The hunger games, a guide to dietary restrictions in the Caribbean

If you’ve been putting off planning your holiday due to being coeliac or gluten intolerant – as you’re sure to encounter a number of problems, there’s no need to worry. The Caribbean has an abundance of hotels that cater for those on a gluten free diet.  So, with a little forward planning you can holiday anywhere in the world.

Jamaica

To help you out, we’ve handpicked our top hotels in the Caribbean.  And our top pick, is the 5 star Premier Grand Palladium Lady Hamilton Resort & Spa in Jamaica as this caters beautifully for coeliacs. The staff have been professionally trained in the preparation of dishes for gluten-free diets and those with allergy restrictions to make sure that no one is glutened. Special care is also given to prevent cross-contamination.

The Grand Palladium Lady Hamilton pull out all the stops to ensure that everyone can enjoy the specially prepared cuisine without worrying about what they are going to eat. The Food & Beverage divisions are working in partnership with a range of professional dieticians to establish a range of menus for guests with specific dietary conditions.

The buffet and à la carte restaurants have easy to follow colour coded signs, which indicate if a meal is suitable for coeliac guests. In addition to gluten-free meals they also have a selection of foods for those who suffer from nut allergies.

It is recommended that you contact the hotel prior to your arrival, this way you will receive a more personal service.

Once you have checked in you will receive an allergy-specific Palladium Dietary Card. This will help the restaurants and bars identify guests and their dietary needs. The card indicates what allergy the guest has, as well as what food they can and cannot eat. We think that this is a great idea considering the hotel has 10 restaurants, including 3 buffet restaurants and 7 à la cartes. If required, the chef from each restaurant will come out and speak to you personally so you can be sure your meal is prepared gluten free.

Reggaetoni Restaurant serves up everything you’d expect in an Italian eatery, so there’s no reason to feel that you’re missing out as they make homemade gluten free pizza and pasta.

Bubba’s Steakhouse Restaurant grills any cut of steak you want. And you’ll be happy to discover that the steak is cooked separately to avoid cross-contamination. The head chef will also list the suitable sauces to accompany your steak.

Dominican Republic

The Iberostar Grand Hotel Bavaro in Punta Cana has many fresh options when it comes to food. This is great as guests can see what goes into their meals, so you can be sure that no cross-contamination occurs. When you are not dining in one of the many restaurants, room service can also be ordered gluten free.

The restaurants at the Ocean Blue and Sand Hotel in Punta Cana are also very aware of the problems that coeliacs and gluten intolerant guests face. That’s why they make sure that gluten-free guests are taken care of and can enjoy a fabulous dining experience in each of the restaurants, with a meal prepared specially to avoid the risk and worry of cross-contamination.

Cassava bread, which is gluten-free, is freshly made in each of the restaurants. Many of the restaurants also serve desserts that are naturally gluten-free, including panna cotta, majarete, rice pudding and ice-cream. The coffee shop even makes gluten-free almond cookies, so don’t forget to pop in.

We would recommend contacting the hotel in advance to make them aware of your dietary needs. A meeting is then set up, and you and a member of staff will go through a list of foods which you can and cannot eat.

Barbados

Coconut Beach Resort Barbados has tons of gluten free options. Simply contact the hotel before you travel and make them aware of your needs before you arrive. This way, you can to speak to the chef from each of the restaurants and they will be able to inform you of what meals you’ll be able to eat. Plus, if there’s a certain meal you require, the chef will be able to adapt the recipe to meet your dietary needs.