AllergyEats Continues to Grow

I was reading some articles this morning and noticed one in the L.A. Times about AllergyEats (http://www.allergyeats.com/) and was happy to see that it is continuing to build and grow.  I have been living in Italy for the past three years, so I have yet to try it out personally, but I certainly see it as a helpful and useful resource for Allergic Reactors.

Has anyone out there used this source to help them find a allergy-safe restaurant?  I would love to hear more from people who have used it!  

There is change...slowly.

Yesterday evening I went out to dinner with three friends I have been close with since elementary school.  We walked around the waterfront area, and asked a few different restaurants if they would serve me.  I showed them my Chef Card, and the managers would come out and say they didn't feel comfortable serving me because of my fish/shellfish allergy.  We then finally ended up at Joe's American Bar and Grill because I had gone there last summer and had no problem.  It said on the bottom of the menu to tell your server if you have any allergies, so I figured that showed some awareness anyway.

When it was time to order, I asked if the server could check on the turkey burger for me.  I remembered having it last year without a problem, and remembered it being pretty delicious.  He came back with my Chef Card a few minutes later.  He said that the manager would be right out.  The manager came out and explained that he was worried about the turkey burger because they cooked fish, and he was also worried about some rice I had asked about ordering as an appetizer (I was starving after participating in a scavenger hunt/bar crawl, and was ready to eat about anything I wasn't allergic to).  He then asked if I would want a pasta dish.  I ended up ordering a generic pasta veggie combo dish.  The food was fine, but it was definitely a different experience than the prior year at that same restaurant.  The manager seemed overly worried about my allergies.  I would much rather have that though, than have a manager that won't take them seriously!

Every time I come back to America, I do notice changes.  Many restaurants and food establishments have signs asking to let them know if you have a food allergy.  People in general also seem to be taking it mores seriously and are more aware of the actions that need to be taken.  I know it is still a slow process, but change is happening, and with the continuation of educating people, hopefully more awareness and understanding will continue.  

French Experiences!

On a recent family vacation to France, there were a few food encounters that I found interesting. I tried to write down my daily food encounters on the trip. Here are my notes:

The first night I arrived in Cannes with my family, we decided to go out for dinner. It was already pretty late, and not a lot of restaurants were still serving. We found a few places in the same area that were still serving pizza, so we chose one and sat down. The server came over and I handed him my list of allergies. He went back to the kitchen to find out if I could eat there. He came back and said that they used peanut oil in everything, and there was nothing there that I could eat. That decided it. We had to find another restaurant to eat at.

We walked down to a restaurant a few doors down. I showed them my card and they said that I wouldn’t have a problem because they used olive oil. They said it was common to use peanut oil in this area though, so that was important to discover. I was able to get pizza with no problem.

Sometimes it takes a bit of patience, but eventually you can usually find somewhere that will be able to serve you. In Italy I have had a lot of good luck eating out. Since food is such a significant part of the Italian culture, it seems extra important to people at restaurants to find something to eat that pleases you. With my allergies, people have been wonderful. I have had very few if any places turn me down. Everyone seems to want to help me find something good to eat.

My parents wanted to take my sister and I out for a nice dinner at a highly recommended, award-winning restaurant that was right in the neighborhood that we were staying. We dressed up and headed out to the restaurant. We had made a reservation the previous day to sit outside on the patio, and had checked on my allergies. They were very nice and said that it would be fine.

July 10, 2010

Today I had a frustrating experience. I went out to lunch in Nimes, France with my family. We sat down at a pizzeria and looked at the menu. I was considering a mixed salad and a small dish of pasta. When the server came over to take our orders, he looked at my list and said something in French about how he could not serve me and that I couldn’t eat. He was so incredibly rude and not like anyone I had recently encountered in Europe. When I asked if I could talk with the chef, he said that he was the chef, which clearly he was not! His bad attitude and unwillingness to help me, took me by surprise.

In contrast, for dinner last night, we walked up to a restaurant and Avignon to look at the menu and the server was extremely warm and friendly. I showed him my card. He looked at it carefully and then said that it wouldn’t be a problem. We sat down at a table and had wonderful service. No one laughed when they looked at my chef card.

July 11, 2010

For lunchtime today, we went a restaurant with a fabulous view of the ocher cliffs in the background. I showed the server my allergy card before sitting down. He looked at it, laughed, then showed it to another man who also had a smirk on his face. They told me there was no way I could eat there. Another rude experience. We did find another restaurant that would serve me though, and had no problem with my allergies.

