Summer Rules
By Pam, age 21. Allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, and soy.
Ocean breeze, hot sun, and my tanned toes tickling the sand are the thoughts that pop into my mind when someone says “summer.” Oh yeah, and food. Oops, and food allergies. But I’m not worried about starving on vacation. Why? Because it’s just like eating at home, and better … if your vacations are anything like mine.
For the past couple of years, my family and I, along with a few other families, have traveled to a gorgeous mansion on a South Carolina beach.
- Each family chips in money to stock the kitchen, which means I am able to label food with my initials so no one else can eat my food – that is a good part of food allergies!
- All of the moms decide on one or two dessert trays to make for snacks, and usually each of the moms makes a treat that I can eat. That gives me about four to five choices of yummy junk food!
- We have themed dinners that we plan months before we go to the beach so that my mom and I have time to gather safe ingredients.
- My neighbor is a chef, and he loves being in the kitchen or at the grill, cooking something that I can enjoy. Talk about being spoiled: I get a personal chef for a week. I am so thankful!
- When everyone goes out to eat at seafood buffets, my mom and I (and sometimes others) go out to eat at a local restaurant that we know is safe.
- Before we leave, I go online and look up all of the restaurants in the area and print out menus and ingredient listings. I also call all of the restaurants so I can make a list of “yes” restaurants and “no” restaurants.
I might be sweating on the beach, but I’m not sweating about what to eat. The hospital is not on my vacation itinerary. Just simple planning and organization are the keys to my safe and happy trip. “Look it up, plan it out, and label it” are my golden rules to life. Thinking ahead is so much easier than making last-minute decisions.
