How to Eat With Food Allergies:
Finding Allergy Free Substitutes

Food allergies can really shake up your life because food is such a big part of life. We celebrate with food, we cope with food, we comfort with food and we nourish with food. When foods that we love are taken away, it can be difficult to cope. That is why it is so important to find "safe", allergy free substitutes for the foods you can no longer have.

What is an "allergy-free" or "safe" substitute?

An "allergy-free" or "safe" substitute is one that is free of the allergens that you are avoiding. I put both of these terms in quotations because they are both really relative terms - they are different for everyone.

Sure "allergen-free" is used often and usually refers to foods free of the most common food allergens - the top 8. But no food can be considered completely "allergen-free" because it is possible to be allergic to almost any food.

And "safe" foods are certainly different for everyone as well. For example, a "safe" margarine for someone with a dairy allergy is very different than a "safe" margarine for someone with a soy allergy. And a "safe" wheat-free snack for someone with a mild allergy to wheat may not be "safe" for someone that has more serious reactions to wheat.

If you are just starting to manage your child's food allergies or your own, it would probably be a good idea to err on the side of caution and find your comfort zone from there. It is always better to be safe than sorry!

How do you determine if something is "safe"?

First, read labels carefully! Then, if you are dealing with food allergens that cause serious reactions like anaphylaxis, contact the manufacturer to find out if there is any danger of cross contamination during production.

For instance, I came across a box of wheat free, dairy free, egg free waffles in the specialty food store one day. I was ecstatic...until I saw the advisory statement below the ingredients that indicated that it was produced on shared lines with products containing egg. For us, eggs are the scariest food at the grocery store because my son had a very serious reaction after eating one. I doubt that those waffles would have caused a reaction but it was way out of my comfort zone so I put them back on the shelf and moved on.

My son is also allergic to wheat but we have never seen a serious reaction. He eats a lot of Rice Chex as a snack. Along with Rice Chex there are Corn and Wheat varieties. We are well aware that the Wheat Chex could quite possibly be produced in the same building or on the same line as Rice Chex, therefore causing cross-contamination. Since wheat isn't a severe allergen for us, we still consider Rice Chex to be a "safe" food and haven't had any problems. Risky? Maybe, but we're comfortable with it and our instincts have served us well so far. Often, there is a fine line between "safe" foods and those that are not worth the risk.

Where can you find "safe" substitutes?

"Safe" substitutes can be found in a number of places. If you're lucky, you can find them at your regular grocery store. If you live in a larger city that has a co-op or specialty food store, many specialty foods including "allergy free" foods can be found there.

If you're looking for substitutes in those places and come up empty, you can always take advantage of the glorious world wide web! Several online specialty food stores exist and usually have prices that are competitive with specialty food stores. The best part? You don't have to leave your house! The only downside is that you have to pay for shipping. If you live a long distance from a specialty food store, however, shopping online is your best bet! Check out the Gluten-Free Mall or Allergy Grocer, two of my personal favorites.

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Are you looking for some "safe" substitute suggestions?

Well, look no further! My family and I have been eating with food allergies for a couple of years now and have found quite a few substitutes that make us feel as though we haven't had to say goodbye completely to our favorite foods. Below are some substitute ideas for common allergens:

Dairy Substitutes

Egg Substitutes

Wheat Substitutes

Peanut and Tree Nut Substitutes

Soy Substitutes

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