Tonight we went out to a restaurant that was aesthetically pleasing, but had terrible food. It also broke my dad’s rule of the nicer the restaurant, the higher the risk, since this restaurant was not incredibly upscale, but used peanut oil in everything. We ended up getting plain green salads and steak, since they didn’t need to use oil for either one. The steak was chewy, and I found a bug in my salad. The best part of the meal was the wine we got, a rose wine called Tavel, which is fantastic.

Traveling with Food Allergies

As I stand in the airport store, not one package is recognizable to me. My flight has been delayed ten hours, and I am stranded at the Rome airport ill prepared with nothing to eat. I scour the few shelves of packaged food and find nothing. They have no fresh food, and I end up with a Coke, water, and a sad looking apple with bruises and bumps included for a hefty price of almost 10 euros. This is not a good beginning to a trip as I quickly learn, and after this experience, I find myself more and more prepared as I continue my weekend and weeklong travels over the course of the year.

I have always been a traveler. I’ve had many opportunities to strategize and perfect the art of traveling with anaphylactic allergies. I’ve lived and traveled in both English speaking and non-English speaking countries. I have learned how to accommodate for what I may or may not find to eat, wherever I may go.

Since living in Italy this past year, I’ve become even better at deciding what I must do before leaving my apartment for a trip. I know exactly what to pack and how to pack it. I know what food will last and for how long. It is a matter of being prepared I have found.

Checklist for Travel:

o Pack extra of all medicines (especially Benedryl and Epinephrine)

o If overseas, make sure to carry a doctors note stating that you need all of your medications, giving you permission, incase you are stopped at the airport

o If flying, call ahead to ask for a peanut free flight

o Pack hand wipes to clean hands before eating and to wash off the seat on the plane.

o Pack snacks to get through the travel period

o Pack multiple copies of your Chef Card

Part of traveling is never knowing exactly what will happen. For Allergic Reactors like myself, this can pose as a very tricky situation. No matter how prepared, there have been many times where I have not been as prepared as I believed that I was. Sometimes I feel like I can be overcautious with what I pack and the amounts to which I pack (mostly medicine and food), but more often than not, is better to be over prepared than under.

I also don’t like to limit my travel experiences. I try to go where interests me, and figure how to go about getting there and staying there safely. When I was living on the east coast of Australia, I decided to do some traveling to the Whitsunday Islands over a holiday. My friend and I booked a three night, four day excursion sailing around magnificent islands. It was an incredible experience sailing and visiting mostly uninhabited beaches for those days. It was also a bit nerve racking for me with my allergies. I brought some food, but it was a fairly small boat, and only about ten of us on board. The cook on the boat was happy to keep my food for me, and to tell me every ingredient without fail. He was very careful with cross contamination, and seemed to understand any concerns I had. It was not an easy experience for me though. Every time it came to eating, I was a bit more tense, but it was an outstanding trip, which I can’t imagine having missed because of my allergies.

Whenever I go hiking, I feel that same tenseness. Sometimes it is easy to let your mind wander to “What if…” scenarios. “What if I have an allergic reaction on top of this mountain and no one can help me and my epi runs out and I die.” In reality, I am just as safe, if not safer than the average person going hiking. You could fall and break your leg or get a snakebite and be in danger too. If someone has an allergic reaction, and doesn’t know they are allergic, they won’t have epinephrine. I carry multiple epi pens, I bring my own water and food and hand wipes. I am careful, but I can enjoy myself.

No matter where you go or what you do, there is always some risk attached. As an Allergic Reactor, the best way to avoid as much risk as possible when traveling, is to come prepared.

Another Day Trip, Another Experience

I spent the day in Austria on Sunday. As awesome as it is to say that I can spend the day there, it is also just as difficult to deal with another countries language and food differences. Of course, as always, I packed myself a mini-picnic of snacks. I did not anticipate eating anything there, since I didn't have a way to print out a copy of my German chef card (and the decision to go was made about an hour before leaving). I made sure my meds were in my bag, then headed out to meet my friends in the car to drive to Austria.

The drive only took us two hours out of our dirty, air-polluted city, and into some fresh Austrian air! There was a considerable difference when we opened our doors and breathed in fresh, breathable, healthy lung, smoke free air. It was amazing!

The air in my Italian city has been really bothering my environmental allergies and asthma lately. I am an avid runner, and when I go out for my run in the city, I can feel my lungs just trying to find fresh air to breathe. It is terrible!


Something that really stood out to me, was that I didn't see anyone smoking! Where I live, it is more difficult to find a person that isn't smoking, than that is!

Even as we walked by cafes, I didn't have to pass through any clouds of smoke!

When my friends were finally hungry, we found a restaurant for dinner. All I ordered was a drink, but I didn't mind because I had been snacking all day!

Even with a spontaneous day trip outside the country that I live, I can still figure out ways to make my allergies work, and not stop me from doing what I want!

