EggNog without the egg!?!

Here's some good news for those us that have had to give up eggs but miss eggnog... and there's some options for non-dairy folks too!

Theme Parks

Parks are listed in alphabetical order. If you have info on a theme park please email us at canieatthere@gmail.com.

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Holiday World & Splashin' Safari
Santa Claus, Indiana
Web Site

Allergy Friendly


Evansville Courier & Press
August 25, 2008

Holiday World being honored for food allergy efforts

Staff report

Holiday World & Splashin' Safari, which has won kudos in theme park circles for its its cleanliness and friendliness and for pioneering free soft drinks and suntan lotion for its guests, has another honor under its belt.

The Santa Claus, Ind., park will be recognized Wednesday in Evansville by the Tri-State Allergy and Anaphylaxis Support Group for "going the extra mile" and introducing an allergen-friendly menu this summer.

Kim Moors, president of the support group, said her board began working with the theme park last year on ways to accommodate food-allergic guests. It's estimated 12 million Americans have food allergies, which can be life threatening.

She said by offering some specialty items, educating its food staff and making ingredient and cross-contamination information available, Holiday World eased the anxiety levels of many families and brought a taste of normalcy to a day at the park.

Holiday World matriarch Pat Koch has a granddaughter who suffers from food allegies.

The support group plans to present Koch with its 2008 Food Allergy Excellence Award on Wednesday during the fifth annual "Back to School with Food Allergies" presentation at Welborn Clinic.

-- Rich Davis

Read More about their food allergy efforts on their Restaurants & Food Outlets page.

Indiana

Restaurants are listed in alphabetical order. If you have info on a Indiana restaurant please email us at canieatthere@gmail.com.

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Holiday World & Splashin' Safari
Web Site

Allergy Friendly

Evansville Courier & Press
August 25, 2008

Holiday World being honored for food allergy efforts

Staff report

Holiday World & Splashin' Safari, which has won kudos in theme park circles for its its cleanliness and friendliness and for pioneering free soft drinks and suntan lotion for its guests, has another honor under its belt.

The Santa Claus, Ind., park will be recognized Wednesday in Evansville by the Tri-State Allergy and Anaphylaxis Support Group for "going the extra mile" and introducing an allergen-friendly menu this summer.

Kim Moors, president of the support group, said her board began working with the theme park last year on ways to accommodate food-allergic guests. It's estimated 12 million Americans have food allergies, which can be life threatening.

She said by offering some specialty items, educating its food staff and making ingredient and cross-contamination information available, Holiday World eased the anxiety levels of many families and brought a taste of normalcy to a day at the park.

Holiday World matriarch Pat Koch has a granddaughter who suffers from food allegies.

The support group plans to present Koch with its 2008 Food Allergy Excellence Award on Wednesday during the fifth annual "Back to School with Food Allergies" presentation at Welborn Clinic.

-- Rich Davis

Read More about their food allergy efforts on their Restaurants & Food Outlets page.

Restaurant Training for Food Allergies

Press Release


Editor's Note: Ask the resturants you attend if there staff has been through this training, if not encourage them to take part. It will make eating out safer for everyone.


Eating Out With Food Allergies is a Challenge, But Everyone Can Do Their Part

FAIRFAX, Va., Aug 25, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Eating Out With Food Allergies is a Challenge, But Everyone Can Do Their Part

With one in 25 Americans reporting a food allergy, restaurants are increasingly likely to have customers who require a special meal. Welcoming Guests With Food Allergies provides tools to train restaurant staff to safely prepare and serve food to guests with food allergies.

"The updated and revised Welcoming Guests guide is an absolute must-have for restaurants and consumers. It manages to be comprehensive while staying user-friendly," said Ming Tsai, chef and owner of Blue Ginger. "Everyone in the food service industry should read this guide - it could save a life."

Available free for download from www.foodallergy.org, this comprehensive program is an updated and revised version of an earlier training program published by the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN). This 60-page guide includes case studies, best practices, up-to-date research, food labeling information, and practical strategies for avoiding cross-contact, as well as suggested procedures for keeping guests safe and steps to prepare for an allergic emergency. Restaurants can use this guide as a basis for their food allergy management programs.

