Going to England to visit relatives - Help

[CrossfitPaleoChic]

Hi everyone.

Melissa suggested I post here as I will be visiting my son in England (he lives in Sleaford) and we will also be visiting London for a couple of days.

My son and his wife don't eat very healthy (mostly processed food). I'm all for cooking, but I'm not sure what I can and cannot get (the commissary is 2 hours away - he is in the Navy). We will miss the local organic market (it is open the 2nd Saturday and we will have left by then).

Can anyone give me some pointers? Should I even attempt a Whole 30, or wait till I get back? I cannot eat processed food - bagel bites and cinni minis are out. I don't think my DIL has alot of cooking utensils at the house...

I want this to work - I just need some direction..

Thanks a bunch!!!

Laura

[SummerGirl]

Hi Laura

I presume the shops near where your son lives will be pretty similar to the shops here in Ireland-you'll have no trouble whatsoever sticking to you Whole30! There's plenty of healthy food this side of the pond too-it just sounds like your son and DIL don't choose to eat it, but you will be certainly able to access the types of food you need yourself.

What is your main concern? Is it that you won't be able to buy the food you want anywhere or that you won't have the facilities to cook? If it's the former, you really need have no worries on that score!

Enjoy your trip!

[Megan Claydon]

I suggest to do the best you can while you are there. This is my opinion, but I wouldn't want food to ruin my trip to see my son. I"m NOT saying trips/vacations mean you can eat whatever. But I would make the goal to eat as close to whole30 as possible. So don't let non-ideal food situations ruin the trip if it just isn't happening.

Have you talked to your son about your Whole30 plans? Maybe he will be willing to accommodate while you are there.

Otherwise I suggest stocking up a suitcase with some beef jerky, sardines, tuna, nuts, olives...and other easy portable food options.

If you can manage those two suggestions, I think you will able to pull it off. Good luck and have fun!

[SummerGirl]

Hi Laura

Having read Megan's reply, I think I misunderstood your query earlier. You were more wondering whether it was wise to start a Whole 30 while on holidays rather than worried about availability of Whole 30 compliant foods I think? Sorry, I got the wrong end of the stick! Megan's advice sounds good to me. Best of luck with whatever you decide.

[ethnomusicolog3]

...

[Jmo]

Hi! I've an American living in London for the past 3 years. I can appreciate that it's a challenge to eat healthy while visiting a new place or staying in someone else's space. I don't know what your itinerary is, but I can assure you that you will find local grocery stores (markets) here with produce and protein: Waitrose, Morrisons, Sainesbury, Tesco, and even Whole Foods! Fruits and veg won't keep as long as the stuff you buy in the states (it's harvested more ripe and doesn't have the chemicals), and you son might have the typical English fridge - about the size of a dorm room fridge. We tend to hit the shops every few days rather than one big weekly shop.

If you google "gastopubs" or ask locally, you will find many local places where the owners take pride in serving locally sourced and magnificently prepared beef, fish or game. (avoid chain pubs like Wetherspoons like the plague). You will also find nearly every variety of ethnic cuisine you can imagine (Thai, Indian, Nepal, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, Ethiopian, Spanish, Italian, French, Russian, etc. Sadly, though, my hunt for good Mexican has hit a brick wall)

While in London and if time permits, you could also visit Borough Market on Friday or Saturday. It's a huge open air food market behind London Bridge tube station that has hundreds of stalls selling meat, produce, olive oils, spices, teas, you name it. Not the usual tourist destination but will really give you a glimpse of London. I like to wander around and imagine what the medieval markets must have been like.

If this is your first time visiting, just remember to keep an open mind about food expectations and consider everything an adventure! And don't be afraid to order what you need at restaurants. The server might roll their eyes at first ("typical bloody American") but they are far more clued up on food allergies than the states, so quite amenable to helping modify a meal after you indicate you have an allergy to wheat and dairy. We were away last weekend in rural Scottland: I told our server I had a wheat allergy and the chef came out to our table to assure me he would cook in a separate pan and whip up a special steak sauce without wheat.

