Author name: AMV1

For Wisconsin families managing food allergies, spring break carries a particular kind of tension. The vacation itself is exciting. The logistics of keeping your child safe in an unfamiliar environment — that part takes real planning. New restaurants. New hotel rooms. New kitchens you have no control over. Flights where cross-contact can happen mid-air. The good news is that with the right preparation, spring break travel is absolutely manageable. Wisconsin families do it every year. The difference between a trip that goes smoothly and one that doesn’t almost always comes down to how much groundwork was laid before departure. This guide walks you through every stage of the journey — from the moment you start researching destinations to the night you return home. If you have questions about your child’s specific allergy profile before your trip, [our team at Wisconsin Food Allergy is here to help](INTERNAL: /contact). A pre-travel consultation can give you updated guidance and, if needed, a current epinephrine prescription to take with you. Planning Your Destination Choosing where to go Not every destination is equally manageable for food-allergic travelers. Some cities have a strong culture of allergy awareness in restaurants. Others are dominated by cuisines where your child’s allergen is a staple ingredient and cross-contact is nearly unavoidable. A few general principles when researching destinations: Cities with strong allergy-aware dining cultures. Major urban centers — Chicago, New York, Denver, Seattle — have higher concentrations of restaurants with allergy protocols, staff training, and dedicated preparation areas. This doesn’t guarantee safety, but it increases your odds of finding establishments that take requests seriously. Destinations with higher inherent risk. If your child has a peanut or tree nut allergy, destinations centered on Southeast Asian or West African cuisine — whether a resort with a fixed dining menu or an international destination — require more scrutiny. Similarly, if your child has a shellfish allergy, a seafood-forward coastal destination introduces more cross-contact risk in shared kitchens. Resort dining vs. independent restaurants. All-inclusive resorts often have dedicated allergy-accommodation protocols and a point of contact (usually a head chef or food and beverage manager) you can contact in advance. This can actually make resort travel easier than navigating a new city restaurant by restaurant. Self-catering options. Vacation rentals with kitchens give you the ability to prepare your own meals, which reduces exposure risk significantly. For families with severe multi-allergen children, having kitchen access for at least some meals is worth factoring into your accommodation choice. Research tools before you leave FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education) maintains a travel resource library with destination-specific guidance and allergy card templates in multiple languages. This is one of the most useful pre-travel tools available. AllergyEats is a peer-reviewed restaurant guide specifically for food-allergic diners. You can search by allergen and city and read reviews from families in situations similar to yours. Airline Travel with Food Allergies Epinephrine on flights: what you need to know Your epinephrine auto-injectors must travel with you in your carry-on bag — never in checked luggage. Temperature fluctuations in cargo holds can degrade the medication. You should carry a minimum of two auto-injectors at all times. The TSA permits epinephrine auto-injectors through security. You do not need to remove them from your bag separately, though screening agents may ask about them. Having the original prescription label on the device is the simplest way to avoid delays. A signed letter from your allergist or physician confirming the diagnosis and the medical necessity of the epinephrine is worth carrying. If you need updated documentation before travel, [our team at Wisconsin Food Allergy can provide this](INTERNAL: /contact). Allergen policies vary by airline Airlines in the United States are not required by law to provide allergen-free flights or to restrict the sale of snacks containing your child’s allergen. Policies differ significantly: Call your airline’s accessibility or special assistance line before booking (not the general reservation line) to ask specifically about their allergen accommodation policy. Get any commitments in writing via email confirmation if possible. Whatever the airline’s policy, wipe down the tray table, armrests, and seat belt buckle with cleaning wipes before your child sits down. These surfaces are not cleaned between every flight. Carry your child’s food on the flight. Do not count on being able to find safe snacks in the airport or on the aircraft. Pack enough allergen-free food for the full duration of travel including potential delays. Labeling laws differ internationally If you’re traveling outside the United States, be aware that allergen labeling laws are different in other countries. The US requires labeling for 9 major allergens under FALCPA. The EU requires labeling for 14 allergens. Other countries have different thresholds and requirements. “May contain” advisory statements are voluntary in the US and carry no consistent meaning — this is also true in most other countries. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations maintains international food labeling resources for families traveling internationally. Hotel and Accommodation Safety What to request before you check in Contact the hotel before arrival — not on the phone with the front desk, but via email to the general manager or food and beverage manager if the hotel has a restaurant. In your message: Hotels vary enormously in how seriously they take these requests. A clear, professional email sent ahead of time gives staff time to prepare and creates a paper trail. Bringing your own food Many families traveling with food-allergic children bring a significant supply of safe foods from home. For multi-day trips, consider: Restaurant Safety on the Road The chef card A chef card is a written, printed document that states your child’s specific allergies in clear language, asks kitchen staff to use clean preparation surfaces and utensils, and requests that no shared cooking oil or fryer be used if the allergen has been cooked in it. Chef cards remove the burden of verbal communication and create something tangible for kitchen staff to reference. FARE provides free downloadable chef card templates in over a