Living with Allergies at Christmas

For people living with allergies, Christmas can bring extra challenges alongside the celebrations. We’ve pulled together some resources to help support friends, family, young and not so young. This Christmas, give the gift of allergy awareness.

We asked our community about inclusivity at Christmas and they gave us some really useful ideas:

• If possible, try to make everyone’s food without the allergen your guest is allergic to. Then the person with a food allergy doesn’t feel like the odd one out – there are some fantastic alternatives available that still make for tasty treats! Being inclusive means trying to make all the food available for everyone, rather than just one allergen-free option, as far as possible.
• Always be kind, try not to make anyone feel like they are the cause of inconvenience.
• Keep the labels from pre-made/shop bought foods so that your guest can make an informed decision about what they can eat.
• Remember that people can be allergic to more than one food and/or substance, so make sure you ask in advance.
• If you’re worried about checking food labels, then ask your guest with the allergy to double check, they won’t mind.
• If you’re worried about cross-contamination, try to steam clean your kitchen before preparing the food.
• Have fun and be creative. If someone is allergic to milk, it doesn’t mean they need a fruit salad – there’s so much choice for people with food allergy.
• And finally, just ask. The parent or guest with allergy is usually a pro, they will be happy to help and grateful for your consideration and your efforts to keep them included and safe.

Be kind, be safe and be merry.