Whether or not you have a baby with allergies, dining in public is a small adventure each and every time.
But when you have to worry about how clean the tables/chairs are, or if the last diner ate something with nuts and there’s residue on the furniture, or…the list goes on and on…it’s enough to overwhelm a rookie parent!
I’m not an expert by any means, but here are some of the ways I make it easier and safer for me and P.
BYO wipes. I love these ones by Burt’s Bee – they are eco-friendly and non-toxic but still clean well enough that I can use them on his hands and face as well as the high chair and table. It took me for-eh-ver to find a hypoallergenic wipe that didn’t have tons of chemicals and didn’t cost a fortune, so I don’t recommend these lightly. They clean P’s hands and face well and don’t leave his sensitive skin chapped or dry. Also they don’t smell strongly of anything. I bought them off amazon (prime) – but for some reason you can only order them as an add-on (to an order over $25) or subscribe-and-save (like a monthly subscription). Fortunately, I just discovered my local Target sells them (in the aisle with baby hygiene stuff).
Table toppers. These ones by neat solutions are not the most environmentally friendly (because they’re not reusable), but you have to pick your battles when it comes to dealing with severe allergies. They are basically sticky place mats that you can attach to the table (all four edges have a tape strip), thereby enabling you to put food directly in front of your kiddo. Saves you from wondering what potential allergens are on the table, plus it’s an easy clean up. No mess to leave behind for the poor waiters. I bought them off amazon (prime) as well. They seem to be a good deal there, especially if you order big packs. They have different designs too, depending on the age or interest of your child.
Ignore the menu. I have yet to order food for P from a public kitchen. Unless the restaurant specializes in allergy friendly food service, I avoid it. It’s a risk for my kid and it’s a risk for the restaurant. I’m sure my tune will change once he’s older and knows that he’s getting “special” food that I’ve pre-packed, but for now, I’ll just continue to bring tupperware with his eats. It’s only a hassle if we decide to dine out spontaneously, but since having a kid, almost all the spontaneity in my life is long gone. If we are going out to eat, it’s definitely in the calendar in advance, which means I can get all his food ready before we go.
For me, the easiest food to give P is stuff that (a) takes him a long time to eat; (b) isn’t super sticky/messy; and (c) doesn’t require me to spoon feed him.
If I give him a pile of peas, he’s happy for a while and I can eat my food too. Other winners: apple slices, grapes, blueberries, celery, corn, carrots, green beans, corn or rice puffs, scrambled eggs, cubed meat, deli slices, etc. Other fruit is great too (banana, melon, berries, stone fruit), but can be messy, so bring at your own risk. Usually I don’t mind a little mess, but it depends on the restaurant. I save super ripe pears and fruit that stains for home consumption.
Bring an epi-pen. Goes without saying, I think, but there – I said it.
Ask questions. Don’t assume anything. If you want to know more info, ask. If you know of questions or concerns ahead of time, call in advance and talk to the staff. If you’re nice and explain your situation, I’m sure they’ll do anything and everything to help accommodate you and your child. And if they do (or even if they don’t), tip well. Kids can be a handful for waiters, so reward them for helping you keep your little one safe.
I can’t even imagine how stressful this must be for you and your family. Really hope that he will outgrow this.
Did they do a skin or blood test for allergies? My daughter is allergic to tree nuts and pineapple. She grew out of her egg allergy. I had a similar experience to you when she was 8 months old and put ber hand in a container of walnuts and rubbed her face. Sigh, how scary. Anyway she is 6 now and they have always done the skin test. I have a boy too who is a month older than P. I want to get him tested too.
What is the gold standard for allergy testing in your opinion?
Great tips by the way!
He is too cute btw!!!
As a parent with zero experience with this, I still want to add one more: if a restaurant refuses to be helpful, leave. If a waiter rolls his/her eyes, or they refuse to provide you the information you ask for, don’t spend your money at their establishment. I think sometimes people think that diners with food preferences or allergies are “just being picky” and they can talk down to them. And I think some parents think they have to just accept that kind of rudeness as part of the deal: Don’t put up with that crap!
It’s hard to say because I only have my limited experience but p got blood tests done w all the food allergies included. My allergist felt he was too young for the skin test but I know other babies who have gotten it. His results reflected a range of moderate to strong immune response but it’s not concrete in accuracy and it could change over time. We retest at age two and hope that by avoiding everything he has a better chance of outgrowing the reaction (at least for the moderate reaction foods). So sorry about your little one – ya definitely scary!
It’s stressful enough to dine with a non-allergy toddler, but it looks like you’re handling yourself well. And believe me, sharing your experiences helps those of us understand better how to deal with our kids friends with allergies. It’s all good!
oh, and P is so darn cute. Can I borrow him?!
It wouldn’t have even crossed my mind that you would have to worry about the actual table, just what he is eating, which is hard enough. Having such a positive attitude to it can’t be easy, hats off to you. I don’t have kids, and live in fear of somehow damaging my friends’ kids, so I’m taking notes, just in case.
you are doing such an awesome job of navigating the allergies!
thanks livi 🙂
its amazing how much i took for granted…even checking kids books out from the library is a gamble because *you never know*.
thanks lisa 🙂 i think he’s pretty cute, too.
LOVE all these posts! Thank you 🙂