The 4th of July means the great American tradition of family gatherings, fireworks and food. But, for the growing numbers of people who suffer from severe food allergies – experts estimate that more than 12 million Americans have some form of food allergies -- it is a minefield of unusual food and hidden allergens. And on a holiday where homemade food is served in plastic bowls, it’s virtually impossible to know the ingredients to see what is safe and what is not. Here are five tips on staying safe during these summer months, without bringing too much attention to your selective diet:
1. When going to a summer picnic, try to bring as many self-cooked items as you can. There’s nothing safer than food that you’ve prepared yourself, and if you don’t feel comfortable eating anything else at the picnic, you know you have at least one option.
2. Avoid anything with cream. Why cream? It can hide other ingredients.
3. Be wary of sesame seed buns and mustard. These are very common in picnic food and can be another hidden allergen source.
4. Stay away from all trail mixes or desserts without ingredients listed. Even though you may not see nuts in either of these things, they may be “may contain” items and should be avoided as if they actually contained allergens.
5. Never share utensils, napkins, or cups with anyone. This may be superfluous to mention, but at a function where a lot of family members come together, it can’t hurt to be reminded that although germs aren’t the main cause for alarm, allergens are.
*photo courtesy of http://redriverpak.wordpress.com/2009/07/04/happy-4th-of-july/july-fourth-bbq/
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