When you or your loved one has a food allergy, holidays which were once a source of joy suddenly transform into a minefield.

Whether you’re invited to attend an event but worried about your child’s food allergy, or the person hosting the event but worried about attendees who might have allergies, we’ve got you covered.

If you’re attending the event, we’ve included the resources for you to provide your host to ensure the space is safe for your child (e.g., avoiding airborne allergens for a child with a peanut allergy).

If you’re hosting the event, we’ve included the questions for you to ask, how to understand cross-contamination, how to easily read allergen labels and several local stores that sell a variety of allergen-friendly foods.

For those of us with food allergies or intolerances, shared meals can be a nightmare.

RELATED: Tips for Sending a Child with Food Allergies to Camp

I have celiac’s disease, which means if I’m exposed to even a fractional amount of gluten, I could become very ill or even need emergency treatment. Some allergies, like peanuts or seafood, can trigger anaphylactic shock. Allergies can be a matter of life or death in severe cases; and even mild cases can cause days or weeks of discomfort and pain, depending on the allergic person’s reaction.

Attending an event

If you’re attending an event but your child has an allergy, here are some ways to ensure the space is safe for your child!

Communicate your needs

Clearly explain to the host what your child is allergic to and that even a miniscule exposure can cause a negative reaction. Also give the host some examples–if your child is allergic to gluten, just stating, “They’re allergic to wheat, rye, and barley” may not be sufficient. Many people don’t know how prevalent common allergens are in our food; like how so many dressings contain wheat, and so many ingredients include soy or egg. Stating common foods that contain the allergens may help your host understand the breadth of the concern.

Explain allergen protocols

If your child can become allergic via airborne particles (such as with a peanut allergy), walk your host through allergen protocols: before the holiday, thoroughly clean all surfaces that may have come into contact with peanuts, vacuum the carpets and furniture with a HEPA filter vacuum cleaner if they’ve been exposed to peanuts, and avoid eating peanuts or using peanut-products in the home before the big day. If this feels overwhelming to your host, see if you or another family member can help out with the cleaning.

Ask if they are open to making allergen-safe food

If your host is open to making allergen-safe food, see below for our suggestions on how to address that. If your host isn’t open to making safe food, or you/they aren’t sure they’d be able to prepare food safely, bring your own safe dishes and treats for your child.

Come prepared

Bring your child’s emergency medication (if they have any) to the event.

Hosting an event

If you’re hosting the event but one of your attendees has a food allergy, here’s how you can do your best to make the event as stress-free as possible for them!

Ascertain the severity of the allergy

An allergy that’s airborne is far more extensive than an allergy that’s only on food they ingest; and an allergy that’s sensitive to cross-contamination is far more serious than a food intolerance.  Good starting questions are, “Do I need to worry about airborne exposure? Is cross-contamination an issue?”

Be honest about limitations

If the allergy is airborne, it’s possible you might not be able to make the space safe enough for them — and that’s okay! I assure you that your family would far rather you be clear about your limitations than risk an allergic reaction. See #2 for recommendations on tackling airborne-based food allergies.

Be mindful of cooking utensils 

If cross-contamination is an issue, check if cleaning all surfaces and utensils will be sufficient, or if you’ll need to purchase or borrow new cooking equipment/cutting boards. For example, people with celiac disease can’t share a wood cutting board that’s been used for glutenous bread, even if it’s been cleaned well, because wood is porous and will absorb gluten.

A cleaning protocol I personally use (that has not yet failed me!) is to wash all pots/pans/etc three times with soap, water, and a clean sponge.

Keep allergens away from the food

If cross contamination isn’t an issue, you just need to ensure the allergen itself doesn’t make it into the food, but don’t have to worry about rigorous cleaning protocols to the same extent.

Read allergen labels

First things first, always google if you have any questions. For example, if I want to find a safe candy bar for someone with celiac’s disease, googling, “is Twix safe for celiac” instantly shows me it’s not, vs googling, “is Skittles safe for celiac” shows me that Skittles are considered gluten free but aren’t certified, meaning they could contain some cross-contamination. Googling, “does xyz have ___allergen” can be extremely fast and informative.

Food regulated by the FDA is required to list the eight major allergens (a new law just updated a ninth allergen, sesame, but it might not be fully implemented yet) : milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans.

This means many (not all) packaged food products will have allergen warnings that look like a list of ingredients, then a “contains” statement such as: “Contains wheat and egg.”
Cross-contamination warnings, such as, “Produced in a facility that also uses [allergen],” are not required by law, but if they are included and the allergen you’re looking for isn’t named, it’s highly likely to be safe. For more information on how to read allergen labels, check out this article.

Buy packaged meals or snacks that are allergen-free

If you’re concerned about providing safe food or treats for your family member, food that’s certified allergen-free and packaged individually will almost always be considered safe for them. For example, if you want a child with a peanut allergy to have a snack they know is safe, consider purchasing Pirate’s Booty, Annie’s homegrown cheddar bunnies or GoGo Squeez pouches.

Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, People’s Food Co-op, and Arbor Farms Market are all places that are easy to find allergen-safe snacks or ingredients.

What are some of your tips for celebrating the holidays with family members who have food allergies or intolerances? We’d love to hear from you!