In order to not feel left out for the young and old, for special occasions and celebrations here are a few creative ideas:

1.   Give the teacher a container of prepackaged items for safe treats.  The container can be kept in the class room.  This way if an impromptu celebration occurs there will be save alternative snacks.

2.   Suggest creative food-free ways to celebrate, such as a reading of a favorite book, or giving out a t-shirt or other items to mark the achievement.

3.   Ask officials or your child’s teacher to designate just one or two days a week to acknowledge birthdays and other occasions.  This way parents can plan ahead for a food safe allergy friendly item.

4.   Allow the children to participate in cooking, this way you can use moments, as educational moments.

5.   If you have a picky eater, suggestion, try giving your menu novel names.  For instance sliced carrots can now become, golden coins and the more they eat of the treasure, they can then get a reward.  Such as ten extra minutes with you at night when you read them a book.

6.   When the family goes out to eat and you give special instructions or ask questions about what food items that your child can eat, have your child watch and listen.  Then slowly bring them into the process so that your child can learn how to ask and present the proper questions to the staff.  They also know that if they happen to make a mistake in the process that you are there to back them up.  Help them prepare for the future!

7.   Soups are a great way to hide vegetables!  If they still have a fuss when they see them, then puree the item into the soup.

8.   If someone hands you something to eat and they don’t know or don’t realize that you can not have it – decline politely, some occasions don’t warrant anything more than politely declining, other occasions might require it to be an educational moment.

9.   You are having a party or luncheon, please have all food contributors list the ingredients in the recipe on a card to be displayed so that an allergy person know what is a “safe” food.

10. Let your friends, families and co-workers know of your allergies