For the 33 million Americans who manage any of the nine most common food allergies—including milk, egg, tree nut, wheat, soy, sesame, and different types of fish—traveling safely can be difficult, but it is possible. easier.
In the air, where carriers say they can’t guarantee nut-free flights, the newly enacted Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization law will, within the next two years, add epinephrine injectors to planes and provide additional medical training to crew members.
On the ground, hotels and restaurants are also adapting meals, providing menus with allergen symbols, enhancing staff training and implementing better food handling procedures.
However, it is important to speak up for yourself. As a gluten intolerant person and parent of a child with a severe peanut allergy, I have learned simple and effective ways to eat safely and reduce the risk of a reaction while away from home.
Pack to protect yourself
Consider packing allergy-friendly snacks for your travels. Some of the trusted peanut, tree nut, gluten and dairy free brands are MadeGood, Goodie Girl, Enjoy Life and Simple Mills. These portable products include snack chips and granola bars. For travel within the United States, you can also store fresh fruit in resealable bags with reusable ice packs, which are allowed in carry-on luggage, but the ice packs must be placed with other liquids when going through security.
If you’re traveling with an epinephrine injector, place a tracker like an Apple AirTag or Tile in its case and place it in your carry-on. Then set an alert to alert you if you forget it at home or misplace it during your travels so you never have it. The Transportation Security Administration limits passengers to two injectors, which must be kept in the original container with a prominent prescription label.
The Food and Drug Administration also recommends packing cleaning wipes. Unlike hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes can remove up to 99 percent of allergens, including peanut residue, from surfaces. This can help protect you from cross contamination. Be sure to wash your hands afterward to avoid direct contact.
Tell your hotel what you need
The Americans with Disabilities Act helps protect people with food allergies by giving them the right to request necessary changes to hotel policies or conditions that put them at a disadvantage. However, hotels and rental properties cannot always guarantee allergy-friendly accommodations. When booking, prioritize establishments that are highly rated by other travelers with food sensitivities on online tools like the Spokin app and blog. The service allows you to search hotel and restaurant reviews for specific allergies. Walt Disney Resorts, Hilton, Marriott, Fairmont, Kimpton, and the Four Seasons are some highly rated global hotel chains. In addition, all Kimpton hotels around the world offer a Forgotten? The We’ve Got It program, which supplies allergy-free toiletries and snacks.
Most hotel booking apps allow you to narrow your search to rooms with kitchens if you prefer the control that comes with preparing your own meals. If you cannot book a room with a kitchen, you may be able to ask reception for a microwave and mini fridge to store and reheat your meals. When booking, personalize your profile with details of your dietary sensitivities and confirm with managers on arrival. Be sure to ask them to inform their staff as well.
Airbnb and Vrbo properties usually come with a full kitchen, but remember to wash cookware and service items in hot, soapy water before use to reduce the risk of contamination.
Allergic skies fly away
The Air Carrier Access Act, like the ADA, protects airline passengers with food sensitivities by allowing early boarding for travelers to clean seats and other surfaces. Although many airlines currently do not serve peanuts, a common allergen, there is no guarantee that in-flight snacks do not contain traces of peanuts, which could cause a reaction. Some flights have designated areas called buffer zones where peanut products are not served or eaten by passengers. Contact the airline before booking to find out the specifics of your flight.
At the airport, Spokin can help locate suitable meal options in 80 countries. You can filter by your specific dietary restriction and view thousands of user reviews for each establishment. The FindMeGlutenFree app searches airports around the world for celiac-friendly options.
Talk to the chef
It seems simple, but filtering a Google Maps search with the keywords “specialty shopping” can reveal a world of allergy-friendly options as well as helpful reviews. Organic markets or health food stores are often good alternatives for people with food intolerances.
If you plan to eat out, platforms like OpenTable allow you to directly request accommodations in 80 countries. The AllergyEats app allows you to search for restaurants with dietary restrictions by state, but is only available in the United States.
For international destinations, consider carrying a downloadable chef card from the nonprofit group Food Allergy Research & Education to convey, in any of the 10 languages other than English offered on its website, which foods to to avoid being served by a restaurant. The iTranslate app can translate from a photo of a menu or a sign to help you convey your needs to the restaurant staff.
For US getaways, when possible, choose off-peak times to eat—usually between 2 and 4 p.m., compared to the lunch or dinner rush. At those times, the chef is more likely to be able to speak with you about special meal requests. Also, without orders piling up, kitchen staff can reduce the risk of cross-contamination by spending more time carefully preparing your meal.
Lisa McCarty is an author and women’s health advocate. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
For more travel tips, visit our collection of Travel 101 tips and hacks.
