Four Day Trip from TX to Eat With Us!

We are always so honored when we meet people who come a very long way to eat here. Quite frankly, we have the nicest customers!  This weekend we had a wonderful couple visit from Fort Worth, TX. I was able to talk with Aldon and Ashley and I loved their story so much, I thought I would share it with all of you!

Aldon is a Firefighter and Ashley is a massage therapist. They were talking about what they should do for their eleven year wedding anniversary.  Ashley said “let’s go somewhere where I can eat, find a peanut free and gluten free bakery to go to”. (Ashley has a lifelong severe Peanut Allergy and a pretty severe gluten intolerance) She added; “Aldon is in denial about his gluten issues!”

Well, Aldon took it to heart and started researching. He found us through the Gluten Free Passport Website (Click Here). He was thrilled when he learned that we had a bakery and a cafe and they could actually eat meals and not just live on sweets for 4 days!  He arranged for his parents to watch their two daughters, one with a severe Peanut Allergy and one with severe gluten intolerance.

Aldon really wanted to surprise Ashley so when she was inquiring, he told her they were going to Boston to visit a GF/PF Bakery. Meanwhile, the plans were in the works. He booked reservations at the Wayside Inn (click here)  located in Columbia, MD.  The Wayside is a great place to stay because the owner, David, gets it when it comes to food allergies.  He has a soy allergy and his daughter has Celiac Disease.

When they landed and rented their car and were heading out to eat, they drove here and Ashley was beyond thrilled when they walked in and she learned that she could eat everything in the place! They enjoyed pizzas, sandwiches, chicken parm pasta and lots of treats, donuts, cupcakes and more. They also went and saw the sights and enjoyed all that Old Ellicott City (Click Here) has to offer; including the Firehouse Museum dating back to 1889. One day they headed out to Annapolis. We were able to pack them a Turkey Bacon Avocado Club Sub “to travel” for a picnic.

Believe me when I say this, we truly have the best and most generous and welcoming customers! While I was listening to Aldon and Ashley; other customers were hearing them share their story. Eric and Kim sent them over a package of our “thin mint” cookies and Patti sent them over a couple of candy bars.  We treated them each to a dessert for their anniversary as well. I guess you can say that Aldon and Ashley were truly welcomed back to the table!

Aldon has definitely raised the bar for all of the men out there when it comes to anniversary surprises!  Happy Anniversary Aldon and Ashley and thank you for spending so much of your special weekend with us!

Meat Allergy: Shingles and MMR Vaccine Might Trigger Anaphylaxis

Dave Bloom from Snack Safely wrote a great article about the shingles and MMR Vaccine (measles, mumps, ruebella) … if you have an allergy to Beef, Pork, Gelatin or Alpha Gal Allergy, you definitely want to read this information!

Click Here to Read Article

Letter to American Airlines re: Food Allergy Policy

Here at One Dish Cuisine Cafe, Deli and Bakery, we have the most amazing customers! The following letter is from our young customer, Leah, who is a teenager, asking American Airlines to re-think their food allergy policy.  Leah has a peanut allergy and so does her brother. I think you all will beyond impressed with this letter and the research she did in order to write this wonderful letter!

13 March, 2017

Mr. Robert Isom, American Airlines

Dear Mr. Isom,

American Airlines is an amazing machine of prominent leadership, in charge of thousands of people per day. And leaders all over the world should continuously be in tune to human needs and safety, making sure that those they are in charge of are both safe and happy. This includes the 3 million people in the world who suffer from anaphylactic nut allergies, who put their lives and safety into your hands (Idiom?) whenever they fly American. According to Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE), “every 3 minutes, a food allergy reaction sends someone to the emergency room” (Logos). People with food allergies live in fear of this statistic, everyday tasks made tricky. Flying is a whole other story. But American can be the airline allergic people come to, the airline they trust (Anaphora). It is American’s time to step up as a leader in the food allergy community, American’s time to save lives everyday because of positive safety measures installed for food allergies. It is American’s time, Mr. Isom. (Repetition)

Recently, there have been complaints against your airline for mishandling and lack of knowledge regarding food allergies. In a New York Times article, lawyer Mary Vargas (Ethos) states that “when [nut allergic] families request permission to pre board [and wipe their seat free of nut allergens]…they risk being taken off the flight” a negligent mark on American Airlines’ policies (Rabin 2). Not only is this bad publicity for an airline like American, and heartbreaking for those being kicked off the plane, it may be illegal. According to FARE, “American Airlines’ policy is a violation of the Air Carrier Access Act, which provides that no air carrier may discriminate against any…individual with a disability” [Logos/Ethos] (Russell 3). Since food allergies are a fatal disability under the law, American Airlines not allowing passengers to accommodate for their allergies (no “nut buffer zones”, no pre-boarding, etc) is not legal. Should American really be defined by discriminatory policies and illegal actions? (Rhetorical Question) That goes against all the excellent values of quality, dedication, and service that the airline stands for! And everytime American denies a nut allergic passenger the right to fly, or hassles them about a disability they cannot control, they not only lose a customer. They truly hurt someone, or worse, endanger their life.

