Hygiene and Allergy Risks of Dog and Cat-Friendly Restaurants

In recent years, pet-friendly restaurants have become increasingly popular, offering a space where owners can dine without leaving their beloved pets at home. 

While these establishments are a welcome haven for animal lovers, they also raise important questions about hygiene and potential risks for those with allergies or phobias. 

As someone who frequents both traditional and pet-friendly dining spots, I’ve observed a mix of delightful and concerning moments. 

One instance stands out: a dog in a restaurant sniffing and licking a table meant for diners. This episode prompted me to look deeper into the potential risks associated with animals in eating spaces.

Hygiene Concerns

Contamination of Surfaces

Animals, no matter how well-groomed, can carry bacteria and germs. A dog licking a table, for instance, introduces bacteria from its mouth onto a surface that might later be used by diners. While most establishments clean tables between customers, not all sanitisation methods are thorough enough to eliminate these risks.

Shedding and Dander

Cats and dogs naturally shed fur and dander, which can easily settle on tables, chairs, or even food. This is especially concerning in open-plan kitchens or buffet-style setups where airborne particles can travel freely.

Accidents

Even the most well-trained pets can have accidents. A dog urinating on the floor or a cat vomiting can create immediate hygiene hazards, particularly if not promptly and properly cleaned.

Pest Attraction

The presence of animals can attract pests such as flies or rodents, drawn to pet food or waste. This could lead to further contamination risks.

Allergy Risks

Exposure to Allergens

Pet dander, saliva, and fur are common allergens. Even if a person allergic to cats or dogs doesn’t directly interact with the animals, allergens can linger on surfaces, utensils, or in the air.

Cross-Contamination

In shared spaces, allergens can easily transfer from one surface to another. A pet brushing against a chair or a table could inadvertently trigger an allergic reaction in the next diner.

Severity of Reactions

For individuals with severe allergies, even minimal exposure can cause symptoms ranging from sneezing and itching to more serious reactions like asthma attacks or anaphylaxis.

Balancing Inclusion and Safety

While pet-friendly restaurants provide a wonderful opportunity for animal lovers to socialise, they must also consider the health and safety of all patrons. Here are some suggestions for mitigating risks:

Dedicated Pet Areas: Establishing separate zones for diners with pets can help minimise exposure for those with allergies or hygiene concerns.

Strict Hygiene Protocols: Restaurants should enforce rigorous cleaning practices, including sanitising tables, chairs, and floors after each pet-related incident.

Clear Policies: Pet-friendly establishments should have clear rules, such as keeping pets off furniture and away from food preparation areas.

Allergy-Friendly Options: Offering designated pet-free zones or times can help accommodate diners with sensitivities.

Final Thoughts

The growing trend of pet-friendly dining reflects a societal shift towards more inclusive spaces. However, this inclusivity must be balanced with responsibility. Observing a dog licking a restaurant table reminded me that while pets bring joy, their presence in dining areas requires careful management to ensure everyone’s health and comfort.

If you’re a pet owner, always be mindful of your furry companion’s behaviour in shared spaces. And if you’re a diner with concerns, don’t hesitate to inquire about a restaurant’s pet policies before booking a table.

Some eating places ban all dogs, except for guide dogs, including the Wetherspoon chain.  

Ultimately, with the right precautions, pet-friendly dining can be a positive experience for all—humans and animals alike.

How Many People Are Allergic to Stevia?

Stevia, a natural sweetener derived from the Stevia rebaudiana plant, has gained immense popularity as a sugar substitute due to its zero-calorie content and natural origin. 

While it is generally regarded as safe and well-tolerated, there is some concern about the potential for allergic reactions. 

But how common are these reactions, and what should you know if you suspect you might be allergic to Stevia?

Understanding Stevia Allergies

Stevia allergies are relatively rare. Most people can consume Stevia without any adverse effects, but as with any natural product, there is a possibility of an allergic reaction. Allergies to Stevia are thought to be linked to its chemical composition, which includes compounds like stevioside and rebaudioside. These compounds can occasionally trigger an immune response in sensitive individuals.

How Common Are Stevia Allergies?

There isn’t a wealth of scientific data quantifying how many people are allergic to Stevia. However, reported cases are extremely rare, and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) both classify Stevia as safe for general consumption.

The rarity of Stevia allergies may be attributed to the fact that the plant belongs to the Asteraceae family, which includes other plants like daisies and sunflowers. People allergic to other members of this plant family might have a slightly higher risk of reacting to Stevia, but this remains uncommon.

Symptoms of a Stevia Allergy

For the few who might experience an allergic reaction to Stevia, symptoms can range from mild to severe and may include:

Skin rashes or hives

Itching or swelling, especially around the mouth or throat

Gastrointestinal discomfort, such as nausea or cramping

Difficulty breathing in severe cases (anaphylaxis)

If you experience any of these symptoms after consuming Stevia, it’s essential to stop using it and consult a healthcare professional.

