Travelling gluten free in Spain

Are you going on a holiday to Spain and looking for the best gluten-free spots? Look no further! We have gathered all necessary information for gluten free in Spain in one easy overview.

Spanish coeliac dietary explanation

Spanish:

Soy celiaco, no puedo consumir gluten ni ningún alimento que lo contenga. El gluten es una proteína que se encuentra en muchos cereales: trigo, centeno, cebada, espelta, kamut, avena y aquellos productos derivados de los mismos: harinas, sémola, pan rallado, pan, pasta, fideos, algunas salsas, bizcochos y tartas, galletas, barquillos, obleas…

¿Existe algún plato en el menú adecuado a a esta situación? ¿Podría prepararme algún plato sin los alimentos mencionados anteriormente? Por ejemplo: preparados a la plancha, carnes, pescados o vegetales sin harina o pan rallado.

Además de que los ingredientes sean sin gluten, es muy importante que los utensilios de cocina estén bien limpios y no contacten con alimentos que no puedo comer, del mismo modo es aconsejable elaborar mi comida de forma diferenciada dentro de la cocina.

Si tiene alguna duda, por favor, pregúnteme antes de preparar mi comida. Muchas gracias.

English:

I am suffering from coeliac disease and therefore because of medical reasons I am not allowed to eat any foods which contain gluten-containing cereals or products of these.This means: No products from wheat, rye, barley, spelt, kamut and oats as well as products of these like flour, semolina, breadcrumbs, bread, pastry, noodles, dumplings, sauces, cakes, wafers, etc.

Are there any dishes on your menu which are suitable for me or can you prepare a meal without above mentioned foods e.g. to use maize starch or potato flour for the sauce and to prepare the meat, the fish or vegetables without flour or breadcrumbs?

It is also important to use clean kitchen equipment and prepare food in a clean area in the kitchen.

In doubt, please consult the person concerned. Thank you!

Useful Information

Quality Label

About Products, Quality Label and where to buy:

In spain we work with AOECS following the ELS scheme so you can easily identify products with the crossed grain symbol in supermarkets. But before we had our own quality label and you still can see it in many packages. Don’t worry is as safe as the CGS.

Crossed grain symbol Old quality brand
“Controlado por FACE”

You can easily find gluten free products in almost every supermarket like: Mercadona (they have their own logo red and blue), Carrefour, Lidl, Aldi, Consum, Ahorramás, Dia, Coviran, Eroski..

App FACEMOVIL

FACEMOVIL is an app for mobile devices that offers assistance to coeliacs anywhere and anytime. It has updated the list of gluten-free products and venues.

If you live abroad, you are going to visit Spain, and you want this app you can ask for it writing to: facemovil@celiacos.org

Every year in Spain FACE publish a list of products that are “safe for coeliacs.” This list contains gluten-free products listed by manufacturer. This is a highly valued publication for coeliacs because it makes it easier to shop gluten-free.

Gluten-free restaurants in Spain

In Spain there is a large variety of restaurants ranging from typical Spanish fare to international cuisine. Between FACE and its member associations they develop a big network of safe places that offer gluten free venues. You can identify them because they may have this logo in their doors:

In Spain we have a Federation of coeliac associations so you can find an association in each region all over Spain. The whole list of venues is on FACEMOVIL App but also you can find the list of each society in their websites: https://celiacos.org/sobre-nosotros/donde-estamos/

Through the Eating Out program FACE has developed agreements with many food chains so you can find gluten free options in places like Mc Donald’s, Telepizza, Rodilla, Foster’s Hollywood, Domino’s Pizza, Tommy Mels, Burger King, Vips, Ginos, Starbucks, Pomodoro, 100 montaditos, Llao-Llao and many others you can check from our website: https://celiacos.org/que-hacemos/face-restauracion-sin-gluten/restaurantes-2/

Keep in mind those places are very easy to find in a big city but not so easy in small towns or villages. FACE works with “the big ones” and the member societies with small bars and restaurants as well as gluten free bakeries.

Whenever eating out at a restaurant, we should keep the following considerations in mind:

  • Let the maître or waiter know that you are coeliac and that you need to follow a gluten-free diet.
  • Discuss the menu items that you think might be suitable for you.
  • Don’t be afraid to ask about ingredients and how the dish is prepared. Not everyone is familiar with Coeliac Disease or the gluten-free diet and even those who are familiar with it may not be as knowledgeable as you.
  • There are gluten-free dishes that can be found on the great majority of menus in restaurants (salads, grilled fish and meat, egg omelets, homemade desserts, fruit, etc). Just ask a few questions to make sure about the ingredients and preparation.
  • If you are ordering fried potatoes, ask if they can be prepared in a separate frypan. Keep in mind, though, that restaurants increasingly use fryers that are exclusively for potatoes since the frying temperature is not the same one used for other fried foods and because it makes for a better visual presentation by keeping small bits of fried foods from mixing with the fries.
  • Also ask for a clean fry pan when ordering a grilled dish. Sometimes flour is sprinkled on the normal grilling surface to keep things from sticking, and this represents a clear danger for cross contamination.
  • If you like bread, sweet rolls, or pasta, bring along a couple packages of these items when you travel–just in case. You can have the restaurant cook your pasta for you.

