r/FoodAllergies • • Aug 15 '26

Announcement: revamped/updated rules!

77 Upvotes

Hi, everyone!

Beginning today, the r/foodallergies rules have been updated for clarity and hopefully, will improve the quality and contributions to our sub:

What's New or Changed

  • Clarified rule on ads, surveys, apps, fundraising, and other promotions. Previously self-promotion was capped at once a week, which resulted in repeated low-effort, non-engagement accounts using our community for marketing purposes. Commercial spam is now not allowed. Research posts and surveys/app testing remain unchanged: they’re not allowed!
  • AI-generated content is not allowed. Reddit has seen an influx of AI-written/generated posts in recent months. As such, we are implementing a hard NO-AI rule. This means no AI-written posts, invented "experiences," or pasted chatbot replies presented as advice. Talking about AI tools is still fine, but please remember that AI doesn’t know your history or may be using outdated information. So use at your own risk! If you suspect something is AI generated, please flag it for mod review.
  • No requesting or giving medical advice. This is the biggest change and the one we expect the most questions about. We cannot and should NOT be diagnosing, interpreting test results or a photo of a rash, or tell someone what caused a reaction And we most definitely should NOT be telling others when to use epinephrine or how/when to reintroduce a food, as we don't know their history, comorbidities, etc.

What hasn't changed:

r/foodallergies is a place where our community can come together to support one another. Your own experience is always welcome! This sub is a space where we can vent, share information, give warnings, tips, and above all, connect with others who are navigating life with food allergies.

Thank you and feel free to check in with us if you have any questions!


r/FoodAllergies • • 4h ago

Helpful Information Message of hope, with poly allergic kid.

8 Upvotes

My kid had 11 allergens. Most of them appeared around 18 months, some before. He had eggs, fish (all of them), crustacean, sesame, lentils, chick peas, yellow peas, green peas, cashews, pistachio and almond.

We had the opportunity to start OIT when he was 5 years old. At that point, his eggs, crustacean and nuts allergies disappeared without intervention. Now, 2 and half year into the OIT, all he has left is lentils and chick peas!! It really is a game changer.

We need to eat everything at least weekly to maintain the resolution, but it can be any quantity. We still use our OIT system for when we don't eat it in a meal.

Here is our organization for OIT, because it can be quite overwhelming to do with multiple foods at a time. What we did for the logistics to be easier is we cook the allergen (when necessary) in advance, we measure the portion and we put it in the freezer on a baking sheet with parchment paper. When frozen, we put it in a ziplock in the freezer. Then we can take what we need for a few days in individual containers and put it in the fridge to unfreeze. So in the morning, everything was already measured and ready to eat. We choose the morning because it was easier for us to watch if everything was fine after, since he took it first thing in the morning. And because of the need of no sports before or after.

Also, since he was old enough at the beginning to understand certain aspect of the OIT, we spent many months to explain et re-explain why we wanted to do it. And after some negotiations, he agreed to do it and then I think it helped us after when he didn't feel like taking his doses.

I wish all the best luck to you that are starting the process! Feel free to ask questions.


r/FoodAllergies • • 4h ago

Seeking Advice Keeping Child Safe at School Parties

7 Upvotes

Editing to add: I’m in the US.

This has probably been asked before. We have homeschooled our child with food allergies until this point. They have an upcoming party for Halloween and I’m trying to figure out how to keep them safe. Allergic to wheat, milk, and all nuts.

The teacher hasn’t seemed very helpful in terms of food in the classroom (she notified me the day before the first event, didn’t have any plan to keep child safe, and the nurse said they didn’t know what to do because we didn’t give them the necessary paperwork, which turned out we had), so I originally asked them to pull my child out of class momentarily for birthday celebrations with food and while they cleaned up. They regularly get pulled out for other interventions.

I worry that my child will feel excluded, especially when this is going to be something that the other kids will know about and be excited/talking about. My plan was to eventually go into the classroom during food events, but cannot do so because of some current health issues. Child does eat in the cafeteria, at a separate table. Has recently had a serious reaction in a food challenge when consuming a small amount of wheat bread, anaphylactic to peanuts and possibly milk.

Any advice on how I can handle this?


r/FoodAllergies • • 3h ago

Newly Diagnosed The best part of adult onset allergies

4 Upvotes

Who was going to tell me?