"Studies show that reactions in restaurants are often caused by lack of staff education about food allergy. In a number of situations, the guests did not inform the staff of their allergy. Serving guests with food allergies requires staff education and clear communication between guests and staff," said Anne Munoz-Furlong, Founder and CEO of FAAN. "This training program helps staff achieve those goals so everyone can have an enjoyable and safe restaurant meal."

FAAN originally developed the program in cooperation with the National Restaurant Association (NRA) and its members. According to the NRA, nearly half of the money Americans spend on food is spent in restaurants.

"The National Restaurant Association - and the restaurant industry as a whole - recognizes that food allergies are an important issue and that educating staff is crucial to ensuring proper attention to guests with food allergies," said Sheila Weiss, R.D., director of nutrition policy for the NRA. "We strongly encourage consumers to communicate their food allergies to restaurant staff and discuss concerns and alternatives. Being in the hospitality industry, we want every guest to have a safe and enjoyable experience."

For more information on food allergies or to download Welcoming Guests With Food Allergies, visit http://www.foodallergy.org. A training video for restaurant and food service staff is also available for purchase in English and Spanish.

September is National Food Safety Education Month, presented by the National Restaurant Association. This month-long campaign is held every September and focuses on the importance of food safety education for the restaurant and food service industry, while raising public awareness of the industry's commitment to food safety. This year's theme is "Take Action to Prevent an Allergic Reaction." For more information, visit http://www.servsafe.com/nfsem.

ABOUT FAAN

Founded in 1991, the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) is the world leader in information about food allergy, a potentially fatal condition that afflicts about 12 million Americans, or one out of every 25. A nonprofit organization based in Fairfax, Va., FAAN has 30,000 members in the U.S., Canada, and 62 other countries. It is dedicated to increasing public awareness of food allergy and its consequences, to educating people about the condition, and to advancing research on behalf of all those affected by it. FAAN provides information and educational resources about food allergy to patients, their families, schools, health professionals, pharmaceutical companies, the food industry, and government officials. For more information, please visit FAAN at http://www.foodallergy.org, http://www.faankids.org, and http://www.faanteen.org.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION

The National Restaurant Association, founded in 1919, is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 945,000 restaurant and food service outlets and a work force of 13.1 million employees - making it the cornerstone of the economy, career opportunities, and community involvement. Along with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the Association works to represent, educate, and promote the rapidly growing industry. For more information, visit our website at http://www.restaurant.org.

Milwaukee

Restaurants are listed in alphabetical order. If you have info on a Milwaukee restaurant please email us at canieatthere@gmail.com.

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In the News....

Here is good article from the Milwaukee Business Journal that talks about local restaurants and how they handle customers with food allergies.

Restaurants cook up ways to accommodate food allergies
August 8, 2008
By Elizabeth Heubeck
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/08/11/
focus5.html?b=1218427200%5E1682406

How to Take Your Food Allergies Out to Dinner

How to Take Your Food Allergies Out to Dinner
Wall Street Journal
http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2008/08/06/how-to-take-your-food-
allergies-out-to-dinner/

Horray for Jelly Belly!!

The goal of this blog is, of course, to provide info on eating out with a food allergy, but every once and a while we like to share another experience.

I am currently about six months pregnant and am preparing to do my glucose test to check for gestational diabetes. My doctor gave me a fruit punch glucola drink to take for the test... well, it contains brominated vegetable oil. Whenever I see vegetable oil I am immediately on alert. So I looked it up, sure enough it is made from soybeans. So, since I have a soy allergy, I am hesitant to drink to it (not mention it contains all kinds of other strange ingredients that I've never heard of). I called my doctor and asked, "Is there anything else I can eat or drink for the test?" Her reply: eat 63 Jelly Bellys in 3 minutes.

