Ankara - Post Report Question and Answers
What do people who suffer from environmental or food allergies need to know?
Turks are getting more familiar with the idea of food allergies and special diets as the country continues to modernize but you may find older folks won’t quite grasp what you’re talking about. They’ll try to help though. - Nov 2023
I am sure there is a local allergist to be seen if need be. Common sense for people with food allergies is probably all you need, but I am not an expert on that subject. - Jan 2023
Ankara is pretty dry, so not a lot of mold concerns. I see a lot of menus in mid to nicer restaurants with allergen symbols on the menu items. Most food in grocery stores is in Turkish or perhaps German (lots of imports), so reading ingredients not in English is important. Not a lot of peanut usage here, but pistachios and walnuts are popular. Most preschools provide meals, so you'd need to work with them over allergies. Pollen allergies are a big thing here; we get a lot of things in bloom spring and summer! Tree and grass pollens are rough. - Nov 2021
Allergens are marked on packaged foods, but nuts are popular in many dishes here and not necessarily marked. Alternative milks are available locally and at the commissary, but can be pricey. There are a surprising amount of gluten- free and organic items available at local stores. - Sep 2020
Turkish food preparation, while hygienic, does not appear to be sensitive to the needs of those with food allergies. The same utensils, vessels, cutting boards, and the like are used for everything. - Oct 2018
Air pollution seems to be a real problem here. Not good for people with asthma. - Oct 2018
Nuts are in most desserts, so watch out for that. - Sep 2018
Some pollution (see previous), but by and large it's fine. - Oct 2017
Be very careful eating out if you have nut allergies. Nuts are a large part of many Turkish diets and tend to be in a lot of dishes. - Sep 2017
Decorating with flowers is not unusual, and plants are everywhere. - Aug 2015
Not a lot of problems with allergies that I've noticed. - Apr 2015
Bring what you need to start off and be cautious regarding food allergies, don't expect them to notify you. - Feb 2015
