Below are a few tips to guide students in making responsible and safe choices when eating and drinking abroad.
Bring over-the-counter medications for travelers' diarrhea. The Centers for Disease Control offer an informative article on travelers’ diarrhea, with discussion of its causes, symptoms, and preventive measures.
Students should research to see if foods they are allergic to are commonly used in their host culture, such as peanuts in Senegal and cooking with peanut oil in China. Know how to convey allergies to a faculty leader, on-site staff, cooks in restaurants, and anyone serving food in the local language. It is a good practice to have allergies written on a card in the local language that can be given to the person cooking. The Frommers website has good information on how best to communicate about allergies.
Students with celiac disease or gluten intolerance should research how gluten-free friendly their destination is. Students carrying an EpiPen or insulin should inform on-site partners.
Find more resources on food and allergies at Online Travel Resources, under "Food & Diet."