Please click here to find food allergy friendly restaurants by location.
Happy traveling!
Ann
Find Food Allergy Friendly Restaurants By Location
October 27th, 2009Searching for Food Allergy Friendly Restaurants near San Francisco, CA
October 10th, 2009Calling all food allergy peeps near San Francisco. Hope to be heading out that way the third week of October. Does anyone have any food allergy friendly restaurant suggestions near:
Point Reyes Beach in Inverness, CA
SFO in South San Francisco, CA
Fremont, CA
Thanks in advance!
Ann
Is Starbucks Really a Food Allergy Friendly Restaurant?
September 29th, 2009Whenever I travel, or wherever I travel, I have noticed that I am not the only one on the planet who loves an occasional burst of caffeine. There’s something about holding that hot cup of coffee in the a.m. that gives me the warm and fuzzies.
Yesterday I had an inquiry regarding the ability of Starbucks to safely accommodate individuals with food allergies. So, after dinner, I started to dig. I went to www.Starbucks.com looking for nutrition information. About 15 minutes into my exploration, I called 1-800-23LATTE to talk to customer support. An extremely friendly Starbuck’s representative answered my questions and helped me navigate deeper into their website. The site is nicely designed by location, lists each food and beverage item, and displays whether or not it allegedly contains any of the major food allergens.
It turns out that the food allergy friendly status of one’s local Starbucks is influenced by geographical region and the local suppliers that provide items to the store. Ok, makes sense to me. I was advised to talk to my local Starbucks manager to get more details. He/she should be willing to call the production facilities. Before I hopped in the car, I spent more time on their website searching for edibles that my own son might be able to eat. I concentrated my search on pre-packaged items that might be stocked in the cooler since the customer support representative repeatedly used the phrase “we cannot guarantee no cross-contamination due to the open air environment” in their stores and their lack of details from their manufacturers.
Driving down the street, I was cautiously enthusiastic that my own son might be able to order that same Perfect Oatmeal that I personally enjoy when I travel. The website showed it as being free of milk, egg, and nuts. Not so fast missy!
In my local Starbucks, of Suburban, America, I was greeted by a very friendly young woman who was eager to help me find and read ingredient labels. In the cooler, the packaged fruit looked mouth watering, but there was no clarity on possible cross-contamination and we couldn’t find the manufacturer’s identification anywhere on the original shipping box. Another trip back to talk to the manager might reveal more information.
The oatmeal was a huge disappointment. The fine print revealed that it is manufactured in a facility that processes tree nuts and a few other things. How can Starbucks post on their website that it’s free of nuts when there’s a warning on the package about possible cross-contamination. I’m sorry but you landed yourself a position on my personal “doesn’t ‘get it’ list”.
There are a few bottled drinks from Odwalla, Tazo, and Naked in the cooler that appear well labeled. And sometimes, some Starbucks have fresh bananas still in the peel that might be ok from some of us.
On the way home I ranted about how mislead I felt by their website and how they would be hearing from me, as soon as I get some free time, regarding their lack of sensitivity to the community of families with food allergies. Meanwhile, they probably won’t be hearing from some of the wallets of the 12 million or so individuals who have food allergies and would like to eat there, but can’t because the menu is like a minefield.
Dear Starbucks,
Have you closed any stores lately? Would you like to increase your sales? Do you want more revenue? Well, there are 12 million of us, and our family members, who are hungry, with money in our wallets, who would like to stop in. But you have to make the first move.
Sincerely,
Ann@FoodAllergiesToGo.com
Searching for Food Allergy Friendly Restaurants Near Nashville, TN and The Smoky Mountains
September 13th, 2009I will be visiting Nashville, TN and the Smoky Mountain area next week, so I’m looking for suggestions regarding food allergy friendly restaurants.
I’m leaving my ex-football player husband in-charge, working out of the house, so theft is the least of my worries!
I greatly appreciate food allergy friendly restaurant suggestions near:
Mammoth Cave, KY (Mammoth Cave National Park)
Franklin, TN
Nashville, TN (downtown, Grand Ole Opry (please let Trace Adkins know I need tix:) ))
Alcoa, TN (near the Knoxville airport)
Gatlinburg, TN (Cades Cove, New Found Gap Rd., Clingman’s Dome)
Cherokee, NC
Asheville, NC (Biltmore House)
Atlanta, GA
Thanks in advance,
Ann
Food Allergy Friendly: University of Florida, Royal Caribbean Cruise, Outback Steakhouse and Italy
August 28th, 2009This review was contributed by Linda.
