Three Kid-Approved Allergy-Friendly Recipes | Tips to Prevent Food Allergy Reactions (2024)

DISCLAIMER: This post was developed in sponsored partnership with Pfizer, however, as always, all opinions are genuine.

Medically reviewed by Abbey Sharp, Registered Dietitian (RD), BASc.

I share three kid-approved allergy-friendly recipes and some toptips to help prevent food allergy reactions in you and your kids.

Last month was Food Allergy Awareness Month and for the first time in my life, I was paying attention. While I have been lucky not to be one of the 2.6 million Canadians living with a food allergy, I’m now a mom and one day, I may have a child with a food allergy. The incidence of food allergies is a growing public health issue among Canadian children, with almost 500,000 kids needing to avoid some type of food nationwide.

Since we are kicking off summer and that likely means a lot of casual entertaining, it becomes more important than ever to learn some easy, healthy, allergy-friendly recipes. The other week, I was invited to an allergy-friendly event presented by Food Allergy Canada and Pfizer Canada, and hosted by MasterChef Canada 2017 runner up, Thea Vanherwaarden and NASCAR driver, Alex Tagliani where I got to taste (and even help make) three delicious allergy-friendly recipes. As they both have food allergies, the duo shared some of their top tips to prevent allergic reactions when cooking at home or dining out.

Most Common Food Allergens

While it’s very possible to develop an allergy to almost any food, there are a handful of foods that tend to be the most common.

In Canada, these common food allergens include:

1. Milk
2. Egg
3. Tree Nuts
4. Peanuts
5. Wheat and triticale
6. Mustard
7. Fish
8. Crustaceans and molluscs
9. Soy
10. Sesame

Tips for Preventing Food Allergy Reactions

Here are some of the most important things to remember to help prevent food allergy reactions.

1. Read food labels every time.Even if a food had been “safe” and allergy-friendly in the past, it doesn’t mean the food manufacturers haven’t changed their formulation. Always read the label each and every time you eat a prepared or processed food. If a food doesn’t have a label (and isn’t a whole natural food like a vegetable), then avoid it. In fact, Food Allergy Canada recommends checking a label three times – once before you buy it, once before you put it away at home, and once before you serve it. Buying prepared foods or bulk foods where you cannot guarantee each of the ingredients (or the potential for cross-contamination) is risky. You also will want to avoid food products that have precautionary statements like “made in a facility that also processes nuts/ eggs/ soy etc.” or “may contain”. Again, it’s just not worth taking that risk of cross-contamination. Which brings me to tip number two.
2. Take the threat of cross-contamination seriously. Cross-contamination can occur three different ways. One, with food-to-food where a food allergen may have been touching another food (for example if nuts were on a salad and you removed the nuts). Two, with food-to-object where a food allergen may have touched a cooking utensil or cutting board and then those objects touched your food. And three, with food-to-saliva. This one is hard for a momma to swallow, but it’s possible that if you were to consume an allergen (like peanut butter, for example) and then kiss someone who was allergic, that they could have an allergic reaction. Always make sure to wash your hands thoroughly before eating, avoid sharing food with others, use disposable cleaning tools to prevent lingering allergens on sponges and towels, and wash all surfaces and cookware really well.
3. Be informed. If you’re going out for a meal somewhere, or your child is, be sure to call ahead and discuss the allergy and your options with the host or chef. Thea and Alex suggested that you not only discuss what ingredients to avoid, but share what could be used or served instead to make it safe for you or your child. Once kids are old enough to understand their own allergy, be sure to teach them how to ask questions and speak up about their allergens in any setting where food may be served or consumed.

As a new mom, I was really grateful for the reminder on how to prevent allergic reactions so that I can feel a bit more prepared when baby E starts eating solids. And while food allergies may feel overwhelming (for both those with them, and those who take care of them), they don’t need to be restrictive! The three allergy-friendly recipes that Thea Vanherwaarden shared with us were not only super simple and kid-friendly, but absolutely delicious and well balanced. The nut-free smoothie bowl was totally Instagram worthy, the chicken tacos would make a great easy lunch, and the soy and fish-free sushi is something I can see the whole family having fun making together. I’ll definitely be busting these allergy-friendly recipes out over the next few months.

Now friends, tell me, what are some of your favourite recipes that avoid the top most common food allergens?

Do you or does someone you know have a food allergy? What tips can you share with this new momma on how to manage food allergies in kids?

Leave me a comment below with your thoughts, check out Food Allergy Canada’s website for some great allergy friendly recipes, and stay tuned to a #SummerOfTAG Allergy-Friendly Kitchen contest in the upcoming weeks here!

Disclosure: This post was developed in paid partnership with Pfizer, however, all opinions are genuine.

Updated on October 4th, 2021