myTobago – your questions, review and comment about Tobago

My grandson is a celiac and has to have gluten free food. Will we need to bring a supply of his own bread with us? Does any other celiac have experience of eating out in Tobago?

Ernie,I am a Chef and have dealt with gluten free diets,I am afraid as far as I can recall that there won't be g-free products here,so either bring your own flour/bread(will this be legal,I wonder?)or just don't eat anyting that may contain gluten bearing products.
David

Ernie,

David is right, you will need to bring gluten-free bread (and other products) with you. Technically, it should not be a problem to bring them into Tobago (sealed in their original packaging), but when I worked as a dietitian in the UK we always advised people with coeliac disease travelling abroad to carry a letter from their doctor stating their medical condition and that the foodstuffs are a required part of the individual's treatment... just for those customs officers who might be a bit dubious

If you are wanting to eat out, I would also suggest typing or copying the list of gluten-containing grains, flours and starch products (a handy one is in the front of the Coeliac Society gluten-free foods handbook - http://www.coeliac.co.uk ). Give this to the chef/cook, and if necessary quiz them about ingredients in the dishes... some caterers, like David, are familiar with the diet but most are not especially in this part of the world.

Have a great holiday!

Ernie,

My husband is also coeliac and brought bread with him last year when we visited Tobago. I totally agree with Rachel that it is a good idea to bring a doctor's note. I have not thought about that before but with countries getting more restrictive on what you can bring in, it is a great idea.

We stayed at Coco Reef who were really helpful with getting bread toasted etc. and not putting sauces on things when eating in the more formal restaurant. He really did not find it too much of a problem as he ate a lot of grilled fish (and lobster!) and salad. I suppose it really depends on where you are staying, but we have always found hotels helpful once we have explained the situation.

Hope you have a wonderful time - we are going back to Tobago in just over 3 weeks and can't wait.