My daughter is now a 20 year old junior at the University of Florida. She is allergic to milk and eggs. She has outgrown several other food allergies. We recently came back from a cruise on a Royal Caribbean ship where she ate like a princess! The head waiter and chef worked together to prepare her excellent meals with no problems. They would show us the menu the evening before and she would make her selections. Also we tend to eat at Outback Steakhouses when traveling. They have been very accomodating and kind. Our best experience ever was actually traveling through Italy. The restaurants there were very knowledgable about food allergies and what ingredients were in their foods. Again, she ate very well throughout the country. But a key was having the information translated into Italian. I appreciate your website and wish I had found it sooner!
Anaphylaxis is Real!
August 11th, 2009Ran into a friend this morning who told me a frightening story. Her six year old nephew, who has a diagnosed peanut allergy, almost lost his life to a brush with a hazelnut last week.
She was not with them in Germany on vacation when it happened. Fortunately, the boy’s dad is fluent in German, so was able to get medical assistance when the allergic reaction blind sided them. As the story was told, the family was walking down the street, when the child’s lips began to swell, tongue began to enlarge and his throat began to tighten. The first responders gave him Benadryl, followed by an Epi shot at the hospital which saved his life. My friend firmly believes they would have lost him, had his dad not been able to speak German fluently.
All this stress and commotion was caused by a hazelnut that was not even consumed. The boy had simply touched it to his lips.
Please let this serve as a reminder to all of us that seconds do matter, and Epi-pens really do save lives.
So, Bud, please continue to carry your Epi and wear your neck chain wherever you go.
Love, Mom
Today, Food Allergies Made My Day!
April 27th, 2009At 5:30 I threw my hands up in the air and decided to head to the gym. Today was one of those days where I seemed to be working really hard yet nothing seemed to be getting done. After numerous interruptions and multiple hours of filling out insurance forms, I had been fighting with my scanner software for over an hour. I was up to my eyeballs in frustration when I headed out the door.
The workout took the edge off, but I didn’t find true happiness until I ran into a couple I met 17 years ago via my sons kindergarten class out in the parking lot on the way back to my car. We exchanged stories about our kids and chatted about this website. As I strolled back to the car, I smiled at the thought of how many great people I got to know along the way as a result of our family’s food allergy journey.
Without food allergies, I don’t know if it would have crossed my mind to volunteer as much as I did. I’ve always been a busy person and before giving birth I had some big plans in place for the day the last one headed off to kindergarten. But as food allergies would have it, I decided to get involved and venture down the volunteer path. I met lots of terrific moms, dads, teachers, students, school administrators, athletes, grandparents, janitors, musicians, soccer coaches, referees, basketball coaches, politicians, neighbors, friends of friends, good doctors, not so good doctors, nurses, restauranteers, volunteers, grocery store managers, pharmacy technicians and of course more kids. Food allergies incented me to get involved in my community and to know who my sons were with at many stages along the way. And I wouldn’t want to trade in those experiences and friendships.
When I sat through each of my sons’ graduations, my heart was happy because I knew so many of the kids in their respective classes of 250+ students. From computer lab mom, to soccer coach, to basketball score keeper, to rock and roll band driver, I had the opportunity to meet the people influencing the lives of my children. And for that, I am grateful. Thank you food allergies!
Ann
Love is a Food Allergy Friendly Dad
April 8th, 2009Love is a food allergy friendly dad.
He is a man who learns to cook because his sons love to eat.
He is a man who frequents the grocery store in search of new allergy friendly foods.
He is a man who encourages a kitchen remodel because he realizes the benefits of double ovens.
He is a man who watches Sunday football while he prepares the weekly feast.
He is a man who learns to drink his coffee black so his toddler won’t accidentally get into the milk.
He is a man who remembers to order the Divvies chocolates before every holiday.
He is a man who shops for food allergy friendly marshmallow chicks to put in the Easter baskets.
He is a man who uses several vacation days to help clean the first college apartment.
He is a man who surfs the internet in search of food allergy friendly restaurants.
He is a man who reads the food allergy newsletter before opening the sports page.
He is a man who watches cooking shows for new food allergy friendly ideas.
He is a man who owns a recipe box.
He is a man who’s not afraid to learn from his mother in-law who happens to be a great cook.
Yes, he played football in college.
Yes, he’s had concussions and broken bones.
Yes, he plays rough and might be a party to some of those stitches.
Yes, he coached his sons’ basketball teams.
Yes, he used to spend his weekends perfecting his golf swing.
Yes, he would stand in front of a moving train to save his children.
Yes, he realizes that life is not just about him.
No, you should not cross him regarding his family.
Love is a food allergy friendly dad.
From my heart, Ann
