One of the best books I have ever read about living with MS must be Multiple Sclerosis Diet Book by R.L. Swank. Although outdated, it covers all aspects of living with MS, including eating out and traveling abroad. Swank’s book inspired me to write my own practical guide to following OMS in Dutch, but I also published a spin off in English that covers following the OMS diet while on the road and abroad. In this blog, I’ll share my tips on having breakfast while traveling.

Breakfast: the daily challenge

When traveling, having a decent breakfast will be one of your biggest concerns. Staying at a guest house, bed & breakfast or local hotel, means breakfast will be traditional with only dairy and meat options available. Therefore, I always try to bring my own breakfast for the first day. Think  plant based milk, oatmeal, dried fruits, hummus with bread or an oatmeal based home-made pastry. Normally, I bring a bowl and a spoon in case there won’t be any available at the accommodation.

Enjoying a continental breakfast

At a three or four star hotel, you will often be able to enjoy a more varied breakfast or indulge in a continental breakfast. Most places will  provide you with a hard boiled egg from which you can remove the yolk. Together with some bread, salt and pepper and extra virgin olive oil if available, it makes a nifty sandwich. Be aware of bread especially meant for toasting though, since it often contains refined oils or other fats. Depending on how extensive the breakfast is, you also might find smoked fish and salads on offer and you can always count on jams, fruits and cornflakes to be there. 

Check for availability of plant based milk

Try to find out in advance if the hotel offers plant based milk. Please note that some plant based milk contains refined oil, so if possible ask for the packaging. Again, consider bringing your own milk to prevent unpleasant surprises, like the hotel being out of plant based milk although you requested it in advance. Unfortunately, this happened to me more than once.

Keeping flaxseed oil refrigerated

If your hotel has a fridge in the room, you can use it to store linseed oil and other foods you took with you. Don’t be afraid to take out the items that were already stored inside as it’s your privilege to do so as a hotel guest. Of course, keep items inside that absolutely need cooling. If there’s no fridge in the room, you can always ask for one to be brought. If this is not possible, request for your items to be stored in a (common) fridge with easy access.

The OMS chef cards are also great to use when eating out abroad. 

If you are looking for breakfast options to cook up while at home, you can find our selection of recipes here.