Although you may have a severe food allergy, such as to nuts, soy, or eggs, you probably still enjoy eating out at a restaurant but are afraid you may be served something that could cause a reaction. If so, use the tips below for safely eating food at a restaurant when you have a severe food allergy.

Arrive at the Restaurant When They Are Not Busy

One thing you can do to help ensure that you do not have an allergic reaction while dining out is to arrive at the restaurant when they are not busy. You can find out when their typical slow times are ahead of time by calling and speaking to a manager.

If you try to eat at the restaurant while they are busy, there is a greater chance that not only your order will be prepared wrong, but there could also be cross-contamination with other patrons' dishes. However, if they are slow, they can take their time and separate your food from everyone else's to ensure that your food allergen does not accidentally get added to your dish.

Ask the Waitstaff About the Ingredients

Once you arrive and have picked out a couple of dishes you would like to try, ask the waitstaff if they know whether or not each one has your allergen, such as one using peanut oil or eggs as an ingredient. If they do know whether a particular food has your allergen, you can ask whether you can have it specially made without that ingredient.

However, some restaurants cook certain foods in bulk. If special preparation is not possible, you know to select a different item on the menu.

Look Carefully at Your Food When It Arrives

Even if the kitchen is slow and you have made a special request to not have your food allergen included in your menu, mistakes can always happen. Because of this, make sure you look carefully at your food when it arrives, and double-check with your server about the request.

Once you have looked over your dish, eat one or two small bites, then wait a few minutes to see if you have a reaction. It is possible that some of your allergen is in the food, so you do not want to dig in right away and have a more severe reaction than if you only ate a small amount in the beginning.

If you are still uncertain as to whether or not the restaurant at which you are eating can cater to your allergy, you may want to either stick to foods that have only one or two ingredients or simply get up and eat somewhere else. You should also discuss any possible emergency procedures for treating a food allergy reaction with a doctor, like Alidina Laila MD, so you are prepared ahead of time in case you are served something you are allergic to.