But, of course, I need to check those for soy too. So this morning I emailed Jelly Belly through the Ask a Question page on their web site. Given my recent experience with Jimmy John's and their contact us page, I wasn't hopeful. But VOILA! within an hour I had a reply from a real person!! Only two flavors of Jelly Belly contain soy - Chocolate Pudding and Dark Chocolate. Jelly Belly's advice: "We have a couple of brown colored beans - Chocolate Pudding, Dark Chocolate, and A&W Root beer, so as long as you stay away from the brown colored beans, you should be alright!"

Thanks Jelly Belly for being so on top of it!!!

FYI... Jelly Belly does have other information on other common allergens on its FAQ page.

Review: Specialgourmets.com - New Web Site for Eating Out with a Food Allergy

Editor's Note: I got this press release today about a new web site offering basically the same thing we offer here on Can I Eat There?, information on where to eat out with a food allergy. So I was anxious to check it out. I went to the site and tested it out for restaurants, etc. offering soy-free options (that's my allergy). Well, only about 5 places in the whole world came up and when I looked closer it was actually giving me gluten free options, not soy-free options. Maybe they are still working out the kinks in the site (?), so I'll check back again in a month or so. I'm all for resources for eating out, especially while traveling, but my initial review of Specialgourmets.com... good idea, but not helpful. Check it out and let me know if you have a different experience. In the meantime, we'll continue to keep our blog updated and easy to use. I posted the press release below.

Eating Out Gets Easier For People with Food Allergies and Celiac Disease

New online community makes dining and traveling an easier, safer and more pleasant experience for those with special diets.

Sao Paulo, Brazil (PRWEB) July 24, 2008 -- Origem Scientifica, a scientific consultancy company specializing in health research and data analysis, is pleased to announce the launch of Specialgourmets.com (http://specialgourmets.com/Publish/index.php?lang=EN), a community-driven guide aimed at making eating out and traveling a safer and easier experience for people with food allergies and celiac disease.

Born out of the founder's own need for such a resource, Specialgourmets (http://specialgourmets.com/Publish/index.php?lang=EN) is an innovative Web application built with the information and feedback from users themselves, who can use the guide to share their experiences and contribute to make eating out an easier and safer experience for those with these dietary restrictions.

With the help of a map platform, users can:

* Search for suitable places (restaurants, hotels and shops) in any geographic region

* Add new establishments where they had positive experiences

* Rate and review the places listed

* Edit the information about a place

* Print lists to take when traveling

* Share their favorites and receive e-mail alerts about new places suitable for their diets in a chosen area or about new reviews about specific establishments.

Specialgourmets has been initially launched in English, Spanish and Portuguese, but plans to include other languages soon.

Millions of people worldwide suffer from some kind of food allergy (such as those to tree nuts, peanuts, milk, eggs, soy, fish and shellfish) or from celiac disease, an auto-immune condition triggered by the ingestion of gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye and barley). For these people, even tiny amounts of the wrong food can make them ill or, in the more serious cases, be potentially fatal.

With these factors in mind, eating out and traveling is not only limited but can turn into a stressful and even dangerous situation. According to the founder of Specialgourmets and biologist Cynthia Schuck (PhD, Oxford University), finding a place that can safely accommodate these special diets can be hard, and there is no one better to make a suggestion than people sharing the same restrictions.

The map guide is the first of its kind in this sector and is being launched simultaneously in many countries.

"By providing a number of technological resources and tools to enable users to easily share their experiences, as well as a comprehensive search and alert system, Specialgourmets should make it easier for those with food allergies and celiac disease to enjoy the culinary riches of the world," said Schuck.

Another aim of the Web site is to facilitate the search for associations and support groups acting on particular areas and, therefore, support the wonderful work performed by these entities in raising awareness about the problem. The Web site also features a section on tips that users can follow to make their dining experiences safer, as well as customizable chef cards and a summary of basic procedures that food caterers should have in place to serve allergen-free and gluten-free meals.

All services are free, both for users and for establishment owners.