Out to dinner!

Last night I went out to dinner at a restaurant called Rosso Pomodoro (Red Tomato) for one of my friend's birthdays. I had been to the restaurant once before when it was extremely busy. That night they were afraid of cross contamination, so they told me I could order this massive ball of mozzarella, tomatoes and basil. It was good (one of my favorite salads), but it was expensive, and not what I was in the mood for, especially when I heard the pizza was excellent there!

The restaurant is actually a chain in Italy, kind of like Olive Garden in the U.S., except classier, with real, fresh Italian food. I was hoping that when I went back this time, they would be able to figure out pizza or pasta for me. I found out though, when I tried to order pizza last night, that they use vegatale olio, which is not okay in Italy for people with nut allergies. The vegtable oil here, sometimes has nut oils in it, so you can never tell if it is okay or not, which is why I always have to avoid it.

I ended up getting a salad with chicken breast in it, which was good, but double the price of the pizza, and not what I wanted. This hasn't happened too often though, so now I know I just can't get pizza or pasta there! Lesson learned.

My First Gelato!!!!

Last night we decided to have a girls night in. My friends wanted to get gelato down the street before watching a movie, so we walked down to our neighborhood gelatoria. It was the first warm night since the fall. As we walked in, I observed the gelato behind the glass cases. I noticed that all the chocolate and nut flavors were on one side of the case, and all the fruit flavors were separated on the opposite side.

Since moving to Italy, every day I seem to have some new experience where I learn something and continue to get more comfortable living here. Earlier that day, I had used my broken Italian to communicate with people at one of the rowing clubs, about possibly joining the club (I was a rower all through college on a Division 1 team, and nothing beats being out on the water), and had conquered more fears by reading signs to take unknown buses home. After all of that I was happily aware of the fact that I was comfortable here finally. I finally didn't feel like a tourist. I felt like someone who actually lived here!

With already having conquered so many things in one day, I figured why not try one more! I had told myself that I would try the fruit flavored gelato, when I was finally comfortable here, so last night was the night!

I showed the woman behind the counter my Chef card, and with help from my friends, we explained that she needed to clean the gelato scoop, then scoop my lemon flavored gelato from the bottom of the container. She somehow understood us, and was very nice about it!!!

The best part to me was not only finally trying gelato for the first time ever, but also how happy my friends were for me (especially Abby, my roommate), that I finally was able to try gelato! There have been endless times where I have watched them all eat it, but now I was finally having some too!!!! Wooohooo!

Big Smile! :)

Magestic Verona- Eating out and about!

Known for its pasta dishes, the setting for Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and summer Operas in the Arena, Verona is a fabulous place to spend a weekend!

My roommate, another friend, and I, spent this past weekend exploring the city! Since we were staying in Italy traveling, I figured I would definitely be able to find something I could eat. I packed food for the train, and a little extra for breakfast the next day, but left all other meals to be discovered in this new destination.

After we arrived, dropped our bags at the hotel, and walked into the city, it was already early afternoon. I had a few rice cakes and an apple that I brought in my bag. We spent the rest of the day exploring the Castello, checking out the views from the top of the tallest tower, pretending we were gladiators in the Arena, and experiencing the many other beautiful sites of the city. Around 7 p.m. we were finally hungry and ready to find somewhere for dinner!

We stumbled upon a rustic looking restaurant that was very busy, but luckily had just enough room for the three of us to sit down at a table. Since I recently had been having a difficult time finding pizza or pasta to eat in the city I live in, I decided to ask the waiter first thing, if I could eat there. He looked at my Chef card and said he would be right back. He came back and said that I couldn't have the pizza because they use a mixed oil (In Italy, the vegetable oil is often a mixture of oils, including nut oils), so I asked what I could eat, like pasta. He walked away to check and came back to tell me that pasta with pomodoro (tomato) sauce would be "Va bene." I ended up getting that, and it was exquisite for such a plain dish normally! I asked for some basil and parmesean cheese on top of the pasta, and it was truly delicious! No wonder they are known for their pasta dishes! They can even make pasta with pomodoro taste amazing!

The rest of the weekend also worked out well. We were leaving the following day, so all I needed was breakfast and lunch. The breakfast at the hotel was ten Euro for very few things I could actually eat. We decided to go find an open grocery store on our walk in to the city, so I could find something to eat. We were luckily able to find one. I found a chunk of cheese, some bread sticks, and fruit to snack on for the rest of the day. It worked out really well. It was all I needed to get through the day.

Verona was another phenomenal allergy and worry free trip!

My roommate and I. She ate delicious looking pizza!

Pasta dinner in Verona!

Chocolate Fountain. I WISH I could eat this! Mmmm!

Eating Adventures in Rome!