Cross-Reactivity Concerns

Stevia allergies may also involve cross-reactivity with other plants in the same family, such as ragweed, chrysanthemums, or marigolds. If you have known allergies to these plants, you may want to exercise caution when trying Stevia for the first time.

What to Do If You’re Allergic

If you suspect a Stevia allergy, it’s crucial to:

Avoid Stevia Products: Check ingredient labels carefully for Stevia or its derivatives.

Consult an Allergist: An allergist can perform tests to confirm whether you are allergic to Stevia or another substance.

Consider Alternatives: Other sweeteners like monk fruit, erythritol, or natural sugar substitutes may be safer options.

Conclusion

While Stevia allergies are rare, they are not impossible. Most people can enjoy this natural sweetener without issue, but those with plant allergies or sensitivities should be cautious. If you experience any unusual symptoms after consuming Stevia, seek medical advice promptly. With proper care and attention, you can find a sweetener that works for you without compromising your health.

Have you had any experiences with Stevia allergies? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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New Plant Based Products to Fuel Your New Year

Share in the joy of following a plant-based diet with The Happy Pear, who hot on the heels of the launch of their latest cookbook – The Happy Pear 20 - have just launched a range of utterly delicious and healthy food and drink products into the UK. 

The Happy Pear are Irish twins, Dave and Steve Flynn, who are on a singular mission to help people to eat more vegetables and increase their fibre intake in the tastiest way possible! 

Authors of seven cookbooks, promoting the benefits of a wholefood, plant-based diet, alongside online courses, an app and a recipe club, the brothers are now making it even easier for people to follow a healthy and vitamin-packed plant-based diet with their new product collection which currently includes a range of granolas and drinks. 

There are three delicious granolas to choose from: 

Dave’s Cocoa Crunch - a healthier take on traditional sugar-laden chocolate flavoured breakfast cereals with a mix of oats, sunflower seeds, coconut and cocoa powder. RSP £4.99 for 350g or eight packs for £35.99 

Steve’s Dreamy Granola - the ultimate high fibre, low sugar version of granola Nirvana featuring oats, seeds, nuts, coconut and raspberries. RSP £4.99 for 350g.

Cool Jim’s Granola - a flavoursome mix of oats, seeds, sultanas, coconut, goji berries and cashews. £4.99 for 400g or eight packs for £35.99

All three granolas are loaded with fibre and all-natural ingredients, with no added sugar and free from artificial preservatives or colours.

Or if you’re looking for the ultimate in healthy hydration, then The Happy Pear’s delicious Vita Vibe spring water based drinks, are the perfect refreshment with added vitamins and zero added sugar. 

Packed with 100% of the daily dose of recommended B vitamins and free from artificial ingredients, Vita Vibe is sweetened with natural stevia leaves rather than the commonly used artificial ingredient sucralose. The range includes three fantastic flavours, Raspberry, Pink Grapefruit & Apple; Blood Orange, Mandarin & Ginger or Apple, Elderflower and Lime. RSP £26.99 for 12 x 500ml.

Great for anyone looking to up the ante on healthy eating, not only do The Happy Pear products taste amazing, but they are also full of natural ingredients and presented in the most sustainable packaging solution available to combine kindness to the planet without compromise to food quality.

The Happy Pear’s delicious new product range is available via The Happy Pear website www.thehappypear.ie (be sure to click on the tab for UK delivery, if you are in the UK!),  from Amazon and will be coming to UK supermarkets and independent retailers very soon.

Learning to Cook from Scratch: A Journey Worth Taking

Cooking from scratch is more than just a culinary skill; it’s a journey of creativity, health, and empowerment. 

In a world dominated by convenience foods and takeaways, learning to prepare meals from raw ingredients can feel daunting. 

However, the rewards far outweigh the challenges. Whether you're a complete beginner or looking to refine your skills, here’s why cooking from scratch is worth it and how to get started.

Why Cook from Scratch?

Health Benefits

Cooking from scratch allows you to control what goes into your meals. You can avoid unnecessary additives, reduce sugar and salt, and prioritise fresh, whole ingredients. It’s a step towards a healthier lifestyle that nourishes both body and mind.

Cost-Effectiveness

While pre-packaged meals might seem cheap, cooking from scratch is often more economical in the long run. Bulk-buying staples like rice, pasta, and fresh vegetables can significantly lower your grocery bills.

Culinary Creativity

When you cook from scratch, you’re not bound by pre-set flavours or recipes. You can experiment with spices, herbs, and techniques to create dishes that suit your taste.