Food allergies are not only tricky to manage, they are terrifying (Personification). The constant checking of the labels. The knowledge that a peanut butter sandwich is poison (Metaphor). All people with food allergies want is to feel safe, and be treated like any other person. Take it from Roseanne Bloom, a mother who was kicked off an American plane because her two sons had nut allergies. She writes, “several AA employees approached us…and told us we were not able to fly [on American]…your employees were condescending and rude…my boys felt discriminated against and were treated as if they had done something wrong…what had we done wrong?” [Pathos] (Bloom 2). What did they do wrong? (Rhetorical Question) Why should anybody be stopped because of an immune system response they cannot control? Denying nut allergic passengers the right to fly is not the answer to the problem. It hurts more than it benefits. When a young girl flies American and reports “employees were joking about her severe allergies…[being] very rude” it not only reflects negatively on the airline, it makes a disabled person feel terrible about something that they cannot control [Pathos] (Rabin 3). Food allergic people do not deserve to be treated like scum (Simile), or even worse than non allergic counterparts- it’s the opposite. They deserve to be on an airline that takes the time to care about their needs, and ensure they have a safe flight. Just like they would anyone else. Other airlines have already began to find solutions to make sure allergies are not an issue on their flight. American Airlines undoubtedly has the power and standing to follow suit. Will you take this opportunity to help the 15 million in the world with food allergies? (Logos, Rhetorical Question)

Other airlines, such as Delta and JetBlue, have already found solutions (Bandwagon) to protect those with food allergies and help them get where they need to go. In an NY Times article, Sydney Silverman reports an excellent food allergy experience with Delta Airlines- recalling “a flight attendant asking people…‘Is it o.k if I don’t serve you peanuts on the flight?’, and they all said yes” [Dialogue] (Rabin 3). The attendant also made an announcement over the intercom to say they were not serving peanuts because of an on board allergy. No passengers complained or fought the allergy- and the flight went smoothly. Meanwhile, American’s policy says ‘We are not able to provide nut buffer zones, nor are we able to allow passengers to pre board to wipe down seats’. The policy also proclaims that nuts will still be served in the midst of a food allergy. These policies must be changed as food allergies continue to rise, and more allergic passengers look for an airline to protect them in the sky. One may agree with Dr. Andrew Craig of the American Peanut Council, [Ethos] who says that “the evidence about the perceived risks of eating nuts on planes has been presented [as low]” (Craig 2). But one man’s findings do not erase the story of Alisa Gleason, who “went into anaphylactic shock on board a…flight when a woman sitting several rows in front…opened a bag of peanuts” (Wicker 2). Or the story of a young 4 yr old, when “a passenger [despite warnings] sitting several rows away…opened a bag of nuts. The girl stopped breathing but luckily survived” (Wicker 3). Those stories could have gone many different ways. They could have ended in tragedy and loss. Or they could have not happened at all, because an airline took time to secure passenger safety. There could have been buffer zones, stricter warnings for non allergic passengers on board, a no nut flight, etc. (Enumeration) Allergies are on the rise, and sufferers need someone to take the time to care and protect them. It can be you, Mr. Isom. (Direct Address) A little extra time and preparation can save a life. Your motto says you are “The World’s Greatest Flyers.” And if you care about those with food allergies, saving lives and gaining new customers everyday- you truly will be.

I want to thank you for taking the time to read this letter, and hope it inspired an idea of change in American Airline’s policies of dealing with food allergies. A lot of people do not really understand food allergies, or their fatality. But American can be the ones to help them understand, through excellent policies and safety measures. Because while allergic people still struggle to fly safely, the issue of food allergies on planes remains unresolved. American can be the ones to solve it once and for all, providing a safe place for nut allergic customers. The rewards of saving lives of nut-allergic people outweigh the benefits of discriminating against them. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Leah Packer

Works Cited:

Bloom, Roseanne. “American Airlines Nut Policy.” 25 Dec. 2016. Letter.

Craig, Andrew. “Nuts on Planes.” PeanutUSA.com, 2014, http://www.peanutsusa.com/about-peanuts/health-nutrition/186-nuts-on-planes-myths-media-and-facts.html. Accessed 10 Mar. 2017.

Rabin, Roni Caryn. “Travelers With Nut Allergies Clash With Airlines.” NyTimes.com, 26 Jan. 2017, http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/26/well/family/travelers-with-nut-allergies-clash-with-airlines.html. Accessed 6 Mar. 2017.

Russell, Ben. “WATCH LIVE:  Streaming Now: NBC 5 News logo_dfw_2x HomeNews LocalNBC 5 InvestigatesNBC 5 RespondsHealth ConnectionTexas NewsVideo Vault U.S. & WorldWeirdTraffic WeatherSportsEntertainment Few Clouds69° Connect  American Airlines Allergy Policy Discriminates: Complaint.” Nbc.com, 11 Jan. 2017, http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Allergy-Advocates-File-Complaint-Against-American-Airlines-410365005.html. Accessed 7 Mar. 2017.

