1. Be Prepared - Being prepared with school lunches and family dinners will not only lessen the stress but will save you money. A good way to do this is by writing in a diary what you are going to cook for the week, this saves a lot of food wastage.
2. Be Positive - Rather than focussing on the foods you can't eat and feeling sorry for yourself because everyone else is eating creambuns focus on what you can eat. Focus on the beautiful foods you can have and develop your taste buds for different flavours. It may take a while to get a taste for "alternatives" such as rice milk but your taste buds will adapt to the point where you will prefer the alternative.
3. Party Time - When your children are in Primary School like mine and they have a birthday party every weekend to attend, once again, be prepared. I bake allergy free cupcakes and freeze them so I can defrost them before a party and they can take them along. Getting them to take a packed lunch may also be useful. For school and kindy birthday parties I fill a container full of my childrens fave snacks (things they don't have often at home) and leave them with the teacher to use when needed.
4. Going Out to Dinner - When it comes to going out to dinner it can be an absolute nightmare! I've spent more that a few nights in pain because the restaurant we have been to did not understand food intolerance well enough to cater for me. Before going to dinner do your research or ask friends whether the restaurant you want to go to will cater for you. If you are out for someone elses birthday DO NOT BE SHY in asking for what you need. It is not worth getting ill just because you are too embarassed to ask.
5. Outings with the Kids - Recently I took my kids to the Zoo. As it was a last minute decision I was unprepared and I was hopeful they would have something suitable for kids for lunch. I was disappointed to find that their kids menu was just the usual crumbed/battered meat with chips. The only two things on the menu that were gluten free were Hot Chips and Chicken Salad. When I inquired why they don't have more options for people with Intolerances the lady told me that they would soon be changing the menu as the Chef was Coeliac! My point to this is always take a packed lunch, once again you will save money and lessen the stress.
6. Become an Ingredients Reader - Whenever you are considering buying anything prepackaged it is always a good idea to read the ingredients. You will soon be aware why so many people have gluten, dairy, soy and sugar intolerances - because they are in nearly all packaged foods! Just because something says wholemeal, organic or preservative free it does not mean that it is free of the foods that you are intolerant to. Luckily most foods now have Allergen warnings in bold under their ingredients list making life easier for those of us with Intolerances.
7. Collect Useful Recipes and Learn How to Cook - If you don't already know how to cook I suggest you start learning. Having a food intolerance (or multiple) means that you will not be able to live on convenience foods. I can't emphasise enough how useful collecting recipes that suit you and your family is. You may even be able to publish your own cook book one day.
8. Educate Your Children and Your Family- If your children know what they can and can't eat it can save them from accidentally eating something that will make them ill when you are not there. Being prepared with alternatives can prevent your children feeling left out. Trust me they won't be the only kids in their group of friends with food allergies or intolerance. Educating your family is also important as they may try sneaking dairy in to their diet to "just give them a bit of calcium". If your children (or you) are intolerant to a food such as dairy your body will not absorb any calcium from it. The comment "A little bit won't hurt" is quite common among family members, and your answer should consistantly be "Sorry but yes it will" and present them with your preprepared alternative.
9. Grow Your Own - This will be on every list I ever make as I love growing my own food. Kids also love growing their own food and even the most fussy children will eventually try something that they have helped grow (trust me, I've got a very fussy one!).
10. Don't Forget How Lucky You Are - You are fortunate enough to be living in a time and place that caters for food intolerances. Imagine being a Coeliac in the 1950's. In all probability it would go undiagnosed and you would just be "one of those sickly people" or you would have very little choice as to the foods you could eat. In regards to being in the right place, do not forget that many of us in Australia are in the lucky minority worldwide who have access to clean drinking water, fresh fruit and vegetables, high quality meat and many alternatives to common allergens. So next time you are feeling sorry for yourself just remember there are people in this world who are unable to feed their children at all! Sobering.......
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