Organize Your Food and Cookware to Keep Safe
Organize Your Food and Cookware to Keep Safe
When someone in your house is on a special diet, it is imperative to separate their food from the rest of the family’s food. Some families remove all offending foods from their house so that cross contamination will not occur while others just have certain areas where they keep the special diet food. Cross contamination, or cross contact, is when an allergen touches a food item and leaves particles behind. Even trace amounts or oils that you cannot see can cause serious reactions to someone who is allergic or intolerant.
Depending on how allergic or intolerant to certain foods your family member is, there are a variety of storage ideas on how to store food. If someone is very allergic (where an anaphylaxis reaction will occur), it is imperative to remove all offending food from the house. Some people have reactions simply from smelling the dangerous food substance.
Refrigerator or Freezer
Some people prefer a separate small refrigerator or freezer to keep the special diet foods in. This way the family member knows that everything in those appliances are considered safe to eat. These appliances can be stacked in a corner to be out of the way. They are ideal for young children, who might make a mistake, or if other people come to your house, who do not know the normal routine and can be told that your child’s food is in that appliance and that he or she cannot touch any other food in the other appliances. If using the same appliances to store food, think about using one drawer (or one shelf or one area) just for your family member’s special foods.
Pantry
Some kitchen cabinets are perfect for someone with a special diet. One cupboard can be used for the foods that are free of the intolerance or allergy and then only opened and stocked by the person needing the special foods. A pantry-style cabinet is best. It is a great idea to mark the door with “gluten free” or “nut free” (or whatever the foods are free of).
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