Fit Fare

As we all know, the holidays are synonymous with food.  But for people with food allergies, the holidays can be a frustrating time. 

My brother has a severe nut allergy.  Luckily, my parents discovered it when he was very young, which gave my brother a fighting chance at controlling it.  Still, he doesn’t like missing out on certain foods and homemade goodies.  

So, when you are entertaining this holiday season, think about who’s coming to your house.  Before your next get-together, check with all your guests about their possible food preferences or allergies.  Nothing can ruin an evening like serving your lactose-intolerant friend a dairy-laced dessert! 

Below, I’ve listed a few easy and healthy substitutions you can make to a holiday menu that will accommodate all your friends and family members.

1. Instead of using walnuts in your turkey stuffing, use water chestnuts.  My mom starting doing this after my brother was diagnosed with a nut allergy.  Water chestnuts provide the same crunch as nuts without an overpowering taste. 
2. For you eggnog lovers, Silk Soy Milk makes amazing soy nog for people who can’t have dairy.  When I discovered it last Christmas, I was so excited!  It tastes like the real thing, but it’s light and smooth.  And to top it all off, it has much less fat than regular eggnog. 
3.  If you are making any pasta dishes, you can easily substitute wheat pasta with brown rice pasta, white rice pasta, and 100% rye pasta for anyone with a gluten allergy.  In my opinion, you can’t taste the difference!
4. I was a vegetarian for five years, so holidays at my house could be difficult. My parents brainstormed, and found that substituting meat with a portabella mushroom in nearly any recipe made for a delicious and healthy alternative.  My favorite meal was a baked portabella mushroom filled with stuffing and covered with vegetarian gravy!

If you want to learn more about food allergies, check out The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network for recipes, FAQS, and research.