It’s time for you to grab that Halloween costume you’ve been saving and start working on your plan for Halloween! This is the perfect season for intrigue and spookiness and some extra treats to help make the season special. But what about managing food allergies on Halloween? Is it safe for those with food allergies and food intolerances to indulge? Absolutely! It’s all about knowing your limits, relying on combined allergy and intolerance testing data, and making your Halloween season food-aware!
What are the top Halloween allergies?
It surprises many to learn that there are so many common Halloween allergies. That’s what makes the Halloween season so challenging for those with allergies. There are three types of allergies to be aware of when you are focusing on this season and its many events:
- Non-food allergies
- Treat allergies
- Classic food allergies
Non-food allergies
As the name suggests, these are allergies referring to things you don’t eat. They could be environmental ones, like dust, but Halloween has more specific ones to worry about. For example, metal and latex are common allergens that can cause reactions with make-up, masks, and other costume supplies. These are common in fake nails, cosmetics, and even materials for costumes that are homemade.
Treat allergies
Halloween carries some risk for those allergic or intolerant to common treat ingredients. Some of the most common problems include egg, soy, wheat, and milk. Even if there are no active ingredients in treats, cross-contamination is common in packaged food and even homemade treats. Many common allergens are also called different things when they come from a factory, etc.
Classic food allergies
If you are planning a Halloween event serving meals, there are also many potential classic food allergies to be aware of. Since many spooky-themed dishes use hard-to-pinpoint ingredients and substitutions, there are many risks. Vegetables can be risky, as allergies are common to cabbage, celery, onion, sweetcorn, and potatoes. Many of these are common in side dishes, however. They are also common in finger food choices when having a Halloween party or social.
There are a lot of potential risks here, as you can see. It’s even more complicated if you don’t know what you are allergic to. If you are worried about allergies or intolerances, consider combined allergy and intolerance testing. This gives you current, accurate data to help you know what is safe and what isn’t. This gives you a solid starting point to make any changes you need for a safe season.
How to manage Halloween allergies
Now that you know a bit about the truly scary allergy and intolerance potential, the time has come to learn how to manage them! There are a few essential items to focus on for your safety. Take a look and see for yourself!
Protect yourself
First, you’ll want to assume that everything is a threat. This isn’t as bad as it sounds. It helps you always be allergy-aware. Ask for a list of ingredients on anything homemade, and educate yourself on problem ingredients and what they’re called in packaged foods. You are the best defense against potential allergic reactions, after all!
Get the right information
Next on the list is getting the right data and information to know what you should avoid. You can do this through combined allergy and intolerance testing. Even if you’ve had your suspicions, these are very different from clear, precise data that helps you know what is and isn’t a risk. You never want to risk your safety, after all. Getting results from this test will help you enjoy a blank slate where you can plan a meal, treat, or costume that is all about the treats with no trick in sight!
When in doubt, skip the choice
If you have allergies or intolerances to these common ingredients or materials, prepare to skip whatever is offered. You certainly won’t be the only one doing this; safety should always be your top priority. If you are going to a Halloween event, you can always offer to bring a dish, side, or treat that you know is safe. Not only will you enjoy it, but others will like your forward-thinking, too.
Managing food allergies on Halloween doesn’t have to be scary. It’s just about taking time to understand what is bad and good for you and your immune system. With the right information, you’ll be prepared to create the perfect season for you and your loved ones. All that’s left is to design the perfect menu and costume that will fit your needs perfectly, and remember our allergy and intolerance tests are here to help you out!