###

Chef raises allergy awareness - Altoona Mirror Article

Chef raises allergy awareness
By Jimmy Mincin
Altoona Mirror
July 23, 2008
http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/content.detail/id/
509406.html?nav=738

"Safe" Places to Eat with a Peanut Allergy

Check out the July 2008 "Safe" Places to Eat with a Peanut Allergy posting on Peanut Allergy Kid for information on where to eat with a peanut allergy.

http://www.peanutallergykid.com/2008/07/
safe-places-to-eat-with-peanut-allergy.html

Peanut-Free Baseball in Illinois

Kudos to Kane County Cougar General Manager Jeff Sedivy for his efforts to bring baseball to kids (and adults) with food allergies! Read more about it...

Event allows safe game viewing for allergic kids
Kate Thayer, Kane County Chronicle
http://www.kcchronicle.com/articles/2008/07/17/news/local/
doc487ed2717e473228391035.txt

Food Allergy Death at Ruby Tuesday

Here are some links to news coverage about the man with a shellfish allergy who died of anaphylaxis after eating crab at a Ruby Tuesday in Lovejoy, GA earlier this month.

Atlanta Journal Constitution: http://www.ajc.com/search/content/metro/stories/2008/07/07/shellfish_0708.html

FOX News: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,378064,00.html

BlogBreak: http://www.ajc.com/ajcjobs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/
jobsblog/entries/2008/07/10/mistakes_on_the_job_who_should.html

Ruby Tuesday does provide information on gluten-free, dairy-free and peanut-free menu items in the FAQ section on its Contact Us page. No information is available for other common allergens.

Editor's Note: Nowhere in any of this coverage do I see a mention that the man made it very clear to the server that he had a shellfish allergy. Don't forget, your life is in your hands... if you have a severe food allergy make sure anyone who has anything to do with what you're about to eat knows it. When eating at restaurant clearly explain your allergy to your server- and the manager if necessary.

Summer Eating with a Food Allergy

Here's a good reminder for those of us with allergies that hope to grab a bite at those many fairs and festivals that summer brings.

Food allergy sufferers must be on alert at fairs
Kimberly Hayes Taylor/The Detroit News
http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080714/LIFESTYLE03/807140306

Sandwich Chains

Restaurants are listed in alphabetical order. If you have info on a Sandwich Chain please email us at canieatthere@gmail.com.

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Jimmy John's
Web Site

Allergy Alert: Will not provide allergen information for menu items

Editor's Note: I recently contacted Jimmy John's to request allergen information for their menu items. This is the response I got via email.

"We do not give out ingredient lists. - Jimmy Johns"

I followed up with an email saying I didn't need specific ingredient information, just information on common allergens, I got no response.

If you are looking for a sub fix, many of the other national sandwich chains do list allergen information on their web sites. See links to that information in "Sandwich Chains" list in the right rail of this blog.

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Subway
Web Site

Allergy Alert: Beware of cross contamination

Article about one person's experience dining out at Subway with a food allergy...

Subway: You’ll need to be extra careful if you want to "eat fresh".
Providence Food Allergy Examiner
August 29, 2008

Restaurant profile: Made to order sandwiches with fresh bread and meats and an array of fresh toppings. Sandwiches can also be toasted.

Taste and nutrition: Pretty good considering your alternatives. The overall calorie count on many of the Subway subs are going to be a better choice than a Whopper any day. And, you have the option of getting some veggies in your sandwich too.

Allergen alert: While Subway has been very proactive in providing allergen info on their sandwiches, they failed to take into consideration cross contamination. I experienced this first hand after having a reaction after eating at a Subway restaurant. I was careful about selecting my menu items, but did not consider cross contamination. I know, what was I thinking? Oh well, hopefully you won’t make the same mistake I did.

After I had my reaction, I called and emailed Subway customer service and explained the problem. I was assured that someone would contact me back. The owner of a few Subway locations near my home called me today. We actually had a very productive conversation and she was able to give me some great info. She even agreed that the nutritional info was misleading and gave me contact info for headquarters, where she suggested I encourage Subway execs to add disclaimer info to their advertising regarding these risks.

