Thanksgiving is just a month away - which means it is time to start planning so that you don’t get caught by allergies, whether you are a guest or a host!

Let’s consider one typical Thanksgiving meal: turkey; stuffing; potatoes; a nice green veggie like beans or broccoli; gravy; wine or beer for adults; milk for kids; pumpkin pie for dessert. While this is a lovely menu for most, if you have folks with food allergies in your family, virtually every one of these foods could be a haven for one of the top 8 food allergens.

If you are hosting, be sure to ask your guests about these allergens, or any others. Keep in mind that virtually any substance can be an allergen! So, if you are asking guests to check out your menu, expect to provide the list of all ingredients and not just the names of dishes or foods. If you are a guest, you might have to alert your host regarding any allergies you have - and be prepared to lend a hand by bringing either a dish or specific substitutions that you can eat.

Almost every dish on the traditional Thanksgiving table can have some form of dairy in it - whether butter or milk or cream. Given that this is a significant food allergen, if you are planning a meal for guests, it’s good to know what you can substitute! Our favorite family substitute is organic refined coconut oil. There is no coconut taste in this oil, but it does give you that buttery taste and feel in your mouth. Just be sure to add a bit more salt to your dairy-free dish, as coconut oil does not have salt added.

Stuffing, desserts and even beer can harbor gluten! Wheat and gluten problems are occur frequently in the general population. Some studies have indicated that as many as 10 per cent of us are likely celiacs (whether diagnosed or not) and gluten allergy is extremely common. So, how do you make sure your guests can eat your stuffing and enjoy a beer or a dessert? The good news is that there are gluten-free substitutions on the market that are tasty and easy.

If you want a great bread to add to the meal, whether for dipping in gravy or stuffing the bird, consider making my gluten free version. This bread has the same texture and feel as wheat bread - not that stiff and dry texture of many rice-flour breads. It also avoids both dairy and soy. My husband thought this bread was great, even though he hates most gluten-free breads.

If you need a good thickener for gravy, try chick pea flour (also known as garbanzo bean flour), tapioca starch flour or corn starch. While other gluten-free flours can be used for thickening, they can be tricky. The benefit of chick pea flour over the others is that you get some additional protein and nutrition as well as thickening - you also avoid corn starch, which can also be allergenic for some.

Gluten-free desserts abound! If you aren’t willing to bake your own, check out the freezer case in your supermarkets natural or organic food section. Brand names such as El Peto and Glutino have some tasty options that you can buy and serve, right alongside the gluten-based pie or cake. Just be sure to point out which dessert is which!

We have folks in our family who are allergic to eggs. This is another frequent ingredient that turns up in many of our favorite holiday foods. It’s easy to buy egg replacer at most health foods stores - or you can use a number of easy alternatives:

2 tbsp cornstarch = 1 egg
2 tbsp potato starch = 1 egg
1 banana = 1 egg in cakes
1 tbsp milled flax seed and 3 tbsp water = 1 egg

My preference is to use milled flax seed instead of egg in most baking. You add both nutrition and healthy fiber this way.

There are other allergens that you might not be familiar with, but which could throw off your dinner plans, such as sulfites (or sulphites). Sulfites are naturally occurring in some foods - including balsamic vinegar - and may also be added to wine or other alcoholic beverages. However, even common fruit juices can have sulfites - purple grape juice is the most common offender. Given that sulfites can’t be avoided in wines, it pays to have other sulfite free alcoholic beverages on hand: most hard liquor will fit the bill.