After being in Paris for a few days, I felt right at home when we traveled back to Rome. Although I am certainly not even conversational in Italian, I can at least get myself through a meal fairly comfortably and understand the gist of many conversations. During the few days that we spent in Rome, I had both positive and negative food experiences.

The first day we arrived, we found our apartment, dropped off our bags, then went in search of pizza! The majority of the time I have been living here, the pizza in Italy has been fine. That afternoon we found a small little pizzeria to sit down and eat some lunch. The guy who was working understood my card, and my "Sono allergica..." broken Italian explanation. The pizza was good, and everything went well!


Pizza in Roma!



That night we went in search of dinner. We dressed up for a nice night out, only to find it pouring rain outside. We tried to find a restaurant in the vicinity of where we were staying. We found one down the street that had a nice rustic charm to it. When I ordered and handed over my card, the waiter I could already tell had an attitude. He went back to the kitchen and came back a few minutes later and told me what I was having. I didn't know what to say. There was no choice given to me. Instead he told me the only dish I could have, which I didn't even want in the first place. We decided it was ridiculous that I had no say in what I could eat, and we got up to leave. The waiter told us he was glad we were leaving because he didn't want to serve us anyway! We were astonished at the way he treated us!

Luckily, we kept walking and found a pub with amazing pizza! They were great with my allergies, and didn't give us a hard time. At least the night ended well!

The following day we continued with our "street pizza" for lunch and our nicer dinners out. We dressed up again and went out, yet again, in the rain to eat at a restaurant that was recommended in one of our travel books. The ingredients were extremely fresh, and they were great about my allergies. A success!
Successful dinner with pizza and salad!

Another pizza lunch day, and the last dress up night before leaving Rome. We went to Campo de' Fiori for a nice outdoor dinner. The restaurant was called Carbonara, so I decided to try their Carbonara pasta dish. They were great about my allergies, and the food was good!


Our trip to Rome worked out well for the most part! Although we dealt with a difficult restaurant situation one night, everything ended up working out in the end!

My Paris Eating Adventures!

This past trip to Paris, I had a much easier time eating. When I went with my family a few years ago, I had so much trouble! No one wanted to serve me at restaurants. It was a bit of a nightmare! This time I stayed in an apartment in Paris instead of a hotel and cooked dinner every night. I used the website, http://www.vrbo.com to find apartments to rent for a three night stay in both Paris and Rome. It worked out a lot better because we could go to the grocery store and get ingredients, then make them. I would definitely recommend traveling that way! It is a lot easier to go into a grocery store, find some basics, and then cook something to eat.

Before leaving I brushed up on my French, so understanding the ingredients on the foods in the grocery store weren't too bad. There are also a lot of words that are similar in one of the other romance languages, and since I know about the same amount of each, I was able to manage through the store finding food.

I did also have a chef card in French that I could have used if we had decided to go out to dinner. I really love cooking though, so it was nice to stay in and cook, then go out.


Dinner in the apartment.

For lunch, we would get baguettes with tomato, mozzarella, and basil. I did this the first time I was in Paris and I had no problems. When we went this time, we chose a built in stand where they had all sandwiches. The only kind I saw that I was obviously allergic to was the tuna fish. I gave them my card and explained my allergies. They used a clean knife and were great with my allergies. No problems!

Sandwich with tomato, mozzarella, and basil.

Starbucks hot chocolate!


All in all, we had a fabulous time in Paris! By the end of the trip, I felt a lot more confident about eating there. It definitely helped to stay somewhere with a kitchen. Cooking made the entire experience worry-free, more enjoyable, and much easier!

The Expense of Allergies!!!!

As I left Venice twelve Euros poorer, I realized both my frustration and astonishment by the expense of having allergies! My roommate and I were in Venice for the day and were hungry after roaming around the narrow, windy canals. We stopped at a pizzeria and ordered. We both wanted to get pizza. I showed him my Chef card in Italian. He told me that they used nut oils, and that I would not be able to eat any of the pizza or pasta. I then opted for a salad. I asked for some cheese on the salad, since it was just a plain salad with greens and a few tomatoes. When we got the bill, I was charged five Euro for the salad, and 4.50 Euro for the cheese on top of it! Ridiculous! I could not believe a few pieces of cheese would cost almost as much as my salad!

This is only one of many examples of times when I have spent more because of my food allergies. It can be very frustrating. I can't just go to the grocery store and shop by price. Instead, I have to shop by ingredients. Here in Italy I have very few choices, so whatever brand it is, and however much it costs, I just have to deal with, because that is my only allergy-safe option!

