Dining Out with Children

When considering where to eat, think about the venue. Certain types of restaurants are riskier for children with food allergies. Depending on your child's allergies, those could include:

• Buffets: With a wide variety of foods so close to one another and people serving themselves, the risk for accidental exposure and cross-contact is high.
• Bakeries: There is a high risk of cross-contact since many items are made with the top eight allergens. Also, many baked goods are not packaged and may not comply with labeling laws.
• Restaurants that serve pre-made foods: The staff may not have an accurate list of the ingredients in a pre-made item. Because the dishes are not prepared from scratch, you can’t ask the chef to remove the problem ingredient from an item that would otherwise be safe to eat.
• Restaurants that are known to use your allergens in many dishes. For instance, peanuts and other nuts are used frequently in Asian cuisines. In ice cream parlors, shared scoops increase the risk of cross-contact. If you have a fish or shellfish allergy, it’s a good idea to avoid seafood restaurants altogether.

• Ask around. Your allergist and other people who manage food allergies may have recommendations.
• Go online. To see if a particular restaurant may be a good choice, check out their website and review the menu in advance.
• Consider chain restaurants, especially when you’re traveling. Each restaurant is likely to use the same ingredients and prepare foods the same way. And a growing number of them are allergy-aware.
• Ask the caterer. If you plan to attend a catered event, inquire if it’s possible to provide an allergy-friendly meal option.

• Call ahead and ask to speak to a manager. Chef Joel Schaefer has put together some tips and sample questions for calling restaurants.
• Know that timing is everything. Choose a day and time when restaurant kitchens are not as busy. The best time to dine at any restaurant is during the first hour of a service period. The staff is more alert and attentive, and the kitchen is much cleaner. If possible, plan for an early meal.
• Bring a chef card. This wallet-sized card lists your food allergies and states that your food must be cooked in a clean and safe area to avoid cross-contact. FARE has a chef card template available in English and nine foreign languages.
• Be prepared. No matter how carefully you’ve planned or how safe you feel at a particular restaurant, accidents can still happen when you’re dining out. Never leave home without your epinephrine auto-injector and any additional medications your doctor prescribes. Consider wearing your medical identification (e.g., bracelet, other jewelry) as well.

• Talk to everyone. Tell a manager or your waiter about your allergies before you are seated. Present your chef card and ask that it be shown to the chef on duty.
• Ask what is in your dish and how it’s prepared. Make sure your server understands what you are allergic to, and explain that cross-contact must be avoided. Explain what procedures a restaurant should follow to keep your food safe. You may want to speak to the manager and the chef, just to be sure. You can also use a chef card to clearly communicate your allergens.
• Don’t be embarrassed. If the wait staff doesn’t seem to understand your situation, you may blame yourself for not communicating effectively. Always trust your gut and seek out another staff member or manager. Sometimes, the safest choice is to avoid eating, enjoy the company of your friends or family, and find a safe meal somewhere else afterward.
• Give praise. If you have a good experience at a restaurant, tell the staff about it and go back. Reward excellent service and food allergy awareness, and build a relationship.

• Keep it simple. The more complicated questions you have to ask about the items on a menu, the more room for error or misunderstanding. If you aren't confident about an item after discussing it with restaurant staff, don't order it.
• Avoid fried foods. Both the grill and the frying oil are ripe for cross-contact. It’s best to skip fried foods unless you know for sure that they are prepared safely.
• Be especially careful when ordering dessert. These foods are often a source of hidden allergens. Since many restaurants order their desserts from specialty shops, the staff may not be able to provide a complete list of ingredients. If in doubt, wait and have a safe dessert at home.