Tips for Handling Food Allergies when Out to Eat

At home, handling food allergies is not usually a problem because you know what each dish contains. When out to eat, however, the menu doesn't come with ingredients, so you have to be particularly careful. You not only have to worry about the ingredients in each individual dish, but also what those foods may have come into contact with. For example, you've probably seen disclaimers at some restaurants that warn customers when peanuts may have come into contact with their food. This is why it is so important to consider food allergies when out to eat.

Choose Familiar Restaurants
Whenever possible, eat at restaurants where you have had pleasant experiences before. Obviously, this won't always be possible (such as when you are traveling), but try to stick to favorites when you're at home. This reduces your chances of suffering an allergic reaction to food and will allow you to enjoy your meal without worrying about its contents.

Let the Waiter Know Right Away
As soon as you sit down at your table, let the waiter know that you have food allergies. You may want to ask for recommendations from the menu so that you can avoid potentially dangerous foods altogether. Remember that some foods won't list all of their ingredients so you have to be careful. For example, Asian cuisine often contains fish or fish products, but you won't necessarily see that on the description for an egg roll. Ask the waiter to warn you if you choose a dish that contains the food to which you are allergic.

Stick to Your Own Plate
I have the kind of family where everything on the table is pretty much a free-for-all. This doesn't work well when you have food allergies, however, so try to stick to your own plate when you eat out. Since you probably didn't request the ingredients for everyone else's meal, you might wind up putting something dangerous in your mouth and suffering the consequences.