In an article on March 15, 2009, from Medical News Today, it reported from a study done by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. It said that "families of food allergic individuals are more likely to have financial burdens as a result..." In the survey that they did, "families with a food allergic child were more likely to stop working, reduce working or incur financial problems." I am not sure how they figured that out, but I do not believe that it would be necessary to stop working. As a teacher, it makes me extremely frustrated whenever I hear any teachers talking about food allergies in a negative and unresponsive way. With more education now, it seems like there should be more schools and teachers who are responsive to taking care of students with food allergies. I know it is certainly a work in progress though in many areas!

I found another article that was written on U.S. News and World Report written on the same date on this same subject. The article said that food allergies can be a burden financially and for vacation plans. It also mentions how food allergies can have a "wide impact on a family's quality of life." I do agree that for some families, it COULD have an impact on your quality of life, BUT I know that it doesn't NEED to have an impact on your quality of life. I don't feel like my quality of life is impacted by my allergies. I feel lucky for what I have, and that I am healthy, have wonderful family and friends, can go running, have a job, and so many, many other things. Sure, it would be nice to not have to read every ingredient, BUT it does not play a role in my quality of life. Having food allergies can certainly be difficult, but in the grand scheme of things, I feel very lucky with what I have. There are many things that could be a lot worse. We know how to keep ourselves safe from our allergies as much as we can possibly control. Always carrying Epi and Benedryl, bringing a Chef Card to ask ingredients, and trusting yourself is a great way to feel powerful and in charge of food allergies! It can be done! I've done it!

My Weekend Away Recap

My home away from home is an island off the coast.  I decided to go there and visit some friends for the weekend.  Before I left, there are a few questions that I asked myself:

-Does my friend's house where I am staying have any pets? No. 

-Do I have extra Epi pens, Benadryl, inhalers, and environmental allergy meds? Yes.

-Do I have a copy of my chef card with me (it's always in my purse)? Yes. 

-Is there any food I want to bring with me in case I can't eat? Not on this trip. 

Since I know this destination well, I felt confident that I would find food that I could eat there. That is why I decided that it wasn't necessary to bring food with me.  I was actually looking forward to getting food from all my favorite places on the island.  

When I finally arrived off the ferry, it was already close to lunch time.  My friend picked me up and we drove out to get our favorite sandwiches. There was already a line out the door when we arrived.  My friend Jamie said, "We should have called in our order." I knew for me, it was much easier to order there, and watch how they made my sandwich, instead of having to explain my allergies over the phone.

"Can I please have a turkey sandwich on Portuguese bread (they are known for their bread, hence the reason I cart back a grocery bag full of it for my family each time I go there)? Can you also please make sure the person making it knows I have a peanut and fish allergy, so to make sure to change their gloves.  Also please have them make sure it is put directly onto a plate and not onto the counter, and cut with a clean knife.  Thank you!"  The girl taking my order was great.  She wrote my allergies down and went over and talked to the girls that were making the sandwiches.  They all changed their gloves when it was time to make my sandwich. I was glad they were being so careful.  

It can be difficult sometimes because I feel bad that I have to make such a fuss of asking them to do all these extra things so that I can eat, but if I don't, then I can't eat.  With more and more education in the food and restaurant business, people are becoming much more helpful and understanding about food allergies. I didn't have one problem all weekend with people not being nice about my allergies. It is also an island that is used to tourists and dealing with high maintenance individuals, but I still think that education is starting to get around little by little!

My next food experience was later that afternoon.  Ice cream!!  There is this fabulous ice cream store that is a "must go to at least twice in two days" type of place because it is so good!  When I ordered my ice cream I said, "I have a nut allergy, can you please use a clean scoop and clean the area of the ice cream?"  The guy waiting on me did even better than that. He took the Ben & Jerry's approach, and not only got a sterilized scoop, but also went in back to new ice cream to make mine.  Perfect!  

That night, a group of us went out to dinner. I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich. I gave the waitress my chef card (which always seems to be both a surprise and relief to servers, since they don't have to write all my allergies down, and can easily show the chef, but also because many times they haven't seen one before). She went back to the kitchen and told me I was all set. I made sure to specify that I could not have fries or anything else that came on the side besides the lettuce and tomato. When the food came out, mine had fries on the side.  I explained again that potato was one of the allergies I had, and that they couldn't just take the fries off the side. I needed a new sandwich.  The waitress went back to the kitchen.  She came back out a few minutes later apologetic and saying that the chef also apologized and that they were making a new one now.  No worries!  As long as they understood I needed a new one it was okay, which they did.  When I eventually got my food, it was great, and certainly worth waiting for them to make me a new one.  

The next morning we went out for brunch.  I ordered scrambled eggs and toast. I told the waitress my allergies, and had her double check that they just used olive oil and butter. I had been there many times, but no matter what, I always check.  An easy meal with no problems!  

