Practical allergy safety tips for holiday meals
When we think of the holidays, we usually envision quality time spent with loved ones – visiting, laughing, and sharing a home-cooked meal. Whether it is a potluck or a 5 course dinner cooked by one person, families look forward to their traditions when it comes to these holiday meals. However, for those who have food allergies, group meals can become very stressful with anticipation of a food allergy reaction. Read more to learn how more about life saving practical holiday safety tips when it comes to food allergies.
In the United States 1 in every 13 children are living with potentially life threatening food allergies.
For these children, their allergy impacts their daily life and could leave them feeling isolated, especially around the holidays.
There are many food allergens commonly found in traditional holiday meals, but with some communication and preparation ahead of time this doesnât have to be the case! If you are the host of someone who has food allergies or the parent of a child with food allergies, here are some tips to help make the holiday season safe for all and less worrisome!
Avoid Cross-Contact
Cross contact is when food proteins mix and can cause a potential allergic reaction. For example, cross contact could happen if you are using a cutting board or knife to cut the food with the allergen, then cut another food without washing. Tips to avoid cross contamination include:
- Make sure to wash preparation and serving dishes and utensils well with soap and water.
- Designate certain dishes and utensils as allergy-safe.
- Cook allergy-safe foods first.
- Proper physical hand washing after handling food allergen (hand sanitizer alone will NOT remove the allergen!).
- Do not share food. Teach children the same!
- Be vigilant about reading food labels.
- Remind food preparers that if they make a mistake they must inform the person with food allergies. Once the food proteins mix (even a tiny bit) they cannot be separated.
- We recommend using a designated cooking set (this one is all the color red) to signal only use for allergy-safe!
Communicate ahead of time:
- Explain the severity of a food allergy to the host if they are preparing the food and educate them on how to make safe foods.
- Prepare and bring allergy-safe foods.
- Many ingredients can be swapped for allergy safe ingredients!
- Here is a helpful link for ingredient swaps.
- Host the holiday meal/offer to help the host prepare meals.
Tips for Restaurants:
- Check out restaurant and menu ahead of time.
- Avoid places such as buffets, bakeries, or those which use a lot of a particular allergen
- Shellfish/fish allergy avoid seafood restaurants, peanut/tree nut allergy be careful at restaurants that serve Asian cuisine, etc.
- Make sure that your server is aware of the allergy.
- Can bring a chef card- explains your food allergy and food must be prepared in an allergy safe environment to avoid cross contact.
- Chef cards available in multiple languages:
- Don’t be afraid to call ahead of time and speak to the manager.
- When selecting your meal, try to keep it simple. Avoid fried foods as these typically high cross contact with the frying oil.
**Always have unexpired, emergency medications with you and Emergency Action Plan. Your provider will fill out the Emergency Action Plan.
- Using this EpiPen carrying case is a great idea.
- We love this medical alert bracelet as well!
Celebrating together and eating together is what the holidays are all about. If we can follow these tips everyone can have a safe and memorable holiday season together!
See the FARE website for free downloadable resource sheets.
Other helpful blog posts:
- 8 ways to safety proof your home for the holidays
- Practical allergy safety tips for the holidays
- 13 best experience gifts for the holidays
- Holiday safety â book CPR now
- FPIES in babies â 5 things you need to know
- 5 easy finger foods for beginners
- 5 common choking foods
- Simple purees for beginners
Sources:
https://www.eatright.org/health/lifestyle/holidays/8-tips-for-allergy-free-holidays
Bumblebaby makes a commission on some links.
This post is educational in nature and is not meant to take the place if the advice from your provider.