Wicker, Amy. “Flying with Nut Allergies.” AllergySafeTravel.com, Jan. 2015, allergysafetravel.com/2015/01/flying-with-nut-allergies-a-call-to-action-2/. Accessed 9 Mar. 2017.

A Tribute to Super Hero Moms!

Mother’s Day is here again and it got me thinking about the mothers who are in my life.  The more I thought about it, the more I realized how different the mothers are that come into our cafe, deli & bakery. They are different by necessity. Each year on Mother’s Day we all acknowledge the mothers in our lives but a mother to a child with food allergies, celiac disease or autism is quite different because of the additional burden when it comes to caring for her child. A very big part of this care is safely feeding that child.

If you think about it, most families can go out to eat and celebrate mother’s day and they can go out to eat anytime and anywhere.  If invited to a BBQ; they can go  and relax and eat with friends and family, they can order take out for a quick meal at home, they can go to school or on vacation with no worries when it comes to eating. That is something that the parents who come here with their children are not able to do.

If you know (or are) a mom to a child with Food Allergies, Celiac Disease or Autism, then you know what I am talking about.  If you are not, I would like you to imagine your life and what it would be like if you had to inspect every morsel of food that your child or children ingest because of the fear of behavioral changes, severe sickness or the possible death of your child.

Imagine Yourself in the following situations:

-Your child with autism is not invited to birthday parties. What do you need to do every day to reassure this child that they are truly loved and special?

-Your child is invited to a birthday party and you have to bring every morsel of food with you to make sure that they are safe. You can’t just drop them off and then go out for coffee; you have to watch over them like a hawk to keep them safe from all of the unsafe food around them. What would that be like for you?

-Your family is invited to Christmas or a holiday meal and you still have to make your own safe meal to bring for your child. You never get a break, what would that be like for you?

-Imagine going on vacation and the additional weeks of prior planning required in order to  find stores where you may be able to find safe food and trying to find restaurants that could safely feed your child.  Imagine coming up empty handed and knowing that when you go on that vacation, you will need to drive rather than fly so you can bring all of your coolers full of safe food with you.

-Imagine not being able to eat out on vacation, you have to make every single meal at home. So, basic hotels are out of the question, you must rent a full house with a full kitchen. You never get a true vacation.

-Imagine planning that trip to the beach, renting that ocean front condo and you or your child can never step foot outside or onto that beach because they are selling dry roasted peanuts on the boardwalk right in front of your condo and the sand is littered with peanut shells.  All your child wanted was to go to the beach and you made that happen but your child could only look at that beach through the window!

-Imagine going to a restaurant that says that they can accommodate your child’s allergies and watching them get gravely ill after eating their first bite.  For many this includes administering epinephrine and an ambulance ride to the hospital and a several day stay in that hospital. You then feel guilty for trusting that restaurant or waiter or chef with your child’s life.

-Imagine reading and inspecting every food label, calling food manufacturing companies and being assured the food is safe.  You feed the food to your child and end up calling 911 because it was not safe after all.  How do you forgive yourself when you know it is not your fault, but you are there to protect your child…how do you process this and live with it?

-Imagine sending your child to school and panicking every hour of the day wondering if your child is safe, from food or from bullying; even when they are grown and in college!

-Imagine the hours spent educating family, teachers, nurses and other students at school about the seriousness of food allergies, celiac disease and autism.Or volunteering to mentor parents of those who are newly diagnosed.  Exhausting!  Then you still have to be nice to the doubters or those who don’t care how serious your child’s allergy is. Frustrating!

-Imagine telling  your family about your child’s shellfish allergy and a family member dangles a shrimp in front of the child’s face on Christmas Day.  Do you still talk to that family member?

-Imagine telling your family about your child’s Celiac Disease and they think that it is okay to give them “just a little bit” and they say things like “he/she does not look sick” or “are you sure it was the “gluten” making them sick?” (Like you and your child don’t know when they have ingested gluten…others know when they have a cold, the symptoms are easy to recognize each time you get a cold; the same is true with Celiac Disease and a gluten reaction.)

-Imagine trying to explain to your family or strangers that your child is not being a “brat”; and that he/she has autism and is having a difficult time adjusting to this new environment. Imagine dealing with the disapproving and incriminating stares from strangers and not ever being able to lose your composure.

-Imagine sitting across from your doctor and hearing him tell you that you have breast cancer and your first thought is “OMG, how will I safely feed my food allergic child while going through this?” (You know that well meaning neighbors and friends can’t bring meals that are safe for your child when you are going through chemo.)

These mother’s wear a halo and a cape that is invisible to many, but not to me. I see the invisible super hero emblem that you display proudly each time your child needs to eat. These mother’s are truly super heroes! I am not saying that these mom’s love their child more than other moms; what I am saying is that they spend more time actively loving, worrying and preventing tragedy than the average mother. These mothers and their children truly inspire me and I am thrilled to be able to allow them some time to relax and feel the difference when dining at One Dish Cuisine Cafe, Deli & Bakery. This is why I am committed to opening more safe havens for these children and their parents.

