Onespot™Allergy Top Ten Tips For A Safe Thanksgiving With Food Allergies:
| 1. As your children may be offered unapproved foods and feel shy speaking up to adults, help them feel prepared by teaching them in advance to refuse foods politely, perhaps by saying “no thank you”. |
| 2. Always wash hands before eating, but be careful of luxury hand soaps and lotions when visiting friends and relatives, as many contain sweet almond oil, walnut shells, or shea (a nut). You could send your children to wash their hands before eating,and find that in fact their allergen is now on their hands. |
| 3. Watch out for Thanksgiving center pieces, as they often contain chestnuts, acorns, or other nuts as decorations. |
| 4. When going to a restaurant, call there yourself in advance to verify the safety of the food. Don’t rely on others to ask the right questions. Make sure you’re speaking to someone with the expertise to answer your questions. |
| 5. When going to someone’s home, offer to cook a dish which is safe for your child and can be enjoyed by others. |
| 6. Be aware that holiday stuffing often contains pine nuts or other nuts. |
| 7. Check with your host in advance about the safety of every food being served. |
| 8. If you know that there will be unsafe foods served, bring substitutes for your child. |
| 9. If your host is receptive to cooking allergen free, provide him or her with the necessary protocols. Onespot Allergy information cards can be used. |
| 10. Thank your host profusely for helping to keep your family safe. |
* If you’re reading this as an e-mail message, to post a comment, visit http://blog.onespotallergy.com/2010/10/top-ten-tips-for-a-safe-thanksgiving-with-food-allergies/ Please add any additional tips that work well for your family. Happy Thanksgiving weekend to all my Canadian readers!
