July 20, 2017

3 TIPS FOR HANDLING FOOD ALLERGIES AT BIRTHDAY PARTIES

Birthday parties can definitely be a scary thing when it comes to food allergies. When the number of kids outnumbers the adults by a lot, there are so many ways that your allergic child could come into contact with their allergens. Not to worry, I’m going to share with you our tips for handling food allergies at birthday parties.

It’s worked for us, so it can work for you too.

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FOOD ALLERGIES AT BIRTHDAY PARTIES

1. When kids are young, ask to stay during the party and offer to help out the host.

Everyone will likely be happier with your presence. Often times, a party host is very busy running the activities for the party and will not have enough bandwidth to keep an eye on your food allergic child. With you there, you won’t be so worried about accidental exposure and your child will be happy knowing you’ll keep him safe. Make sure not to be a burden and offer to help with serving food, pouring drinks, rallying the kids, etc. Your effort will be much appreciated and you’ll likely make a new friend!

2. Bring your own safe food and cupcake (or treat).

Being prepared is key. Ask the host ahead of time, what the venue and food will be. If the food will not work for your allergic child, you can bring something similar. For example: dairy-free pizza, a sandwich, dairy free and nut free cupcake, dairy free and nut free cookies, Oreos (my kids absolutely LOVE Oreos and they’re easy to grab as you head out the door), etc. It’s a good idea to ask your child what he wants to bring, then he’ll have something to look forward to.

3. Seat your allergic child further away from kids eating unsafe foods.

Kids can be very messy. Especially when the main food is a finger food like pizza and you’re dealing with a milk allergy, it can be dangerous for your little one. Foody fingers seem to touch everything in sight… the table, the chair, scooping spoons, light switches, etc! Choose a seat on the edge where you’ll have less people around and it will be easier to manage what your kid touches.