I went back that afternoon for my second ice cream of the weekend! This time I had a high school aged boy, who seemed to be new at the job.  When I ordered and told him about my allergies, he took a spoon and tried to clean off the top layer of ice cream.  Luckily, the other guy that was working took over from there, as I started explaining what had been done yesterday.  He went in back and got my ice cream for me.  Phew...

All in all, it was a fabulous, allergy-free weekend away!  

Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream

I was walking around the city yesterday.  It was beautiful, sunny, and unseasonably warm outside. This must have been the reason I was craving an ice cream (or just because ice cream is the awesome)! I walked into Ben & Jerry's.  "Can I get a small chocolate fudge brownie in a cup please?" I asked. "Can you also please get a clean scoop from the back and make sure the area is clean before scooping my ice cream? I am very allergic to nuts," I said.  The guy who was waiting on me was clearly new, and unaware of the routine that is established at Ben & Jerry's with allergies. Luckily, a woman who also worked there, overheard my request.  She knew exactly what to do and why to do it.  I was very impressed.  She explained to him, "You need to get a clean scoop from the back (as she walked back with him to get a scoop). Make sure not to put the scoop in the water fountain because that is what contaminates it," she explained.  "Open up a new box of ice cream underneath the one that is already open, and scoop it from that one," she said to him as she helped him get my ice cream.  I was extremely impressed with her knowledge of allergies, and how seriously she took the situation!  

I have always had similar experiences at Ben & Jerry's. Never have I had an experience where anyone didn't take my allergies seriously there. I have had plenty of experiences at other ice cream places, but never at Ben & Jerry's.  They are the best!     

Peer Pressure

I met some friends out for dinner last week.  It was one of their birthdays.  I already had plans to eat with my parents, so I met them afterwards.  The girls had ordered sushi to share.  I am allergic to fish, and clearly couldn't eat the sushi.  I knew the girls from high school, but was only friends with them through a few classes and organizations we were both in at that time.  I ran into them and re-connected the week before at another friend's house.  None of them remembered I had food allergies, or maybe didn't even know about my allergies in the first place.  

When I got there, they tried to offer me some sushi.  I politely declined, and ordered something to drink.  I always have great excuses in my mind, in case I don't feel like I need to share my allergies with people I don't know very well.  They asked me a few more times, pressuring me to try some.  I said I was full from dinner (which was true), and they finally stopped asking.  In this situation, I could have explained my allergies, but I didn't need to, and decided to not make it a big deal.  Either way, I did experience peer pressure.  The peer pressure to try some food I couldn't eat.  

Peer pressure is something I remember happening a lot when I was growing up. Of course it didn't always involve food, but many times it did.  Even my close friend could occasionally have a momentary lapse of forgetfulness and offer me foods I couldn't eat.  It is the pressure though, and the need for acceptance that is the problem.  I luckily never succumbed to the peer pressure.  I never tried food out of courtesy or politeness.  If it came down to something like that, I would then explain my allergies.  I am not the type to make a big deal about something, if it isn't necessary. I think I am pretty good at knowing when it is and when it isn't important to share my allergies. Over the years I learned who needed to know, and who didn't. 

Broadcasting my allergies to everyone isn't necessary.  It is however necessary to inform the important people (teachers, coaches, nurses, parents, close friends, etc.).  Those are the people who will help if something happens, and who should know the precautions that I take.  

Missing Out...

"Can you please check the ingredients in the tea sandwiches?" I asked the waiter at the Four Seasons. 

As a treat throughout my growing up, my mom would take me "out for tea" at the Four Seasons.  They were always fabulous there about my allergies!  They were very thorough, and would check and double check everything.  I would usually order hot chocolate to drink.  I loved it because it would come out in a tea pot, and next to it on the platter, was a small bowl filled with homemade whipped-cream.  As someone who grew up enthralled by every American Girl book, and a proud owner of a Samantha doll, I loved to feel like I could dress up and play tea party too!  Aside from the hot chocolate, I was always able to order tea sandwiches.  They would come out on this tall tiered tray.  My favorites were turkey and cucumber!  Of course I could never order any desserts, but that never bothered me.

I remember the day though, when my enjoyment for going "out to tea" ended.  I was probably around twelve when we went for the last time.  I order the same things I had always ordered, and asked the waiter to double check on all of the ingredients, but prefaced it with saying that I had come here many times and ordered the same foods.  The waiter came back and told me that I couldn't have the whipped-cream anymore, or the tea sandwiches.  I was so disappointed! After that, it just wasn't the same!  It took away from the fun- not being able to eat anything!  