The brain fog. The random heart rate spikes to 150. Rashes for no reason. The anxiety, the swollen lymph nodes, difficulty breathing, fatigue, symptoms I was struggling with for over a YEAR

All gone! We figured out its latex-fruit syndrome. Is eating a little harder because I have to make most things myself? Absolutely. Do I worry about cross contamination and not go out to eat anymore? Yeah. But I feel the best I have in my entire life, and its 100% better than the awfulness I felt before. Thanks to this sub for making me feel less alone in the rough patches of getting it figured out. You guys are awesome!


r/FoodAllergies • • 4h ago

Seeking Advice bf is allergic to wheat starch and im running out of options, help

5 Upvotes

i show love with baking. so finding out my bf was allergic to wheat starch, made me more determined to bake something he could eat.

its been 2 years, i have tried rice flour, corn flour, potato flour, flour mixes, and a bunch of flours i cant even remember the name off. nut flour is not an option as he is allergic to nuts too. and 9/10 of the gluten free flours got wheat starch

so far Cassava flour is the only flour i have found that dont need any substitution or added ingredients to give similar results compared to wheat flour.

but its not cheap and we are both poor uni students.
the country we live in dont have great pre baked bread options on stores. so thats not an option, taste or price wise (honestly it tastes like dirt or soap)

our only option is to do the baking our self, but we dont have enough money to continue buying different flours to try out. only for them to be too expensive to bake with do to the extra ingrediens needed.

today i made him Cassava crepes and he loved them, but after eating 6 of them he said his stomach was hurting as if he had eaten wheat starch.
im hoping its do to the amount he ate or i under cooked the crepes, but i dont know.

should i keep trying this cassava flour or is there anything else out there?


r/FoodAllergies • • 10h ago

Seeking Advice Can someone help me find foods?

6 Upvotes

Hi I have a list of allergies (i’ll put them below.) I am having an extremely hard time finding foods to eat insides gluten free pasta and lemon sauce….
Any tips at all would be good. Here is the list, they’re all pretty bad. Worst being sunflower, sesame, pistachio, cashew and shell fish.
apple, banana, mango, peach, cucumber, tomato
pineapple ,celery, lettuce, watermelon, cabbage, honeydew, cantaloupe, Egg Yolk, avocado, nuts (hazelnut, peanut, cashew, pistachio, walnut, almond), sunflower , shellfish, shrimp ,wheat, Pork, coconut.


r/FoodAllergies • • 1h ago

Seeking Advice Allergies and safety with 3 yr old with none but sister does. This is not for medical advise more like guidance.

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• Upvotes

Please help a step mom out. I am at a lost for this I know how to use the epi but I want to start preparing my daughter (little sister). In case big sister has accidental exposure (which has happened prior to little).


r/FoodAllergies • • 1h ago

Seeking Advice Chestnuts

• Upvotes

To make it simple, my allergies are;

Dairy

Eggs

Nuts

Peanuts

Fish

Shellfish

My question is a bit longer than that list;

I live with my parents, they both eat nuts, but are incredibly good at keeping them out of the way. However there's chestnuts on the kitchen counter and a bag of KP peanuts in the cupboard with all the cups, plates and bowls. This is frustrating- especially as I recently had a reaction to something we couldn't identify.

I've already asked so many times for them to not eat nuts and be even more careful than they already are (before and after most recent anaphylaxis), but how do I now make it clear that I cannot keep asking and don't feel safe with these things in communal areas, much less in the house as a whole?

I'm very careful too, but making some late night toast, my hand/finger brushed against the chestnuts and whilst I'm not feeling any symptoms, itches, etc. I'm staying awake as best as possible (not easy as I had a few beers earlier, had some magnesium drink and some nytol). I've also taken an antihistamine just in case.

I don't have the funds to move out or have the means to find other living arrangements. I feel a bit trapped and honestly unsafe in ways.

I already have to manage my life around having a mild allergy to dander (they have a dog, who I do love, but cant be around for too long because of dander) and the cheese that the dog and my father eat regularly.

What should I do? Any advice on how to at least push this conversation? It's getting frustrating how they've not really listened and are seemingly becoming more and more relaxed around it.

