In recent years we have stopped checking bags, and instead, using up our full carry-on allowance. One of these bags is dedicated to food, EpiPens, and clean plastic cutlery.

The Dedicated Food Allergy Bag

• Safe snacks which I have eaten before- this is especially essential in light of a recent airline allergy fatality. 
  • Noodle Bowls
  • Granola & Fruit Bars 
  • Instant Oatmeal
  • Mars Bars
  • Homemade cookies and 
  • Cheese
  • The “legal limit” of liquid Boost
  • My own thermos for oatmeal etc
  • Plastic Cutlery  (essential if backpacking in Asia with a peanut allergy)
• Medical Necessities
  • Epipens, Epipens and more epipens 
  • Expired EpiPens (Labelled “USE LAST” and bundled together)
  • Asthma medicines (having your asthma under control is key)
  • Benadryl 
  • Reactine 
• Water bottles and beverages (purchased in the gate) 
• Wet wipes (which do not remove allergens however I wipe down the seat, armrest and tray regardless

The Peanut-Free Backpack:

My backpack is where I keep clothes, most toiletries and generally anything not needed during the flight. I use “stuff sacks” for quick and easy packing.

The Purse or Laptop Bag

My purse becomes home to dry items and electronics:

• Chargers
• Tablets
• Passport

I have modified my procedure as I’ve found myself in unsafe situations such as being surrounded by cross-contaminated items and door handles preflight in the Toronto Pearson and Gatwick Lounges, and hearing about the tragedy of 15-year old Natasha Ednan-Laperouse’s who devastatingly lost her life following a British Airways flight from Heathrow to France.

We first learned what had happened on a layover in London Gatwick, after 14 hours of travel without food, and deciding to hazard a safe meal at Jamie Oliver’s Restaurant, being that we were only 1.5 hours from our destination and flying over land, with many airports in the event of an absolute emergency. It was then we learned what had happened to Natasha from our server, and how everything from the food manufacturer, to the airline, flight staff, and the airport in Nice entirely failed this poor young girl traveling with her father.

This information and additional awareness has been updated in Natasha’s memory.

Bali was one of those lucky countries which has not yet been hit with an influx of severe food allergies and the most common response we received after sharing my note (which include “I will die” twice) locals confirmed their understanding that the translation of the word allergy by nodding in acknowledgment and making a scratching motion to confirm my note meant “you will itch”. This is where my fiance developed an adorable and embarrassing habit of acting out the international choking symbol. Effective (although probably not still necessary in Canada….)

When we spent time with our bilingual, very fluent host he explained that peanut allergies, and food allergies in general were not at all typical in Bali, and that he and his colleagues had only heard of a milk allergy.

That in mind, and after having met a girl with a milder allergy and several reactions, I clung to my bag full of the quickly depleting Milo bars I had brought from Australia, I recorded several items I ate in Bali with a peanut allergy. Keeping in mind I was 5’4″ 110 lbs I would recommed ordering the same safe meal in triple the quanitity.

Day One:

• Milo milk
• Milo bar
• Nachos from Mexican place (Holy Guacamole -Kuta) 
• Pringles
• Half block of cheese from an Indomart
• Watermelon… jack-o-lantern style (this is another example of where those camping untensils come in handy)

Day Two:

• Other half block of cheese
• Milo bar
• 2 oranges
• Pica South American Kitchen (Parm scallops and empanadas)

Day Three:

• Soft Boiled eggs and toast at our Bungalow in Ubud
• Fruit
• Cool coffees and tea
• Milo bar
• Young coconut & meat
• Barcelona Tapas (potato tot things, garlic prawns and seafood paella)
• Frozen yogurt  

Day Four:

• Elephant park* buffet (scrambled eggs, and about 7 crescent rolls)
• Mamma Mia’s Italian Ubud (ravioli)
• Bintang Beer
  *never go there….

Day Five:

• Banana Crepe
• Shin bowl instant noodles
• Toro Sushi Ubud (very familiar with peanut allergies.. Miso soup and soy sauce was potentially not safe)

Day Six:

• Boiled eggs and toast
• Milo bar
• Corn on the cob
• Gloria Jean’s fettuccini (Canggu)
• Fabulous Greek salad (BOBs bistro)

Day Seven:

• Surf Café (Kuta) (onion rings quesadilla)
• Capil Beach Grill & Bar in Seminyak  We had pizza and 10 rip-off nachos at this pricy joint. Do not plan a trip to Asia with a Peanut allergy and not expect to pay a premium for food – regrettably, no street vendors or mom and pop stops are part of this cultural experience

Day Eight:

• Fran’s Bread rolls (brand)
• Dutch cookies
• Roasted Corn (sold on the beaches)
• Susheria 

The NEW Problem with Eating Cheese for Nut Allergies.

This used to be my go-to travel solution. I went to Bali with the backup plan of buying cheese at grocery stores for survival, naively not considering this might have been a nation still relying on daily food markets rather than supermarkets and refrigeration.

Due to the many new Vegan Cheeses on the market, it is no longer safe to simply opt for a block which you do not recognize.

The Flight

Cheese from a indomart in Kuta. I had Mcdonald’s in Dubai which is something I would never do now — it was safe and I had always wanted to try any international Maccas but it was unwise to eat anything unknown before a transatlantic flight

EDIT: In recent years I’ve found it unwise to eat anything I didn’t pack from home after leaving my house and until well after I land.