Mother’s Day would not be complete without honoring the other great mothers in my life. My mother-in-law, Pat, raised a wonderful son, David, who is committed to welcoming folks back to the table with me here at One Dish Cuisine.  Pat’s weekly presence and support mean so much to me and I am so grateful to have her love and support and to have her in my life.

Additionally, my daughter-in- laws are wonderful mother’s to my two grandsons! I am so thankful for their monetary sacrifices and the decisions they both made to stay home and be with their child and bringing them to the cafe so I can see them! Truly, incredible.

My ex mother-in-law, Emily, is still a support system to this day! She is still that safe port in the storm for me when I need to talk with someone and she always gives me the courage to stand up and dust myself off and move on when things go wrong. I am so grateful that we have maintained such a wonderful relationship and I have learned so much from her and am happy to still call her my friend.

For my sisters and sister-in-laws; who show their children the love and support that they need; unique to their own circumstances. Each of you inspires me with the challenges that you handle so well each and every day.  Thanks for being great moms and great sisters.

My mother, Vickie, who had seven children in eight years (no twins), buried two of them when they were young and still managed to pick herself up each day and  chose to see the “good” in her situation. Not only has she financially supported One Dish Cuisine but she taught me that loving and giving is the most important thing a person can do on this earth and when you combine that with following your passion; then you will feel complete. It took me quite a few years to get over the self induced “pity party” that I was having about my own situation, but thanks to my mom, I finally saw the light and understood that the food I was making for myself could also serve the needs of others.  I am happy to be able to live with passion, purpose and sleep well at night. I have never worked so hard or so many hours in my life and I don’t have any personal time for friends or family, but my mother taught me that this type of sacrifice is okay; knowing that what I am building here is so important for so many in need. I am so grateful that she taught me not to be afraid of challenges and that faith, love and giving are the most important gifts that I possess and that I have the ability to use these “gifts” every day; these gifts that I have don’t cost me anything when I give freely.  I am thankful for my mother never giving up on me, she is truly my hero.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you great mothers, you all are Super Heroes!

I publish this each year.

 

Our Food Testing Results; How Labs Test Food for Allergens

As many of you know, periodically we send out some of our food to a lab for allergen testing.  Even though our facility is free of allergens, we also count on suppliers to provide us with some ingredients.  Periodically testing our products gives us that extra confidence. (you can see report at the bottom)

This time we tested our Chocolate Cupcakes, “Rye” Bread and a Blue Menu Cheese Pizza. We have the lab test for the following allergens:  Peanut, Almond, Egg, Hazelnut, Total Milk Protein, Casein Protein, Gliadin (Gluten) Walnut, Shellfish (Crustacea), Soy, Sesame, Cashew and Pistachio.

It is important to understand how testing works. The lab has a very specific way of testing food for the presence of allergens.  The results come back in ppm (parts per million).  I am going to make this as simple as possible to understand.   The first thing you need to understand is that zero ppm does not exist; below, I explain why.

When an item is being tested, they assume it is at  0 ppm of the allergen.  They take the sample and inject 2.5 ppm (or some quantity) of the allergen into it. Then they test it to see how many ppm of the allergen it contains.  If it comes back at 2.5ppm, then there is no allergen detected..because they put 2.5ppm of the allergen into the food item. If it comes back at 5ppm. they know it contained 2.5 ppm of the allergen before injecting the allergen into it.  For an item to be called GF it must test less than 20ppm of gluten.

Some companies are certified to 10ppm (GIG), we are certified to 5ppm by the Celiac Support Association.  These companies who give GF Certification require the company to test their products and they charge the company an annual fee to stay in compliance. Companies that do this are those that take it seriously! Remember, the federal law only encourages companies making a GF Claim to test their products..it is not required by the law and the type of testing is not mandated either.  Look for CSA seal or GIG seal to be sure it is GF!

So, when you hear people saying that they want 0 ppm test results; it is just not possible. The test results show what the Detection Limit is (as low as the lab can go at detection) and the Methods they used to test the product.  Usually it ranges between 2.0 and 2.5 ppm. For gluten the testing can only go as low as about 5ppm.

How do I visually understand a Part Per Million?

“If you divide a pie equally into 10 pieces, then each piece would be a part per ten; for example, one-tenth of the total pie. If, instead, you cut this pie into a million pieces, then each piece would be very small and would represent a millionth of the total pie or one part per million of the original pie. If you cut each of these million minute pieces into a thousand little pieces, then each of these new pieces would be one part per billion of the original pie. To give you an idea of how little this would be, a pinch of salt in ten tons of potato chips is also one part (salt) per billion parts (chips).” *SOURCE: Cornell click here for more

When gluten is being tested, it is a little bit different. If they are testing Gliadin; only 50% of gluten is available as gliadin…so to calculate the results you need to multiply the gliadin ppm by 2!  So, if it is 2.5 on gliadin, it would be 5 ppm for gluten.

Testing is not cheap, this round of testing cost several thousand dollars. Here is what our testing results looks like! 

