You shouldn’t have to choose between safety and being social.

Whether you’re managing your own food allergy or advocating for a child with one, navigating birthday parties, school lunches, restaurants, holidays, and family gatherings can feel like emotional minefields.

You’ve probably faced moments like:

• Being left out while everyone else enjoys the cake
• Awkwardly declining food at parties — again and again
• People not believing your allergy is real or serious
• Watching your child feel “different” in the worst way
• Living in constant worry about cross-contact, reactions, or ER trips

And worst of all? Feeling alone in all of it.

This guide changes that.

Our Story: From Skeptical to Survival Mode

We never imagined we’d be here.

It all started on our honeymoon, when we sat down to dinner on a cruise ship and met two brothers at our table. As we chatted, we learned they both had Celiac disease and couldn’t eat gluten. We were surprised — we’d heard of peanut allergies, but bread? They told us cruises were one of the few places they felt safe eating. We learned a lot that night, but we were still a little skeptical.

Fast forward three years. Our infant son had a reaction after touching a spilled protein shake that contained dairy. His eyes swelled, he wheezed, and we rushed him to the ER.

That was the beginning of our life as food allergy parents. Since then, we’ve navigated daycare, family parties, school cafeterias, field trips, vacations, and more. We’ve felt the isolation, the fear, and the burden of always having to be the one who speaks up.

But we’ve also seen things change as we’ve developed these practices into our lives.

People have stepped forward, shared their own hidden allergy stories, and told us they finally felt seen. We’ve built systems and scripts that reduce stress and create inclusion. And now, we’re sharing them with you — so you don’t have to start from scratch.