Everyone with a food allergy knows that there are more than a few habits you pick up. It's annoying going through those reactions, so you do everything you can to avoid them. Even the people around you try to change at least a little. No one wants you to end up with an allergic reaction, especially if it could kill you. Here's a sort list of habits you develop when you have a food allergy.
1. Check Labels
No matter what, you have to look at labels. Even for food you wouldn't think had your particular allergen in it. I learned the hard way that sometimes chips are made in peanut oil.
2. Ask what's in the food
Again, you never know what's in the food unless you made it. I personally always have to ask what's in a dessert.
3. Be wary of desserts
If you're like me and have a peanut allergy, you have to be wary of literally every dessert. Yes, even ice cream. If there's nuts, you have to know what kind of nuts. Then you have to know if those nuts were roasted in peanut oil (cashews usually are). Then there's no-bakes. Those are usually off limits.
4. Learn what you can eat
There's a general consensus of foods you can eat. Your favorite brands are what you can eat. You find the brands that somehow don't have your allergens in them and you love them because you can eat them.
5. Learn what you can't
You have to learn this. if you lose track of what brands you can't eat, and you forget to check the label (the one time you forget) you could be in trouble. You also tend to learn what kind of foods you can't eat. Like no-bakes.
6. People around you learn what you can/can't eat
If people are paying attention, they'll take note of your allergies and what those allergens are in. I found out from a friend that there's a restaurant that I can't eat at. If they can't keep track of what allergies you have, they try to ask. Yes, it might get even a little annoying, but they know you would rather they ask than assume.
7. Patience
Sometimes people are afraid to feed you. You know what you can and can't eat. You know if you can be around your allergen or not. Sometimes people are very...let's say cautious. You develop patience you never knew you could have.