Sustainability

Preparing meals from raw ingredients often means less packaging waste and a reduced carbon footprint. It’s a small but impactful way to live more sustainably.

Getting Started: Tips for Beginners

Start Simple

Begin with recipes that require only a few ingredients and basic techniques. Soups, pasta dishes, and stir-fries are great starting points.

Stock Your Pantry

Keep essentials like olive oil, flour, sugar, salt, pepper, and a selection of herbs and spices on hand. These staples form the foundation of countless recipes.

Learn Knife Skills

Proper knife skills can make chopping vegetables faster, safer, and more enjoyable. Look up tutorials or take a local cooking class to master the basics.

Follow Recipes

Start by following recipes to the letter. Once you’re comfortable, you can tweak them to suit your preferences.

Invest in Quality Tools

A good knife, a sturdy chopping board, and a reliable set of pots and pans can make cooking much more enjoyable.

Overcoming Challenges

Time Constraints

Batch cooking is your friend. Prepare meals in advance and freeze portions for busy days.

Fear of Failure

Mistakes are part of the learning process. Burnt toast and overcooked pasta happen to everyone. Each misstep is a lesson.

Limited Budget

Seasonal produce and cheaper cuts of meat or plant-based proteins like beans and lentils can keep costs low while still delivering delicious meals.

The Joy of Cooking

Cooking from scratch isn’t just about feeding yourself; it’s about the experience. The scent of garlic sizzling in olive oil, the satisfaction of kneading dough, and the pride of serving a dish you made with your own hands are unparalleled joys.

Learn for free

Many local authorities, churches, etc offer free food cookery courses. Check what is available in your local area. Or seek out YouTube-based courses, or look at the BBC website.

Final Thoughts

Learning to cook from scratch is a skill that pays dividends for a lifetime. It’s not about perfection but progress. Start small, be patient with yourself, and savour the process as much as the meals you create. Before you know it, cooking will become a cherished part of your daily routine.

BlueIron. Ideal for Veganuary

BlueIron Liquid Iron: Say goodbye to the common and rather nasty metallic taste of iron supplements! 

How? Because BlueIron delivers a gentle, delicious liquid formula packed with iron and Nordic blueberries to support energy and combat fatigue effectively. 

This could be useful for Veganuary as vegans are often Iron Deficient due to not consuming red meat. 

Iron is an essential mineral, and it’s in every cell of the human body. Which is one of the reasons it’s so important to make sure that your body has the correct levels of iron. 

Iron plays an important role in how  our bodies function. For example, it's important for maintaining energy metabolism and supports efficient cognitive function.

As you can imagine having important aspects of our bodies working and feeling energised as they should is important for our overall health, wellbeing and feelings of wellness.

To learn more please visit https://www.blueiron.co.uk.

Warrior® Protein Water from leading sports nutrition brand, Warrior®

This latest addition to the award-winning Warrior range of high protein bars and supplements is a fruity-flavoured, easy-to-consume high protein, low calorie drink, totally packed full of essential vitamins and electrolytes to keep you hydrated. 

With the added benefit of 10g of Collagen Peptides, this healthy drink will not only boost your protein intake, but will also nourish your skin, hair and nails, too.

Whether you are looking for a tasty way to keep hydrated on the go, or to enjoy during or after your workout, Warrior® Protein Water is a convenient alternative to regular protein powders. 

It's sugar-free with under 50 calories per bottle, and available in two refreshing flavours; Tropical and Berry, Warrior® Protein Water is suitable for vegetarians and vegans, and free-from genetically modified ingredients, so is ideal for Veganuary.

Warrior® Protein Water is available to buy from www.teamwarrior.com, RRP £19.99 for 12 x 500ml bottles and select SPAR stores nationwide.

But there's more! A new range of convenient, on-the-go wellness shots, perfect for busy lifestyles. These vegan-friendly, fruity shots are designed to support your health and fitness goals with zero prep—just grab, shake, and go! Free from added sugars, artificial flavorus, and colours, they’re a clean, quick option for a variety of needs.

Warrior® Immunity Shots 

Support your immune system with Orange & Mango or Tropical flavours. Each 60ml shot contains 9 key vitamins and minerals, including 100% of your daily Vitamin C, E, B6, A, D3, and B12.

RRP: £1.25 per shot | £14.99 for 12   

Warrior® Multivitamin Shots 

Get a full nutritional boost with Mixed Berry or Citrus, delivering 19 essential vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins for energy. 

RRP: £1.25 per shot | £14.99 for 12 

Warrior® Rage Pre-Workout Energy Shots 

For a powerful energy boost, these shots in Blue Raspberry, Tropical Sourz, and Lemon & Lime pack 200mg of caffeine, Beta-Alanine, and AAKG. 

