Tilt

Information taken from CNN Health report.

Cases of severe food allergies are on the rise in the U.S. and the reasons for this are still unclear. There is speculation for doctors and experts that it is due to the overly clean environment that our children grow up in and the lack of bacteria they are exposed to. Others believe that introducing children to things like fish and nuts should happen much earlier in life than 2-3 years as many pediatricians recommend. Whatever the reason may be, it does not change the fact that food allergies can make the lives of the child with the allergy as well as the parents who are dealing with it, extremely difficult and many times scary.

According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology, in 2007, approximately 3 million children under the age of 18 were reported to have a food or digestive allergy in the previous 12 months. The prevalence of food allergies among children under the age of 18 increased 18% from 1997 to 2007.

Here at Tilt, we are currently working on a project through our foundation to help bring a larger awareness to the origin of food, food allergies and helping children and their parents become informed about what is in their food, and alternatives to some of those ingredients. Helping people live uninterrupted days and help make meal times a simple, uncomplicated process is important to us.

For people with allergies or with children who have allergies, eating out at a restaurant can be a nerve racking experience. Never being sure if the food you are about to eat will harm you is something that can cause anyone stress. I remember working at a bagel shop through high school and a parent one time brought in their own bagel in a plastic bag. The mother instructed me that I needed to make her child’s sandwich on this particular bagel, as it was wheat-free and that since their child was allergic to sesame seeds, none could touch the knives, food or my hands as it was prepared. As much as I wanted to help this woman, I refused to make the sandwich simply because the back counter of my shop along with every knife and other surface (it was during a lunch rush) had been touched by sesame seeds at one point or another. I did not want to risk her child’s health and the prospect of the happening was very high. Instead I instructed her to buy cream cheese from our cold case, I opened a new container of plastic knives and she was able to make the bagel at the table with the rest of the family so her child could still have a ‘normal’ dining out experience with everyone else.

Not all places will accommodate you and not everyone will be ABLE to do it even if they want to. When going out to eat keep these things in mind:

1. Do Your Homework: Most national chains include nutrition info on their websites. These sites often include allergy information.
2. Avoid Peak Times: You’ll be likely to get more attentive service, especially on your first few visits to a given restaurant, if you avoid lunch and dinner rushes.
3. Be Aware of Cross-Contamination: This occurs when food is prepared on a surface or using a utensil that has touched an allergen.
4. Trust your Instincts: If you have doubts about your order after you’ve received it, politely ask your waiter to double-check.
5. Be Prepared: Even under the best of circumstances, it’s smart to be prepared for the unexpected.

For more tips and information go here for the US or here for the UK.

We are trying to develop a place that caters to people that have food allergies so they do not have to worry about these things. We are also interested in creating materials for people to use when they eat out to help make their waitstaff aware of their allergies and what they can do to help. In the meantime, be careful and use the tips above. Good eating.