Why not? Wouldn't you be more likely to tell somebody about something life threatening vs something that will just make you sneeze for a few minutes?
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Disney to trial new allergy friendly menus at pilot locations this month
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
misterID
Well-Known Member
Just throwing it out there, but my nieces treenut allergy has steadily gotten more severe over the years, starting off with hives... and then swollen lips and eyes to now potentially deadly territory... You hear about the girl who died from kissing a boy who had eaten a PB&J sandwich? That's the level my niece is at.
Again, if you want to take the risk, that's up to you, but one day taking some Benadryl, or just thinking that will suffice, one day it might not work. Just sayin...
Again, if you want to take the risk, that's up to you, but one day taking some Benadryl, or just thinking that will suffice, one day it might not work. Just sayin...
CDavid
Well-Known Member
I'd agree with this. I am allergic to nuts - I swear I can smell a peanut across the room, and can't understand why anyone would want to eat the hideous things. But it is also fairly easy to police my own food; Mostly desserts to be wary of, and when I break open a cookie or slice a cake the offending nuts are generally obvious to either sight or smell. Further, the increased prevalence of (nut) allergies means things tend to be labeled better on menus and buffets.
It's not about taking a chance with my health, but rather not making a big deal over a minor inconvenience I've been used to all my life.
You are indeed correct about that.
Of course, you can just as easily develop an allergy you didn't used to have. My first allergic reaction to turmeric occurred when I was 42 years old. And it was dangerous...but mostly because I didn't know what was going on, even that it was an allergic reaction. Had I popped a benadryl, I'd have been fine. But it wasn't until I went to immediate care and they said "allergic reaction" that I knew what to do. The devil you know is certainly easier to plan for.
misterID
Well-Known Member
But still, you can't smell or find anything when something is cross contaminated. There was a family member who wanted to give my niece a piece of deep fried turkey and didn't even think about it being fried in peanut oil. Or a safe muffin that had come into contact with an item that had almonds. That's what's concerning.
PrincessNelly_NJ
Well-Known Member
I believe the more correct word for that is food intolerance. I get headaches, rashes, and my faces swells if I eat or drink anything with citrus. It wont kill me but it just makes me not feel well.
I could be wrong though.
jakeman
Well-Known Member
That would be an allergic reaction.
Food intolerance would be more on the lines of bubble gut.
Right. Food intolerance is typically used for a digestive issue. If your immune system reacts, it's an allergy.
So if drinking milk makes your stomach upset, you are lactose intolerant. If drinking milk gives you hives, you have an allergy.
bruiser659
Member
I wish they would implement something like that for the Food And Wine Festival.
mp2bill
Well-Known Member
While this is definitely newsworthy, I'm not sure why there's all the conversation...
Bottom line, having specialty menus like these will streamline things for the chef(s) and make things easier in general. And, if there's a real concern or special request, the chef will still come out and speak to you.
Bottom line, having specialty menus like these will streamline things for the chef(s) and make things easier in general. And, if there's a real concern or special request, the chef will still come out and speak to you.
AC21075
Member
Making things easier for the chef was basically my point. I certainly appreciate the attention, but I always felt a little silly being told "No, there aren't any nuts in the macaroni and cheese. Don't eat the pecan pie." Let them focus on the customers with more difficult dietary challenges, or just the kitchen in general.
As for saving my time, I don't mind the wait if I really have a concern or particular hankering for a questionable dish, but the 20 minute wait with two small kids was almost a meal breaker. Just leave off the macadamia nut butter, which was on the side anyway. I'm not going to ask for a dish to be reinvented to suit my restrictions,
I'll choose from what's available or leave. I understand and appreciate the zero tolerance policy, but giving the waiters a quick way to confirm that I'm ordering something tree nut free without dragging the chef into it is a thumbs up in my book.
I might feel different if I didn't feel relatively comfortable self-regulating my allergy (which is not the same as saying its not serious, btw), but I do. It's become easier with the increased attention to food allergies. As far as tree nuts go (unlike soy or gluten or lactose) they don't often show up in stuff without getting a mention on the menu (unlike the peanut oil issue). There's only a handful of items where chefs (or menu authors) routinely don't feel the need to elaborate when they contain tree nuts (pesto, brownies, carrot cake, etc.).
As a side note, I am kind of surprised by the number of self regulating tree nut allergy people equipped with ultra sensitive tree nut radar. I thought I was weird....
As for saving my time, I don't mind the wait if I really have a concern or particular hankering for a questionable dish, but the 20 minute wait with two small kids was almost a meal breaker. Just leave off the macadamia nut butter, which was on the side anyway. I'm not going to ask for a dish to be reinvented to suit my restrictions,
I'll choose from what's available or leave. I understand and appreciate the zero tolerance policy, but giving the waiters a quick way to confirm that I'm ordering something tree nut free without dragging the chef into it is a thumbs up in my book.
I might feel different if I didn't feel relatively comfortable self-regulating my allergy (which is not the same as saying its not serious, btw), but I do. It's become easier with the increased attention to food allergies. As far as tree nuts go (unlike soy or gluten or lactose) they don't often show up in stuff without getting a mention on the menu (unlike the peanut oil issue). There's only a handful of items where chefs (or menu authors) routinely don't feel the need to elaborate when they contain tree nuts (pesto, brownies, carrot cake, etc.).
As a side note, I am kind of surprised by the number of self regulating tree nut allergy people equipped with ultra sensitive tree nut radar. I thought I was weird....
