Food allergies aren’t to be taken lightly. While the majority of food allergies are mild, some individuals can experience anaphylaxis, permanent disabilities, and death. Even a mild food allergy will ruin an otherwise lovely evening. Nobody wants to spend a night struggling to breathe, itching all over, and managing a banging headache.
Dining with food allergies doesn’t have to be this way. Too often, people make some cardinal mistakes, increasing the risk of eating out.
In this article, we explore the common mistakes people make when dining with food allergies and provide expert advice to reduce risks.
Common Mistakes When Dining With Food Allergies
Eating out, either at a restaurant or with friends, carries risks for those with food allergies. Other people often fail to consider the risks involved, serving up food that could cause a reaction. According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), food-related businesses must provide information about the allergens contained in their dishes. The FSA lists 14 main allergens covering the vast majority of cases.
Even if the staff details the allergens in a particular dish, cross-contamination is hard to eliminate completely. That’s why you should avoid the following mistakes when dining with food allergies:
Not Informing the Staff
One of the most significant mistakes is not informing the restaurant staff about your food allergies. It’s essential to communicate your dietary restrictions clearly to your server, the manager, or the chef to ensure they are aware and can take appropriate precautions.
Assuming Ingredients
Another mistake is assuming the ingredients in a dish. Ingredients can vary between restaurants or even within the same restaurant but with different branches. Always check with the staff to confirm that a dish does not contain allergens.
Neglecting Cross-Contamination Risks
Even if a dish does not contain the allergen as an ingredient, cross-contamination can occur in the kitchen. Ask about the restaurant’s practices to prevent cross-contamination and ensure they take your allergy seriously.
Not Carrying Emergency Medication
People with severe allergies should always carry their emergency medication, such as an adrenaline auto-injector when dining out. Relying on the restaurant to handle an allergic reaction is risky.
Ignoring the Preparation Process
How a dish is prepared can affect whether it’s safe for someone with food allergies. For instance, using the same oil to fry different foods can introduce allergens. It’s important to ask about the cooking methods and utensils used.
Not Checking Labels on Condiments and Dressings
Condiments, dressings, and sauces can contain hidden allergens. It’s crucial to ask the staff to check labels or provide ingredient information to ensure these additions are safe.
Remember, all the legal requirements are for food-related businesses; your friends and family aren’t under any obligation to detail the ingredients used in their cooking. Almost everyone with an allergy can recall eating a harmful food despite a friend’s assurances. Explain your allergy carefully to friends and family and ensure it is genuinely allergen-free.
Best Advice When Dining With Food Allergies
Food allergies are on the rise. While this is concerning, it has improved the resources and knowledge available about food allergies. Staff are more likely to take allergies seriously. Some restaurants even have specific allergy menus to support their customers.
But staying reaction-free isn’t just about avoiding making harmful mistakes. We advise following these best practices when eating out:
- Communicate Clearly: Always inform the restaurant staff about your food allergies in detail. Be specific about your allergies and the severity of your reactions. Don’t hesitate to ask questions about the menu items and their ingredients.
- Research Restaurants in Advance: Before choosing a restaurant, do some research to find out if they can accommodate your dietary needs. Look for reviews or testimonials from other diners with food allergies, and consider calling the restaurant ahead of time to discuss your requirements.
- Understand the Menu: Carefully read the menu and ask about the ingredients and preparation methods of dishes. Be wary of dishes that are more likely to contain common allergens, such as sauces, dressings, and desserts.
- Be Aware of Cross-Contamination: Inquire about how the restaurant minimises the risk of cross-contamination. Ensure they prepare allergen-free meals using separate cookware, utensils, and cooking surfaces.
- Carry Medical Information and Emergency Medication: Always have your emergency medication, such as an adrenaline auto-injector, with you. Taking an antihistamine will alleviate or prevent the reaction for most mild allergies. It’s also a good idea to carry a chef card that outlines your allergies, which can be given to the kitchen staff.
- Choose Simple Dishes: Opt for dishes with fewer ingredients, as they are less likely to contain hidden allergens, and it’s easier to verify their contents. Also, consider that certain cuisines are more likely to be a risk than others. For example, if you have a peanut allergy, eating at a Thai restaurant is riskier than eating Italian.
- Trust Your Instincts: If you feel uncertain about a restaurant’s ability to accommodate your allergies safely, don’t feel pressured to stay. Your health is the priority. Being polite for the sake of it won’t prevent a reaction.
Getting Tested for Food Allergies
You can only protect against the food allergies you know about. Dining with food allergies exposes you to new ingredients and allergens. The last thing you want to learn halfway through your meal is that you’re actually allergic to the seafood dish you wanted to try.
Test Your Intolerance’s Allergy Test identifies 38 allergies using a small blood sample. Take a pinprick of blood using the kit, send it to us, and receive your results within 7 days. It’s the gold standard of home-to-lab allergen testing.
Buy your Allergy Test today and ensure that dining with food allergies is safer than ever.
