Your hitting the open road, going on an adventure, blazing a trail and your doing it with food allergies! Good for you, go on and have a wonderful time! I bet your thinking, this lady is crazy! We're not leaving the house, I don't even feel safe taking my child to my In Laws house. It might be a little crazy, but at our house we have wanderlust and no peanut, tree nut or other allergen is going to stop us.
One things for sure, food allergies should not stop you from exploring this beautiful world we live in. Many food allergy families safely travel every day, even internationally. It just takes a little bit more planning but the pay off is so worth it, it means you can relax and enjoy your vacation with your family.
We'll tackle all kinds of travel, from hotel rooms to camp grounds, first class to the back seat. There will be helpful tips, safe places to visit and game plans for how to safely eat when your not at home. We'll talk quick, easy and inexpensive ways to cover your bases and make you feel even more comfortable as your journey ensues.
A popular way for food allergy families to venture out into the world is a "Staycation", close to home, near the places your used to and feel the most comfortable. This is a great option for a quick get away or to ease your family into the way idea of travel and vacations. It can be a short camping trip or a few nights at a hotel. You'll want to plan ahead, call the camp ground manager and ask about how they clean up after guests leave, let them know you have a food allergy kiddos so they understand why your asking. I recommend not going way into the back wilderness, you won't feel safe in the event of an emergency. If your staying in a hotel, call ahead and talk to the manager. They can have housekeeping do a more thorough cleaning of your room. I've heard of many people bringing their own sheets, I can assure you that in ten years of travel I have never packed a sheet set and I've never come across a stray peanut. Search out restaurants and call ahead of time to ask about their food allergy practices. Here on the Oregon coast we have a popular sea food place, there are a number of them along the coast line. Two of them use peanut oil. The others don't.
Taking a plane can require a little more work. You'll want to talk to the manager or disabilities specialist when you make your reservations. Alert them to your child's allergy and find out what their specific policy is. Many airlines will easily not serve or sell peanut products on your flight, they cannot force other passengers to not eat peanut products, you should know that your flight will not be guaranteed peanut free. The airline might also ask you to call 48 hours before your flight to remind them of your requests. Do it! When you get to the airport tell the person checking you in, the person working the ticket counter and the person at the boarding gate. Tell everyone. But do it nicely, really nicely. These folks are helping to keep your child safe. You will be allowed to pre board; use this time to wipe down your seats and tables, the pockets should be off limits to your kiddo, introduce yourself and your food allergic child to the flight crew, it will make it easier for them to protect your child if they know who it is. They will also make an announcement that there is a person onboard with a severe food allergy and they will ask that other passengers refrain from eating peanut snacks.
*the first flight of the day is probably the cleanest
*pack safe foods for your family, no liquids though, plan on purchasing them at the airport
*some bring a crib sheet to cover their child's seat, I never have, we've always been fine
*pack safe snacks to give to passengers around you that might have purchased a peanut treat
*introduce your child to the people around you, it may make them more sympathetic and more willing to not consume peanuts
*bring Clorox wipes, they're good for cleaning just about anything
*put for food allergy child in the center or window seat to avoid contact with those walking down the isles
*don't take the free pretzels or snack mix, even if it's peanut free it's probably cross contaminated
*pack extra epinephrine, a plane will land for an emergency, but you need enough to keep your kiddo alive until it can land safely. We pack 6 to 8 sets of epi-pens or auvi-q.
When your plane lands, thank the people that kept your family safe. Thank your neighbors, thank your flight crew and hit the internet to thank them again! It will not only feel good, but it will encourage the same thoughtful behavior for the next food allergy family that flies with them.
Trains are very much like airplanes, you'll have a lot of control and more space. You can bring small lunch bag type coolers which make carrying foods easier. Often trains aren't full, so your family may be able to have a rather large section all to yourselves. But again, you will want to talk to the manager when booking your tickets to alert them to your food allergy.
Cruise ships can seem like a food allergy family's nightmare, but you can safely go on cruises and have a wonderful time. Cruise ships have service in the dining room for all three meals, take advantage of it. You'll likely have the same wait staff for lunch and dinner the entire cruise, these people will take good care of your family, they will know your food allergies and alert you to what choices are safe. Tip them well at the end of the cruise. Breakfast is the one meal where you will probably have a different wait staff team, talk to the maître d'. They will also be amazing in helping to keep your family safe. These people are very well trained in customer service, it is their life to help you. Avoid the buffets, no matter how tempting. There are plenty of food options on a cruise ship, you don't need to stand in line with the hungry masses. There is also a Doctor on board, you can arrange to meet them before your ship even leaves port. Cruise ships have air vac facilities, so you can always get off of a plane in a medical emergency. The kids clubs are safe, but I wouldn't leave my kiddos during meal time. No matter how trained those folks are, you want to be in control of meals. Going off shore for excursions is a great way to get a taste of foreign countries, without spending a lot of time there. You can always go back to the ship for meals if you don't feel comfortable eating in the places your visiting.
Some very safe places for families to travel in the US are any Disney park or property, Sea World, Lego Land, most large amusement parks and recreation areas. Outside of the US, many all inclusive resorts are becoming allergy friendly. Europe is very similar to the US in terms of allergy awareness.
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