I'm shocked to find Chipotle on that list! My daughter (6 y/o) LOVE'S Chipotle. One day she asked me why everything has soy (that's one of her allergens) in it. We decided to google it and found that soy lecithin is utilized as an emulsifier easing the oil/water mix and extending shelf life. A few days later we went to Chipotle, because I had never thought to ask about their allergen info, I decided to ask the woman behind the bar if any of the foods had soy. She gave me a small check-list...

Hi Yvonne - sorry you had a bad experience at Chipotle. Have you checked them lately?? They're in the process of phasing out the soy in the offerings in favor of rice bran oil. http://community.kidswithfooda...hipotle-menu-changes Also, we have a number of members who are vegan and dealing w/ other food allergies as well - I encourage you to post on the forums asking whatever questions you have.

Hi Kathy P, This incident was actually pretty recent, two weeks ago. I am thrilled to hear that they are working on making there food enjoyable for everyone. I will definitely check out those forums. Thanks.

All of these are based on user feedback. If you've had a bad experience, then go share that. If you've had a good experience somewhere, go share that. As for Chipotle, I know they are rolling out the change over. Our local restaurants have signs up about the rice oil change. I'm not sure the start of their printed material. I suggest calling or stopping in to ask about where that particular restaurant is in the changeover. PF Changs is very allergy aware. While it may not seem allergy...

Originally Posted by N Myeza: My daughter has severe allergic reaction to soy/soya bean. She ate gluten free pretzels containing soy lecithin and she didn't react although she still reacts to soy/soya containing products. I guess it has to do with conten/amount....... I am sure amount is the reason for that. I have the same problem with my child. What I do is completely stay away from anything containing or traced with soy and soy lecitihin, even comsetics! Yes, I found that my vegan shampoo...

Although I feel Chipotle does make an honest effort by attempting to use allergy-friendly products, the risk of cross-contamination can be quite real if you/your child has an allergy to Milk (or, any of the other products they serve). The nature of their food prep is similar to a buffet where not only are food items kept in close contact to each other, but all of the staff handle the serving utensils at one point or another, put hands into the cheese and the then the lettuce, and so on. My...

Hi kally, My son has a very severe milk allergy and we eat at Chipotle 1-2 times per week. I can totally understand your apprehension. Here are some tips: One person handles your food. They will change their gloves first - sometimes you have to remind them but it's coorporate policy AFAIK. I always ask them to hold my son's tray - do not slide it on the counter. We only get rice, beans, and meat from the bar. Any salsa, lettuce or guac comes from the fridge under the bar or the back.

That is amazing! Good for you! That must make her feel so delighted and safe =] Let me ask you...how did you find out about her other allergies?

Originally Posted by Mahbahlih: Hi kally, My son has a very severe milk allergy and we eat at Chipotle 1-2 times per week. I can totally understand your apprehension. Here are some tips: One person handles your food. They will change their gloves first - sometimes you have to remind them but it's coorporate policy AFAIK. I always ask them to hold my son's tray - do not slide it on the counter. We only get rice, beans, and meat from the bar. Any salsa, lettuce or guac comes from the fridge...

Mexican and Italian restaurants skeeved me out too, until we discovered that one of our local Italian restaurants had safe bread for DS (flour, yeast, olive oil, sugar, and water). It was the first restaurant that puts bread on the table that was safe for him. He's also very happy with a plate of pasta with olive oil and herbs, and he has been spoiled rotten there. Mexican restaurants where I live often have language barrier issues, so I never trusted them with FA, though I enjoyed the food...

I was very skeptical of Mexican and Italian restaurants in the beginning. The idea that there was so much cheese in the kitchen made me very nervous. However, I was surprised to learn that many Mexican restaurants don't use much in the way of milk or butter... just lots of cheese. For DS we are almost always able to get him white rice and beans (black or refried - hold the cheese). Occasionally we get him meat, too, but honestly he loves rice and beans so much he prefers them over the meat.

Originally Posted by MACEMama: Mexican restaurants where I live often have language barrier issues, so I never trusted them with FA, though I enjoyed the food when I would go out without DS. We also did Chipotle the same way Mahbahlih describes. The only Spanish I know is how to explain DS's food allergies. I have perfected that. Now if you need a bathroom you're on your own, lol.

When it is time to retest her allergies, her parents pick 6-8 possible allergens to test at that time. They are testing through blood tests once or twice a year. What gets tested depends on what she has been eating and what symptoms she has been having. So, when something has not been tested at one particular time, they continue to assume an active allergy based on prior testing and continue to avoid that food. Some foods are tested more frequently than others (e.g., dairy is tested most...

Hi sumo60 - frequency of testing is something that is very individualized. I will say that a lot docs used to test fairly regularly - like at the annual check up appointment. However, studies have shown that testing along is not enough to diagnose an allergy. It's just 1 part of the equation. Also, a good portion of eczema is not caused by foods. Here is a post about testing and the role it plays in diagnosis . Here is an article on the newest theories on eczema/food allergy link . I'm going...