October through December is probably the most dangerous time of the year for potential allergic reactions. With Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and a host of other holidays that are celebrated in these last three months of the year, there are lots of foods and sweets without labels floating around, and you can find yourself indulging in a host of contaminants without realizing. There are several common food allergies that people suffer from. Whether your allergies are mild or anaphylactic, there is always risk for running into allergens when encountering food and goodies during the fall and holiday seasons.
But you can still participate in some season-specific foods and treats while also managing your allergies.
Here are some of the ways:
- Pumpkin-Spiced Everything
Seems like in the last few years, pumpkin spice has found its way into every conceivable fall treat, including its originator: the pumpkin spice latte. It’s hard not to want to try every new thing that is pumpkin spice flavor, but indulging fully in the craze can lead to a lot of pain.
Take part in the pumpkin spice craze by making your own pumpkin spice to add to your own daily creations. You can look up a pumpkin spice recipe to check and limit ingredients that might cause you problems, and then go to town adding it to your daily favorites.
If you’re lactose intolerant and want add some tantalizing taste to an otherwise bland shake try adding some organic pumpkin spice to your favorite vanilla dairy-free protein shakes with organic almond milk or your own homemade almond milk. This will add a hint of Fall goodness for anytime of the day but is really good for your after a good workout.
It’s also easy to make your own pumpkin spice latte every day by heating up some almond milk with a generous dose of the organic spice mixture, and adding it to your morning cup of coffee.
Holiday Parties
Not only are you worrying about your allergies and those of your family members, but anyone you will be celebrating with this year. Every holiday is accompanied by handful of parties, and many of those you are likely to be making food to take, and risking food to eat.
One useful aspect of modern parties is the Facebook invitation. This is a great place to be able to ask everyone about their allergies and to state yours. By doing this, you can do your best to make a dish that everyone can eat, and hope that others offer the same courtesy — or at least let you know that the allergen is present in the food.
Making allergen-free food that everyone can eat — and will also like — can be hard, but luckily many recipes can be adjusted easily. Some recipes might even tell you how to adjust ingredients, like this recipe for peanut butter granola snack bars that is great to make for a kid’s classroom holiday parties; the recipe says to just switch out the peanut butter for sunflower butter, and the almonds for more dried fruit, and you’ve got yourself a classroom and party-safe treat everyone will love.
Along with trying to make allergen-free recipes, also try to choose ingredients that are organic as often as you can. With all the junk and unhealthy food you come across during the holiday season, you can at least ensure that the food you make is responsibly sourced.
Living with allergies can be stressful, but if you are careful and creative, you can still enjoy this time of year without missing out on too much.
What are some of your coping skills for the holiday season?
Let us know in the comments!
