Food Allergies: Planning ahead for summer outings
It's the first official "full" week of summer break at our house. We have a few things planned for the summer but we've tried not to pack it too full of "organized" events. We will be going on vacation later in the season (I'm sure that will lend itself to a whole post on it's own) and we have some organized sports on our calendar. These things are all fun and so are the spontaneous things that we do. But when you have food allergies or a family member with food allergies you always need to plan ahead.
No matter where we go, I need to make sure that I pack food or snacks to bring with us. Due to the multiple food allergies that my son has, there just aren't that many safe places to eat. We have a few "go to" places but they are few and far between.
No matter where we go, I need to make sure that I pack food or snacks to bring with us. Due to the multiple food allergies that my son has, there just aren't that many safe places to eat. We have a few "go to" places but they are few and far between.
At our swim club, the only safe item that I have seen on the menu is potato chips. Potato chips can be an OK snack once in a while, but potato chips does not a meal make.
I always make sure to keep something in the car or in my purse. Due to the summer heat, a snack like pretzels is a good, safe snack to keep in the car. They won't melt and if kept in an airtight container or bag they keep fresh for quite some time. Our beach bag has a large baggy that contains all natural, no nitrate turkey sticks, Enjoy Life Trail Mix, Enjoy Life Chewy Coco Loco Bar, and a snack bag of Ener-G pretzels. When going to the pool, zoo or on a hike, a small cooler equipped with an ice pack that has a protein, carb, vegetable and fruit along with water is a great thing to take along. We've found that we can usually find something to eat for our non food allergy child even in the remotest of places but for the child with food allergies, it just isn't worth the risk. Always keeping something on hand has saved us on more than one occasion.
Along with bringing extra food, it's always a good idea to bring extra wipes and possibly a table covering. My son is contact reactive. No matter where he sits I try to wipe it down the best I can first. Regular wipes work fine or you can keep several damp, soapy wash cloths in a plastic zippered baggy for this purpose too. Depending on where we are, wiping things down can be easier said than done. I always try to keep a supply of disposable place mats with me too. You can find ones like these at any big box store. They have adhesive to stick to the table top and will wrap around the underside of the table to protect your child from what may be lurking underneath.
If going on an outing with several children, make sure to label all of your food allergy child's items so that sippy cups or water bottles never get mixed up.
I always make sure to keep something in the car or in my purse. Due to the summer heat, a snack like pretzels is a good, safe snack to keep in the car. They won't melt and if kept in an airtight container or bag they keep fresh for quite some time. Our beach bag has a large baggy that contains all natural, no nitrate turkey sticks, Enjoy Life Trail Mix, Enjoy Life Chewy Coco Loco Bar, and a snack bag of Ener-G pretzels. When going to the pool, zoo or on a hike, a small cooler equipped with an ice pack that has a protein, carb, vegetable and fruit along with water is a great thing to take along. We've found that we can usually find something to eat for our non food allergy child even in the remotest of places but for the child with food allergies, it just isn't worth the risk. Always keeping something on hand has saved us on more than one occasion.
Along with bringing extra food, it's always a good idea to bring extra wipes and possibly a table covering. My son is contact reactive. No matter where he sits I try to wipe it down the best I can first. Regular wipes work fine or you can keep several damp, soapy wash cloths in a plastic zippered baggy for this purpose too. Depending on where we are, wiping things down can be easier said than done. I always try to keep a supply of disposable place mats with me too. You can find ones like these at any big box store. They have adhesive to stick to the table top and will wrap around the underside of the table to protect your child from what may be lurking underneath.
If going on an outing with several children, make sure to label all of your food allergy child's items so that sippy cups or water bottles never get mixed up.
Never leave without your life saving epinephrine. And it's always a good idea to never leave home without a supply of food or at the very least a good plan of how you're going to eat safely. Summer can be full of fun and adventure, even if you have food allergies!!
What are your favorite "take along" allergy friendly foods? What tips can you share with us for eating safely while enjoying the summer time? Is there one item (besides epinephrine) that you won't leave home without?
Always keep in mind too: Never store your epinephrine in the cooler or in the car. Epinephrine should never be exposed to extreme temperatures. For more on this see here : {Where is the best place to keep the EPIPEN Auto-Injector?
What are your favorite "take along" allergy friendly foods? What tips can you share with us for eating safely while enjoying the summer time? Is there one item (besides epinephrine) that you won't leave home without?
Always keep in mind too: Never store your epinephrine in the cooler or in the car. Epinephrine should never be exposed to extreme temperatures. For more on this see here : {Where is the best place to keep the EPIPEN Auto-Injector?
- Keep your EPIPEN Auto-Injector at room temperature (25°C, 77°F) until the marked expiration date, at which point your unit should be replaced. EPIPEN Auto-Injector should not be refrigerated; refrigeration for extended periods may cause the unit to malfunction. Do not expose EPIPEN Auto-Injector to extreme heat, such as in the glove compartment or trunk of a car during the summertime. Do not expose your EPIPEN Auto-Injector to direct sunlight; light and heat can cause epinephrine to become less effective. The medication turns brown and shortens the usable life of the product. Be sure to refill your prescription for your EPIPEN Auto-Injector on or before the expiration date.
- It is important to keep an EPIPEN Auto-Injector in a pocket, a purse, or some type of carrying bag that is with you or your child at all times. You may have other places for carrying an EPIPEN Auto-Injector that work for you–just be sure to have immediate access to the EPIPEN Auto-Injector at all times.}
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