If You Have Food Allergies Say This!

Be BOLD like a cicada-pipe the heck up!  ~Maureen Connolly

I love this quote about speaking up- and when you have food allergies you have to learn to speak up.  Speaking up is one of the best tools you have to keep yourself or your kiddo safe.  I learned very early in our food allergy journey that advocating for yourself is so important. Even when it might seem scary or even intimidating, speaking up will help to keep you safe and thrive on with food allergies!

If you have food allergies here are four things you should be saying:

"I have food allergies"
If people don't know that you are managing food allergies they may inadvertently put you at risk.  I have found that most people are willing to help or make accommodations if you let them know, but people sometimes just don't know what they don't know.  Sharing your food allergies and stay safe strategies with an attitude of cooperation and collaboration will keep people aware and ultimately keep you safe. 

"Can I read the label?"
Label reading is critical- if you have food allergies you need to be reading labels.  ALL.THE.TIME.  Don't be afraid to ask to see a package or label so you can verify if it is safe.  If there is no label or you are unable to verify ingredients or processing (if you manage for that too) skip it!  When in doubt go without!  And, check out one of my #thriveonthursday posts about label reading here.  

"Do I/we have my epis?"
Wherever you go, whatever you do, you should have your epis with you!  How many?  Two, yes two.  They send them as a 2-pack for a reason because you should always have two with you at all times.  Develop a strategy for you or your family to always remember your medicine.  We have opted to hang a hook by our door.  My daughter's epis hang there all of the time.  As soon as we enter the house they go on the hook, and when we leave we have to walk by them so is a reminder to grab them as we head out of the house.  And, we always know where they are when we are in the house because they are always on the hook. 

"I can!"
When you have food allergies it can be easy to focus on the things that you can't have or can't do.  But, the reality is you can eat and do so much!  Even if your list of allergens exceeds 15 there are still hundreds of other foods you CAN have.  Make an "I can eat" list and refer to it often, especially when you feel like you are getting in a rut and eating the same things over and over.  Apply "I can" to activities too.  Yes parties, social activities like dining out, and travel can present some challenges but it is possible with a little advanced planning, prep and creativity to do all of those things.  Check out my blog post about dining out for one strategy to turn eating out into an "I Can" activity. 

So, friends, speak up and Thrive On!

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Need help living your best life with food allergies?  I can help you Thrive On! 
Learn more about me and my company, Thrive On Consulting, which provides food allergy coaching and training.  You can also follow me on Facebook for tips to Thrive On with food allergies.


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Check out #thriveonthursday - Every Thursday check out my Facebook page where I share a tip for thriving on with food allergies!

Dining Out With Food Allergies- The One Thing You Need

Going out to eat and food allergies can be tricky combination.  For us, the decision to trust others with our food prep has been one we take very seriously.  There are so many questions that arise when we relinquish control of our food prep….

• Will the restaurant take our food allergies seriously?

• Will our allergies be communicated clearly to the kitchen staff? (think the game of telephone...we all know how that ends!!)

• Will the kitchen staff take the proper steps to ensure there is no cross-contact? (do they even understand the concept of cross-contact?!)

The key to all of these is clear communication with the restaurant.  We take lots of steps to ensure safety and communicate our allergens to a restaurant, but my number one tip for dining safely with food allergies is to have a chef card to communicate your allergies.

What is a Chef Card? Chef cards are small business card sized documents that list your allergens. You should present these to servers, managers or chefs.  This ensures that the entire restaurant team is on the same page (literally!) about your allergens.  

When we do dine out, restaurant staff are always so appreciative of the fact that we provide the card- and it gives us some piece of mind knowing there will be no question about the foods we need to avoid.  

Thrive On! And.....always be sure to take your epi with you....so technically you need 2 things :)

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If you want to get a custom designed chef cards reach out!  I design custom cards with allergens, contact information and stay safe directives for kitchen staff.  

Heading out now to a restaurant and need a card ASAP? You can use the generic template below.

No matter if you work with me to design your cards, or download the version below, be sure you never dine out without a chef card! 

Generic Chef Card Template from FARE

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Need help living your best life with food allergies?  
I can help you Thrive On! 

Learn more about me and my company, Thrive On Consulting, which provides food allergy coaching and training.  You can also follow me on Facebook for tips to Thrive On with food allergies.

Disney and Food Allergies: A Magical Place for Dining Out

We go to Disney because my daughters love princesses, we go to Disney because it is magical, but the main reason we go to Disney is because as a food allergy family we can go there and EAT OUT!  Every Meal, yes, every meal!  It is the only true vacation I get as I am usually toting half our kitchen with me and preparing meals for four on two tiny burners in kitchenettes. 

