How to meander a delicious world with allergies.
By Joey Harvey
Many people live completely normal lives while managing horrible allergies that totally remove entire food groups from their lifestyles, but few of those make the choice to work within the food industry. Being the total sucker I am, I fell in love with the food world and continue to juggle being deathly allergic to tree nuts and shellfish. Peanuts and tree nuts, by the way, are two very different things. Peanuts grow beneath the ground. Who knew?!
I found out at a young age about my allergies. When Frankie, my older brother, was three years old, he ate some white rice that had recently come into contact with some shrimp. Within minutes, he became the star of the party winning a one-way ticket straight to the emergency room with my parents. Yes, you read that right, he didn't even eat the shrimp. What a wimp! The particulates from the shrimp stayed and my brother had a terrible reaction. Our parents tested us the next day and it turns out, I am also a wimp and can't handle shellfish either. Countless chicken strips and cokes lined our orders at any seafood restaurant we went with to eat. They, obviously, would never let the health issues of their children outweigh their love for seafood.
Shellfish down, now the tree nuts. This story is a bit more fun. I vividly remember watching the AFC Championship game with my dad, I believe the Oakland Raiders played. My dad's gametime snack was pistachios, a tree nut, I think you all know where this one ends up. Being a curious kid, I asked my dad for a pistachio. Curiosity did not kill the cat, but it certainly made it sick...and quick. I felt my skin get clammy. Everything ached. My throat got itchy and I began to feel it tighten. My dad quickly called up my mom and a lifetime relationship revealed itself that night the ER ladies call me "the nut boy" to this day.
Benadryl, an antihistamine, is the name brand of the drug used to reverse the affects of allergic reactions. For those trying to take risks, hospitals give you the equivalent of three tablets when you pop into the ER. This drug is a literal life saver and I always carry at least four to five pills with me at all times. This is my safety net. If all else fails, Benadryl is my guardian angel. However, it is never the first plan of action. There are so many ways to make living with allergies easier for yourself and your loved ones, even though it is so fun to see people freaking out because "you might die" blah blah blah.
Working directly with foods that could kill me or recommending dishes I can never try, makes working in the food industry more than a bit tricky. Whenever asked why I never drank almond milk with coffee or usually get ramen when we’re out for sushi, I have to break down the normative habits that I’ve picked up to stand 6 feet this side of the ground. After too many "Oh, I'm so sorry I love, insert food, that must really suck," I decided to write about not only living with food allergies, but thriving while working and immersing myself in the food space.
If you have an allergy and do not want to live in constant fear of dying, here are some of the best life choices to make in order to survive with your either, newly found food allergy, or to not live in fear of your preexisting allergy.
1. Tell people you are close with about your allergies and how severe they are. Make sure the little old lady with the cats next door knows about your allergies, transparency is key. If she is a cool little old lady, I promise she will add Benadryl to her myriad of items in her purse.
2. Read everything. The cool thing about most labels, at least in the U.S. (shout out to the FDA), is that they have allergens listed at the end of the ingredients list. Nothing makes you feel dumber than eating a cookie without reading the label and then puking up chocolate chip walnut cookies over your moms’ brand new front door rug. She holds this against me to this day. I will buy you a new rug mom one day, I promise.
3. Tell your waiter or waitress just like how you told the old lady and her seven cats. Restaurants are so fearful of harming guests that they will completely sanitize everything in order to make your dining experience safe. It also makes you feel special, but promise not to misuse this power for evil.
4. Be okay with missing out on things. There are tons of amazing dishes out there with things you CAN eat. Do not risk it all because your boyfriend’s, sister's ex-boyfriend said this place in Indiana has amazing crab legs. Newsflash, they don't.
5. Lastly, you're going to f*** up because you are human. Do you know how many times I accidentally said yes to a drink at work that had almond milk and had to quickly pop a Benadryl. It literally doesn't make me drowsy anymore because of how much I have taken throughout the years. Just try your best. Have money invested in Benadryl stock and know that living in fear is not a viable choice.
One of my greatest summer memories consists of eating mediocre chicken strips on Cape Cod with all of my loved ones present, but it’s not the chicken I remember most. The shared experience of food is what truly creates the memories we yearn for. There were countless times my friends waited until I left town to get sushi because they knew it would kill me. Surround yourself with great friends like mine. As delicious as cajun crawfish looks, I know that I will be just as happy with jambalaya and hold the serving of death. I will enjoy the andouille sausage just fine, thank you. For those who read this and have allergies, I share your pain. There is so much great food out there that we can all enjoy more often than these crazy people who can eat anything whenever they want. And anyway, we would go crazy with limitless options. And for those who don't have food allergies, I hope this new perspective sheds light on your weird friends who never go to Boiling Crab with you, p.s. it's not because they’re weird.
Thank you Benadryl. I wouldn't be here without you.
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Joey Harvey is a Brooklyn based food writer. As a California native, Joey brings a light hearted, tongue-in-cheek approach to his writing. He can be found meandering about New York City for the best single origin espressos and fried chicken sandwiches.