Be Cautious During Holiday Dinners

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This Thanksgiving, don’t be caught unaware at your family gathering, whether at a relative’s home or a fine dining establishment. Many creative cooks use ingredients that you might not expect in traditional dishes – ingredients that could cause an allergic reaction in those with food allergies.

We thought we’d share some of these ingredient surprises commonly found in traditional Thanksgiving dishes and beyond:

  • Peanuts and tree nuts in pie crust
  • Peanut butter used to salvage burnt spaghetti, soups, and some types of gravy
  • Peanut butter in refried beans and enchilada sauce
  • Peanut butter in banana pudding
  • Soybeans in mock caviar
  • Soy in vodka
  • Milk in chicken salad (yogurt or sour cream used as a binder rather than mayonnaise)
  • Milk in Asian salad dressings
  • Wheat in marinara sauces
  • Wheat and eggs in ice cream
  • Wheat and eggs in imitation crabmeat
  • Eggs, wheat, and milk in meatballs
  • Eggs in baked pastries (egg whites used to brush the tops of pastries before baking)
  • Eggs in soup stock
  • Fish, eggs, and wheat in meatloaf
  • Fish in salad dressing
  • Shellfish in stuffing

With education and vigilance, everyone with food allergies can have a safe meal during the holidays and every day. Happy Thanksgiving!

Did You Know?

Stuffing can contain various food allergens, and the proteins can be absorbed into the meat during cooking. Ask questions about stuffing ingredients, and if you are able to plan in advance, make arrangements with your host to cook the stuffing separately from the turkey.

For an allergy-friendly stuffing recipe, visit our recipe database.