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You should always seek medical advice from a physician or other qualified health provider for any questions pertaining to nutrition. Any information found in this post, on this blog, and shared on any resources created by Mom Wife and Everyday Life is based on my personal experience as a mom and should not be taken as professional advice. The contents of this website are for general informational purposes. I am not a certified nutritionist. Each individual’s dietary needs and restrictions are unique to the individual.
Food journaling is your tool as a parent of a child with or potentially with allergies. As a parent, there is no way you can remember everything. You may have a full-time job or multiple kids to care for.
This tool is your lifeline to helping your child with allergies. This is a step in the right direction for feeling like you can tackle this.
You can handle this.
This phase of discovery and beyond is a time of uncertainty. This is your way to be certain about what happened.
Food journaling may seem daunting or like a huge commitment. It is.
But so is having a child with allergies. View food journaling not as a task to be completed but rather as a tool at your disposal.
You give it data and then reap the potential answers. If this seems overwhelming start with only the most important categories like date and food and if your child has a reaction or if medication is given, then work towards filling out the information completely.
Another great tip is to meal prep for the week on what you plan to feed your child and go ahead and fill sections out.
Things that should be included:
Date/Time
Just to keep everything orderly track that date and time.
The key with the date is not only watching what happens the day food is consumed but how they react the following few days.
Make note of the approximate time food was given or for what meal or snack it was such as lunch or morning snack. If you have a routine this will be easier.
For example, if you always eat breakfast at 8 am, have a morning snack at 10, lunch at noon, afternoon snack at 3 pm, and dinner at 6 pm then tracking will be a little simplified. You can structure your journal to fit your lifestyle. This makes the plug-ins easier.
Food and Ingredients
This is the focal point of food journaling.
Obviously, we are here to track what food was eaten.
Within this section note what food it is, the approximate serving size, and the ingredient list.
A tip here is to cut the ingredient list off the box or packaging and glue it directly into your journal. This is much easier than writing out a long list of complicated words or ingredients. Save yourself the hassle.
Another way to do this is the tape the ingredients in the back of the journal. With this strategy, you write down the specific food and the serving and make note the ingredient list is in back. Just make sure the ingredient list clearly says what it is for.
If it is a frequent food. For example, if frequently you serve oatmeal for breakfast. You only have one package so you can’t use it on multiple pages.
Be careful in being specific in your label. For example, if one oatmeal packet is peaches and cream while another is apple-flavored they contain different ingredients
Poop
Let’s face it as parents you know what a normal poop is for your child. Document if anything is off. Maybe a certain food gives your child diarrhea.
I would not necessarily take the time to document bowel movements if everything is normal. I would stay doing so though if you notice a problem.
Mood for the Day/Irritability
Tracking the mood or if your child is irritable is not an exact science by any means. This area is the get to it if you have time area. If your child is older and can express discomfort note it here.
If you are dealing with a baby that seems to be fussy not long after eating take note. This could be gut pain.
Sleep
Sleep is helpful to track because it can help with the mood category. If your baby or child does not get adequate sleep that could be the cause of their irritability rather than a reaction to food. This helps you have the full picture.
You could keep this charting very simple. Normal night, late-night, early morning, one wake up, or multiple wake-ups.
Reaction
If your child has a reaction you want to note what food was consumed and what time the reaction occurred.
If you clearly see a reaction document everything possible. Go through all of the above categories and add in as many details as possible before and after the reaction.
How long are the symptoms lasting from start to finish?
What does a reaction look like for your child?
Is it swelling, diarrhea, rash, or even vomiting?
What is your child’s level of distress?
Are you able to comfort them at home or is this a hospital situation?
This is the reason you are food journaling. This is the time to look at all the pieces that lead to the reaction.
Medications
If any medication is given list what type of medication, the dosage, and time. As always all medications should be prescribed or approved by your doctor.
Specifically make note of what time the reaction occurred, the time the medication was administered, and the time the symptoms of the reaction started to diminish.
Conclusion
This breakdown of how to food journal can be the tool you need to find the patterns of what your child can and cannot eat.
This is your tool to take with you to future doctor appointments.
Make a system to mark the pages where a reaction occurred. Look at the pages surrounding that reaction both in front and behind it.
These are your records.
Don’t count on yourself to remember.
Good luck with food journaling!
I hope it helps you find the pattern to resolve the problem.
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Check Out My Articles
How to Figure Out if my Baby has Allergies
How to Comfort Your Baby During a Blood Draw: Expert Tips and Tricks
Is there a Chance my Baby Could Outgrow Their Food Allergies One Day?