Victoria
Not old, just vintage.
Not weird. I have ultra sensitive nut radar. I can smell it long before I see it. I can't talk to someone who has just eaten a peanut butter sandwich. The smell of peanut butter instantly makes me gag and prolonged exposure makes me
. Similar results with other nuts too. That's why I'm fairly confident in self policing.
Wags14
Active Member
This is a good thing overall. Makes it easier on the chef's in general, and still if you need to speak with the chef I am sure they will be more than happy to come out and talk with you.
We have had nothing but positive conversations with WDW chef's as they have made specialty menu's for my son who was allergic to dairy. Thank goodness he grew out of it
. But we really enjoyed the conversations we had with the chef's and felt they were more than accommodating. This will just make things easier for them, as I am sure they are extremely busy. This is a positive first step in ever growing allergy field.
We have had nothing but positive conversations with WDW chef's as they have made specialty menu's for my son who was allergic to dairy. Thank goodness he grew out of it
. But we really enjoyed the conversations we had with the chef's and felt they were more than accommodating. This will just make things easier for them, as I am sure they are extremely busy. This is a positive first step in ever growing allergy field.
Amyleigh
Member
My teenage son and I have Celiac disease which means we must avoid gluten. We had no problems eating during our trip in June. We ate twice at Capt Cooks and enjoyed both meals. The chefs were beyond helpful at each and every place we ate during our trip. I am thrilled that they are rolling out new menus and raising awareness. I can't wait to try them out in person!!
misterID
Well-Known Member
Heh, somewhere Beavis and Butthead are laughing.
MissM
Well-Known Member
Love is allergic to garlic. Dried or powder form, no problem. The actual cloves or oils? Causes anaphylaxis. When we ate at Be Our Guest for example, the chef came out and talked to us and was able to make him a steak without the garlic butter and it was done separate from any pan which had the garlic butter. They put a little identifier on the plate and everything was handled very competently and efficiently. Yes, we had to wait 10 or 15 extra minutes to speak with the chef and detail the options, but it was well worth it for a meal that wouldn't potentially kill him.
Now, his is an abnormal allergy. So it's something we'll ALWAYS need to talk to the chef about. But for more common allergies, I think it's great to have some designated options front and center to help address the issue without extra steps. I think it's more considerate of the guest because it doesn't single them out or make them feel awkward for needing "special" treatment. A lot of people don't want to "make a fuss" or be put under scrutiny, so simply having clearly defined menu options which are prepared in an allergy-friendly way by default? Of course I think that's a good thing!
Now, his is an abnormal allergy. So it's something we'll ALWAYS need to talk to the chef about. But for more common allergies, I think it's great to have some designated options front and center to help address the issue without extra steps. I think it's more considerate of the guest because it doesn't single them out or make them feel awkward for needing "special" treatment. A lot of people don't want to "make a fuss" or be put under scrutiny, so simply having clearly defined menu options which are prepared in an allergy-friendly way by default? Of course I think that's a good thing!
Unplugged
Well-Known Member
In our current society of bio-engineered and highly processed cr@p, there are many allergies developing that people did not have 10-20 years ago. As a whole, this is a smart move. It allows people to identify menus they may prefer well in advance, so long as Disney publishes them along with the other menus on their web site. As was stated earlier in this thread, it would allow Chef's to take the most common "go to" item or customer favorite for specific locations and place it out there as an official offering.
There are many situations with Autism or other disorders, where kids (and adults alike) are on special diets either due to allergies or simply that avoiding specific foods enhancing one's life experiences. This is common also for those realizing how our highly processed ingredients are negatively impacting our health. Many are simply making choices to eat without specific ingredients for that reason.
I think a separate menu streamlines the process by informing the dining staff (chef included) of a potential issue purely based on an item ordered. As chef's are still available for consultation, this should simply streamline the effort for those simpler situations of choice or clarity
.
There are many situations with Autism or other disorders, where kids (and adults alike) are on special diets either due to allergies or simply that avoiding specific foods enhancing one's life experiences. This is common also for those realizing how our highly processed ingredients are negatively impacting our health. Many are simply making choices to eat without specific ingredients for that reason.
I think a separate menu streamlines the process by informing the dining staff (chef included) of a potential issue purely based on an item ordered. As chef's are still available for consultation, this should simply streamline the effort for those simpler situations of choice or clarity
.
AC21075
Member
Not weird. I have ultra sensitive nut radar. I can smell it long before I see it. I can't talk to someone who has just eaten a peanut butter sandwich. The smell of peanut butter instantly makes me gag and prolonged exposure makes me
Hopefully you didn't think I was implying you or others were weird. I'm overly sensitive to the tree nuts I'm allergic too. I was surprised that as many people with the same allergy were sharing the same philosophy about it. I'm fortunate enough that I don't include peanuts, and there's a handful of nuts like almonds and pistachios that don't give me problems, but I start to cringe when I'm surrounded by baked goods with walnuts, hazelnuts or pistachios. My father in law likes to snack on mixed nuts and I can barely spend five minutes in his car as a result.
Just having a version of the menu eliminating the tree nut items is plenty for me to feel safe. Aside from maybe a few more dessert options in a few places, I don't need brand new "nut free" dishes created just for my menu.
PhotoDave219
Well-Known Member
No disrespect to yo man, but now I want garlic butter on my steak.
MissM
Well-Known Member
Lol me too! Just because he can't have it on his doesn't mean I didn't have it on mine!
