Advice on Eating Out With Allergies

Staying fit and healthy is a priority for so many of us. We do our best with a balanced diet, quitting smoking and doing as much exercise as we can fit around our busy lives. But there are times when our health and wellbeing is out of our hands.

This is particularly true if you suffer from an allergy and find yourself carefully checking the menu for anything that might trigger an unwelcome response. In this blog we take a look at what you can do to stay healthy when you have an allergy.

Don’t be Afraid to Ask

Your server should be well informed about what’s on the menu and give you the answers to your questions straight away. However, if they appear unsure or you feel unconvinced by their answer then feel free to ask to talk to the chef. This is your health at stake after all and a discreet word will set your mind at rest.

Any good restaurant will have taken food allergy advice for business owners and be well aware of the responsibilities that they have towards their customers.

Go to restaurants that you know take these responsibilities seriously and check menus online before you make a restaurant decision.

Stick to Tried and Tested Dishes

While you can’t know what’s in everything when you eat out, try and stick to food that you enjoy and that you’ve had before from that same place and not had any issues with. As a rule of thumb, steamed vegetables shouldn’t cause any issues and neither should chicken cooked with a simple sauce, if you’re confident you know what’s in that sauce.

Be Prepared

Now isn’t the time to be worried about what other people are thinking about you. If you do feel unwell then do whatever it takes to get help. Make sure that you carry an Epipen if you’re reaction is moderate to severe but more than that, make sure you know how to use it. If you’re frequently with a friend or partner when you eat out, make sure they know how to use it as well. That knowledge could save your life.

Ask for a doctor and even if you do start to feel better make sure you’re taken to the nearest emergency department to get checked over by a doctor and given the all-clear before you head home.

It can be exhausting making sure that everything you put in your mouth is safe and won’t make you ill but at the end of the day much of the responsibility rests on your shoulders. If you’re unsure about anything, the best option is to avoid eating it, even if that means sending a dish back in a restaurant. It’s no wonder that so many people who suffer from allergies don’t eat out. The trick is to find a restaurant and some dishes that you can trust and make them your go-to for eating out. It may not be exciting but it’s safe.