Dining out with a child who has food allergies can be a tricky business. Does the restaurant use peanut oil to fry their foods? Milk in their batter? Use non-dairy bread for their toast? These and other questions are always important to ask when you’re trying to get your child fed while dining out.
Some things are safe. If there’s no allergy to fruit, the fruit platter is okay. It’s rare that a child would be allergic to meats like bacon and sausage, so breakfast meats are safe. Hamburgers are usually fried on a grill, so there’s nothing that could cause an allergic reaction. You think.
So how do you know? When in doubt, ask. Your waitress or waiter may not know off the top of her head, but she can ask the cook if the food you’re looking at for your child is safe. Some restaurants, like Red Robin, have a special menu that lists all non-dairy foods or how to order a food item so it is dairy free. Others, like McDonald’s and Culver’s, have their ingredients listed online so you can research what’s safe before you go out. Fast-food chains like Chick-fil-A state on their menu that they use peanut oil for all of their frying.
There are some restaurants where it’s hard to tell. Ethnic foods, like Chinese and Mexican, for example, while delicious, may not be safe for someone with food allergies. Chinese foods generally use peanut oil for frying and Mexican food uses a lot of cheese, so these types of restaurants may not be safe for your child to eat at. Diners and non-chain restaurants are tricky, too, because the ingredients tend to be more home-style and less mass-produced. This means buttermilk batters and homemade bread. If you have a child with dairy allergies, this could be problematic.
No matter where you’re eating—chain restaurant or not, fast food or diner—always ask for help from your wait staff if you’re having trouble ordering a safe food for your child. They can find out what they don’t know and in many cases, offer safe alternatives.
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