Our recent trip to Disney did not disappoint on the princess, magic or food front– here are some of the food allergy dining highlights that continue to make me want to visit Disney (and have them train the rest of the restaurant world!).

Our first table service lunch was at the The Garden Grill Restaurant in Epcot.  They serve family style, so I was not sure how this would go.  We informed the host and our server about our allergies and they both assured us that the chef would be by to talk to us, and they also provided us with an allergy menu.  In no time, Chef Tom was at our table ready to learn more about our allergens and help us make safe selections.  The biggest issue seemed to be the bread which could have been in contact with sesame seeds, but the restaurant offered an allergen friendly bread so we opted for that.  Stuffing was one of the main dishes served, and again, because of possible contact with sesame we opted to leave it off our order. 

The food was delicious and because of the care taken to ensure the meal was free of our allergens we all got to enjoy a family style meal while we slowly rotated around the scenery in The Garden Grill and met Mickey, Chip, Dale and Pluto.  It was a great first table service meal and this mama breathed a little easier with our first meal behind us.

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Our table service the next day was the best dining experience we have had at Disney so far.  We had the privilege of dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table at Magic Kingdom.  My girls were so excited that they probably could have been served stale bread and still loved every second of being inside the castle to eat with the princesses.  But, to the contrary, we had what was probably the most delicious meal we have had at Disney.  

Our allergy was indicated on our ticket when we checked in for the lunch and our server immediately connected us with the chef.  Chef Brad was awesome!  He talked through our allergens, spoke directly to my daughter about what she wanted to eat, told us about their prep process, and double checked ingredients for us.  My daughter really wanted to have the turkey pot pie- and it was safe!  The desserts were an issue because of cross-contact, but Chef Brad and his team prepared a special dessert platter with Enjoy Life cookies and fresh fruit.   During the lunch the girls got to make a special wish during a wishing ceremony and although I was not given a wand and a wishing star I was wishing every restaurant would follow the allergy protocol we were experiencing at Disney!

 

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Our third day at the parks, we were lucky enough to score a last minute lunch reservation at Be Our Guest in Magic Kingdom.  On our previous Disney trip, we had dined there for a table service dinner and had a wonderful experience.  Lunch, however, is not table service.  You order at a kiosk and then proceed to the dining room where they deliver your food to you. 

When we checked in I informed them that we were dining with an allergy and they instructed me to notify the person at the kiosk station when we entered.  As we waited in line and I watched guests punching in orders on touch screen kiosks, I started to get really nervous.  It all seemed a little too chaotic for me!

When we reached the front of the line to be assigned our kiosk station I informed the cast member that we were dining with food allergies.  He told me that there was an allergen menu as a part of the options and to use that.  My stomach dropped- this was not the service I was used to when we dine at Disney.  I went on to explain our list of allergens and he immediately said ok- wait here and I will get the chef.  My anxiety continued to rise as we waited in the busy room- maybe this was a bad idea, maybe my last minute score of a reservation was not a good thing after all!

That all changed when Chef Ryan came out.  He seemed unaffected by the crazy going on around us.  He talked to us about what would be safe given our allergens and helped make suggestions for items for my husband and I to keep the table allergen free.  He was calm, friendly, and even shared his own experience of living with food allergies.  He stayed with us the entire time as we entered our order to ensure we did it correctly.  Once again, I was floored by the care and concern these chefs show for diners with food allergies.

As we entered the busy dining room, I saw food being wheeled out to tables in closed glass top carriers.  Immediately my mind went to cross-contact.  But, our food was hand delivered and the servers made note of our allergies as they placed the food at our table.  It was executed flawlessly and the best part of this meal- my daughter got to enjoy a cupcake for dessert! 

We had a number of positive dining experiences at the quick service venues we chose as well including Liberty Inn at Epot, Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café at Magic Kingdom and the Riverside Mill Food Court at Port Orleans Riverside. My only complaint is that there were not a lot of safe snack options at the gift stores and snack shops.  I would have loved to have seen more Enjoy Life, or other allergy friendly options, available.

Our trip was magical for so many reasons, but as a food allergy mom to see my family be able to dine out, multiple times, and have safe and delicious food is at the top of the list for me!

What are some of your favorite Disney dining spots?

Learn more about Tami and her company, Thrive On Consulting, which provides food allergy coaching and training.  You can also follow her on Facebook for tips to Thrive On with food allergies.

Product Disclaimer:

Thrive On Consulting does not sponsor or endorse the products or restaurants listed, nor has Thrive On Consulting been paid to include these suggestions.  Products mentioned here are provided as ideas and suggestions to help you Thrive On with food allergies.