Getting all set for my trip to China, I put together a little card for restaurants explaining my celiac disease â what ingredients I can eat and how they can prepare my meals safely. My lovely Chinese friend translated it for me, and I wanted to share it in case they can help someone out.
Printable Card Mandarin / English
đđť Link to the editable file on Figma
Plus, Iâm packing some visual aids â A4 sheets with cute illustrations showing what I can and canât eat (you can screenshot them on RED).
My friend also found three more pages that break down which additives are okay and a super detailed list of foods that are (un)safe.
Additives and (un)safe foods
Getting all set for my trip to China, I put together a little card for restaurants explaining my celiac disease â what ingredients I can eat and how they can prepare my meals safely. My lovely Chinese friend translated it for me, and I wanted to share it in case they can help someone out.
Time for an update on my gluten-free experiences in China.
Let me just start by saying, that the card and documents I prepared were lifesavers for the most part! As soon as I walked into restaurants, Iâd whip out my gluten-free card.
The Chinese are incredibly friendly and genuinely wanted to help accommodate my dietary needs. It was quite common to have 2-3 people gather around to read and discuss my printed little card, which I had wisely laminated along with other printed materials so the chef could refer to them while cooking.
When I was with a guided tour, eating was a breeze as the guide would explain everything for me. Otherwise, Iâd stick to plain rice with veggies and pork cooked with oil and salt or my gluten-free soy sauce (be sure to pack one!).
There were a couple of occasions where I couldnât eat anything, but overall, my experiences were positive. In Chengdu and Beijing particularly, I had the most amazing guides who went above and beyond to ensure I could enjoy a wide variety of gluten-free dishes. They were absolute lifesavers! If anyone needs their contact details, feel free to reach out to me.
For those curious about the places I dined at, Iâve posted some photos and reviews on my Instagram: @thereshebooksagain. You can also find them on the Find Me GF app.
A quick reminder: even seemingly safe options like rice can sometimes be contaminated, whether itâs from not fresh oil or reused cooking water. I made sure to have some crackers handy for those worst-case scenarios.
