Mother’s Day coincides with another special day – the beginning of Food Allergy Awareness Week. May is Allergy Awareness Month, and each year one week is dedicated to food allergy awareness. For 2021, it runs from May 9th to May 15th.
Though it hasn’t received as much fanfare these past two years, the Empire State Building is continuing their Food Allergy Awareness tradition. Tomorrow they will glow teal once again. And we’ve forged ahead with an update of our food allergy awareness information and top allergen-free recipes. But remember, awareness shouldn’t be limited to just one week. We encourage you to use and share and use this information any time of the year!
Food Allergy Awareness Week: Over 120 Recipes and Resources
This post includes information to help increase awareness and accommodation of food allergies. It covers the topic of allergies vs intolerances, has dozens of top 8-free recipes, and includes community resources, like awareness printables. This post is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or sway you toward any type of diet. If you believe you have any type of food reaction, consult your physician.
Food Allergy, Intolerance, …
Below is a cool diagram that outlines at a glance the differences between what we think of as a classic food allergy and food intolerance.
…or an Allergy that Behaves Like an Intolerance?
But this simple assessment is not the end all be all of possible food reaction issues. Lying somewhere in the middle ground is Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE) – a condition that hits home for my family – and Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome (FPIES). Both are immune system reactions to food (like classic food allergies addressed above) but occur specifically in the gastrointestinal tract (like food intolerance). Both EoE and FPIES are typically classified by the medical community as food allergies, but the reaction times may be more delayed and they can onset later in life.
As you may have guessed, milk is a top trigger in all four of the aforementioned food reaction types. For those without an IgE-mediated food allergy reaction (a.k.a. that classic food allergy diagnosis), but who are certain they are reacting to the protein in dairy, not the lactose, EoE and FPIES might be worth looking into. They are both cell-mediated reactions, so traditional IgE testing may not be enough to uncover the issue.
Alisa’s Top 8-Free Recipes
What would Food Allergy Awareness Week be without amazing food? Following are some allergy-friendly and gluten-free recipes that we have enjoyed in my home. All are free of the Top 8 Food Allergens (dairy, egg, wheat / gluten, soy, peanut, tree nut, fish, and shellfish) and for the most are free of the Canadian Top 11 Food Allergens, too!
Top 8-Free Smoothies and Bevies
Top 8-Free Breakfasts
Top 8-Free Meals and Meal-Makers
Top 8-Free Snacks
Top 8-Free Desserts
Want more? See all 1200+ Top-8 Free Recipes and Reviews!
Visual Guides for Food Allergy Awareness Week
Enjoy and share the infographics, printable posters and bookmarks below for visual awareness!
Milk Allergies are Real!
Despite being one of the top eight allergens, and increasing in prevalence each year, milk is often ignored as an allergen. When you run across someone who doesn’t believe, help them gain some Respect for Milk Allergies with this post.
For More Dairy-Free Guidance, Get Go Dairy Free!
