Cooking for the Allergic Eater

Between the peanuts, the gluten, and the wheat allergies, you just don’t know where to turn.  How do you cook for someone, be it yourself, a child, or a spouse, who is allergic to such staples?

Finding some good resources to help you will be key to keeping your sanity (and adding some variety back into your diet).  There are creative recipes out there no matter what your allergy.  You just have to find them!

Living Without magazine is a great place to start looking for some good recipes.  It’s a magazine dedicated solely to people with food allergies.  They regularly publish informative articles and creative meal ideas and can be a great resource to start with.  There are also hundreds of cookbooks that cater to specific allergies, and these will be a great resource for finding tasty, creative menu ideas.

You can also learn to shop in advance for what you need.  Cooking meals around food allergies requires time and advance planning, so if you’re able to buy in bulk when you go to the store it might save you a trip down the road.  Freeze safe perishables like bread so you have it when you need it.  Canned goods and flour have a long shelf-life, so once you find products that you or your family can tolerate make sure you have plenty on hand for last minute dinners.  Living with food allergies means it’s much harder to just go out and “pick something up”!
Also do some research on what foods will work as substitutions in recipes.  For example, if a recipe calls for one cup of flour (and if flour is a “no no”), you might be able to substitute rolled oats.  If you need milk in a recipe, you might be able to add soy or rice milk instead.

There’s no doubt that cooking for someone with a food allergy can be stressful, and it does require extra work.  It’s worth the extra effort, however, if it means you or someone you love will have a healthier, happier life.  You can do it!

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.