Allergic to Easter?

However you and your family celebrate Easter, most traditions include food.  So if you’re hosting someone or have a family member with a food allergy, keep reading!

These simple tips will help you plan ahead for stress-free, memory-making fun:

Communicate Early

• Volunteer to host the egg hunt, special meal, or gathering if you have a food allergy concern.  That way, you know what will be served.
• If others offer to bring food, kindly remind them of the food allergy in your family.  Answer any questions and provide them with a favorite recipe if they ask.  Remember that they do not have the same knowledge and insight, so gently ask if they would like some helpful hints (e.g. double checking labels for allergen warnings)
• Going to be the guest? Volunteer to bring a dish free of specific of allergens to add to the menu.
  

Do Your Homework

• Avoid This – If you’re hosting someone with a food allergy and need a primer on what to avoid, this is for you.  “Tips for Avoiding your Allergen” by FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education) is a complete list of foods to avoid for the major eight food allergens – milk, wheat, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, crustacean shellfish and soy.
• Candy List – Yes, dietitians recommend treats for special occasions!  And Easter egg hunts and baskets definitely qualify!  The Bay Area Allergy Advisory Board has a long list of candies free from peanuts, tree nuts, gluten and dairy.  Check it out here.

Avoid Cross Contamination

• Cross what? Keep in mind that if a food containing an allergen contacts food free from that allergen, the allergen may have been transferred.
• Home Food Safety.org has great reminders of how cross-contact often occurs – think of all the steps from the store to preparation and serving! Read about it here.
• Consider creating a separate, labeled storage area for Easter candy, filled plastic eggs and other food that come into your home.  This serves as a reminder for everyone to handle allergen-containing foods with care.

Ask an Expert

If you ever feel like you need more education in the food allergy arena, ask!

• More grocery stores than ever before employ Registered Dietitian Nutritionists.  Hy-Vee Registered Dietitian Kimberly Proctor, RD, LD, says she regularly gets questions from confused consumers about everything from lactose intolerance versus milk allergies to fructose intolerance and wheat allergies.  And she says when Hy-Vee dietitians educate in schools, “there’s such a prevalence of peanut and tree nut allergies that we often sample banana dogs – a tortilla spread with SunButter and wrapped around a peeled banana.”  To find a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) living close to you, click here.
• If you are hosting a friend or family member with a food allergy, ask them what you can do to help them feel comfortable.  Taking the time to prepare an inclusive and safe gathering tells your guest that you value them and their needs.  And, since they make accommodations for their food allergy daily, they are certain to have plenty of tips to share!

A happy, safe, and yummy springtime to you!

Beth Witherspoon, MPH, RDN, has a passion for communicating culinary and nutrition information.  She is a registered dietitian/nutritionist who consults with SunButter.