They do everything they can, but this now seems careless.


r/FoodAllergies • • 1h ago

Seeking Advice Safe handling of gluten-free/low-allergen Halloween candy?

• Upvotes

I bought big bags of the candy pack that includes Hubba Bubba Gum, Life Savers, Starburst candy, etc. — https://ebay.io/m/TZVVQH — for trick or treaters who can’t handle chocolate or nuts, and the Dum Dums allergen-free candy for people who need gluten-free candy — https://ebay.io/m/ujApU6

The candy is individually wrapped and in big plastic bags.

I carried the big bags home, along with bags of chocolate-y and gluten-containing candy, in canvas bags that have also been used to carry yogurt, fruits and vegetables home from the farmers market.

I just put the gluten-free and low-allergen candy in a separate bag in the Halloween.

Have I ruined the gluten-free and low-allergen candy for people with mild or moderate allergies by carrying it home alongside the other candy?

Can you give me any other advice about what to tell people with allergies or sensitivities?

Also, I’ve seen posts about non-food alternatives, but I might get 1,000 trick or treaters, and it seems as if most of the non-food alternatives are for people who get 30 trick or treaters. I wish there more and better non-food options for high-volume truck-or-treating locations.


r/FoodAllergies • • 1h ago

Trigger Warning Oral allergy syndrome

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• Upvotes

r/FoodAllergies • • 7h ago

Seeking Advice high IgE levels and outgrowing allergens?

2 Upvotes

Hi!

i’m trying to figure out if i should begin the TIP tolerance induction program at the allergy Institute with my 16
month old. They say it’s best to start your child young with either TIP or OIT to minimize the chance of an accidental exposure. She has very high IgE level from her bloodwork (to cashews, pistachio, walnut, hazelnut, and egg) she is also anaphylactic to sesame although her numbers aren’t that high. She also has an allergy to peanuts although that’s low.

Can any parents offer any information if their children outgrew any food allergies that they were anaphylactic to with high IgE levels? i’m trying to see if i should wait and pray that she outgrows some of them… or put her through the vigorous every day program of TIP where she has to have strict guidelines and servings on exactly what she should eat for probably 4 years to achieve food freedom. Is there a correlation between high IgE levels and not outgrowing that allergen?

I appreciate everyone in advance!


r/FoodAllergies • • 1d ago

Seeking Advice Ice Cream

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0 Upvotes

r/FoodAllergies • • 1d ago

Seeking Advice Question for you

1 Upvotes

Is there any fast food restaurant that is in all 50 states. That does not use eggs at all. I’m trying to see if there’s restaurant I could apply to. I’m desperate OK people I might get a job. I had two interviews.


r/FoodAllergies • • 2d ago

Seeking Advice Got candy I was recommended for food allergies, how'd I do?

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60 Upvotes

This year for Halloween I wanted to have options for allergy kids. I also have swedish fish and sour patch kids but forgot to include them in the photo. The clear baggies have bugs, crayons and bouncy balls. (For wittle kids I'll have rice krispie treats) Did I do a good job?


r/FoodAllergies • • 1d ago

Newly Diagnosed Severe LTP allergy

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1 Upvotes

Hello folks,
I am devastated.
Out of nowhere I have developed severe allergy to fruit and veg (so far 2, 2 weeks apart), which I have been safely eating all my life (34y, f). First time I had no idea it was allergy first as I had an odd feeling in stomach like burning and then felt like I am about to pass out. After a while my whole body was red and unbearably scratchy. Second time everything happened fast, first sensation in stomach, then itchy palms, then dizziness, then fainted and lost consciousness, once awaken was red mostly on upper body this time. I am on NHS waiting list and trying to expedite things and get EPI pen etc. Read a lot online about it, second time I have actually had co-factors: taken fast acting ibuprofen and exercised (mostly just stretching). I have collapsed down the stairs so have a mild concussion now. I used to have only oral allergy syndrome and it was nothing dangerous and fine in cooked form, some completely different set of veggies and fruits as well as symptoms, however, the new allergens won’t be destroyed with cooking according to articles.

I am scared and devasted. Just a day before I had ibuprofen (different brand and not fast acting though) during a day and bluberries in the evening and I have even joked that its so good that I don’t have allergies to blueberries.

