Your child is turning 4 and wants to invite the whole preschool class over for a birthday bash.  This seems like a fantastic idea until you learn that Isabella and Carter are allergic to peanuts, Sasha is allergic to eggs and Jack is allergic to milk.  Your menu ideas go out the window and you begin to frantically worry about what to feed the children.

There are many hypotheses as to why, but the fact remains that the number of children with food allergies has increased dramatically over the past ten years.  According to Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (www.foodallergy.org), “…there are eight food that accounts for 90% of all food-allergic reactions.  These are milk, egg, peanut, tree nut (walnut, cashew, etc.), fish, shellfish, soy and wheat.”  The problem is that trying to cook while avoiding all of these ingredients can challenge the most talented of chefs.        

Below are some suggestions regarding how to plan children’s parties when your guests have food allergies:

• Communicate with the parents.  You may not discover a food allergy until the child is being dropped off.  Make sure that, as each child arrives, you explicitly ask the parent if there are any foods that must be avoided.  Chances are that any parent of a child with food allergies will be prepared with snacks and eager to share information with you, but it is best to ask.
• Invite the parents.  You can invite all the parents in advance, assuming you have the room.  If a parent seems particularly nervous, consider asking him or her to stay even if most will not be doing so.  This could bring relief to both you and the parent and allow you to make a new friend as well.         
• Minimize the food focus.  Make the party more about fun and games rather than an ongoing smorgasbord.  
• Keep treats out of reach.  Young children in particular generally do not have a sense of what they can and cannot eat.  Further, it is a natural tendency for them to reach for snacks that are set out on low tables.
• Do not ostracize the child.  The child should never be teased or made to feel like an inconvenience.   
• Have a crisis management plan.  If the child has a true food allergy, then he or she should not go to any gathering without a doctor’s prescribed EpiPen.  Legally, the child should be able to self-administer the EpiPen if a parent or guardian is not on hand.  All caregivers of young children, whether or not food allergies are an issue, are encouraged to have first aid training to be prepared for any number of crises that can occur.

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