How Restaurants Can Fight Seasonal Allergies

With flowers blooming and trees sprouting leaves, it’s clear spring has arrived. But with spring time comes seasonal allergies, and experts are predicting 2018’s spring to be especially brutal for allergy sufferers. Consequently, restaurants should do everything in their power to combat allergy season and keep their comfortable. There are several steps restaurants can take, and they’re all thoroughly explored in this post.

Foods

One way to offer customers a better experience during allergy season is to provide a menu that features special dishes that help ward off allergies. The following is a list of foods that are known to reduce allergies:

-Fish: Since omega-3 fatty acids excel in the battle against allergies, fish like salmon, trout, tuna, and more are perfect meals for when the flowers are blooming.

-Walnuts: Like fish, this hearty nut is also chock-full of omega-3 fatty acids. Surprisingly, one handful of walnuts is equivalent to roughly 3-3.5 oz. of salmon in regards to fatty acid content.

-Apples/Onions/Berries/Cauliflower: Each of these items is rich in quercetin, a flavonoid that’s supposed to help minimize the inflammation that accompanies allergic reactions.

-Garlic: Thanks in part to its high vitamin C content, garlic has been proven effective for suppressing the release of histamines associated with allergic reactions.  Raw, freshly pressed garlic yields better results than garlic extract when it comes to fighting allergies.

-Broccoli: Combing the aforementioned quercetin and vitamin C, this leafy green vegetable is good for you as advertised.  

Drinks

-Smoothies: Packing significant nutritional value, a smoothie can combines fruits, vegetables and nuts into one single drink. Since there are nearly limitless smoothie combinations, do some experimenting with items that are known to ward off allergies. Just stick a few ingredients in your blender and see how they taste in smoothie form. Nutrient-dense juices make great foundations for smoothies, but water works just as well.

-Tea: While any nonalcoholic beverage will help thin out the mucus in your nasal passages, a cup of hot tea has the added benefit of steam. Perfect for alleviating sinus issues, steam in any form is an allergy sufferer’s best friend.

Minimize Allergens

Trees, plants, and grass are the enemy. They are the culprits that cause sneezing, runny noses, inflamed sinuses, and just an overall discomfort for people who are prone to allergies. As a result, you’ll want to consider keeping your restaurant’s windows closed during allergy season. At the very least, ask patrons if they’re suffering from allergies and if they mind that windows are left open. Customers will be extremely appreciative of your consideration. 

Some restaurants feature indoor flowers and plants that provide stylish decor. Although these indoor plants will likely have significantly fewer allergens than outdoor varieties, they can still cause discomfort. The weeping fig and flowering maple especially can be unkind to allergy sufferers, and nearly all plants are susceptible to the unwanted growth of mold. The best way to combat mold growth on plants is by ensuring plants kept in wicker baskets are properly tended.

The most important thing to remember when dealing with customers is their comfort is top priority. By showing patrons you really care about how they’re feeling, you'll help ensure they'll return to your restaurant in the future.