To ensure no one feels left out this holiday season, Allergy Insider offers actionable advice for hosting an allergy-friendly celebration.

Christmas is just around the corner and many people are preparing to host their annual family gatherings for the very first time. While this is a joyous time of year, managing the food allergies of your guests can be a challenge. There are an estimated 2.4 million adults in the UK and 20 million in the U.S. with clinically confirmed food allergies, meaning many hosts will have to carefully revise their menus to make sure they’re safe for those with existing and emerging allergies.

Recent studies highlight the increasing prevalence of food allergies. Research from Imperial College London found that new cases of food allergies in the UK doubled between 2008 and 2018, with up to 4% of preschool-aged children affected. Meanwhile, the Food Standards Agency reports that plant-based allergies are on the rise, coinciding with shifts towards alternative protein diets.

In the US, the AAFA estimates that about 20 million people have food allergies in the US – 16 million adults (6.2%) and 4 million children (5.8%). While milk (children) and shellfish (adults) are the most common food allergens, sesame is a rising food allergy that impacts an estimated 1 million people in the US.

Now, experts at Allergy Insider offer actionable advice for hosting an allergy-friendly celebration.

“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 notes, in an article reviewed by Gary Falcetano, US 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 during the holidays

1. 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. 
2. Ask about guests’ allergies. When inviting people to your holiday gatherings, ask about potential food allergies and what adaptations would be helpful.
3. 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.
4. Cut out the common offenders. If you’ve identified specific food allergies among your guests, consider a menu that avoids these allergens.
5. Circumvent cross-contact. To prevent potentially allergenic foods from contacting (and perhaps contaminating) “safe” foods.
6. 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.
7. Assess the alcohol. Alcoholic beverages may contain allergenic food items.
8. 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.
9. Create an emergency action plan. Establish a plan of action for severe reactions and post it in a central locale for the gathering. 
10. 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.

For sufferers of food allergies, treatment and medicines are often needed alongside management techniques. It is important to understand what allergen components they are sensitised to in order to get the best help with alleviating symptoms. 

For a long time, doctors were only able to test whether someone was allergic to the whole allergen, but now they can use a allergen blood test to determine if someone has a potential allergy to one or multiple of the allergen components.