13 Tips for Planning Vacation with Food Allergies

 

Even with anaphylactic food allergies, we have managed to safely vacation for a decade.

Food allergies do make vacation a little more work,

but yearly road trips help us refresh, rejuvenate, and make sweet memories.

So it’s definitely worth the extra effort.

When my husband and I start planning our next excursion,

we go through a checklist that clarifies our plans and goals for the vacation.

And the list ensures we are taking all the safety precautions necessary.

Maybe this will help you plan both safety and fun on your next trip, as well.  

 

13 TIPS FOR PLANNING VACATION WITH FOOD ALLERGIES

1. DECIDE WHO

Who will be coming along?

Grandparents, siblings, cousins, friends?

Or will it just be your immediate family?

Sometimes having extra hands and help is wonderful for food allergy families.

Sometimes it’s more stressful.

What’s best for your family’s next trip?

Personally, we invite my best friend to come along because she’s so fun and such good help. 

 

 

2. DECIDE WHEN

When are you going?

Will it be peak or off season?

Less busy times are great for food allergy families as you can better focus on food allergy safety.

But peak seasons can be safe, too.

It just takes a little extra energy and effort when places are crowded.

 

3. DECIDE GOALS

What do you hope to enjoy on your vacation?

Exploring, shopping, relaxing, thrill rides, eating?

There’s no right answer, but it’s good to pinpoint what you’re hoping to get out of the excursion.

This helps you realize vacation isn’t all about food.

 

 

4. DECIDE TRANSPORTATION

How will you get there?

Plane, train, automobile?

However you plan to travel, just make sure you have safety in mind and know what food allergy precautions need to be taken.

Also, know how to get help should an emergency arrive while in transit.

For example, we avoid new foods while driving the interstate because we could be miles and miles from a hospital.

 

5. PACK SPECIAL FOOD

What specialty foods can you bring along that travel well and would be quite a treat for your food allergy kiddo?

I like to pack things my kids don’t normally have, but that we are certain are safe.

My son even takes a bite out of most every package at home before we pack it.

 

 

6. MANAGE THE FOOD

What is the best way to manage your food depending on if you stay in a hotel, condo, or camp and if you fly, drive, or train?

So far we’ve only driven and pack quite a bit of food in the trunk with coolers.

For accommodations, we prefer full kitchen condos but can also make hotels work ok with a microwave and mini refrigerator for a couple nights.

We’ve even managed camping and cooking family meals on a fire.

 

7. MEAL PLAN

Do you have a meal plan ready that ensures you have a lot of safe food and well balanced meals day after day?

Packing food from home, knowing grocery stores at your destination, and bringing kitchen tools from home are great food allergy strategy.

Having a master vacation meal plan to use year after year is also a nice idea for saving yourself planning time.

Or will you try restaurants with food allergies?

If so, you may want to do your homework on what and where is safe before you leave.

We have a vacation meal plan in Milk Allergy Mom Membership and I share my own premade vacation food plans, too. 🙂

 

 

8. COMMUNICATE

Are the planning adults clearly communicating before and all during the trip to safely maneuver food allergies together on the trip?

Being out of your element can be especially stressful with food allergies.

But you want to maintain control, calm, and unity in these situations.

Talking out each step along the way helps my husband and I so much.

Sometimes we include our son in the planning, sometimes we don’t.

 

9. TAKE SAFETY MEASURES

Where are the emergency rooms along the way, and in proximity to the destination?

Will you eat far from ER services or plan meals closer to medical care in case it’s needed?

We are especially mindful of this on long car trips, and secluded camping trips.

 

 

10. REMEMBER MEDICATIONS

Are all your meds packed according to your food allergy action plan?

Multiple epinephrine injectors, Benedryl, inhalers, etc.

Where will you store them so you can grab them quickly?

Do the epi temperatures need regulated to maintain room temperature?

Remember, epinephrine lasts about 15 minutes.

Have enough injectors to get you to the ER from your location point.

 

11. BUY SAFE TREATS

Will you look for and buy some allergy-safe treats on your vacation?

My son really likes it when we allow him to get pre-packaged and ingredient labeled soda, juice, candy, or chips at gas stations.

We always get things he has safely eaten many times before.

It’s not McDonald’s, but it’s still store-bought and “spontaneous” and he loves that.

 

 

12. CLEAN STUFF

Do you have products packed to sanitize surfaces and clean hands.

It saves us so much stress to have baby wipes stashed everywhere for cleaning hands and to have a few e-cloths with us for sanitizing hotels and condos.

 

13. KEEP POSITIVE FOCUS

Aside from food, what are the other exciting aspects of the trip that you can focus on with a positive anticipation?

Our family loves to focus on the quality time and adventures together.

We take lots of pictures and love bargain shopping for souvenirs.

There’s so much more to life than food, thank goodness.

 

We hope this list helps you confidently plan your next vacation with food allergies!

Milk Allergy Mom Members, be sure to print our vacation planning sheets inside the member library.

And if you aren’t a MAM Member yet, whatcha waiting for?!

Milk Allergy Mom Membership is the best food allergy help, hope, and fun that your family deserves.

Join us today!