Meal kits and allergies: what to check

If you or someone you cook for has a food allergy, a meal kit means trusting someone else's kitchen and packing line. This guide covers what to read and what to ask. It isn't medical advice. For diagnosis or managing an allergy, talk to your doctor or a clinical immunology/allergy specialist.

1. Don't rely on "allergen-free" claims alone

Even if a kit leaves an ingredient out, traces of it could still end up in the food during manufacture or packing. Treat every box as something to check, and talk to your doctor or allergy specialist about what's safe for you.

2. Know what labels must show

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) sets the labelling rules. Since 25 February 2024, packaged food must declare certain common allergens in the ingredient list in bold, using set names. These are: - wheat, fish, crustacean, mollusc, egg, milk, lupin, peanut, soy, sesame - the tree nuts almond, Brazil nut, cashew, hazelnut, macadamia, pecan, pistachio, pine nut and walnut, each named separately - barley, oats and rye, if they contain gluten - sulphites, when added at 10 milligrams per kilogram or more

FSANZ says there must also be a separate bold summary statement starting with "Contains", such as "Contains milk", near the ingredient list.

3. Understand "may contain"

"May contain" or "may be present" statements flag that an allergen might end up in a food by accident during manufacture. FSANZ says these statements are voluntary and are not regulated by the Food Standards Code. So a missing "may contain" line doesn't mean a food is safe for you.

4. Check every packet, every time

A meal kit can hold many separate packets, such as sauces, spice mixes and pre-cut ingredients. Read the label on each packet when the box arrives and again before you cook. Don't rely only on the recipe card or the website menu. If something has no label, FSANZ says allergen information for unlabelled food must be displayed with it or given on request, so ask the company.

5. Questions to ask before you order

• How do you show allergens on your menu and in the box?
• Are ingredients packed in a facility that also handles my allergen?
• If a recipe changes or an ingredient is swapped, how will you tell me?
• Can I remove an ingredient, or is it already mixed into a sauce or spice blend?
• Who do I contact if a packet arrives without a label?

6. Cooking at home

ASCIA, the peak body for clinical immunology and allergy specialists in Australia and New Zealand, says people with food allergy should read and understand food labels and be aware of cross contamination when preparing food. ASCIA also says liquid hand sanitiser that isn't rinsed off doesn't remove food allergens, and that soap and water are ideal for washing hands. If you have an ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis, keep following it.

ASCIA says anaphylaxis should always be treated as a medical emergency. If you have an ASCIA Action Plan, follow it. In an emergency, call Triple Zero (000) for an ambulance.

The short version

• Don't rely on "allergen-free" claims alone. Check every label.
• Look for allergens in bold and a "Contains" statement on each packet.
• "May contain" lines are voluntary, so a missing 'may contain' line doesn't mean a food is safe for you.
• Check every packet on arrival and before cooking, and ask the company questions in writing.
• For medical advice, see your doctor or an allergy specialist.

We don't list prices here, because they change depending on where you are. Check the meal kit company's own site for current prices and menus.

Sources

• https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/labelling/allergen-labelling
• https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/food-allergy/faqs