Here are the problems we identified:

• All the foods are in open bins and any food could potentially drop into another bin.
• Workers wear gloves while making sandwiches, but do not change them between orders. This is probably how I got sick.
• The knives used to slice the sandwiches are not cleaned in-between sandwiches.
• Breads containing cheese are baked with other breads. This is not a likely contaminant, but worth a mention.

The bottom line: If you do not have severe, anaphylactic allergies, you should be ok. If you are severe (like I am), use extreme caution. If you choose to eat there regardless, here are some tips to make your visit a safe one:

• Ask the worker behind the counter to change their gloves.
• Ask them to refrain from cutting your sandwich.
• Check their online nutritional info as a guideline.

Peanut-Free Baseball at the Metrodome (Minneapolis, MN)

Press Release from the Anaphylaxis & Food Allergy Association of Minnesota: Peanut-Free Baseball at the Metrodome

The Anaphylaxis & Food Allergy Association of Minnesota (AFAA) and the Minnesota Twins are partnering to promote a peanut-free skybox section for those with peanut allergies. The Metrodome skybox will be available for four games this season: Tuesday, May 20th (against the Texas Rangers); Monday, June 30th (against the Detroit Tigers); Tuesday, July 29th (against the Chicago White Sox) Monday, August 18th (against the Oakland A's).

There will be seating for up to 110 allergic individuals and family members in the skybox, which overlooks right field. All games begin at 7:10 p.m. Central Time. AFAA volunteers will staff the skybox during the game.

Food brought into the skybox is screened by Twins staff to ensure that peanut ingredients are not allowed into the area.

Tickets are $30 and may be purchased at www.twinsbaseball.com/peanut or by calling the ticket office at 612-33-TWINS or 800-33-TWINS & referencing the "peanut free zone".

Individuals allergic to peanuts can have reactions triggered by ingesting foods with peanut as an ingredient, using utensils or eating foods cross-contaminated (i.e. having contact) with peanut, inhaling dust from open bags of peanuts, and sometimes merely touching a surface where peanuts or peanut butter have been. Reactions can range from hives to throat constriction, respiratory distress, vomiting, edema, blood pressure drop and shock. There is no cure for food allergies: avoidance is the only way to prevent an allergic reaction.

AFAA is a Minnesota-based 501(c)3 non-profit organization. It is the largest state-level food allergy organization in the U.S. and is known nationally for its accomplishments and programs.

Airports - Dining Out with a Food Allergy

Airports are listed in alphabetical order.  If you have information on any airport restaurants please email us at canieatthere@gmail.com.

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Minneapolis/St. Paul

Locanda D'Amico

Concourse F

Allergy Friendly

*read more in our Minneapolis/St. Paul City Guide.

Minneapolis/St. Paul - Eating Out with a Food Allergy

Restaurants are listed in alphabetical order.  If you have info on a Minneapolis restaurant please email us at canieatthere@gmail.com.

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Locanda D'Amico

Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport, Concourse F

*Parent company D'Amico & Sons has other locations in Minnesota and Florida

Web Site

Allergy Friendly

Editor's Note:  On a recent trip to North Dakota I flew through Minneapolis and was in desperate need of food.  Eating at the airport is not something that I look forward to and usually have a full stock of food in my bag.  But this was one time I didn't and my flight was delayed.  In concourse F you'll find this qauint, non-airport-like Italian restaurant.  Before sitting down I asked the hostess if they could accommodate my allergies, she went in the back and, to my utter surprise, out came the chef.  Had I magically been teleported away from the airport?  I explained my allergies - soy and shellfish - to the chef and he gave me a detailed description of what I could and could not eat (he even told me the percentage of wheat content in their noodles).  I gladly took my seat and throughly enjoyed my pasta - I could have eaten two helpings!  Thank you Laconda D'Amico, you get a golden star!  

