Cooking a meal for allergic individuals
September 11, 2009
Cooking a meal for a friend or relative could become a real drama when one of your guests has strong food allergies. What should you do to be prepare for cooking and serving a safe meal for this special guest without ending your evening at the emergency room?
Being anaphylaxis to peanut and nuts, I know that going to a friend's house can be sometimes a stressful situation if the host is not familiar with food allergies. Every time I receive a dinner invitation, I make sure to provide a complete list of ingredients or safe aliments which I can eat, and I suggest some secure cuisines, brands and products to use for cooking a meal free of allergen. This way, I avoid any confusion or problem for the host and I make sure that I will be able to eat the same courses than the others guests.
Always remember to keep it simple. Cooking with fresh aliments and ingredients from local market can facilitate the preparation of a safe meal for a person with severe food allergies. At the supermarket, read the label on each product and avoid buying any product marked with allergy notices such as ‘may contain traces of'. Make sure to use clean tablecloths, kitchen utensils, pans, containers and chopping boards so there is no cross-contamination between your kitchen tools and the previous meal which may have been in contact with allergens. Wash all surfaces (table, counter, sink area, etc.) before to start handling the aliments and ensure to keep the recipe away from any other ingredients which may contains traces of allergens. Always be extremely cautious about handling other aliments during the food preparation of a recipe for a person with food allergies, because cross-contamination could happen between your recipe and other ingredients handled during the preparation.
To make sure that your meal is successful and the evening does not end tragically at the emergency room, it is always best to be prepared. Do not forget to thank the host for their kind gesture and efforts! They will appreciate that special moment and may offer you to repeat the experience another time just for your benefit.
If you need any inspiration to plan a meal for a friend or family member with food allergies, look up at our safe and yummy recipes section and remember to share your comments about your experiences of cooking with precautions. Please do not hesitate to share with us your allergen free recipes and we will be delightful to add them to your recipes page to inspire others.