In this section, you’ll find:
10 tips to make holidays easier to manage:
Tip #1: There are a lot of holiday parties and gatherings during this time, review how to avoid cross-contamination. Check out our web section and watch our fun videos.
Tip #2: If you’re planning on celebrating with family or friends where someone is cooking, offer to purchase your own food so you can take the necessary steps to make sure the ingredients are safe for you/your child’s food allergy. Remember to follow the triple check when reading food labels.
Tip #3: Hosting a party or going to one? Be sure to discuss the menu, safe food preparation and (if your child has asthma) any triggers in the home such as pets or woodsmoke. Download our tip sheet that you can share with party hosts to help them prepare for a fun and safe party. Share our tip sheet.
Tip #4: Talk to your child about what to expect and how they can manage their food allergy, what the meal plan is, and how to say “no” politely if they need to. Check out these extra tips from youth, parents, siblings and others.
Tip #5: Things can get messy at parties. Hand washing is one of the most effective ways to prevent cross-contamination from hands to mouth or eyes. Hand washing also helps reduce the spread of viruses and COVID-19!
Tip #6: Brush up on preventing reactions. Learn avoidance strategies to help reduce the risk of exposure to your food allergen – throughout the holidays and all year long!
Tip #7: Did you know that hives are not always present during an anaphylactic reaction? Watch our quick Anaphylaxis 101 video and review the signs and symptoms of an anaphylactic reaction.
Tip #8: Review you/your child’s emergency plan and what to do in case of a reaction. Remind your child that they should let you and others know if they are feeling unwell or they think they may be having a reaction.
Tip #9: Double-check that you/your child’s auto-injectors are up-to-date and review how to treat an anaphylactic reaction. If you’re not sure you’re experiencing anaphylaxis, it’s better to be safe and use your epinephrine auto-injector. Epinephrine is safe, don’t hesitate to use it.
Tip #10: Watch youth describe what it was like to have an anaphylactic reaction, and what lessons they learned. This short video highlights the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis, the importance of using your epinephrine auto-injector, and what to do when reactions happen.
Tip sheet for party hosts
Share this party tip sheet with hosts who are planning to serve guests with food allergy. It includes important reminders and guides people through buying safe food and preparing and serving food safely.
Be sure to check it out!
Allergy-friendly recipes
Looking for an allergy-friendly recipe that will be safe for all? We got you covered! Plus check out our helpful kitchen tips to avoid cross-contamination.
Crafts and activities
Use these craft ideas to create allergy awareness at different parties, or for fundraising. They also make great gifts for others. Be sure to make your crafts teal, the colour for food allergy awareness!
- Paper snowflakes: templates and colouring pages
- Terracotta Christmas tree
- Popsicle stick snowflake ornaments
- Yarn wrapped reindeer
- Make bracelets, necklaces or keychains – get inspired by Danica and Delaney’s fundraiser, and Tiffany’s fundraiser.
Videos on how to celebrate safely
Check out our “Food Allergy Do’s & Don’ts” series for things to keep in mind while preparing for holiday celebrations.
Social icons for sharing
Download and share these photos on social media. Let others know how you are making the holidays safe for those with food allergy.
- Click on the images to download. The image will then open in a new window. To save the image, right click the image and save them to your device.
- Be sure to include the hashtag #FoodAllergyFuture and link to foodallergycanada.ca/holidays when sharing on social media. Plus, tag us so we can like it!
- Twitter: @foodallergycan
- Facebook: @foodallergycanada
- Instagram: @food_allergy_canada
