Allergy Friendly

Introduction

Having food allergies can made eating more complicated and potentially dangerous even without worrying about ethics or environmentalism. 

Even so, many of us still want to do our part, and some people are already vegan or vegetarian before discovering certain food allergies. I used my food allergies as an excuse to avoid going veg' for a while before I (A) realized how bad the environmental cost of animal products, and (B) noticed how many vegans happened to have the same allergies as me, or even worse food restrictions. After a few tough months of experimenting and hunting for safe vegan foods, new foods started to hit the market, and more shops started adding allergy-friendly vegan foods to their shelves.

Being vegan and having allergies used to feel nearly impossible, but thanks to innovation and so many people wanting to find tasty alternative, we now have more options than ever before! 

This page is intended as a directory for common food allergies, useful apps/search engines, food suggestions, and groups that help make the world a safer place for those of us with food allergies.

Allergens

Gluten-Free / Wheat

For those of us with wheat allergies, the "Gluten-Free" tags are generally a safe sign that foods should be free of wheat and related grains.

One word of caution however! Via genetic modification, some products are now made from gluten-free wheat, which means it's still important to read ingredient labels, and verify we aren't accidentally consuming wheat with via these gluten-free products. From 1st-hand experience, I can say those products are NOT safe for anyone sensitive to wheat proteins.

Vise versa, those of us with wheat sensitivity can often eat alterative grains and products that contain gluten. We can also eat wheat grass, which isn't related to wheat, as well as glutenous rice, which simply refers to the stickiness, and not gluten as it is found in wheat, rye, or barley.

Speaking of rye and barley, these contain gluten, but can be safe for people who are only sensitive to wheat.

Click the Gluten-Free link to find resources, recipes and more to help you on your eco-friendly journey.

Soy

On the up-side, soy is a major source of deforestation, right after beef, so going soy-free will give you a little extra oomph in the fight against climate change.

On the down side, soy is in many vegan foods, either as a primary protein, or as an oil, if not both. This can make it particularly hard to avoid, but not impossible. Our Soy-Free page is intended to make living without soy as a vegan much easier.

Fun with Allergies

This section is intended to help ensure people with allergies can still have fun, even in situations where we might otherwise feel left out.

Parties and Dinner Events

One of the worst things about allergies is how difficult it can be to coordinate food and ensure everyone can eat well. I've had a few occasions where the host promised there would be something for me to eat, but all I got was super dry turkey and fish sauce (this was before going vegan) which was so horrible I ended up hungry crying in a bathroom that Christmas.

To avoid disappointment and feeling left out if the host doesn't offer reasonable accommodations, consider coordinating with whoever is in charge of the food, and bringing at least one dish. Either keep it separate from everyone else's food (people without allergies can have a nasty habit of swooping in and eating it all before food time!), or bring enough to share with everyone (but also maybe keep a little extra hidden just in case).

If they assure you not to bring food, always make back-up plans just in case (unless they have a good track record). This can include:

Holidays

Halloween

This can be a very hard holiday for kids with allergies. We've had many Halloweens where the only safe candies were the worst candies we'd ever tried.

One fun solution is the Teal Pumpkin Project which encourages participants to put out a teal pumpkin and sign up on their map so those dealing with allergies can find the allergy-friendly homes in their communities to visit while trick-or-treating.

Instead of candy, the participating homes offer non-food items. 

These can include:

Add an Anti-Consumerism Twist to Halloween

For those of us who don't want to support sweatshops or plastic pollution for a one-night event. Consider cleaning up with your kids, and seeing what toys, stickers, rubbers, or other fun little things they've been given but don't really want or play with. Explain that other kids might like these things more, and have a basket or bowl on hand as you tidy together. 

Your kid(s) get(s) a tidier room where it's easier to see and find their favorite things, then the new collection of toys and other knickknacks can go right by the door in time for trick or treaters.

Just make sure anything you are giving away is clean, intact, and age-appropriate. For example you might not want a toddler grabbing a spider ring in case of chocking.

Sweet Ingredients

Allergy-Friendly Vegan Chocolate

Organizations

North America

USA

Grants & Funding

International