Allergies: The Food Diary: Helping You Uncover Your Food Allergy Triggers

Determining which foods trigger your allergy symptoms may take a little detective work, but by keeping a food diary, uncovering the offending food can be easy. All you have to do is record what you eat and when you get symptoms, and then look for common factors.

Here's What to Do

Print the following sample food diary and use it to record the foods you eat each day and when you eat them. (Don't forget to include snacks and beverages!) Record any symptoms you experience, as well as the time the symptoms begin. Share your food diary with your doctor to help determine which foods may be triggering your symptoms.

Food Diary Week of __________________
	SUN	MON	TUE	WED	THU	FRI	SAT	SYMPTOMS
BREAKFAST Time: _____	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	Time: _____
SNACK Time: _____	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	Time: _____
LUNCH Time: _____	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	Time: _____
SNACK Time: _____	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	Time: _____
DINNER Time: _____	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	Time: _____
SNACK Time: _____	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	Time: _____

Example:

	SUN	MON	TUE	WED	THU	FRI	SAT	SYMPTOMS
BREAKFAST Time: 7 a.m.	2 eggs, bacon, toast & butter, orange juice	.	.	.	.	.	.	Time: _____
SNACK Time: 10 a.m.	Candy bar, water	.	.	.	.	.	.	Time: 11 a.m. Stomach cramps, diarrhea

 

Reviewed by the doctors at The Cleveland Clinic Department of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine.