Chick-Fil-A has always been one of my favorite fast food places to go. The people are courteous, the facility is clean, and the food is healthier than that of many its fast food counterparts.
When my son was newly diagnosed with a peanut allergy I remember being shocked that a restaurant like Chick-Fil-A would use peanut oil to cook their chicken nuggets, fries, and so on. How could a restaurant chain that focuses a great deal on young families offer food contaminated with peanut, one of the fastest growing food allergies in the United States? Do parents even realize that Chick-Fil-A uses peanut oil for their fried menu items? (It is important to note that recently Chick-Fil-A has changed policies and cooks their fries only in canola oil.)
On a recent visit to the allergist, I asked him how so many young children were able to eat Chick-Fil-A without food allergy complications and why the restaurant would adopt a policy like cooking with peanut oil. He explained that Chick-Fil-A uses a highly refined for of peanut oil that is stripped of most of the offending proteins for peanut allergy sufferers. He spoke at length with the local Chick-Fil-A manager as well as the chain manager and felt confident that my son (who has a very high peanut allergy) could safely consume items (Chick-Fil-A only) cooked in peanut oil. (For more information, visit Chick-Fil-A’s website that explains in specific detail about the correlation of food allergies to the peanut oil used in their facilities: http://www.chick-fil-a.com/Food/Ingredients-Peanut-Oil).
I whole-heartedly trust our allergist and took him at his word. My head understood the facts and the statistics, but my heart just wasn’t there yet. That was when the “what ifs” took over.
For the first year or two of my son’s diagnosis, the poor child had very little new food (other than the few items we had already tried) because I was too scared I would miss something when researching a new food or that there would be a communication gap between food manufacturers and restaurants. This is not the kind of life I want for my child. I want him to safely be able to experience new foods that I have done my research on and spoken about with his doctors.
After more positive reassurances by my son’s doctors, I ignored the ”what ifs” and let him try Chick-Fil-A. I’m pretty sure I held my breath the whole time he ate and for hours after. It was a nerve-racking afternoon for me, but my son was loving the chicken nuggets and french fries! He had absolutely no reaction to the peanut oil used by Chick-Fil-A.
Now we have a new place to eat out and sit down together as a family. There is something for everyone…even those that are gluten-free, like myself!
It is wonderful to be able to support a family-friendly, Christian-based restaurant that offers healthy food choices! Thank you, Chick-Fil-A!!!
*It is important to research thoroughly and speak with your child’s doctors and allergist before trying a new food. One child’s experience with a highly refined food allergen may not be the same as the next child’s experience. Be sure to visit Chick-Fil-A’s website to conduct your own research (http://www.chick-fil-a.com/Home).
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I was wondering if people with peanut allergies could eat CFA. I’m glad your son can experience the awesomeness, and bravo for you making an informed decision to let him try it. It’s the peanut oil that makes it taste so good! The ONLY breaded chicken I prefer to eat plain with no sauces.
While Chick-fil-A worked for my son, it does not mean it will be safe for all individuals with peanut allergies. To determine if it is right for those individuals, I highly recommend the consult a licensed, board-certified allergist before taking any action.