Updated:
December 20, 2018
What to Buy Someone Who Suffers From Allergies?
Buying a gift for a family member or friend that suffers from allergies can be difficult. Even if you know their exact allergies, non-allergy sufferers don’t always have the trained eye for label reading and knowing what is helpful to prevent allergy symptoms.
There are many winter allergies like cedar, dust and mold that can all cause terrible allergy symptoms for many people during the winter season. And considering holiday gift giving - it could be the perfect time to help a friend or family member. Don’t worry, we’re here to provide some examples of easy to find presents that will be a great gift for seasonal and food allergy sufferers alike!
Gifts for people who suffer from seasonal allergies:
For anyone: Give the gift of clean, healthy, and cozy sleep with dust mite proof bedding and pillow cases.This is something that is a great gift for pretty much everyone, regardless of allergies!
According to the Asthma and Allergy foundation of America, dust mites could be the number one cause of year-round allergy symptoms. We spend about a third of our life sleeping, which means cozying up with these guys if you don’t have hypoallergenic bedding!
Our top picks:
For the big gift: Air purifier – The king of eliminating allergens is an air purifier, and can make your home a much more comfortable place to be during the allergy season.
During allergy seasons, pollen easily gets into our home and stirs up our allergies. On top of outdoor allergies, many people are affected by indoor allergens as well. While there's not much we can do about outdoor allergens, we can take steps to keep our indoor environments clean—and an air purifier is one of the best ways to do that! Also, an air purifier inside your bedroom can go a long way to help with a good night’s sleep.
Dehumidifier - For those who live in humid climates, a dehumidifier can make a huge difference in their home. Allergens thrive in humid environments, so when you decrease the amount of moisture in the air, you'll be decreasing the growth of those allergens that trigger your loved one's allergies. Dehumidifiers are great for those who live in basements or attics because they remove moisture from these damp places where mold often lurks.
If your loved one suffers from indoor allergies like mold or dust, then this is definitely an item worth considering as a gift.
Humidifier - We know that when winter comes, it can be hard to keep your home comfortable—especially if you live in a dry climate. That's why we've included this humidifier as one of our top gifts for people who suffer from allergies.
It's the season for allergy symptoms, and winter can be particularly challenging for those who live in dry climates. Cold, dry weather can cause inflammation in nasal passages and airways in your throat—and not only does it feel awful, but it also makes your allergies worse! By using a humidifier it can help relieve dry skin, chapped lips and scratchy throats by putting moisture back in the air throughout the house.
For the home with pets and kids: What if there was a vacuum that could do more than just pick up dust? What if it could literally suck the allergens out of your home? That's exactly what HEPA vacuums do. A HEPA vacuum cleaner will help keep the allergens at bay and out of your home. This way you can breathe easier knowing that what’s in your home isn’t making your allergies worse!
These vacuum cleaners have a HEPA filter, which means it will trap allergens like dust and pollen instead of spreading them around your home. If you have pets or kids that are bringing in lots of allergens on their clothes and shoes, this is an especially important feature.
For the coworker or acquaintance: Gift basket for allergy sufferers – Who doesn’t love a good gift basket? Making a fun, personalized basket with your gift receivers best allergy-fighting treats is a wonderful way to make a super helpful gift. Throw in some tissues, hand sanitizer, a neti pot or other saline rinse, and their favorite antihistamine or decongestant! If you don’t know what over-the-counter medicine they prefer, no problem. A $15 gift card to their local drug store gives them the freedom to pick whatever they need!
Gifts for someone who suffers from food allergies:
For anyone: Allergy friendly treats – It’s amazing how many common allergens make up most of our food. Luckily there’s plenty of brands that cater towards making allergen-free treats. Some of our favorites are Made Good Foods, Go Way Better, and Enjoy Life Foods.
Try this top allergen free snack box that has a variety of different snacks to try!
Children’s books about food allergies – Food allergies and their impact can be hard for some kids to understand – specifically siblings who don’t have food allergies. There are tons of cute, fun children’s books like The Princess and the Peanut Allergy that give kids an engaging way to learn about food allergies in potential real life conflicts their children may come across.
These books are a great way to start conversations with your children about how they can help their friends with food allergies feel safe and included at school or other events where there may be shared snacks or meals.
Children’s books about food allergies can also be used by teachers as well as parents in order to teach kids about the importance of being sensitive towards others who have different needs than them!
For the foodie family: For those of us who love to cook, it can be a pain to read every label on everything we buy. If you have a family with food allergies, it can be even more of a burden. You may have to run around in circles looking for the right ingredients or make multiple trips to the grocery store just to make sure you've got everything on hand.
That's why we love subscription meal plans like Blue Apron or Hello Fresh! These services allow you to gift a meal or gift card to their service—which means all your family has to do is open up an email, click the link, and start cooking. The ingredients are spelled out for them (and there's no waiting at the grocery store reading every label). It's just like having your own personal chef come over and cook for you every week!
It can be hard to find good allergy-free recipes, so gifting an allergy-free cookbook is a great idea! Our favorite cookbook is full of recipes that are yummy, easy, and allergy-free! Whether you're looking for breakfast ideas or dinner recipes, this cookbook has something for everyone.
Air fryer: Air fryers are also great because they don't require any oil at all! This means that if you have a severe allergy, air frying is a great alternative to deep-frying or pan-frying. You'll still get all of the crunchiness and flavor you love from fried foods, but without having to worry about making sure your allergy isn't triggered by the oil in question!
For the family that needs more time: Instant Pot air fryer in one – Everyone could use more time in their day and less time cooking, but for bigger families that have a lot going on—time is precious. We already talked about how tough it is for families with food allergies to eat out, so sometimes cooking at home is the only option. Something like this Instant Pot Air Fryer can be a godsend to families that need time because it allows easy cooking for large amounts of food.
Don’t forget to treat yourself: Give yourself the gift of long-term allergy relief. The holidays are a time of joy so don’t forget to get something for yourself to conquer your allergies. If you’re tired of struggling every year with the same allergies year after year, it’s time to give long-term relief options like allergy drops a try!
Gifts to avoid:
There are something to steer clear of when gifting something to allergy sufferers that will make their allergies worse:
- Avoid scented gifts, such as lotions, hand soaps, or bath products and candles. These products can ramp up allergy symptoms even more as allergy sufferers are more sensitive to fragrances depending on what they are allergic to.
- Items with no ingredient list. Even if they’ve had/used this item before, it can contain a new or different ingredient that could trigger their allergies. This can be for food, beauty products, art supplies — anything!
- Plush animals. Some plush toys can contain soy-based ingredients (a major allergen) which can trigger allergic reactions. Plush toys also tend to hold onto dust very well, so it’s not great for those with dust allergies.
Let’s be honest, it can be hard to shop for people with allergies. If you know someone with allergies, here are some great gifts you can give them this holiday season to help make their life a little easier. We hope that this list has helped you pick out some good gifts for all the allergy sufferers in your life! We wish you and your family a very happy holiday season!