Often there are times when I feel like I am missing out.  It has always been that way, and is really just a fact at this point, but I still find myself disappointed sometimes.  I really do enjoy food, so I feel like I am missing out by having allergies to so many foods!  I usually stick with Italian restaurants when I go out to eat.  I think that I would really like sushi, Chinese food, Indian, and Mexican food though, if I wasn't allergic.  I am not a picky eater either.  I will happily try any food as long as I am not allergic to it.  There is also nothing that I really hate eating.  I am a very healthy eater also!  You will never find me eating fast food!  Pizza is as close to fast food as I will come!

I do have a sweet tooth!  Every time I walk by a bakery, I feel like I am missing out, not being able to try all the eye-catching, delicious smelling cakes, cookies, and other desserts.  When I was in Italy, I couldn't try any gelato.  That was hard for me because I love ice cream!  I was there in the summer too, when it was so hot, and all I wanted was something cool and refreshing!  Whenever I travel, it is hard to find ice cream, or anything sweet that doesn't contain nuts.  It makes it very difficult!  A fun part about traveling as well, is being able to try different foods that you normally wouldn't eat.  This is something I really wish I could do! 

There have also been countless times when I have sat and watched everyone else eat, while I couldn't be served, or eat anything.  I went out for a tea lunch with my grandmother, aunt, and mom.  There wasn't one thing I could eat or drink!  Everything was cross contaminated.  We thought I would be able to at least eat a salad, so I went on an empty stomach and sat there while they ate.  When this happens, I try to just enjoy the company that I am in, and not focus on the food.  That is really all I can do!  When I was younger, that was much more difficult to focus on though!   Children don't understand how to focus on other things.  They are hungry, so they want food, and they want it now!  Fair enough though!    

I know I am always going to be missing out on certain things, but I also try to remember all the things that I am lucky enough not to miss out on!  It is something that I am sure I could not focus on though until I was older.  For kids, the best way to get around this, is finding ways for them to feel like they are special and have their own treats or food.  It is also nice to find restaurants and places that will work with their allergies, so they and you can relax and enjoy food together!  

Pizza, Pizza...What Kind Of Oil?

Yesterday was not my best planned day! I went on a long run, then rushed to go meet a friend outside the city. I grabbed a pear, an orange, my water bottle, and headed out the door. Clearly, this food was not going to be enough to sustain me for the day. This is why planning ahead is so important! If I had thought through my day, I probably would have brought more with me.

My friend wanted to meet at a bakery cafe. I didn't mind, but I knew I wouldn't take the risk of eating or drinking anything there. I got my usual iced tea at Starbucks afterwards.

An hour later, I had to leave my friend and drive into the city to meet other friends to see a show. All day, the only food I had a chance to eat was the pear. I realized oranges are not the most "travel friendly" fruit! I contained my hunger throughout the entire show! After the show, my friends and I went to get a slice of pizza. The pizza place we went to was one I had been to once before, but not since the fall.

I walked up to the counter and asked the man working there if he knew what oil they used in their pizza. I could tell English was not his first language, and he was struggling to understand what I meant. I then tried to explain, but was definitely stuck with a communication barrier. I tried asking the other men behind the counter, but they had the same problem. They said it had "regular oil" in it. Now what does "regular oil" mean? I was guessing it probably was fine, but without knowing, it is never worth the risk. I didn't order. Everyone else sat down with slices of pizza. I will gladly admit that I was extremely jealous! They would have been happy to go somewhere else, but there were only sit-down restaurants in the vicinity, and we had already done a lot of walking. I didn't want to make them wait. So I sat there, and put on a happy face. What else could I do? It was no ones fault. I just knew it wasn't worth taking the risk. Ingredients in food can change so often, and I never take a risk like that. If I don't know, I don't eat it. End of story! It's frustrating, but it's real. That is just the way it goes.

An hour later, I was back at my car with a package of Parmesan Goldfish to snack on. I would go home and eat something real for dinner- that I made and knew would be safe!

Out to Eat, but NOT Eating

The scenario: Phone rings, "Hey, we are going out to eat at (some restaurant I can't eat at), do you want to come?"  

When this happens there are a few different options I have.  I can:  a.) decide not to go b.) decide to go, but not eat anything and listen to my stomach growl c.) decide to go, but eat ahead of time d.) suggest another restaurant e.) if the restaurant allows, bring my own food to eat.

Countless times I have chosen each of these different options.  The worst one is watching everyone else eat, while also being hungry and not eating.  Sometimes there is no way to even plan ahead.  Last summer I went with my aunt to her friend's beach house.  We spent the day at the beach, then went into the town to get some food.  We opted for an Italian restaurant because that is usually the safest with my allergies.  We sat down, looked at the menu, then decided to split a pizza.  When I showed the server my card, she said that they used nut oils, and that I wasn't safe eating anything, including both the pizza and pasta.  I felt bad because they would have chosen a different restaurant, if it wasn't for my food allergies.  They offered to try somewhere else, but there weren't many other restaurants that even had the possibility of being safe, so we stayed there.  Yet again, I watched as another meal was eaten in front of my very hungry, growly stomach!  

