You did it. You had a food-allergy-safe holiday season by resisting delicious-looking dinners and treats at party after party. And after you escaped New Year’s Eve festivities unscathed, you thought you were home free.
But then you opened that invitation for the playoff party your neighbor is throwing next week… and you’ve received three invites for Super Bowl parties...(sigh)... What’s a food-allergy-suffering football lover to do?
Yes, sports season, with its tempting array of finger foods, dips, and homemade desserts can be a stressful time for food allergy sufferers. But according to Terry Traub, author of the new book Food to Some, Poison to Others: The Food Allergy Detection Program (Frederick Fell Publishers, July 2008, ISBN: 978-0-8839117-1-6, $14.95), it doesn’t have to be that way.
“When you suffer from a food allergy, it can be a daunting task to enjoy yourself while trying to analyze every bite that goes in your mouth,” says Traub. “The trick is to find recipes that are safe and enjoyable for everyone at the party. Having an arsenal of go-to recipes for allergy-free party food is key to hosting and attending all of the sports season celebrations.”
Traub speaks from personal experience. A dental hygienist and the mother of two sons with Celiac Disease (gluten intolerance) and one with lactose intolerance, she wrote her book and created her website—www.eattobeallergyfree.com—to help families and individuals who struggle with food allergies.
The first step, of course, is getting educated. Traub’s book helps people to figure out what’s causing their distressing symptoms—food allergies can take the form of runny nose, coughing, asthma, itchy throat, diarrhea, abdominal pain, excessive sweating, mucus in the chest, eczema, constipation, and/or vomiting—and provides a wealth of recipes, pantry lists, and menus to combat the condition.
But back to the impending Super Bowl party…what can you do to enjoy the football festivities without risking your health? As a food allergy sufferer, you may be tempted to volunteer to host all of the events in order to make sure the food is safe for you and relieve the anxiety you might feel. And, indeed, she offers a wealth of recipes for delicious allergy-free party foods for you to choose from.
“You can create an entire menu of allergy-free goodies for any party occasion,” says Traub. “All it takes is a little planning and knowing where to get the right ingredients.”
But maybe you don’t feel like having a rowdy crowd at your house… and Traub says you shouldn’t feel obligated. Offer to bring a few dishes to someone else’s party instead.
“Everyone has been a host or hostess at some point,” she points out, “and you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who’s ever been upset that a guest has volunteered to help with the food-prep workload.”
If you’re worried that the other (non-allergic) guests will find your snacks off-putting in some way, relax. With the right recipes, much like the ones Traub has devised herself, the other guests will never know the food you brought is any different.
“Just because food is allergy-free doesn’t mean it has to be unappealing,” she says. “You can enjoy the game with the rest of the guests and not have to worry about depriving yourself or being sick later. And your friends will savor the snacks you bring, too.
“People who read my book and website tell me that it’s nice to know that food allergy sufferers don’t have to skip out on parties or draw attention to themselves or miserably munch on carrots while everyone else is chowing down,” adds Traub.
“You can enjoy sports season and all its milestones just like everyone else.”
SUSSEX COUNTY —
