How Do You Navigate Food Allergies or Sensitivities During the Holidays?
Acknowledge Your Emotions. It is okay to have anxieties about allergies.
Remember that you have control over what you eat!
Allergy concerns can leave us feeling out of control. There are things we can control, like bringing safe foods or ingredients and sharing them with others.
Holidays bring joy and sometimes pain
As a young woman growing up in central Illinois, good food has always been synonymous with celebration and fun. I grew up playing in the corn and bean fields during the day and eating hamburgers, casseroles, hot-dishes and my grandmother’s strawberry rhubarb pie at family gatherings in the evenings. From backyard barbecues, church potluck dinners, cookie exchanges and big family dinners, my memories of holidays are marked by the joy of cooking and coming together with friends and loved ones to celebrate with a meal.
Although I have wonderful memories of these poignant times throughout my life, I also can vividly recall the meals that ultimately led to emergency room visits or even long hospital stays. I learned early on in my life that my body was not always happy with the food that I loved to eat. Unfortunately, I too often chose to risk eating the beautiful foods on my plate knowing it may have dire consequences. My love for the camaraderie and the food and my guilt about not wanting to let others down led me into suffering. I didn’t want to let others know that I couldn’t eat these wonderful meals they had made. The end result for me was sometimes very severe, life threatening or painful consequences that eating my allergens brought about.
Be prepared.
Have an allergy action plan ready to share in case of emergencies.
If you can relate to feelings of guilt around food or the pain and suffering of food allergies, you are most certainly not alone. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported that in 2021, nearly 1 in 3 U.S. adults and more than 1 in 4 U.S. children reported having a food allergy (1,2,3). Holidays and vacations have known correlations with anaphylactic emergencies from allergens (4). How do we celebrate the joy of food, family and friends during the holidays without sacrificing our health? If you are coping with food allergies and sensitivities or you want to welcome your family and friends who need to closely manage their diet, here are some important ways to accommodate.
First, acknowledge the anxiety and emotions. Managing a diet that is allergy or intolerance free takes a lot of time and emotional energy, especially at the holidays. Give yourself grace. If you have to manage your allergies or health needs, acknowledge your feelings and let others know how you feel so that they can be supportive of you. If you are a supportive family member, be patient with yourself too as you learn to accommodate the needs of your loved ones. Let them know that you want to help in the best way you can and ask how you can make the meal safer for them.
Second, remember that YOU have control over what you eat! Although allergy concerns can leave us feeling out of control, there are things we can control, like bringing foods that we know are safe and sharing them with others. If you see a possible cross contamination or you are not sure if a food is safe, then don’t eat it! Know that it is always okay to make these choices for your health and wellbeing. Let your family and friends know that you need support, acceptance and understanding as you navigate your health issues.
Educate your Family and Friends.
Cooking together can be a great way to share knowledge and support.
Third, be prepared! If you have allergies you should always have medications ready in case you are exposed or develop anaphylaxis. Medications that you might need include epinephrine injectors, inhalers like albuterol, diphenhydramine tablets, histamine blockers like Pepcid, nausea medications and other allergy medications. Have an allergy action plan that details what should be done if you have a reaction. There is a great print out you can use for this from FARE, https://www.foodallergy.org/living-food-allergies/food-allergy-essentials/food-allergy-anaphylaxis-emergency-care-plan .
Read labels carefully when you are shopping for ingredients or alternative snack foods. If you decide to eat out at a restaurant, get the menu ahead of time or call ahead and talk to the staff about your allergies. Apps like Fig can help you find safe foods by using your phone camera to scan bar codes or search for safe restaurant options. https://foodisgood.com/ Apps can also help you identify ingredients that may contain your allergens. (2).
Fourth, educate your family and friends. Let your family and friends know about your food allergies or intolerances, Explain to them how severe allergies can be, which foods you need to avoid and the importance of preventing exposures. Let your friends and family know how much you appreciate their support, help and concern as you work together to navigate how to make meals safe. Cooking together can be a great way to show your family what substitutions work well for you (ie: using oat milk instead of cow milk) or how to divide a kitchen workspace to prevent cross contaminations. This can give you opportunity to educate and participate more fully in making safe meals and feeling more confident about the outcome.
Be Kind and supportive.
Communicate your concerns, but also be supportive of others. Know that everyone will have different needs and wants for a meal.
Finally, be kind and supportive of each other. Communicate your concerns before big holiday events so that there is time to make foods that are safe for you and to discuss how loved ones can support you best. Recognize that it is not usually feasible for everyone to eat the same foods and that each individual may have different needs and desires for the meal. Having a variety of foods that allow everyone to celebrate in their own way is often the best way to go. As a supportive loved one, please have understanding when your loved one can’t eat something or they decide not to. They already struggle with making these difficult decisions and they don’t need more guilt around the issue. It is okay when mistakes happen too. Learn from the mistakes and ask about the best alternatives when that happens. Often this means choosing not to eat something and that is okay and probably the best choice for a healthy result.
So, as I head back to the corn fields of Illinois to celebrate the holidays, these are the most important ways that I lessen my anxiety and stay safe. As you also embark on your own holiday festivities, remember to acknowledge your emotions and know that only you have control over your health and wellbeing. What others think about you is their problem, not yours. You make the choices about what you eat and you do the best you can for your health. Be prepared for your medical needs and have a plan for emergencies. Share your concerns with your loved ones and educate them about your allergies and what you need to be safe during the holidays. Be kind and supportive, learn from mistakes and have grace with each other. Remember that the greatest good for your family and loved ones is always your best health and wellbeing.
