Food allergies are unpleasant and can leave you hesitant to have new food experiences due to fear of triggering an allergic reaction. Fortunately, with a bit of foresight and planning, your allergies won’t have to hold you back from travelling.

BYO Snacks

When dealing with food allergies, bringing your own snacks is an excellent way to avoid being put in a situation where you don’t have safe food to eat. People that don’t have allergies may not pay as close attention to the ingredients in food as those that do. Having your own snacks reduces the chances of you being put in a situation where you have to choose between eating food you’re unfamiliar with or going hungry. 

Equip Your Kids with the Necessary Tools

If you’re an adult with food allergies, you’ve likely dealt with this issue for most of your life and have safeguards in place. If not you’re old enough to fully understand the issue and address it responsibly.

Kids with food allergies are a much bigger concern as they’re likely not as disciplined in their food consumption. This increases the chances of a negative food reaction. If you’re the parent of a child with food allergies, the following tips will help you achieve peace-of-mind when taking them to new places:

• Teach your child to identify potential hazards;
• Get your child a medical-alert bracelet that states their allergy on it; 
• Inform adults in their lives about their allergies (other family members, close friends, teachers, etc.);
• Ensure your child always has an EpiPen on them. 

Take Advantage of Technology

Thanks to technology, you don’t have to be in the dark when it comes to your travel destination. Take the time to look at the online menu of restaurants you’re interested in visiting and if there are food-related activities, such as food tours or cooking classes, you’re interested in attending. Research them in advance and see if they have options that work for you and if not a phone call is often all it takes to have your needs accommodated ahead of time.