Restaurant ideas for peanut/nut allergy?

[Anonymous]

My toddler was just diagnosed with a peanut/tree nut allergy. Can anyone recommend restaurants that are peanut/nut free or that are willing to prepare food that is not cross contaminated? Also, I know that ice cream parlors that use scoopers are to be avoided but are soft serve fro-yo places also a no-go? We live in upper NW but are open to all suggestions in the area. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Did you doctor tell you that you need to be so cautious? My son (15 months) has a peanut allergy and my allergist encouraged us to continue life as usual while being informed and sensible. When I asked about dining out/birthday parties/school she said life should be as normal as possible. We read labels and ask about ingredients, but have not sought out specific restaurants. I always ask but it's never an issue. Our allergist was very clear about not letting this run our lives.

To each their own.

[Anonymous]

Check out Allergyeats.com for restaurants. We have child with severe nut allergy and we have very few restaurants we go to. We avoid all ice cream and fro yo places. But it's all up to your comfort zone and level of the allergy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did you doctor tell you that you need to be so cautious? My son (15 months) has a peanut allergy and my allergist encouraged us to continue life as usual while being informed and sensible. When I asked about dining out/birthday parties/school she said life should be as normal as possible. We read labels and ask about ingredients, but have not sought out specific restaurants. I always ask but it's never an issue. Our allergist was very clear about not letting this run our lives.

To each their own.

It depends on the level of allergy - your son's allergy must be mild. For kids with a more severe allergy, they have to be more careful.

[Anonymous]

OP here. The doctor did say we can eat out, but to be careful about what we order and speak to the chef to make sure it's prepared safely. That being said, I wondered if any parents of nut/peanut allergic children have any go-to restaurants that are accommodating of their child's allergies. So far our son's reactions have been mild, but I know that can change on a subsequent exposure.

[Anonymous]

Italian and Pizza places should be fine, they rarely use nuts unless it's in a dessert.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did you doctor tell you that you need to be so cautious? My son (15 months) has a peanut allergy and my allergist encouraged us to continue life as usual while being informed and sensible. When I asked about dining out/birthday parties/school she said life should be as normal as possible. We read labels and ask about ingredients, but have not sought out specific restaurants. I always ask but it's never an issue. Our allergist was very clear about not letting this run our lives.

To each their own.

It depends on the level of allergy - your son's allergy must be mild. For kids with a more severe allergy, they have to be more careful.

There is no level of allergy. You're either allergic or not. If you are allergic, then you're at risk for a severe reaction. Perhaps it's semantics, but it's important to note that one child is not more allergic to peanuts than another.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. The doctor did say we can eat out, but to be careful about what we order and speak to the chef to make sure it's prepared safely. That being said, I wondered if any parents of nut/peanut allergic children have any go-to restaurants that are accommodating of their child's allergies. So far our son's reactions have been mild, but I know that can change on a subsequent exposure.

13:28 here. I just ask everywhere we go if they cook with peanuts. We eat out a lot: everything from Ethiopian, Vietnamese, to Chik Fil A, etc. We'll probably avoid places with peanut shells on the ground but otherwise every place has been accommodating.

[Anonymous]

Our son has a severe pn/tn/sesame allergy. We eat everywhere except for Asian restaurants.

[Anonymous]

my husband is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. We used to inquire in advance but have found it is unnecessary as most restaurants are accommodating of allergies. The only one that has not been in McCormick & Schmicks. For a chain seafood place, go to Legal Sea Food. Any meal for someone with an allergy will be prepared separately and delivered by the management.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did you doctor tell you that you need to be so cautious? My son (15 months) has a peanut allergy and my allergist encouraged us to continue life as usual while being informed and sensible. When I asked about dining out/birthday parties/school she said life should be as normal as possible. We read labels and ask about ingredients, but have not sought out specific restaurants. I always ask but it's never an issue. Our allergist was very clear about not letting this run our lives.

To each their own.

It depends on the level of allergy - your son's allergy must be mild. For kids with a more severe allergy, they have to be more careful.

There is no level of allergy. You're either allergic or not. If you are allergic, then you're at risk for a severe reaction. Perhaps it's semantics, but it's important to note that one child is not more allergic to peanuts than another.

Sorry, you are wrong. I have allergies to tree nuts. I cannot eat anything with tree nuts or tree nut flavorings in it. I cannot eat a casserole where the nuts are on one side, even if I eat from the other side of the casserole because the proteins mix during cooking. (BTDT as an 8 yr old at a neighbor's house) my reaction is anaphylaxis, throat closes, need epipen and hospital. Trust me, I'm deathly allergic.