I never want people to feel bad though!  I have learned to live with it.  It happens all the time, and I know that at some point I will find something to eat.  I just have to remind myself of that sometimes.  It can be incredibly frustrating for the allergic reactor to sit and watch everyone else eat, but often there is no choice.  I know that eventually I will eat.  This is easier to remember as I get older.

When I was a child, I always handled my allergies very well.  When I was a baby through toddler and up to age five, I would have temper tantrums though.  It would seem like everything was fine, then all of a sudden I would be crying and screaming for no reason that my parents could figure out.  I have read a few different journal articles, while doing research, and I think the cause of these tantrums may have been due to the frustration of my allergies.  Of course I have no proof of this, but from what I have read it would make sense that my allergies could have been a trigger.  When children are little, they can't express their frustration like they can as they get older.  I'm curious to know if other parents with food allergic children have also experienced temper tantrums that seem to occur out of nowhere?    

Eating In Paris!

The first night we arrived in Paris we were starving!  I was on a trip with my family, during the summer a few years ago.  We had just come to Paris from Italy, where we had traveled for a few weeks.  Everyone in Italy had been fabulous about my allergies, so the first night in Paris was eye-opening!

We were staying at a nice hotel right on the Seine.  Down the street was a large area with restaurants.  We chose one and sat down to look at the menu.  The waiter came over.  I had my chef card in French out and ready.  The menu was in French and English, which was helpful because I had a better idea of what I was ordering.  Unfortunately, our waiter had quite the attitude!  I tried to order what I thought was a very simple chicken dish, then gave the waiter my card.  He shook his head, saying he could not help me, and that he didn't know what was in it.  I asked him if he could bring it to the chef, which he refused to do.  I then asked if I could just get some plain pasta, which still was apparently a big deal to him.  He wouldn't help me, so I wouldn't order from him!  The rest of my family had already ordered.  It was pretty late, so I didn't want to make them find another restaurant.  I sat patiently while they ate their dinner.  

After our first dining experience in France, I was not too excited for many more fabulous dining out fiascos!  We walked around after dinner, trying to find a store where I could find something to eat.  We came across a Ben & Jerry's!  Now, I will admit that I am often extremely disappointed at the noticeable presence of globalization in so many countries, BUT in this case I was not!  I know that ice cream should not be a replacement for a meal, but sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures.  They had pints of it with English ingredients, so I split a pint with my sister and called it my dinner!

The rest of our time in Paris was a mix of difficult eating experiences.  It was certainly not my most food-fulfilling week!  The only food I could eat at the patisserie was bread.  I watched as my mom would try delicate and delicious looking desserts.  It can be disappointing, but as long as I am keeping myself safe, and finding something to fill my stomach, I am okay!  

Part II of My Dad's Theory: In General the Nicer the Restaurant, the more willing to Accommodate

Going along with my dad's first theory, this next theory is also true. In general, the nicer the restaurant, the more willing they are to accommodate. Servers in nicer restaurants are used to dealing with a lot of requests. Since they know their customers are paying a lot of money, they want to help and work with you, to find something you can eat.

When I was staying in N.Y.C. one summer, I went to meet a friend out for dinner. He was taking one of his clients out, so he had picked a nice, upscale seafood restaurant. He remembered my allergies, but thought they would accommodate for me. He was right. I was able to get a delicious cut of steak with vegetables, and I didn't even have to worry. The server was very nice about it, and said I had nothing to worry about.

This is not always the case, but it has now happened to me quite a few times, where I have gone to upscale restaurants and had servers be perfectly helpful and nice about my allergies. I guess you just never know!

My Dad's Theory: The nicer the restaurant, the higher the danger

My dad has always had this theory, which I often do find to be true. Usually, the nicer the restaurant is, the higher the danger for my food allergies. Restaurants that are nicer and more expensive, tend to also be able to afford nicer, more expensive ingredients for their dishes. That is why, when I look at menus for expensive restaurants, I always see 'walnut butter', 'encrusted with almonds', etc. It is unbelievable how many dishes they can think of with allergens to include!

I also know that nuts are supposed to great flavor enhancers. That is why I have to avoid any baked goods. Many have some kind of nut, nut oil, almond extract, etc. There may also be hidden ingredients that I would never have suspected.

Avoiding really upscale, high class restaurants, is the best thing to do with food allergies.