Allergy-friendly French Dinner Series - Chicago

UPDATE!  Bistro 110 has reworked the schedule for their upcoming allergy-friendly dinner series.  Here are the details.

- Sans-Gluten Dinner, May 12: To include dough-less "quiche lorraine" and gluten-free tagliatelle with ragout of mussel, clam, shrimp and tarragon

- Sans-Dairy Dinner, September 29: To include cream-free "cream of lentil" soup and roasted chicken breast with corn flan

- Sans-Shellfish Dinner, November 17: To include shellfish-free seafood soup and an uncannily lobster-esque monkfish ragout

Saw this article in The Stew, a blog by Chicago Tribune food and dining writers:

Allergy-friendly French dinner series set at Bistro 110
Posted by Monica Eng at 1:00 p.m. CDT

When you're a foodie with food allergies, it's hard not to feel odd as you quiz the server on all the ingredients in a dish. But food allergies are serious business. And more restaurants address this, as we've reported.

Bistro 110 (110 E. Pearson St.; 312-266-3110) and its chef Dominique Tougne recognize this (Tougne is the father of two children with food allergies) and has crafted four special dinners scheduled over the next year to open up the world of French cuisine to those with food allergies.

The first -- a nut-free menu -- is scheduled for March 24 and will feature nut-free sole fillet almandine and faux peanut butter and mousse parfait. Later dinners will focus on foods for those who follow gluten-free (Sept. 29), dairy-free (June 16) and shellfish-free diets (Nov. 17).

Author's Note: Check out Can I Eat There's Chicago City Guide with info on this and other resturants.

Smooching Safely With Food Allergies

It has nothing to do with eating out, but I had to share this press release. We all love kisses...

Are You a Careful Kisser?
How to Smooch Safely With Food Allergies This Valentine's Day

Dinner with Friends - A Scary Reminder

We know eating out at a restaurant with a food allergy can be tough, but what about when your friends invite you over for dinner. Since learning of my food allergies, my husband and I have been inviting more people over to our house for dinner - it keep us in control.

But, there are some of our friends who know all about our food allergies and are more than happy to do whatever they can for us. So when we were invited to dinner by one of those friends last night we thought it would be no problem - they know I can't have soy, crab or chicken. We been there a few times with no problems. So yesterday afternoon, we called ahead, "What's for dinner?"

"Cioppino," the chef said.

"There's no crab in it right?" my husband said.

"Oh that's right she can't have crab," our friend said. "I forgot about that, but I haven't put the crab in yet, so I'll make a batch without it just for her."

"Great, thanks," my husband said.

You can probably figure out where this is going... that's right, today I had to take a trip to urgent care. I'm ok, but I am 99.9% sure I ended up eating some crab. The rash, throat tightness, numb tongue and sweating were dead giveways.

We think we know what happened. Our friend, who kindly made me my own bowl, didn't know that he also had to use a separate ladle when dishing up my soup.

This experience taught us a lesson. We need to be just as vigilant with our friends as we are with strangers in restaurants. Most of them don't know all the rules of food allergies, like be sure there's no cross contamination.

Here's some tips I know I will remember the next time a friend invites us to dinner.
1. Remind your friend of your allergy, ask them if they are comfortable accomodating it and be sure they understand the seriousness of your allergy. If they seem at all put off, invite them your house instead. Or offer to bring your own dinner if they are having mutiple people and have their heart set on a specific dish.
2. If they are willing to do the extra to have you over, great! But, be sure they know to check the ingredients on everything and if there is something you can't eat they need to cook your portion without it in its own pan with its own utensils.
3. Call ahead to find out what's for dinner, remind your friend of your food allergy again.
4. If you have any doubt about what they are making, politely tell them you are unsure you can eat that, and then stay home.
5. Remind your friend of your food allergy when you arrive for dinner, double check that they have followed the rules. Check labels on any items you can that were used in your meal.
6. If you have any doubts anywhere along the way, politely excuse yourself from the meal and eat when you get home.

In the end your friends would rather you excuse yourself from a meal than have you end up in the emergency room, or worse.