When you know that a guest has allergies, you don't always know how to ensure their safety. Here are some tips to help you cook the right dishes.
Understanding Labels and Ingredients
For allergy sufferers, of course, but for those who only see them occasionally, the reflex to read labels is not acquired. It is very important to read them when we know that an allergic person will come to eat with us. It is also important to take them seriously, even when they only talk about “containing traces”. Indeed, as the notion of traces is not really regulated, the traces in question can vary greatly, ranging from a section of the plant where allergens are transformed to the absence of regulations regarding employee lunches, in through the presence of allergens on the products.
Discard “contaminated” products
If you have a habit of adding peanut butter to your jam toast, for example, you will need to put the jam aside when a allergic family member with peanuts will come to your home. Regardless of the allergy, it will also be necessaryRemember to thoroughly clean your cutting board, work surfaces and utensils before cooking.
Avoid bulk foods
When looking for good ingredients, you quickly find yourself in front of fresh bulk foods. If your recipe contains olives, bread, or other foods that may have come into contact with the offending allergen, you'll have to fall back on factory-packaged versions that are certified allergen-free. The chances of another person moving the tongs and food from one bin to another are too great.
Beware of sliced food…
Also be careful when buying food sliced by the butcher. If your guest is allergic to dairy products, for example, and the slice was used to cut mortadella or cheese before slicing your turkey, your food will be allergenic through cross-contamination.
Prepare recipes ahead
Ideally, you should look for recipes that can be prepared a few days in advance. By having time to prep before there are guests in your home, you are less likely to contaminate your food or someone else.
Serve in mason jars
After having made every effort to prevent your Holiday meal from being contaminated by food, it would no longer be missing that they are contaminated by dust fromflours, dairy products or nut powders. To prevent this from happening, you can set aside part of the fridge and pack individual servings in sealed mason jars. When it's time to serve, just remove the lid!
Once at the table
Once at the table, allergy sufferers may be exposed to certain allergens, even if they are not directly on their plate. To avoid accidents, especially with young children, place foods they shouldn't eat at the other end of the table or on a counter they don't have access to.
Buy an EpiPen?
Even if the allergic person you receive has their EpiPen, you might consider getting one just in case, which can be kept in reserve for others occasions. It's a bit pricey (a non-prescription EpiPen costs just over $100), but an anaphylactic crisis happens so quickly and events happen so quickly, that you'll be glad you have one handy. hand if one of your guests needs it one of these days.
