Navigating the Office Kitchen

Many adults with food allergies prefer to bring their own lunches to work. Preparing lunch yourself provides a safe alternative to going out to eat or depending on food provided by your employer.

The challenge is keeping your food safe once you store it in the office kitchen. It is important to make sure your food is not tampered with and doesn’t come into contact with any allergens.

To lessen the chances of cross-contact, always place your lunch in a sealed container. Label your food with your name and a “please do not touch” message.

Speak to your supervisor about the current norms for the shared kitchen space. From there, you can think about ways to adjust or adapt to these rules for food allergy safety.

You might also ask for a designated space in a shared cupboard, as a reasonable accommodation. Other possible accommodations include permission to use a personal refrigerator or food storage in your private workspace.