Cooking with Allergies in Mind?

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with a food allergy (or, as is often the case, multiple food allergies) you might be feeling completely overwhelmed.  How do you cook for someone that is allergic to, say, flour?  Or fish?  Or dairy?  While your days of buying frozen dinners and boxed macaroni and cheese are probably over, this does not mean you can’t have yummy, healthy meals.  In fact, you’ll probably be eating healthier now than before the allergy!

One good tip to allergy cooking is utilizing your freezer.  Once you’ve experimented with a few recipes and find some you or your family member tolerates well, make them in big batches and freeze them.  Make sure you clearly label what dish it is, as well as all the ingredients (in case a new allergy pops up in the future).  Also make sure you date it, and keep the meals rotated for freshness.

Utilize your Crock Pot to save yourself time.  Especially when allergies first come to light, the less foods eaten at a meal the better, as it makes an easier to spot problems.  Using a Crock Pot to make simple beef stews or slow-cooked vegetables can lesson the stress of cooking.  You can add a salad and a simple fruit for dessert, and you’re done!

The key to staying healthy on your new diet is advance planning.  If you don’t do any meal planning on, say, Sunday, you’re going to come home after work on Monday tired and might fold to the temptation of pizza, or something else that is “off limits”.  Plan your meals out on the weekends and do all your shopping in advance so you know what you’re cooking during the week when you have less time.

It’s also important to do your research!  There are thousands of books available on how to cook meals around certain allergies, and there are even monthly magazines that revolve around allergy cooking.  Grab tips and advice from others who have been doing this a long time and you’ll be on your way to healthier eating in no time!

About the Author

Char Gietz is a freelance writer and a crock pot fanatic. Her daughter has nut allergies, so she uses her Rival crock pot or slow cookers frequently to keep things simple. Her numerous articles offer tips and valuable insight for any busy family.