Wise words in this column from the Boulder Daily Camera:

I often hear from people who are upset that others have not catered to their allergenic needs. It really is up to all of us to take care of ourselves. By taking a step with positive behavior (and delicious food) you just might educate some people how easy it is to make delicious, non-allergenic foods.

My go-to strategy for dealing with workplaces that were big on celebrating with food was to keep my own “secret stash” in the kitchen or at my workstation — allergy-safe cookies or treats I could bring out when the weekly birthday/holiday/TGIF cake came out. It helped me feel normal and eliminated the “I feel so weird that you can’t eat anything” I’d get before I started doing that. Beyond that, I’ve made it a practice for years to eat at least a little bit before I go into any food situation that might be the least bit dicey — meetings, parties, you name it.

Do you disclose your allergies at work? Have you ever had a negative (or a surprisingly positive) reaction from a supervisor or coworker?