Living With Food Allergies as a Student: Logan’s Story

At Allergy Apparel®, we believe there’s real power in people sharing their lived experiences. These stories help raise awareness, offer support, and remind us that none of us are navigating food allergies alone.

Today, we’re honored to feature a submission from Logan Rowland, a high-school senior who has lived with peanut and tree nut allergies since he was four years old. Logan is dual enrolled in community college, working toward his associate degree, and dreams of studying aerospace or mechanical engineering after graduation.

His story gives an honest look into what daily life with food allergies can look like — the challenges, the routines, and the resilience that so many kids and teens quietly carry with them.

A day in the life of a student with food allergies…

A huge challenge for me was when I was diagnosed with a peanut and tree nut allergy. This was not only a challenge for me, but for my family as well. I was diagnosed when I was 4 years old and was too young to really understand the work that needed to be put into learning about my allergies. My parents took the time to research and make sure that all food in our house was safe for me to eat. They have passed down what they learned to me as I have gotten older. Having food allergies means reading labels on everything I eat to make sure they are free of my allergens and not cross contaminated with the allergens, as well. I have learned a lot about what goes into different foods and how to keep myself safe.

  Unfortunately, that was not the only challenge I faced. Now that I am older, keeping myself safe has become easier for me. However, the challenge is people that don’t know about or understand food allergies. This is dangerous for me because they lack the knowledge needed to help keep me safe. Educating others about food allergies was an even bigger challenge than having to read labels on the food that I eat. For example, my extended family had never known anyone with food allergies and did not know what to do to help keep me safe. Fortunately, as I have gotten older, I am able to educate them and help teach them about the foods that are safe for me.

  One challenge that I face is going out to eat with friends and family. Most restaurants don’t label for food allergies or even have knowledge of food allergies. If I want to eat at a restaurant or a friend’s house, I must completely trust the person that cooks my food, which is difficult because food labels can be difficult to read at times, and they change constantly. Food allergies can also cause exclusion to these events. I have been in situations before where I have been excluded from something because I can’t eat the food others may eat. That is a very hard thing to deal with, especially when it’s happening with family and friends.

  Having food allergies was stressful to begin with, but I learned as much as I could about it and quickly came to realize that I could handle it. Food allergies are a topic that comes up a lot and I take every opportunity to educate the people around me. The more I educate people, the more the world will become a safer place for others like me. A few things I do to help myself overcome this obstacle are staying up to date with food labeling laws, educating others about food allergies, looking for new foods that are safe to eat, and staying up to date on the latest research. One day I hope there will be a cure or treatment for food allergies. Until then I’ll keep educating others and doing what I need to do to keep myself safe and healthy.