Through my years of eating foods that have been adapted to my food restrictions I have found some interesting ways to make things taste flavorful and like the original:
- Find an almond butter that you like and substitute it for peanut butter.
- Many fried foods include corn starch so making your own is best and if not an option most ingredient lists are sorted by ratios.
- Having a list of snacks that are allergen free is a must.
- Knowing what should be in a recipe can help you choose what to eat when eating out.
- Learning how foods are preserved can help explain reactions.
- There are many more sweets out there that are not filled with peanut butter.
While this is not an all-encompassing list this is something that I wish I had known when I started reacting to foods. I had lived off peanut butter sandwiches for lunch most of my childhood so when I had to cut out peanut butter, it was a rough transition. This was one of the worst, as my allergy slowly progressed, the number of foods that I liked that included peanut butter felt like it was never ending. So, when I found an almond butter to replace it? I was so excited. Almond butter can be tricky with peanut allergies as they tend to be processed in the same facilities. Then on top of having to find one that isn’t risky, finding one that is good seemed impossible, but it was and then I could go back to eating “peanut butter” sandwiches. While peanuts are very clearly labeled one that is not is corn. Corn is seemingly in everything, most coffee flavorings, most candies, and a lot of breading has corn or its products in it. Some preservatives are even made with corn. This is a frustrating one, as it can be on many fruits and vegetables, leading to the question of am I allergic to this food or does it have corn? I have found that fruits and vegetables that can withstand scrubbing to get any type of residue off can help make this easier to figure out. Others that are too delicate can be cooked and this works with both the corn and oral allergy syndrome, as even just microwaving foods for a few seconds can break down the proteins in the food that causes the reaction. While this list is something not everyone can or should do, this is something that makes my life easier as someone who is currently eating out of dining halls and a mini fridge.