant 
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IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant
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Zara,
"Ho stato tre mesi in Italia, e non ti preoccupa con la mirenda. C'era abastanza di mangere." (I lived in Italy for three months, don't worry yourself too much over the food. I found lots to eat)
Ask for pasta marinara - just red sauce. And hold the parmasean or romano.
"Pasta marinara senza fromaggio"
Pizza margherita is good too - just sauce, no cheese.
"Una pizza margarita senza fromaggio."
They do eat a fair bit of chicken too -
"Pollo" is cooked chicken, not to be confused with "gallina" a live chicken!
Yes, the bread is FANTASTIC. I could eat a whole loaf!
Or even Foccacia bread - I'm okay with it, but watch, they use oil in some recipes.
There will likely be a lot of seafood if you're near Napoli, especially on an island.
And lots of fresh fruit and veggies.
I'm sorry you will have to miss out on such things a tiramisu and gelato. I was able to have them, but this was before my diagnosis and tummy trouble began.
"Spero che ti divertiti!"
I hope you have fun!
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Cassandra
Live like there's no tomorrow. Love like you've never loved before.
IBS A 20+ years, Chronic Migraines, Chiari Malformation (decompressed June 22, 2010), Brachial Neuritis, and ??? the list just keeps growing, but I'm still shiny side up!
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First off, I just wanted to say that Italy is amazing and I hope you have a wonderful time. That being said, I agree with Toady and use those helpful Italian phrases when ordering. I went to Italy for 10 days as part of my senior trip in high school, and it was incredible! Although thankfully I didn't have IBS back then and could enjoy the gelati -- no way anymore  . Also, Italian people love Americans, and are all about being hospitable. So if you explain your dietary needs in a clear, concise manner, they will probably bend over backwards to make sure there is food you can eat. Don't be afraid to be adamant and specific about food -- my father is Italian and cooks that way, and when I got diagnosed, instead of lamenting about how I couldn't eat any of his amazing (but often fattening) dishes, he has made a concerted effort to adapt these so they are IBS friendly. Italians love food because they love to see other people enjoying the food they make -- so they will try their best to accommodate. Most Italians also have a decent knowledge of English, but you might want to buy a small Italian-English dictionary before you go in case you get in a pinch.
Otherwise, enjoy the weather and the sights! There is so much to see, and do in that wonderful country (though I might be a bit biased because it's part of my heritage, lol). Honestly, if you try not to focus on your IBS and obssess about the food, you are guaranteed to have a nice trip. Oh, and take TONS of pictures! 
Julie
IBS-D, GERD, lactose intolerant
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"We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it."
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Cassandra a Julie,
Thanks so much for your replies!
Cassandra, the phrases are very useful so thank you for them! I'm going to try and learn at least a few words so that I'm not completely helpless! Seafood sounds good, I love seafood and I guess it should be safe for me to eat.
Julie, I'm glad to hear that Italians are so hospitable and nice! I'm glad they like Americans - I'm actually not but after having lived here in the US for quite some time maybe I could "fake" being one, haha  ! I'm sorry I'll have to miss out on the gellato but oh well. I've been to Italy once before (11 yrs ago, before IBS) and remember it being to good and tasty!
Thanks again to both of you. YOu're right, the trip should be awesome and I should just focus on having fun and try not to worry so much about food!
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IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant
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Hey Zara! I am going to London and Paris in about a month and am going through the same anxiety over finding safe foods. I understand your worries  I, too, am trying to focus on all the fun that I will have and the amazing experiences that are in store for me. If I have to subsist on bread and water, so be it!
Have fun on your trip!!! I plan to go to Italy next year. Let us know how it goes!
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