Splash into Summer

by Caroline Moassessi, FAACT Vice President of Community Relations

Pack your food allergy super-planner goggles. Travel experts expect this summer to be one of the busiest travel seasons since the pandemic started in 2019, with more people planning local and overseas travel. FAACT has you covered with a detailed, easy-to-follow Travel Checklist and hot tips for having fun in the sun!

Tap into your food allergy management skills to confidently tackle a busy travel season.

Travel Checklist: 

• Download FAACT’s Travel Checklist: Check off essential (but sometimes forgotten) essentials such as photos of crucial medical documentation or calling ahead to see if local grocery stores carry your safe brands.
• Use FAACT’s checklist to start your own custom checklist too!  

Hotels and Vacation Rentals:

• Book early: Increased numbers of travelers might mean more competition for accommodations with kitchens.
• Pack key pans, utensils, or pots to ease stress about cooking options.
• Ask about pet-free rooms or rental homes if your family has animal allergies.
• Pack safe necessities: Don’t assume your favorite allergen-safe products, such as sunscreen or food items, will be available or affordable at your destination.

Eating and Cooking:

• Cooking on the road: Get your gastro game plan set! Repurpose leftovers to save time and money.
• Eating out? Research which restaurants are safe and call ahead to confirm safe menu items are still available.
• Pack extra shelf-stable meals—such as canned tuna, nut-alternative butter, pasta, or foods quickly cooked in a hotel microwave—in case safe food can’t be found.
• If eating at a friend’s or relative’s home, speak with them ahead of time about your family’s needs and offer to help cook or work with them to prepare safe meals.
• If you are driving to a destination, consider bringing your crock pot, travel grill, or roasting oven (the latter is my favorite to bring to my sister-in-law’s house).
• Create a list of easy “I-am-too-tired-to-cook” meals for those days you are sun-kissed and want a fast, easy meal, such as a baked potato packed with safe ingredients, frozen veggies, and premade salad mixed with fresh veggies.

Transportation:

• Give each family member a sack of safe snacks for the road, including water bottles with their names on them to avoid mix-ups.
• Stock up on shelf-stable foods that offer high nutrition and satiety in case of delays, such as meat sticks, nut or nut alternative kinds of butter, loaves of bread, cereals, or foods that only require hot water and are individually wrapped.
• Call ahead to work with airlines, trains, or other modes of transportation to confirm safe travel.

Emergencies:

• Emergencies happen: Review FAACT’s checklist for tips on preparing for an emergency!
• Talk to family members about what to do if an emergency or allergic reaction happens.
• Review where rescue medications are kept with your family and remind everyone to always carry at least two epinephrine devices.
• Pack extra rescue medications in case they are accidentally left behind.
• Carry an emergency action plan, know how to call for help, and carry extra battery packs to recharge phones.

Pack your allergen-safe sunblock and make precious memories with your family and friends. The summer is here for you to create the fun you deserve—from picnics to road trips.

FAACT wishes you a safe and memorable summer!