Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Needing help if anyone has it to offer...

I have a variety of allergies for which I need to accommodate. Eggs and pomegranate have now been added to the list. Anyone having experience with the egg allergy in particular, please comment and let me know how you survive eating out...I'll give the details later when I'm not so exhausted.

3 comments:

  1. My daughter is 2 and a half and has a egg and corn allergy. We just do not go out. It is too hard to make sure that her food will not inadvertently be contaminated. No one watches like you do.

    If we must go out, then I make something she likes for her at home and call ahead and talk to the manager. I get the manager to agree to "cook" hers and bring it out to her. Basically cook means, heat this up in the microwave and then put it on a plate and bring it out with everyone else's meal.

    If that is not an option, I order something very plain - chicken breast with steamed broccoli. Or we go to one of the kosher delis in the area. Generally the people that work there are very knowledgeable about what is in the foods that they are serving because of the kosher rules. Or we go to an upscale grocery store with an eat in cafe. I can usually get her something there because the have labels on a lot of the products. I have had excellent luck with Wegmans.

    There is a place in Manhattan that specializes in allergy cooking and several friends that trust them. I am not sure where you are, but maybe there is something similar near you.

    I hope that helps!

    All the best,
    Larae

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  2. Hi Larae,

    Thanks for your comment. I live in Minnesnowta (at least that is what it is today.)

    I am slowly learning what I can and can't eat out. I know desserts and breakfast foods are out (except breakfast meats). I even have to be careful there as there seems to be cross contamination on the griddles. I tend to go with very plain options out just as I do at home.

    Here's the family list of allergies:
    peanuts, eggs, pomegranate, soy, dairy, rice, tree nuts, fish and shell fish. I think I've been reacting to Kiwi, too, but my doctor thinks that might just be a normal reaction (tingly tongue). I get it when I eat pineapple.

    We end up eating out at one restaurant. They have a very standard (read plain) menu with nothing fancy.

    I hadn't thought of bringing food. I like that idea. I also like the idea of kosher (I look for that when shopping because of the non-dairy), but we don't have many kosher restaurants or delis around here.

    Thanks again! You've given me some great ideas. (Like opening my own restaurant for people with allergies ;-)

    Cathie

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  3. HI, Cathie!
    Glad to help and glad to hear that you are getting the hang of eating out with allergies. That list of allergy items is quite extensive. Bummer! I am not sure I could keep all of that straight. I bet that there are kosher delis in Wayzata or Edina.

    We used to live in Maple Grove. My Prince Charming was originally from Albertville. While I miss the people I do not miss all that snow!
    I found your blog through my best friend that still lives there - Shelly Westrich. Her blog has a link to yours. Anyhow, I am glad that I found your comment back to me, as I was just stopping by today to get one of your recipes. *Thanks!*

    I really like your blog. You seem to like a lot of the same things I do. Artisian Bread in 5 Min changed my life - lol!

    All the best,
    Larae

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