Love food with Allergic Halal Foodie
Allergic Halal Fooodie is an invaluable blog started by a mother determined to give her family, including her “beautiful children who have severe food allergies”, a wide range of the safest and most delicious Halal food options, while showing that it’s possible to love food in spite of these extra food restrictions.
By Bint Mariem Fofana
As parents, we are always in charge of keeping our children healthy, happy, and safe. As a mother of children with food allergies, I have been even more motivated to keep up with this very important role. Children are our amanah, or trust.
Allergic Halal Foodie was theoretically created after the birth of my first child, who has several food allergies.
Since my parents are from two different countries and I was born and raised in New York City, I always loved (and had easy access to) good food. I am only allergic to shellfish and always thought that that was very easy to eliminate in my life.
However, I could not imagine caring for a child who was allergic to so many food items. I knew that I wanted my child to love food, too and not feel disabled or threatened by food. I started reading ingredients for everything and became familiar with the chefs at every restaurant. Since I didn’t know how to cook at the time, I was forced to learn how to make meals without the food allergens.
By the time my second child was born with food allergies, I was already in auto-pilot mode with how to handle food allergies. Although I felt like a veteran at the time, there was still never a moment when I didn’t learn something new. It was a new child and a new type of food allergy.
My husband doesn’t have any food allergies nor a family history of food allergies, but quickly acclimated to our new lifestyle of parents of children with food allergies. One of my children who doesn’t have any food allergies, loves the lasagna I make with vegan cheese (halal ground beef, of course), but has to avoid touching certain siblings when eating an item on their food allergy list.
Along the way, eating halal was something that became a minor uphill struggle because there is more to eating halal than just eating halal meat, lamb, and chicken. To name a few, there are non-halal food items like pork gelatin found in candies and marshmallows.
The official launch of Allergic Halal Foodie was when I realised that I had learned so much about living with severe food allergies and eating halal (and still continue to learn), but wanted to share my experiences with others. I knew that I had a plethora of ever-changing information to share. I also know what good food tastes like and wanted to make sure that those with food allergies are not short changed with tasteless food substitutions.
What is an Allergic Halal Foodie?
An Allergic Halal Foodie loves good food that is halal and food allergy safe. You may know an Allergic Halal Foodie or you may be one yourself. The website includes recipes, tips on how to handle scenarios involving food, recommended gifts for that Allergic Halal Foodie in your life, and much more.
What to look forward to at Allergic Halal Foodie?
We are growing and will soon have an online directory which will include listings of allergy-friendly eateries and halal butchers.
To learn more about this important subject including practical living tips, invaluable recipes for meals throughout the day, as well as gift ideas for an Allergic Halal Foodie, visit: allergichalalfoodie.com