Useful Words and Phrases

Here is a list of terms and phrases that may come in handy when visiting Spain:

  • Enfermedad celiaca = coeliac disease
  • Yo soy celiaco = I’m coeliac
  • No puedo comer productos que tengan como ingrediente: trigo, centeno, cebada o avena = I cannot eat things that contain wheat, rye, barley or oats.
  • Libre de gluten = gluten-free
  • Almidón de trigo = wheat starch
  • Soy celiaco y debo seguir una dieta sin gluten = I’m coeliac and must follow a gluten-free diet
  • Esta comida contiene trigo, centeno, cebada o avena? = Does this dish contain wheat, rye, barley, or oats?
  • Puedo comer alimentos que contengan arroz, patatas, verduras y frutas, huevos, queso, leche y pescado = I can eat dishes with rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit, eggs, cheese, milk, and fish.
  • Por favor, mucho cuidado con la contaminación cruzada = please be very careful, avoid crossed contamination.
  • ¿La freidora es solo de patatas o es compartida? = the fryer is only for potatoes or is shared?
  • Sin salsa por favor = No sauce please!
  • Gracias por su ayuda = Thank you for your help!

This explanatory card may also come in handy when travelling in Spain. You can give it to the cook. Click here for explanatory card in Spanish.

Spanish Coeliac Associations

If you have any doubts after reading all the information, do not hesitate to contact us at any time, we will be happy to help you.

Website FACE
Facebook FACE
email: info@celiacos.org

(youth group)

Facebook: Facebook FACE Joven
Website: Website FACE Joven
Contact email: cye_delegate@facejoven.org  // http://facejoven.org/contacto

All associations

Andalucía

  • Asociación Provincial De Celíacos De Huelva (ASPROCEHU):
  • Asociación De Celíacos De Jaén (APECEJA):
  • Asociación Provincial De Celiacos De Sevilla (ASPROCESE):
  • Asociación De Celíacos De Córdoba (ACECO):
  • Asociación De Celiacos De Málaga (ACEMA):
  • Asociación De Celíacos De Granada:
  • Asociación De Personas Celiacas De La Provincia De Almería (ASPECEAL):

Asturias

  • Asociación celíaca del Principado de Asturias (ACEPA):

Aragon

  • Asociación celíaca Aragonesa (ACA):

Baleares

  • Asociación de celiacos de las Islas Baleares (ACIB):

Cádiz

Canarias

  • Asociación de Enfermos Celíacos de la provincia de Santa Cruz de Tenerife (ACET):
  • Asociación de Celiacos de la Provincia Las Palmas (ASOCEPA):

Cantabria

  • Asociación de Celíacos de Cantabria (ACECAN):

Castilla-La Mancha

  • Asociación de celíacos de Castilla-La Mancha (ACCLM):

Castilla y León

  • Asociación celiaca de Castilla y León (ACECALE):

Comunidad Valenciana

  • Asociación de celiacos de la Comunidad Valenciana (ACECOVA):

Extremadura

  • Asociación celiaca de Extremadura (ACEX):

Galicia

  • Asociación de celiacos de Galicia (ACEGA):

La Rioja

  • Asociación celíaca de La Rioja (ACERI):

Madrid

  • Madrid Sin Gluten (MSG):

Melilla

Murcia

  • Asociación de Celiacos de Murcia (ACMU):

Navarra

  • Asociación de celiacos de Navarra (ACNA):

Pais Vasco

  • Asociación celíaca de Euzkadi (EZE):

 

Catalan Association – Celíacs de Catalunya

Catalan Coeliac Dietary explanation

Catalan:

Soc celíac, pel que per motius de salut no puc menjar cap aliment que contingui cereals que continguin gluten ni derivats d’ell.

Vol dir que no puc menjar productes que continguin blat, sègol, ordi, espelta, kamut ni civada, així com productes obtinguts d’aquests com poden ser la farina, sèmola, pa ratllat, pa, pasta, fideus, algunes salses, rebosteria, galetes, neules, …

Hi ha plats al menú que siguin aptes per mi o se’n pot preparar algun sense els aliments mencionats anteriorment? Per exemple preparant-lo a la planxa, carns, peix o verdures, sense farina ni pa ratllat?

A part de que els aliments siguin sense gluten també és molt important que els estris de cuina estiguin nets i no estiguin en contacte amb aliments que contenen gluten. Per altra banda també és recomanable elaborar el meu plat d’una forma diferenciada dins la cuina.

Si tenen qualsevol dubte pregunti’m abans de preparar el meu plat. Moltes gràcies!

English:

I am suffering from coeliac disease and therefore because of medical reasons I am not allowed to eat any foods which contain gluten-containing cereals or products of these.

This means:

No products from wheat, rye, barley, spelt, kamut and oats as well as products of these like flour, semolina, breadcrumbs, bread, pastry, noodles, dumplings, sauces, cakes, wafers, etc.

Are there any dishes on your menu which are suitable for me or can you prepare a meal without above mentioned foods e.g. to use maize starch or potato flour for the sauce and to prepare the meat, the fish or vegetables without flour or breadcrumbs?

It is also important to use clean kitchen equipment and prepare food in a clean area in the kitchen.

In doubt, please consult the person concerned. Thank you!

Gluten-free restaurants in Catalonia

Here you can find all certified gluten-free restaurants:

https://www.celiacscatalunya.org/ca/establiments_certificats

Address: c/Independencia 257, 08026 Barcelona

Telephone: +34 934121789

Email: info@celiacscatalunya.org

Website: www.celiacscatalunya.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/celiacscatalunya

Twitter: @celiacscat

Instagram: @celiacs_catalunya

Last update of this Travel Net information: March 2021