Best wishes and enjoy your travels... Don't get stressed about it! Do the best you can diet-wise and enjoy the time with your son. He might even pick up a few food tips from you!

[CrossfitPaleoChic]

Thanks everyone!!

I'm sorry I wasn't clearer in my first post. I wasn't sure about starting a Whole30 in England - which is fine, it can wait till I get back to the states. I do however, want to eat as cleanly as possible. My son thinks I'm "Gluten Free" and I've tried to explain it to him, but I'm not sure he will listen (still very stubborn at 25 LOL). Daughter in law does cook, but not really "healthy" - more like Bagel bites and cheap frozen food (and fast food). I figured that when we arrive, I would go shopping, but... I just found out that since my son will be doing an "underway" (pretty much like a deployment), the following Monday, we will be spending Thursday and Friday in London so

that we can spend some time with him before he has to leave.

Thank you JMO for the tip about the Borough Market on Friday. I'd LOVE to go there. Is it pretty much cash only or do they take cards (our credit/debit cards do not have chips in them)??

@John - Thanks for the tip regarding bringing food in. I may bring something in just to eat on the plane (we are going Virgin Atlantic at night) and just leave it on the plane. Otherwise, I won't put anything in the suitcase.

@Megan- Thanks for the info :-). I'm not going to be overly anal about the food, but since I'll start the Whole 30 when I get back the better the food I eat beforehand, the less of the "carb flu" I'll get later LOL.. He asked about my food, but I told him we'd go shopping to get some food. Hopefully I can get some good food into both of them while I'm there LOL!!

@ Summer... Actually, it was both: Should I start a Whole30, and will there be food there to buy. I'll have the facilities to cook, so I'm not worried about that - it's just buying the stuff. Hubby isn't into this Whole30 stuff, so when I try to just make meat with stuff in it, he balks. I'm pretty easy - I can eat anything - but he wants his meat, potatoes and crap. So we have to buy for both of us. Yikes..

[arabella]

Hello!

I am a Northern Californian who has been living in London for nearly seven years. I probably wouldn't 'start' Whole30 for the first time while traveling but you can keep to the principles no problem.

I regularly fly Virgin Atlantic and sadly the food has gotten worse especially if you fly in Economy! Carb city back there! Forget GF meals too, yuck. Definitely bring food and eat it all or risk going hungry.

I usually say no, look around or ask vaguely what is in the meal besides beef or chicken. Crew only zap it hot so won't really be able to tell you much more than whether it is with pasta or potatoes or rice. It is just a whole lot easier to bring your own food if you are serious about eating clean.

The breakfast is usually a no go. Sometimes they may come around with the fruit bowl before landing or you can ask politely. I usually bring a plastic bag with cut up carrots, peppers, whole fruit and hard boiled eggs. At Easter I told my family that I was going to bring some of the hard boiled eggs on the plane and they all turned their noses up at me. Regular old white eggs are much stinkier than what I am used buying in London. Shell them before the flight and pull them out when the rest of the cabin is stinky.

Supermarkets and corner shops are plentiful in most towns and villages, but as previously mentioned kitchens are dinky.

Have a great time!

Pie and mash, fish and chips yum, yum! It is part of the experience!

[Sarah2012]

I also live in Ireland which is fairly similar. Whether you start or not before your trip is a personal choice, you could give it your best but not be too fixated by it. But there is no reason why you can't stick to it especially if you are in control of the food. You will easily be able to get everything you need. Bags of washed baby spinach leaves are great for throwing into eggs or making a quick salad.

My family, my hubby & 4 teenagers, don't eat paleo but I have no problem feeding us all. Meat or fish with veg or salad for lunch & dinner, they may have potatoes, rice or pasta as well.

Have a fabulous trip & enjoy the food.