There are new foods, events, and organizations to help make sure those children with food allergies can live a normal life.

“Many schools across the country have food allergy management guidelines, and a growing number of camps can accommodate children with food allergies. More food companies and restaurants cater to the needs of customers with food allergies, enabling them to enjoy dining out and celebrations with family, friends, and classmates,” said Barbara Rosenstein, The Food Allergy Initiative’s Director of Communications.

Some of the most common allergies include milk, cheese, and peanuts, which narrows down one’s food choice.

In order to cope with food allergies people have come up with substitution ingredients such as soy milk instead of milk, vegetable cheese instead of regular cheese, and tree nuts instead of peanuts. They may not be as great as the original ingredient, but they have proven to be tasty and healthier alternatives.

“Since I am a dancer I have to make sure my body is in top shape, I can’t afford to miss out on proteins just because I’m allergic to certain foods. That’s why I put soy milk in my coffee and veggie cheese in my salad, I get the protein I need without taking a pill,” said Gabriela Lay, a junior attending Doral Academy High School.

There are also foods that exclude these ingredients to make sure that it’s safe for everyone to eat. For instance, some chocolate is processed with peanuts so companies such as Divvie’s has created allergy free treats that lack peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, and dairy.

The Food Allergy Initiative (FAI), a non-profit organization devoted to finding a cure to food allergies, also joined the movement to make kids with allergies feel included. They have created support groups and are conducting research to help with treatment.

“Food allergies are a large and growing health problem, affecting eight percent of children in the U.S.  Fortunately, the public’s understanding of the seriousness of food allergies has increased greatly, and has led to programs that help food-allergic children stay safe and give them a sense of belonging,“ said Rosenstein.

Many changes have occurred to make sure that those with allergies can still live a normal life. Instead of not eating ice cream or a cheeseburger, there are other alternatives such as lactose pills to allow children to consume lactose products. There is also the option of excluding an ingredient from a meal, a popular option when ordering in restaurants.

“Before, Taco Bell couldn’t remove the cheese from my taco, I have that option now,” said Lay.

There is an effort to make food-allergic kids feel more included than ever before. Food-allergic kids have more options than they did thirty years ago, perhaps in a few years there will be a cure, but for now- there is support.