We're excited to share this article from Lindiwe Lewis, founder of The Allergy Table with advice from lived experience on dining out with food allergies. Lindiwe candidly shares why pretending to be 'chill' about your allergies is not a good strategy when eating out, even though you think it makes you seem less 'fussy ' or 'complicated' to fit in. Read and learn.... “OMG you are allergic to everything!” It was funny for the first few times, but after hearing this comment every time I tell someone what I am allergic to (for 30+ years)... I am tired. I find that this comment limits me, put ..read more

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” —Maya Angelou There’s this artisanal bakery in town. A hidden gem, really. Makes sourdough bread that’s perfection — crusty on the outside, chewy on the inside. You’d think it was a neighborhood boulangerie in Paris. Not Connecticut. The bread checks all the boxes on allergy-friendly ingredients: Flour, Water, Salt. Perfect for our son who’s allergic to eggs, peanuts, chickpeas, lentils and peas. We’ve talked to the chief baker and are comfortable wit ..read more

Pediatrician Dr. Julie Sweeney (@allergymom.md on IG) reflects on a recent visit with her son's allergist and advance steps she took to prepare her son. Sometimes, with To Do lists that never get any shorter, you might overlook this important step in the flurry of your days. But promise you, it will be time well spent. Not only will it de-mystify the visit for your child, but it gives you insight into your child's worries and lays the groundwork for your child to actively and confidently 'partner' with his/her allergist. Read on... We recently had an allergy appointment that we'd been wait ..read more

My adult son has been going out to eat more frequently, trying out new restaurants with his girlfriend. In early December he mentioned that he wonders if he’s even allergic anymore. His last reaction was when he was a sophomore in college and that was more than six years ago on a family ski trip. But time passes and takes the edge off bad experiences. He’s forgotten the fear and uncertainty surrounding his brush with anaphylaxis and the night in the ER. On Christmas Eve, we celebrate with a seven fish dinner—a tradition from my husband’s Italian heritage. It’s fish-everything that night, from ..read more

Allergy Dragon (aka Chef Martha Morgan) and Allergy Force CEO and Co-founder Gayle Rigione recently chatted about the importance of teaching kids with food allergies to cook. Give a listen to this podcast from Allergy Dragon and learn strategies for nurturing kids' culinary skills across ages and stages while empowering them to live their best lives. When you teach kids basic cooking skills you: Practice reading, math, problem solving, and teamwork skills in a fun, 'not school' way, Reinforce basic food allergy knowledge (What are my allergens? Where do they hide in foods?), Teach and reinfo ..read more

With St. Patrick's Day and Spring Break getaways ahead you'll want to share this article with your college kids with food allergies. A quick read of this post from Red Sneakers for Oakley can help them stay safe. We're hoping it'll open their eyes to (avoidable) allergen risks in drinking that could derail the fun and simple steps they can take to protect themselves. St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner and it ‘tis the season for Spring Break getaways for college students — both fun times, more often than not, involving drinking with friends. If you manage food allergies, it’s importa ..read more

Last week, as I shopped last minute for a Valentine’s Day surprise for my food allergic son at a local market, the recent Órla Baxendale tragedy weighed heavily on my mind and heart. In case you did not hear, Órla Baxendale, a young professional dancer from the U.K., with allergies to peanuts and tree nuts, ate a cookie purchased from a Connecticut retailer. The Vanilla Florentine cookies were mislabeled and did not disclose they contained peanuts. The dancer had an anaphylactic reaction and in spite of using two epinephrine auto-injectors she was not able to stop it. She passed away on Janua ..read more

Guest author and food allergy mom Stephanie Hulme, the creator behind @positivelyallergic on Instagram shares a milestone in her family's allergic life — her son with food allergies goes out to eat with some of his besties. She shares that nothing truly prepares you for that first “I’m going out with some friends.” Though they knew the day would come, they didn't know how it would go. Read. Find out. Take heart. My son William has life threatening allergies to all nuts, mustard, sesame, and flax seed, as well as allergies to pollen and dust mites. He was 3 when he went into anaphylactic shock ..read more

We're excited to feature this Valentine's Day craft the kids will love making with you. They'll be proud of their handiwork and excited to give these allergy-friendly heart crayons to classmates and playmates. Definite smile bringers! Thank you Lauren Foti, creative force behind The Craft Room NJ, for sharing this (genius!!) craft with our community. “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use the more you have.” —Maya Angelou Hi! I’m Lauren Foti, crafty creator behind The Craft Room NJ (@thecraftroom.nj) and mom to three {very} busy boys. Henry, my oldest, is ANA allergic to a long list o ..read more

Guest author and food allergy mom Francesca McGuire encourages families with food allergies to make peace with their auto-injector devices — to practice with them — so they have the confidence to inject without hesitation for an allergic emergency. Find out why having a different type of auto-injector device from the one she was initially prescribed for her boys quelled Francesca's hesitation to use it and boosted her confidence. Dec 12, 2019. You probably couldn’t tell me where you were or what you were doing on that day. You know where I was? I was 9 months pregnant and laying over a hospit ..read more