Dining out is meant to be enjoyable, but for families with food allergies, it can be very stressful. I know this too well! First, you must choose the right restaurant, then ask the server to communicate the allergy information to the kitchen, and finally, you must trust the kitchen staff to safely prepare the food, allergen-free. The good news is that dining out with food allergies has gotten a little easier thanks to the people at FARE- Food Allergy Research & Education and the launch of SafeFARE, a national public awareness campaign to help make dining out safer for individuals with food allergies. Check out the website with helpful resources like a list of questions to use when calling a restaurant ahead of time and a chef card to present to the restaurant when you arrive. Those are just two of the resources available from SafeFARE to help make eating out enjoyable for ALL!
SafeFARE is also establishing a restaurant database and will provide online training for participating restaurants. Help spread the word! Encourage your favorite restaurant to sign up for an allergen training course and be listed in the SafeFARE database.