Gluten Free Watchdog

Many customers ask me how I learn about unsafe gluten free items so I decided to share this incredible site with you.  Gluten Free Watchdog randomly purchases and tests products for the presence of gluten.  Every week I get emails from them with test results of the products they have tested.  They test items based on what their subscribers want them to test and they test items randomly as well.

This is how I found out that GF Cheerios were not really GF. (see 2 previous blog posts)  I had heard this from many customers as well..telling me how sick they got when they tried them.  It all made sense when I read GF Watchdog’s report on them and how they are not using certified GF oats and they are not using solid testing methods to test the product.  I also learned about a Teff Flour today that is testing higher than 50ppm and it is Certified GF!

How does this happen?  How do you find out about it?

It is easy, just sign up on their website.  The cost is $5 per month and you get more than what you pay for from this invaluable service.

Click Here to Learn More

Food Allergy Dad Raises Funds for Childrens National Medical Center

 

I’m so excited to support Food Allergy Dad, Mike Monroe, in his 3k Burpee Challenge. Mike always does amazing athletic challenges to raise funds for food allergies.  On Jan 25th, he will complete 3000 “Burpees” in 12 hours or less to raise funds for food allergy research at Children’s National Medical Center (CNMC)! His goal is to raise $50K.  

-Why I support CNMC: We all know the feeling of being in the hospital and there is nothing safe to eat for a person with celiac or food allergies. Well, CNMC actually feeds you safely in-patient and in the cafeteria with our meals! They truly “walk the walk and talk the talk” and they showed it via the action they took 6 years ago when they put One Dish Cuisine’s food in place to meet the needs of the Celiac & Food Allergy Community! I am all about people and organizations who take action…and don’t just give lip service. Words without action are just words and don’t change anything. Actions bring change.

What is a “burpee”? If you are not a fitness enthusiast; you might be wondering.  We have provided a link below so you can see them performed by Mike.  Doing 3,000 of them is quite a challenge!  I always say, stop complaining and do something positive to fight your food allergy, celiac disease or autism.  Mike is a shining example of that.  If you don’t have the time to do actually go out and do something yourself, please consider supporting someone who is able to make the time and effort and raise funds for an important cause.

The link below is a video of Mike talking about this fundraiser and showing you what a burpee is.  click here

He has raised $21k so far! I hope you will consider a donation; click here.

To follow on Mike’s Facebook Page; click here

Visit CNMC’s Donor Drive today!

 

 

Father of 3 Food Allergy Kids Created App to Find Allergy Friendly Restaurants

AllergyEats is the leading web based guide to finding allergy-friendly restaurants nationwide. I had the pleasure of interviewing Paul Antico. He shares why he founded the site and how he handles dining out with three children with multiple different food allergies and how he feels mainstream restaurants respond to food allergic diners.

What inspired you to found the AllergyEats Website?

About 10 years ago, my wife and daughter were out of town, leaving me and my 2 food-allergic boys to enjoy a “guy’s weekend.”  I wasn’t as well-practiced in managing my kids’ food allergies as I am now, though I knew how to protect them (and, of course, how to use an epinephrine auto-injector).  On Saturday night, I took the boys out to eat around 7PM (first mistake – prime time).  We went to one of our “go-to” restaurants, but the wait was 75 minutes, so we moved on.  At our second “go-to,” the wait was about an hour.  Same as our third.  We didn’t want to wait that long anywhere.  Unfortunately, I had run out of “go-to” restaurants and realized that I wasn’t terribly comfortable determining on-the-fly if a restaurant could accommodate our boys or not.  We ended up driving for about 2 hours – the boys crying in the back of the car – until we ended up at a “greasy pizza joint” that had egg-free pasta and could serve both my kids.  But as I was driving, and reflecting on the many times my family has gone an hour or two trying to find a restaurant we’d be comfortable at – be it in a big city like New York or a smaller town like Lack Placid – I kept saying to myself “I wish there was a guide! I wish there was a guide!”  Being in the business world for 15 years, at that point, I realized there was an unmet need and a market of food-allergic diners and their families that really needed such a guide.  So 2 years later, when I left my job in the financial markets, I decided it was time to start AllergyEats and fill that void.

What allergies do your children have? 

I now have 5 children, 3 of whom have food allergies.  My 19-yo son has had a tree nut allergy his whole life, experiencing 2 anaphylactic events (not including the few we didn’t understand before he was diagnosed – we got lucky!).  My 16-yo daughter has no food allergies.  My 14-yo son currently has allergies to tree nuts and sesame.  He has outgrown eggs entirely – baked and raw – and even outgrew peanuts.  He also has EoE (eosinophilic esophagitis) that reacts to dairy.  My 9-yo son has no food allergies.  And my 7-yo daughter has had an egg allergy her whole life, with – so far – no sign of outgrowing it.

What is the main goal of the AllergyEats website and app?

There are two primary goals of AllergyEats.  The most important, of course, is to provide a valuable tool to the food allergy community that hopefully makes the dining out process easier and more comfortable by providing them with crowd-sourced information showing which restaurants have been better choices than others for food-allergic diners.  The secondary goal is to reward those restaurants that make the effort to properly accommodate our community and thus incent other restaurants to take the appropriate steps themselves.

