Dining out with food allergies can be difficult and frightening. Here are 5 tips to help you enjoy your eating out experience.
Try to view the menu in advance
Many restaurants now have their menus online. If you know where you are going, try to take a look at the menu to see if the restaurant has appropriate choices for you. Consider calling the restaurant to get a feel for whether they are used to dealing with food allergies and whether they are happy to accommodate you.
Bring your EpiPen
Most reactions happen outside of the home and most deaths occur because the individual did not have their EpiPen on hand. Make sure to keep your EpiPen with you at all times and teach those around you how to use it should you be unable to do so yourself.
Notify the hostess and wait staff of your allergy immediately
It helps to let the hostess and/or wait staff know about your allergies immediately. This gives them ample time to plan and to get the chef or manager if necessary. If your allergy list is long or you are uncomfortable sharing your information because you are at a business lunch or on a date, consider getting allergy business cards. These cards can list what you are allergic to and what you need to ensure your meal is made safely.
Never assume
Never assume that a particular menu item is safe based on the description. Chefs sometimes come up with unique ideas or throw garnishes in for flair. Always find out what is in the dish and how it is made.
Do a double check when your food arrives
When your food arrives make sure you confirm with your waiter that it is the right dish and that they remembered your allergies. Before diving in, give the dish a once over to make sure there are no obvious mistakes like a nut garnish.
These five tips will get you off to a safe start when dining out with food allergies.
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Ruth LovettSmith
Founder of http://www.bestallergysites.com/
Your Food Allergy and Gluten Free Guide, and the largest Internet directory of allergy related companies, sites, and blogs.
Disclaimer: I'm a food allergy advocate and mom of a food allergic child. I am NOT an allergist. My comments are based on my research and experiences. Please speak to your doctor regarding medical concerns.
I agree in this article that
I agree in this article that we should be careful in the food that we eat because some cause allergies.In fact if you know that you have allergy,be sure that what you order isn't harmful for your health.Don't forget to ask the waiter if what kind of food is that.Anyway,there's nothing wrong in asking.It's for your own safety.I remembered when I was a child I'm fond of eating strawberries to the extent that I have my allergy to that fruit.But I'm glad that right now I'm ok.If it wasn’t for the fact that Florida had a winter strawberry season,Plant City would look like a bunch of fools for having a Strawberry Festival in March. (Most of the rest of the country has the growing season starting in March or later, whereas those lucky devils in the Sunshine State grow them from December to April, so they are nice and ripe about now.) If it wasn't over 1,000 miles away, it might be worth a payday loans worth or so to go – ripe strawberries are one of the most addicting substances on earth.
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