Cooking allergy-free meals doesn’t have to be daunting, yet there are some important things to note. There are varying degrees for people with allergies/intolerances, so it can be helpful to understand a few important guidelines. If you are making a meal specifically for someone and you are aware of their needs, I highly recommend discussing with them what they need. This ensures the person receiving the meal can be confident that you have taken their dietary requirements into account.
Please carefully read all product ingredient lists. This is crucial, When reading ingredient lists there are two things you need to look out for. Any common allergy (gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, nuts) will be listed in bold for easy reference. For people with allergies, and most people with intolerances, this is important to take note of. There may also be a warning, stating that a certain allergen may be present or made on the same production line. For most people with intolerances, these may be ok, but I find it is best to stay on the safe side and avoid those products, unless you’ve been given the okay from the recipient.
Some tips I have found helpful, although they may sound extreme, can really give peace of mind knowing that all due diligence has been made to care for the health of the recipient.
If you are cooking in a kitchen where you have previously cooked with an allergen (especially nuts) then whilst there will always be a small risk there are a few things you can do to eliminate some risks.
-Avoid wooden chopping boards, spoons etc. The allergens can remain on the spoon or chopping board even when it has been washed up.
-Wash all utensils well before using them in as hot water as possible.
-If you are unsure of the safety of your oven trays etc you can line them with foil to reduce any further risks.
-Do not use any open packets of things like rice, pasta, spices etc that could have been open in the presence of nuts. It is much safer to open a fresh packet than the risk of it having been unknowingly contaminated.
In our recipes for allergy-friendly meals we have stated brands that we know are safe to make it easier for you, but please double-check anyway – companies have been known to update recipes and change the ingredients.