Living With Food Allergies ... Through the COVID-19 Pandemic
If you asked me six months ago how I would be spending my spring, I would have never guessed I’d be living under quarantine and hiding from a life-threatening virus. But, here we all are.
For those of us living with food allergies, we are used to cooking a lot and dining at home, so not much has changed there. But, on the other hand, everyone else in the world is now a self-proclaimed chef or just panic buying, so many of our usual safe products might not be readily available at our local grocery store.
Following are three ways to cope during this pandemic:
Order directly from the manufacturer
When you find the shelves bare at your local grocery store chain — a common theme these days — turn to online shopping. You can order popular (and some of my favorite) allergy-friendly brands, such as Enjoy Life, Safe + Fair, and Vermont Nut-Free, directly from their website. In a time of uncertainty like this, it’s important to think ahead and also support the small businesses that take care of us.
Use a food delivery app
If you’re not someone who enjoys cooking or you’re tired of trying out new allergy-friendly recipes at home — we all have our moments — utilize UberEATS, Postmates, Caviar, or any other food delivery service in your area. The key is to always detail your food allergies in the notes section of your in-app order. There have been times where I’ve ordered from a restaurant, and they denied my order because they couldn’t guarantee that my meal would be prepared safely. Yes, this is frustrating when you’re hungry and stuck inside your home all day, but it’s better than them ignoring the request and endangering your life. Now that I know the restaurants that can accommodate me, I stick with those for an extra layer of safety.
Check your medications
When the shutdowns started to sweep across the country, one of the first things I did was restock all of my medications — EpiPens, albuterol inhaler, Benadryl, and Allegra. In a time like this, I do not want to need a new set of EpiPens only to discover there’s suddenly a shortage. There would be nothing worse than that.
2020 Quarantine Motto: Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.
