Flaxseed allergy

[GusGusGirl]

Does anyone have experience dealing with flaxseed allergy at WDW? I've recently found out I'm allergic to it and have also found out how hard it can be to spot. I know some obvious foods to stay away from (multigrain bread) but have also found it in unexpected places like plain white bread and pasta sauce. I know that I can email Special Diets and I will, but I was just wondering if anyone has personal tips or experience to share.

 

[stackyallred]

I found out I am allergic to flaxseed (and many other foods) about 1.5 years ago. On our trip last September, I was sure to note that I had special dietary requests on every reservation and I contacted special diets. Because of my myriad of allergies, I read every ingredient in every food I consume. Unfortunately, flax is used in a lot of allergy friendly foods. But if you don't have any other allergies I think you will find that flax is easy to avoid aside from some breads and crackers (I can't have gluten, egg or dairy so almost all breads are off limits for me). Just be sure to always speak with a chef at TS restaurants and a manager at CS restaurants so you can be sure there is no flax in your items. I almost ordered the allergy friendly chicken tenders one day but thankfully the manager got out a binder with the ingredients and sure enough, flax was listed. Good luck and I am sure you will be we'll taken care of!

 

[GusGusGirl]

Thank you!

 

[GadgetTheInventor]

I would start by doing extensive research beforehand on knowing what foods normally contain flaxseed. Are there any common cross-contamination issues too?

I print out a food allergen sheet to take with me to every restaurant that includes detailed info about my weird allergies (peach being the worst since I cross react to all the members of the Rosaceae family). It is just a half-sheet of printer paper that I let them know they can keep and throw away after. It has the medic symbol in bright red at the top and my name in large letters so that it doesn't get lost easily.

Most QS food items list the ingredients on the package. Just be aware that there can be cross-contamination in the back kitchen where the food is prepped.

There are also binders at each QS restaurant that you can look through to search for flaxseed as an ingredient for the line meals. I have found apple hiding in the oddest foods so don't assume that there isn't flaxseed in a seemingly safe food.

And always request to speak to a chef at sit down meals. Provide your allergy issue in writing as some of the chefs don't speak English as their native tongue and restaurants are full of noise. If the chef seems hesitant or annoyed (I have encountered one), just stick to something you know is safe and eat more later.

 

[DCDisney]

Yes definitely has been in the allergy free chicken tenders and in the past it has been in all of the hamburger/hot dog buns and pizza crusts. Some waffles have had it and others not though it seems like my most recent trip they had moved back to the white flour waffles. In the past it was not in the flatbread pizza crusts at the resort locations and some of the special white breads like foccia, po boy buns, etc. If you really want bread the resort qs locations seem to have the most varieties and they usually could dig one up for me.