Navigating Allergies at Work

Office life revolves around food more than we admit — birthday cake in the break room, team lunches, the communal snack drawer. Here’s how I stay safe without making it the defining fact about me at work.

Tell a few key people

I let my manager and the colleagues I eat with most often know about my allergy, calmly and matter-of-factly. I keep it simple: it’s serious, here’s what to do if I react, and here’s where my auto-injector is.

Own your space in shared kitchens

Communal toasters, microwaves, and counters can carry peanut residue. I wipe surfaces before use, keep my own utensils when I can, and avoid shared spreads entirely.

Send one clear email to the team

For a whole floor or department, a short, friendly email does more than a dozen hallway conversations. Ask your manager or office manager to send it (it carries more weight coming from them), or send it yourself. Here’s a template you can adapt:

Subject: A small favor — keeping our kitchen safe for a severe allergy

Hi everyone,

A quick heads-up: I have a severe, life-threatening peanut allergy, which means even tiny traces from shared surfaces or utensils can cause a serious reaction.

You don’t need to change what you eat — I just ask for a few small things:

• Please avoid leaving peanut products open in shared spaces, and wipe down counters/tables after eating them.
• If we’re ordering food for a team event, I’d love a quick heads-up so I can check ingredients.
• My epinephrine auto-injectors are kept in [location]. If you ever see me having a reaction (trouble breathing, swelling, hives, faintness), please use it and call 911 immediately — acting fast is what matters most.

Thank you so much for helping keep our space safe. Happy to answer any questions.

— [Your name]

Post a sign in the shared kitchen

A visible sign normalizes the issue and reminds people who skim past emails. Ask your administration or office manager to put one up. Here’s wording you can print and post:

PLEASE NOTE

A member of our team has a severe, life-threatening peanut allergy.

Please avoid bringing peanut products into shared kitchen and meeting spaces, and clean surfaces and shared equipment (microwave, toaster, counters) after eating.

In an emergency, their epinephrine is located at: ________________. If you see signs of a reaction — trouble breathing, swelling, hives, faintness — use it and call 911.

Thank you for helping keep our workplace safe.

(Want a polished version? Pair this with the printable allergy action plan and keep a copy by the kitchen.)

Handle team meals gracefully

For catered events, I reach out to whoever’s organizing and ask about ingredients ahead of time. If I can’t verify something is safe, I quietly eat beforehand or bring my own — no drama required.

You don’t owe anyone an explanation, but a little proactive communication usually turns colleagues into allies.