What is the biggest challenge that you see facing people with food allergies who want to dine out?

The biggest problem is accepting that there is ALWAYS risk – no restaurant is perfect (though One Dish Cuisine may cause me to re-think that) – and making the decision about whether you can accept that or not.  It’s not easy – anaphylaxis can be terrifying, even when you know you have your epinephrine with you.  Of course, you want to minimize your risk by choosing an appropriate allergy-friendly restaurant, which is where the AllergyEats app and website come in.  And, most importantly, YOU have to do your part by: a) never dining out without epinephrine, b) ALWAYS disclosing all your allergies to your server (and possibly the manager or chef), and c) visually inspecting your food as best as possible before eating it.  I’ve found that the “bad events” that happen at restaurants usually involve a breakdown of responsibility by BOTH the restaurant and the diner.  We need to take care of our end of the bargain, so those 3 points above are critical.

Are mainstream restaurants taking food allergies more seriously than they have in the past?

Absolutely.  It’s becoming harder and harder to ignore with so many restaurant diners disclosing food allergies, and even the stingiest of restaurants/chains will eventually understand the spending power of the food allergy community and those they dine with.  I find that smaller, nimble chains seem to be on the front-end of the wave.  Many independents are there too.  The laggards tend to be larger chains, though that is by no means universal.  AllergyEats publishes a list of the Top 10 Allergy-Friendly Restaurants in America each year (coming at the end of February this year), and you can see that there are large chains that do “get it”, though the average score – from AllergyEats users themselves – is generally much higher for the smaller chains.

What are the biggest obstacles a restaurant has to overcome if they want to provide allergen safe meals?

The biggest obstacle is also the simplest – commitment.  It truly is that easy.  Whether the owner of an independent restaurant or the CEO of a chain, that individual’s attitude toward accommodating food-allergic diners will set the tone for all employees.  The training is easy.  The financial burden is minimal.  The disruption to operations in making appropriate changes is almost nil.  So it all comes down to commitment.  Find me an owner who cares about food allergies and I’ll show you an allergy-friendly restaurant.  The reverse is also true.  Find me a CEO who pooh-poohs food allergies and I’ll show you a chain that isn’t safe for our community.

Is there a way for mainstream restaurants to be trained in handling food allergies?

Absolutely.  There are very basic programs online that, while they won’t make a restaurant very allergy-friendly, they will incrementally increase the knowledge of a restaurant’s staff.  But there are also bigger, all-encompassing programs as well for those restaurants that are ready to make the all-in commitment.  The one that is making the most headway is AllerTrain.  AllerTrain does on-site training and well as train-the-trainer programs for larger chains.  They are training restaurants, colleges, entertainment venues, and more.  They do have online modules as well, but the most comprehensive training is provided face-to-face, generally onsite.  Outside of AllerTrain, there are independent trainers as well.  And many restaurants develop their own programs from the knowledge or experience of key employees.

How many times a week do you dine out with your allergic children?

We don’t shy away from dining out.  When we’re home, we usually go out about once every two weeks, though about once each week in the summer.  However, we travel a lot.  We have family in 4 different cities, we like to vacation, and our kids – like so many others – are involved in a ton of activities, some of which have us doing overnight travel.  We also now have to visit our oldest son in college!  When we travel, we eat out most nights.  So I guess my best estimation is that we eat at restaurants probably 50 times a year.  We probably order in another once per week.  And while we certainly have our “go-to” restaurants at home and in some of our destinations, we do like to explore and gain some variety where possible.  So, using AllergyEats of course, we find new favorites as we go.

How do you handle vacations with three of your five children having food allergies?

We’re old pros at this!  After 19 years, we’ve developed a routine.  Really, though, we generally do not have problems dining out.  Using AllergyEats, we do our homework in advance.  Sometimes we have to take a flyer on a restaurant that’s not yet rated on AllergyEats.  Either way, we periodically come across a restaurant that we just don’t feel comfortable can keep our kids safe and we politely leave before ordering.  But that’s rare and we no longer have to search for an hour or two to find a restaurant like we used to.  We find most restaurants want to accommodate our food-allergic kids, so we just have to work with them regarding what they have, what is safe, and how to prepare it safely in the kitchen.  I’m happy to say that in all our years of travel and dining out, “the system” (the dual responsibility of the restaurant and ourselves) has only broken down once, exposing my middle son to dairy.  And the mistake was 100% on our end.  Certainly, other restaurants have made mistakes, but not without either us or them catching the errors in time.  So think about it – our family has had hundreds of meals from restaurants without a single mistake on their part that hasn’t been caught!  Of course, our epinephrine auto-injectors are with us wherever we go and we usually have some basic food like soy nut butter and crackers in our room for a quick, safe snack.

How do you educate schools to keep your children safe?