BUT. I am fine if someone else is eating nuts next to me and touches me. No hives from contact or in the air. A whole room full of nuts can be fine as long as I don't eat them. And I can.go to any restaurant as long as I tell the server that I'm allergic to make sure I don't order anything with hidden nuts. I dont need to worry about cross contamination from pots and pans that were previously used for nuts. I can go to ice cream places and get ice cream, although I make sure I don't choose an.ice cream next to the nut ones, as sometimes one kind falls into another kind as you make the cones. I know, because I worked at an ice cream place in high school with pistachio and all the rest, I was fine.

And I've known people who are allergic to food and get hives if the food touches their skin. So milk spilling, one kids' yogurty hands touching the allergic child's arm, all cause hives. Now that isn't usually an epipen time, just a benedryl time, but it's still allergy and scary. So those people are more sensitive and "more allergic". I know one child who cannot eat anything that was made in a facility that processes nuts, as she'll get an ana reaction. Me? Im fine, do it all the time.

Some people cannot eat and dairy or eggs, others can't drink.milk, eat butter but CAN have them if it's baked, like in muffins.

Please always find or from the person (or patent fur children) what the accommodations are needed.

So, OP, the slleegyeats site might be helpful, and hopefully you can go to restaurants like I can. Please know that restaurants are very careful about this, I've had servers and mansgers come to speak with me to show me through a buffet, etc. Just always tell the server and make sure that what you are ordering doesn't have anything in it without aaying so in the menu. I've ordered ice cream and it comes with a damn italian biscotti without mentioning it in the description on the menu. Italian biscotti usually have nuts, so I need a whole new bowl of ice cream, not to just remove the cookie (crumbs will get me). So I need to explain what I need. Nicely, with a smile, and all is well.

I consider myself lucky that my reaction is only when I consume the actual product so I don't need to worry.about pans, etc.

[Anonymous]

To answer your question, here are some of the restaurants we've found particularly accommodating for peanut allergy (desserts aren't generally safe, but everything else ok):
Jaleo--they have special allergy menus you can request
Italian and pizza places
Cafe Deluxe
Cactus Cantina and Guapos
Olazzo (although the bread is made in an outside bakery, so chance of cross-contamination). Everything else fine and waitstaff well informed
Rock Bottom--great training and awareness, and almost everything is safe.
We love ice cream, and do sometimes go to a scoop place. They will wash off the scooper and often have some flavors in an area away from nuts. Definitely some risk to it though, so we typically stick with soft serve. In those froyo places, we don't get any toppings--too much chance of contamination.
We avoid all Asian and Indian restaurants, although if you have a regular place and can talk to the owner/chef it can be possible. You can eat almost anywhere--it just takes asking the right questions and trusting your gut on whether the restaurant has training and understanding of food allergies and cross-contamination. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

PF Changs has a nut free kitchen and separate menu.

Dave and Busters has a separate nut free menu.

Almost all Japanese and Mexican/tex mex restaurants are completely nut free.

Italian restaurants are usually good EXCEPT some of their deserts have pistachios (like spumoni). Check the menu in advance.

Mikes American grill is usually a good choice.

Burger joints are always good.

Red Lobster used to be fine but that might have changed. We only go there during Lent.

I will post more if I think of them.

[Anonymous]

Randomly, Dairy Queen was very attentive to my son's PN/TN allergy. Silver Diner is great.

The biggest places we avoid are Indian and most Asian. That said, we had a good experience at Ruan Thai in Wheaton--they were very aware of the allergy and seemed to get it. I think cross-contamination is still an issue, though.

And there absolutely are different levels of allergy, even though past reactions don't necessarily predict future severity (although one anaphylactic reaction increases risk of those in the future). Trust your allergist. Good luck, OP!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PF Changs has a nut free kitchen and separate menu.

Dave and Busters has a separate nut free menu.

Almost all Japanese and Mexican/tex mex restaurants are completely nut free.

Italian restaurants are usually good EXCEPT some of their deserts have pistachios (like spumoni). Check the menu in advance.

Mikes American grill is usually a good choice.

Burger joints are always good.

Red Lobster used to be fine but that might have changed. We only go there during Lent.

I will post more if I think of them.

I probably wouldn't take a peanut allergic kid to Five Guys"