The only form of treatment for food allergies is the complete removal of problem foods from the diet. There are currently no drugs available that can prevent a food allergy from taking place. Food allergies can be deadly if avoidance is not practiced diligently.

Once a physician has helped a patient determine which foods are allergy triggers, people must remove these foods from their diet by paying close attention to the ingredients in the foods they eat. By checking the ingredient labels on foods at the grocery store, and asking about ingredients and preparation techniques at restaurants, people can successfully avoid problem foods and control their food allergy.

To be sure that a problem food is not consumed by accident, people should also learn alternate names of the food. For example, those allergic to milk must also avoid anything with casein, which is a milk protein. New legislation may make it easier for people to determine if a food item contains a potential allergen. As of January 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is requiring food manufacturers to list food allergens on their product labels.

Though some allergies are outgrown, many kinds of food allergy persist throughout adulthood. Fortunately, avoiding food allergens is a way for allergic individuals of all ages to prevent an allergic reaction from ever taking place.

Although preventive measures can be taken to reduce the likelihood of ingesting a problem food, accidental consumption can still occur. For this reason, individuals who are highly sensitive to a food allergen should carry injectable epinephrine with them at all times. This drug can be used to quickly counteract the effects of the life-threatening condition known as anaphylactic shock. These sensitive individuals should also wear a medical alert bracelet or necklace that can identify their condition to healthcare workers.

Parents of children with food allergies should alert their child's day care center or school to the allergies. They should also provide the staff with written instructions on how to properly identify and treat the child's allergic reaction. Other adults who have frequent contact with the child, such as parents of the child’s friends, coaches and babysitters, should also be prepared to respond quickly to a reaction.