RRP: £1.25 per shot | £14.99 for 12 

Want something to chomp on? Then you'll love their range of Warrior® CRUNCH bars which are ideal for those on a low carb, low sugar diet, as well as anyone wanting to improve their healthy snacking habits with additional sources of protein in a tasty, convenient format.  

Both new flavours of the 64g are absolutely brimming with protein and contain less than 3g of sugar, helping to keep blood sugar levels low and maintain energy levels for longer.

Aiming to bring the best sports supplements to the market and improve the athletic performance and mental focus of those who consume them, Warrior® is committed to helping those from all walks of life. Their range of Warrior® CRUNCH bars are ideal for those on a low carb, low sugar diet, as well as anyone wanting to improve their healthy snacking habits with additional sources of protein in a tasty, convenient format. 

Are you a "No time to cook" Vegan? Then you'll be interested in Cauldron's five minute feast!

Cauldron's brand-new Cauldron Tofu Pieces are now available in Asda's chiller aisles. Vegan shoppers in Morrisons can find them later this month, January and Waitrose shoppers will be able to purchased them from the spring onwards.

Key points to remember:   

 • Easy - cooks in only 5 minutes!

 • Tasty - delicious base for any dish, perfect bitesize pieces

 • Affordable - £2.75 for 160g, serves two, but check with your chosen retailer for their pricing. 

Plant-based delicious food pioneers at Cauldron are seeing in the new year with a protein-filled bang, as it launches its new Tofu Pieces. 

Explained Gill Riley, Consumer Director at Cauldron Foods: "A product like no other on supermarket shelves, this tofu has already been carefully chopped into perfect bitesize cubes, then lightly fried so they take you just five minutes to cook, saving hours in the kitchen every week. Quick, easy and totally effort-free."

The new Cauldron Tofu Pieces join the existing tofu range which includes Cauldron Authentic Tofu, Extra Firm Tofu, Marinated Tofu Pieces and Hoisin Tofu Pieces.

Gill went on to say: "We Brits are busier than ever and always on the lookout for convenient, tasty, nutritious meals that don’t cost us the earth. And even more so in January. Research shows more people are looking for easy dinners in the evening, with nearly 3/4 meals being assembled or convenience meals. 

"The new Cauldron Tofu Pieces are the perfect addition to our range, providing a truly adaptable base that lets you create a quick and nutritious meal, without spending all night in the kitchen. 

"The delicious bites are totally naked, so you can dress them up however you wish. Toss into a stir-fry with veggies, pop in a wrap or dish up a plant powered Pad Thai."

Gill added: "We believe our new Tofu Pieces are a genuine game-changer. Everyone is on the go, with very little time in the evenings to make sure we are cooking delicious and nutritious meals. They’re completely versatile and, because they only need five minutes to cook, they’re the perfect option for a quick and satisfying yet easy meal. 

We wanted to build on the increasing popularity of tofu and create an ingredient which leaves plenty of room for creativity, and these Tofu Pieces definitely deliver that.

https://www.cauldronfoods.co.uk/products/plant-based-tofu 

Newly minted vegetarian missing your tasty BBQ treats? Quorn has you covered with Brand New Smoky BBQ Bites

Brits will be BBQueueing round the block to try these bites: Smoky BBQ Bites which are new additions toexisting Sweet Chilli and Garlic and Herb flavours on supermarket shelves in time for Vegetarian feasting.

The UK’s No. 1 meat alternative brand is adding a mouthwatering new flavour to its star line up of delicious snacks. 

Available now in the chilled aisles of Asda and Tesco (RRP £2.50, 180g), these delicious Bites are bursting with flavour, with a smoky BBQ filling that everyone will adore. 

And because they are made using Quorn’s super-ingredient Quorn mycoprotein, they are high in protein, low in saturated fat and a great source of fibre.

Less faff, more flavour!

Quorn Smoky BBQ bites are ready to eat and come in a handy resealable pack, so they are the perfect snack to have in the fridge when you need to grab and go.

Gill Riley, who has the enviable job of Consumer Director at Quorn Foods UK, said: “Our ready to eat range is already the top choice for snack lovers, who love the great taste, high protein and convenience of these little bites which are absolutely packed with big flavour.

“We have no doubt this flavour will be a firm favourite for all. During flavour testing, the Smoky BBQ Bites flavour was a hit, a close second after our incredible Quorn Garlic and Herb Bites.

“Our brand-new Bites provide a delicious snack that we know Brits are craving for. Packed with protein and a deliciously rich BBQ centre, these snacks offer a tasty alternative to meat-based on the go options, giving a smoky yet sweet taste explosion in every mouthful.”

https://www.quorn.co.uk/products/smoky-bbq-bites

We at That's Food and Drink are certain these BBQ Bites will prove to be a big hit with vegetarian and non-vegetarian alike.