Mustard Allergy? Stay Away From These Items At Restaurants
Although allergies to mustard may not seem as common or as serious as peanut allergies, they're a big concern for those who deal with them day by day. If you've recently been tested for food allergies and have learned that you have a serious allergy to mustard, you'll need to change your eating habits right away. Avoiding mustard at home is relatively easy, although you should get into the habit of reading ingredient labels because mustard seeds may appear in unexpected food sources. At restaurants, you need to be extremely vigilant about avoiding this allergen. Generally, this means that you should stay away from these items.
Sandwiches And Hamburgers
While it's technically true that you can likely order a sandwich or a hamburger at a restaurant with a strict request to hold the mustard, even this situation can be risky. Mustard on such items is so commonplace that the kitchen staff may dress your sandwich or burger with mustard because doing so is so instinctual. Or, someone may start to put mustard on your sandwich and then wipe it off — but leave remnants on the bread or bun that could jeopardize yourself. It's a safer bet to avoid such dishes entirely when you're dining out.
Salads
Unfortunately, salads are something that you may wish to avoid when you eat at restaurants, too. Mustard is a common ingredient in many homemade salad dressings, and you can't always trust that your server will know each ingredient and be able to relay that information to you. If you do wish to enjoy a salad with your meal or as your main course, in some cases, you should order the salad plain and ask for some oil and vinegar that you can sprinkle over it so that you know the salad dressing isn't problematic for your allergy.
Soups And Stews
Many chefs and cooks use mustard as an ingredient in soups and stews, making these dishes another type of food that you'll want to avoid when you dine in restaurants. Mustard can be a valuable thickening agent in soups and stews, and can be even more desirable than other thickening agents because it provides a pleasant flavor. Although you may initially struggle with the idea of staying away from many common foods when you're dining out, doing so is absolutely necessary as a way of avoiding a potentially serious allergic reaction that could, in extreme cases, threaten your life.
For more information or assistance, contact a local allergy testing facility, such as Dino Peds.