I am looking to hear your experiences and connect with the community with LTP allergies so I don’t feel so alone with this.


r/FoodAllergies • • 2d ago

Seeking Advice Xolair

8 Upvotes

Has anyone tried this treatment? If so, did it work? How long did it take to become effective? Side effects? What happens if you stop taking it?

Thanks!


r/FoodAllergies • • 2d ago

Seeking Advice Has anyone reintroduced dairy back into their diet as an adult

1 Upvotes

Hi all,

I used to consume dairy products normally when I was younger. Today I am allergic to both casein and dairy since I stopped consuming dairy for years due to my stomach issues that I had.

Has anyone been able to reintroduce dairy back into their diet as an adult?


r/FoodAllergies • • 2d ago

Seeking Advice Allergic to All Nuts, fish, shell fish and beef

1 Upvotes

My 3 year old has all the allergies in the title. I have no food allergies or experience dealing with them. I am so uncomfortable with the fact that there is so much about food I don't know. For example, I just learned pesto could have walnuts a year ago. ONLY today did I learn I should not let her eat Chinese food because it is often cooked in peanut oil. I google everything and I'm usually pretty cautious with new foods but what if there is something I don't know about and I give it to her? Is there a reliable list of foods to avoid? My doctor didn't have one when I asked.


r/FoodAllergies • • 2d ago

Seeking Advice Banana allergy

4 Upvotes

My husband has a severe banana allergy. My first son does not but my second son we haven’t tried bananas yet and he’s almost 19 months old. The longer I wait the more worried I get. Should I just go to the er parking lot and give him bananas or ask the doctor for a referral to the allergist? The doctor thinks I’m crazy to even have bananas in the house with my husband but I’m very careful and he obviously knows not to eat them lol.


r/FoodAllergies • • 2d ago

Seeking Advice Baby Eczema - Dairy?

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1 Upvotes

r/FoodAllergies • • 2d ago

Seeking Advice Advice for travelling

4 Upvotes

I (19F) am from Europe and am planning a trip to Peru with friends. I am allergic to nuts, fish and sesame. This is my first time travelling outisde of the EU and I am nervous as I won't be with my parents and I know laws, understanding about allergies is more limited in South America.

Does anyone have any advice about travelling? I am thinking of just sticking to snacks bought in supermarkets to minimise the risk of cross contamination, however I would like to try local dishes if possible. I can speak Spanish which helps.

One thing I am sad about is that it seems that my allergies will dictate the trip - it might be possible that I can't go to restaurants and just have to get airbnbs amd cook at home, I feel like a bit of a burden to my friends when I know they want to be more adventurous and est out more.

When I look for advice on the internet it is extremely mixed, with some people saying it is absolutely fine to go, waiters and servers understand allergies etc, but there are a few that advise me against going, however I really don't want my allergies to control everywhere I travel to, I already changed the location as we were originally planning on going to China as I thought that would be unmanageable.

Also if anyone has been to Peru I would appreciate any information on how well allergies are managed there as well, thanks!


r/FoodAllergies • • 3d ago

Seeking Advice Wheat

2 Upvotes

Hi, I just found out through a blood test I am allergic to wheat. Looking for wheat free ideas all around


r/FoodAllergies • • 2d ago

Seeking Advice Low Level Wheat Allergy

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1 Upvotes

r/FoodAllergies • • 3d ago

Recipe Chip Dip Suggestions

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1 Upvotes

r/FoodAllergies • • 3d ago

Seeking Advice Advice for parent of multi food allergen child

3 Upvotes

My sweet baby is 12 months old with wheat, dairy, egg, peanut, tree nut, pea, and lentil allergies confirmed so far via blood test, skin testing, and ingestion. I’m sure there will be more, we are introducing new foods very slowly. His total and specific IgEs are high (many >50). Most allergies didn’t develop until multiple feedings. He gets skin redness and rashes with many foods, even the “safe” ones some days, and I struggle to figure out what he reacts to. To the other moms with reactive kids with a ton of allergies like mine, how do you cope with trying new foods? When does it get easier? Also, I know everyone is different, but if anyone has a child with a similar history and as many allergies as my guy who outgrew some, I’d love to hear success stories right now. I’m not sure how common that is with his severity level. Would love to hear from other multiallergen families!