Living with Food Allergies: Lessons We Learned the Hard Way

When our son was diagnosed with Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE), and we were told that his diet had to be completely free of milk and eggs, we quickly understood that our lives had changed.

One of the biggest challenges was something simple, yet essential:

checking every ingredient before he eats anything.

At first, we thought we knew what to avoid.

But we were wrong.

Always Check — Even When You Think It’s Safe

We discovered something surprising:

Many products we never expected actually contained milk or eggs.

Things like:

chorizo
ham
chips
even some fruit popsicles

This was a big wake-up call for us.

Now, we always check ingredients — even for foods that seem safe.

Because with allergies, assumptions can be risky.

Living Abroad Made It Even Harder

We live in Denmark, and we don’t speak the language.

That made everything more complicated.

Especially with milk — there are many words that don’t clearly say “milk,” but still contain it.

At the beginning:

we used a printed list of Danish allergy terms
then we relied on Google Translate

Over time, we started building a simple app to scan and understand products more confidently.

It wasn’t easy.

But it became part of our routine.

School Parties: The Emotional Side

But beyond labels and ingredients, some of the hardest moments were social.

This part was especially hard.

Our son soon understood how important it was not to eat milk or eggs.

But that didn’t make it easier.

He felt sad when other kids were eating things he couldn’t.

At first, we bought special cakes just for him.

But:

he didn’t like most vegan options
and there weren’t many choices

So we decided to try something different.

We started making our own:

pancakes
cookies
ice cream
and eventually cakes he truly enjoyed

Once we got better at it, something beautiful happened:

He began bringing extra to parties — and sharing with his friends.

Homemade allergy-friendly treats

Homemade treats so our son could enjoy and share with his friends 💛

That changed everything.

Communicating with Other Parents

One thing that really helped us was informing other parents about our son’s allergies.

Once they understood the situation, many of them made an effort to include him:

preparing vegan cakes
or choosing snacks without milk or eggs

This made a big difference. He felt part of the group, not different.

But we also learned something important:

Not everyone truly understands what a food allergy involves.

We experienced a situation where a parent, who knew about our son’s allergies, offered him something without checking the ingredients.

In that moment, it was our son who made the decision.

He chose not to eat it because, when in doubt, he knows the best answer is:

“No, thank you.”

That made us incredibly proud.

Teaching Awareness and Confidence

Over time, we realized that it’s not only about informing others.

It’s also about helping your child understand their condition and feel confident saying:

“I can’t eat this.”

That awareness is just as important as any preparation.

Because in the end, they are the ones who will make decisions when we are not there.

🍴 Eating Out: Learning to Adapt

At the beginning, we tried to go back to restaurants we already knew.

But we quickly realized something:

A place that felt safe before may not be safe anymore.

We had many disappointing experiences:

staff didn’t fully understand allergies
menu options became very limited
or we simply didn’t feel confident

So we changed our approach.

What We Learned About Eating Out

We always check allergy-related reviews before choosing a place
We talk clearly with the staff about the allergy
We ask questions — even if it feels repetitive
And we never assume something is safe

One important lesson:

“Vegan” does not always mean allergy-safe.

We’ve seen vegan-labeled dishes that still contained eggs in restaurants.

So now, we always double-check.

Still Learning, Every Day

We are still learning.

Every label, every restaurant, every situation teaches us something new.

Living with food allergies is not just about avoiding ingredients.

It’s about:

adapting
learning
and finding ways to make life feel normal again

💬 What About You?

Have you experienced something similar?

We’d love to hear your story.

Let’s learn from each other and make this journey a little easier 💛

Because no family should feel alone in this.