To ensure no one feels left out this holiday season, Allergy Insider offers actionable advice for hosting an allergy-friendly celebration.
The holiday season is a time for togetherness and celebration with family, friends, and colleagues. But for the millions of people with food allergies, festive gatherings can come with risks. If you’re hosting a large group this year, ensuring your event is safe and inclusive is more important than ever as research shows that food allergies are on the rise.
A September 2024 study from Imperial College London revealed that new cases of food allergies in the UK doubled between 2008 and 2018, with the FSA estimating that 6% of adults now have a clinically confirmed allergy.
Similarly, in the U.S, the AAFA estimates 20 million people, including 16 million adults, are affected. Allergens such as shellfish, peanuts, and tree nuts are among the most common triggers for adults, while children are more likely to react to milk, eggs, and peanuts.
Hosting a large gathering that accommodates all guests can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Allergy Insider offers expert-backed advice to help you navigate the complexities of allergy-friendly event planning with confidence.
Plan with Care and Consideration
“If you’ve identified specific food allergies among your guests, consider a menu that includes some options void of these allergens and take the necessary precautions to prevent cross-contact.“ Allergy Insider says, in advice reviewed by Gary Falcetano, U.S. Clinical Affairs Manager for Allergy in ImmunoDiagnostics at Thermo Fisher Scientific.
“To prevent potentially allergenic foods from contacting (and perhaps contaminating) “safe” foods, ensure such items are never in close proximity to each other. After preparing potentially allergenic food, wash related cutting boards, surfaces, utensils, and cooking pans/grills with soap and water. Consider using separate dishes and utensils for safe foods versus those that may cause a reaction.”
10 Strategies for managing food allergies at large holiday gatherings
- Identify potential allergens – If someone in your immediate family has a suspected food allergy, consult with your healthcare provider to determine if allergy testing is warranted.
- Ask about guests’ allergies – When inviting people to your holiday gatherings, inquire about potential food allergies and what adaptations would be helpful.
- Educate everyone – Educate yourself about food allergies in general and about any specific allergens unique to your guests, and then pass on critical information to those in attendance.
- Cut out the common offenders – If you’ve identified specific food allergies among your guests, consider a menu that avoids these allergens.
- Circumvent cross-contact – To prevent potentially allergenic foods from contacting (and perhaps contaminating) “safe” foods.
- Examine and disclose ingredients – When preparing food for your event, read food labels carefully to check for all forms of allergens, and label each dish with a list of its ingredients so guests can easily identify those that may cause symptoms.
- Assess the alcohol – Alcoholic beverages may contain allergenic food items.
- Control guest contributions – If you’ve planned an allergen-conscious menu but your guests still want to bring something to contribute, ask them to provide plates, cups, napkins, or decor instead of food.
- Create an emergency action plan – Establish a plan of action for severe reactions and post it in a central locale for the gathering.
- Go rogue – To create the ultimate allergy-friendly holiday gathering, remove food from the event altogether. Rather, focus the festivities on an experience such as sledding, bowling, holiday movies, etc.
Understanding allergies is essential to hosting an inclusive gathering. Allergy Insider provides information on allergy testing to help individuals identify specific triggers, empowering them with knowledge for safer planning.
Hosting a large holiday gathering doesn’t have to mean compromising on safety. With preparation and thoughtfulness, you can create a celebration where everyone feels welcome and cared for.
For more information on food allergies, head to the “How to Host an Allergy-Friendly Holiday Gathering” blog post where you will find more information on hosting with allergies in mind.