Fortunately, I haven’t had to be a pro at this.  The primary/middle school my kids have attended from age 3 through 8^th grade, Inly School in Scituate, MA, is extremely allergy-friendly.  They won an award from FAAN (Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network), one of the precursors to FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education), in 2011 for food allergy excellence.  All staff members are diligently trained and the processes and procedures in place are great.  The school has become known for this and actually brings in some students BECAUSE they are so allergy-friendly.  As the kids have moved onto High School and now College, we’ve found that these schools generally have a program and set of rules in place.  They aren’t as safe as Inly School, by any means, so our kids have to be smart about keeping their epinephrine with them, asking the right questions, taking proper precautions – basically, they have to do what they’ve learned and seen my wife and I do for all these years.  And so far, so good.

How do you handle it if there is an accident and one of your children needs to use their Epi-Pen?

Fortunately, in all these years, we have only had 2 incidents that needed an epinephrine injection.  The first was a tricky delayed onset reaction.  I say tricky because our kids react to many of their allergies without anaphylaxis, needing only Benadryl to ultimately feel better.  In this case, my oldest (with a tree nut allergy only) ate a chocolate ball at a nut-free event.  His throat started to itch, as it does when he has non-dangerous oral allergy syndrome from exposure to some fruits, but this one was a little worse.  Regardless, with us thinking the food was nut-free and the signs pointing to OAS, we went with Benadryl.  Unfortunately, the symptoms weren’t improving.  One could definitely say we should’ve used the auto-injector then (if not earlier), but we actually tried another dose of Benadryl.  Same result.  I prepared my son until he eventually made the decision for us.  “Hit me.”  Boom.  Immediately, he felt better.  (Turns out he had a biphasic reaction – a second anaphylactic event in the hospital – so we were very lucky we finally took the appropriate action.)  We believe, by the way, that the chocolate ball was cross-contamination with tree nuts.  A year later, while teaching at a farm camp, this same son thought he might have accidentally ingested something with tree nut residue in it.  He wasn’t sure, but was feeling symptoms.  Realizing how easily and quickly the epinephrine auto-injector worked the last time, he didn’t hesitate to use it himself.  In hindsight, and while we can’t be sure, I don’t think he was having an allergic reaction – I think anxiety symptoms made it hard to tell.  Yet, either way, he did the right thing.  When in doubt, use the epinephrine.  It is generally considered a very benign treatment that can rarely do any harm to you.  And do not wait as long as we did in that first event.  Anaphylaxis can spiral out of control quickly, even if delayed, and getting epinephrine in the body early is critical.

Do you blame yourself when an accident happens? What emotions do you go through?

Of course I do.  Isn’t that true when anything goes wrong with one’s kids?  In fact, forgetting food allergies for a second, I’m constantly wondering how ALL my past and current actions are affecting the lives of my kids.  (I hope that just makes me a good father and not a lunatic!)  However, I understand that I’m human and mistakes happen, so while I feel terrible and guilty, I apologize to my son or daughter and move on.  They understand that these things happen too.  It stinks, but it’s life – and we all need to accept it.

What would be the ideal dining out situation for you and your family and do you ever think you will feel totally comfortable dining anywhere.

Fortunately, we’ve had many, many very comfortable restaurant meals, but that is also a product of our long experience.  We’ve been doing this long enough to know the best questions to ask and to “read” the staff’s responses well (verbal and physical).  In the optimal case, we would find a restaurant known for their ability to accommodate food-allergic diners (yes, you know where we find them), have a conversation with the staff that shows a real proactive zeal for wanting to satisfy us, and have them proactively reaffirm all the steps they took when the bring the meal (separately or clearly marked) to our table.  That all said, we do still have some “on edge” experiences where we believe the restaurant can accommodate us, but we’re not entirely secure with their food allergy knowledge.  In those cases, we usually have to walk through their menu and their process in the kitchen step by step to ensure that – even if they don’t have broad food allergy knowledge – they will be able to make safe meals for our kids.  Our epinephrine is always with us!

Do you think the general public will ever have a thorough understanding and respect for the serious nature of food allergies?

I hope they never have to – because that would mean a cure is found before broad public acceptance has a chance to take place!  But realistically – because unfortunately we have to accept the fact that a cure is nowhere in sight – yes, I do think the general public will eventually have a healthy respect for the seriousness of food allergies, if not a broad understanding.  Let’s face it, most people in their 40’s and younger today probably know someone with food allergies.  And for the younger cohort in particular, once they actually get to know someone with food allergies, they tend to be compassionate and accept the seriousness of food allergies.  Further, recognize the surge in food allergies that has taken place in our kids over the past 20 years.  Logic would suggest that almost all people 20 years old or younger have grown up with or gotten to know friends with food allergies.  Our kids are more accepting than our older generations; thus, I think the trend is our friend and broader acceptance is taking place every day.

What do you see as the biggest obstacle to widespread respect and understanding of food allergies?

Time.  The younger generation gets it, and each day they become a larger part of the population.  The older generations are also coming into contact with food-allergic individuals more and more each day, with many of them accepting it as well.  I’ve seen the acceptance improve dramatically over my family’s 19 year journey.  It will continue.

