This past weekend I had my junior prom, and in addition to planning my outfit, hair and makeup, I had to plan for meals.  The event included a sit down dinner which was provided by the venue where the dance was held.  So, about two weeks before prom I talked to the teacher at my school who was responsible for planning prom.  She knew about my allergies already, but it was good to remind her and ask her about prom in particular.  She relayed to me that every year she asks the dining service to serve a completely peanut and nut free prom since these allergies are so common.  However, she gave me the contact information for the food services representative with whom she had been in touch, and she called her to tell her that this year there would be a student with severe peanut/tree nut allergies.  I was told exactly what food would be there and that it would all be safe for me.  Going in to prom, I felt confident that I could eat all the food.  The food was served buffet style, and when I got my food I asked one of the servers about food allergies and she told me that she had been told that everything was peanut and nut free.  The food was delicious, and I did not have any kind of reaction.  Dessert was also safe for me, which was a fabulous treat because I’m not used to being able to eat any dessert (especially chocolate) that I want.

About a dozen of my friends had an after prom sleepover party at my friend’s house, so I had to think ahead about food for that too.  When we planned the party, I talked to my friend about what food she would have, and she made sure that she had things in her house that were safe for me.  I also brought some cookies and breakfast muffins that I knew were safe.

With a little advanced preparation and communication, I was able to have a normal and fun prom.  Planning ahead is completely worth the effort – nobody wants to end up in the E.R. on prom night!  🙂