For the past thirty (plus) years, I’ve eaten absolutely any and everything I wanted, wherever I chose. There were no restrictions, no feelings of guilt, and the only side-effects I noticed were the occasional shrinking clothes (who put my jeans in the dryer!?) and I won’t forget all the crumbs in my car either (blame the kids for that one!). However, quite recently, my food lifestyle needed a drastic change. After a visit to a local wellness center, and a blood test telling me I needed to eliminate 23 foods from my diet, the challenge to eat allergy-friendly cuisine somewhere other than my house became quite real.
I immediately turned to my allergy-expert Mom-Tribe (moms who have allergies and have kids with allergies as well). My Mom-Tribe helped me survive the blow of news that my body was rejecting my life-long motto of, “I’ll try anything once!” I love eating out! With an active family, we were cruising through fast food joints a couple times per week–that came to an abrupt end.
Luckily, my Mom-Tribe taught me the craft of substitution, moderation and simply told me that I wouldn’t starve just because of these 23 allergies. They also helped to connect me with great places to take my family if I didn’t want to slave in the kitchen 24/7.
Here are a few allergy-friendly restaurants on the very list that saved my sanity (in no particular order):
Freshii: N162 Eisenhower Dr. Suite 100, Appleton. What my family enjoys about Freshii is that it’s basically customizable to the individual. Be prepared to eat healthy, fresh, fairly priced food here. Think soup, salads, wraps, and smoothies. My junkiest eater (lover of all things salty and crispy) was pleasantly surprised by their “fake meat chili”.
Pepper: 114 S Broadway, Green Bay. Pepper is new to Green Bay and prides itself on being “allergen-friendly with funky fresh flare.” I first saw their menu on EatStreet (hello delivery!) and was instantly interested. They have a great variety of fresh, healthy, allergy-friendly and vegan foods. PS: They also offer cheesecake a la mode for those who can devour it!
Kavarna Coffeehouse: 143 N Broadway, Green Bay. Kavarna just celebrated their 20th birthday, so they have some experience perfecting their delicious menu. They’ve made this list because of their vegetarian and vegan options, and they are definitely kid-friendly as well (they have a cute play area if you want to sip your drink and eat in peace while your children play- just remember to pick up before leaving).
Nectar: 227 N. Washington St, Green Bay. Nectar calls themselves a juice and smoothie bar…however they are so much more than that. This is a great place to take your kids for delicious smoothies, sandwiches, and sweet treats that are allergy-friendly. Nectar is vegan and has gluten-free options as well. If you have time to get away (sans kiddos), they have an infrared sauna lounge upstairs to sit and relax.
Happy Bellies Bake Shop: 2107 North Richmond Street – Appleton. If there’s a will, there’s a way. This bakery has all kinds of options for people who want to feed the cravings of donuts, muffins, and cookies. Happy Bellies also makes wedding cakes, pans of sweet bars (yes!) and pizza crusts. This is a must-go-to bakery for those with allergies and a serious sweet tooth. Call ahead orders are appreciated here.
Naturally Delightful, Organic, Vegan and Gluten-Free Bakery: 2331 Velp Avenue, Green Bay. Naturally Delightful has been in stores for a while now (Festival Foods, Nectar, Woodmans, etc), but now the owner opened a brick and mortar in Howard. The brownies from Naturally Delightful are even better than brownies with butter and eggs! This place was heaven for me (it was the first place I went to after eliminating my allergens), and my drooling kids celebrated with me (not noticing any particular missing ingredients). I haven’t had anything from here that wasn’t finger-licking delicious.
If you find that there’s an absence of your favorite allergy-friendly place, please message me! I am brand-spanking new to this world and am learning on the fly. I loved the ease of eating on the go (even though it may not have been the healthiest), and the places that I’ve highlighted here have made my life a bit easier. Of course, there are other restaurants that can accommodate some allergies, but I am finding it increasingly difficult the deeper I dig (I definitely don’t want to go out to eat and settle on a plate of plain lettuce).
My biggest take-away from this whole life-changing experience is that when I needed help, where did I go? My Mom- Tribe. They had my back, and hopefully, if you find yourself in a similar situation, you can call on your Mom-Tribe too. Moms are the best supporters, don’t be shy and try conquering battles alone. We are in this together!
