A food allergy is an immune system reaction—your body mistakenly sees a certain food as harmful, which can trigger symptoms like hives, swelling, or even a severe reaction called anaphylaxis. A food intolerance, on the other hand, usually affects digestion (like bloating, stomach pain, or discomfort) but doesn’t involve the immune system. Allergies can be life-threatening; intolerances are uncomfortable but not dangerous.

Eating out can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. I always call ahead, ask direct questions about ingredients, and sometimes carry a chef card with my allergens listed. Apps like Spokin can also help you find allergy-friendly restaurants!

In the U.S., the “Top 9” food allergens are: Milk, Egg, Peanut, Tree nuts (like almonds, walnuts, cashews), Wheat, Soy, Fish, Shellfish, and Sesame.

These are responsible for the majority of allergic reactions, but it’s important to remember that any food has the potential to cause an allergy.

Living allergy-friendly doesn’t mean giving up your favorite meals. For dairy, I love oat milk and vegan cheeses. For nuts, sunflower butter and pumpkin seeds are great alternatives. Sesame can often be swapped with flax or hemp seeds for texture! I share my go-to alternatives when cooking in this blog post.

Food allergies touch almost every part of daily living—from grocery shopping and meal prep to dining out, traveling, and attending social events. Label reading, asking questions at restaurants, and carrying emergency medication (like epinephrine) often become second nature. While it takes extra planning, it’s absolutely possible to live a full, fun, and delicious life with food allergies.

I never leave home without my epinephrine auto-injector, safe snacks, hand wipes, and more. I’ve put together a full checklist of my everyday allergy-friendly essentials here.