When I was younger, I had a lot of anxiety around going out to eat with food allergies. I was always worried that the waiter would forget to double check on an ingredient, or that cross contamination might happen in the kitchen. I struggled with feeling overwhelmed and out of control, and would even get nervous eating the food my own parents cooked for me.
Now that I am older, I have learned to better manage my food allergy anxiety, partly thanks to teaching myself how to cook. Learning the standard ingredients in a variety of dishes helped me to become more knowledgeable for when I go out to eat, so that I am not forced to rely on a waiter who might not understand my allergies very well.
I’m currently collaborating with some food allergy doctors at a local hospital to create pamphlets with tips for teens struggling with food allergy anxiety. I’d love to gain insight into other people’s stories about food allergy anxiety, so please respond to this post with any advice you would suggest I include in my pamphlet!