What advice can you give to parents of a child with newly diagnosed food allergies?

Do your best not to panic by recognizing that millions and millions of parents have been in your shoes.  Yes, this can be terrifying – we all love our kids more than ourselves – and it can feel overwhelming, but as you start this journey you’ll soon learn that it’s manageable, even if not always (or ever!) comfortable.  Each step has it’s challenges – shopping for safe food, eating food made by a family member or friend, dining out, starting your child in school, going on vacation, having your kids eat out with friends, eventually going to college, etc. – but you take each of these steps one at a time.  Support groups like Kids With Food Allergies Foundation (www.kidswithfoodallergies.org) can be a big help in the beginning, as can local support groups, and online forums.  Of course, finding friends and acquaintances who have been down this path can be extremely helpful as well.  Realize too that, as you proceed down this path, you need to teach your kids all along the way, preparing them for their ultimate independence.  Of course, rule #1?  Never find yourself without epinephrine nearby.

What do you see in the future for AllergyEats?

For now, our focus continues to be on attracting new visitors to our app and website, and building our database of ratings.  A lot of people in this world aren’t online raters in general (I’m one of them), but we have to impress upon these individuals that our food allergy community is all in this together and that each new rating someone adds on AllergyEats makes the app and website even more valuable for future food-allergic diners.  (And yes, I AM a rater on AllergyEats, of course.)  Like many other small businesses in the food allergy space, we’re also trying to execute a business model that can generate a profit (or at least breakeven) since we’re not a non-profit and can’t attract grants and funds in the same way.  If we’re successful in doing so, the opportunity for AllergyEats to expand both vertically and horizontally is awesome.  Our platform lends itself to many, many other options.

I am so grateful that Paul has developed this site to help us find allergy friendly dining spots. Please check out the site!  Click Here for AllergyEats website

Food Allergy Support Groups

I am shocked at the number of customers who come into our cafe, deli and bakery who are going it alone when it comes to their or their child’s food allergies.  FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education) has a wealth of information available to you as well as a link to local support groups.  All you have to do is look.  If there is not one in your area, you can start your own. I urge everyone to find the support they need and forge new friendships with people who have the same problems!

Click Here to Find the Support You Need!

Nima Sensor, Sunflower Cafe to Close, New Day GF Hopes to Re-open

This week I tell you all about the new Nima Sensor and how it works.  Three weeks in a row I am having to tell you about gluten-free places closing; The Sunflower Cafe/Bakery in Williampsport, PA will close on October 30, 2016. Lastly, I will share some news about New Day GF hoping to open in a new location!

The Sunflower Cafe/Bakery in Williamsport, PA will close it’s doors. I was informed by one of my facebook followers last week and I immediately went to Sunflower Cafe’s facebook page. I  went to her page and read back about one year; I started crying.  She was very open about her struggles; talking about selling furniture to pay her business loan and trying to do it all by herself because she could not afford to pay help. Wow; she had 5 star ratings.  Let’s look at this situation by looking at the numbers:

Population of Williamsport, PA: 29,349 x 1.3% = 381 Celiacs

-This means every Celiac and their friends/family would need to eat there at least once a week. I know from experience that this did not happen.  Looking at this population statistic, I know it could not work because there are no large cities nearby. I am thankful to Sunflower Cafe & Bakery for being a safe haven for those with Celiac Disease.

Everyone is talking about the new Nima Sensor: Dining out in restaurants full of gluten is a calculated risk that many take way too often and pay the price later. Now you can test your food before you eat it! This is great news if you have Celiac Disease or a Wheat Allergy. Nima Sensor is a portable sensor that tests liquid and solid foods for the presence of gluten (wheat, rye and barley) in about two minutes. Nima hopes to be able to test for top 8 allergens in the future! My thoughts are:

1. If you eat out a lot, you can make sure your food is safe before you eat it.
2. If people detect gluten in their meals it will drive them back to the completely GF places who are doing it right!
3. Cost for the device is $279.00
4. Refill test capsules cost $60.00 for 12 capsules or $5.00 per test.
5. Pretty pricey; add $5.00 to the price of your meal.
6. Your meal is probably cheaper at the dedicated GF place; you don’t need to test it.
7. If you must eat at a regular restaurant; a  $5 test is cheaper than taking days off work.
8. If it detects gluten, the restaurant probably won’t refund your meal; especially if they have a disclaimer on their menu!
9. Level of detection is to 20 ppm (parts per million).
10. I won’t be getting one right now because I am always at One Dish Cuisine!

Click Here to learn more

Go Fund Me Page for New Day GF:  As I told you two weeks ago; this 5 star rated Gluten Free and Peanut Free cafe  was in a small town, too far out from St Louis, MO and had several competitors that had opened up in St Louis.  Last Friday they posted that they identified a new location just outside of St Louis and were awaiting “capital” or financing. It looks like they were not able to obtain financing. A “Go Fund Me” page was posted to their facebook page. They need to raise $300,000 in order to re-open. I hope that they can raise the funds, re-0pen and prosper in the new location.