How many of you have been in a restaurant and tried to find a meal that allows you to avoid your allergies, only to find the one option available to you was a salad? Or perhaps, when you explain to someone what your allergies are, they suggest you check the “Vegan” or “Free From” aisles for food, as if those items are devoid of any allergens?
Living with allergies is restrictive in many ways, but as we all know, cutting out certain foods or shopping only in specific aisles can be just as unhealthy for us as it can be for others who don’t have allergies. Many commercially available ‘vegan’, ‘vegetarian’, and ‘free from’ foods are quite processed. These can contain a lot of added sugars, salt, and unhealthy fats to make up for the missing ingredients like gluten or dairy. This means that not all of these alternatives are automatically healthy, and it really depends on the specific product and what’s in it.
Let’s take plant-based milk as a further example. Generally speaking, non-dairy milks are considered healthier alternatives. However, they can exhibit a wide range of nutritional profiles. Unsweetened almond milk is typically low in calories, fat, protein, and sugar, and is frequently fortified with calcium and Vitamin D. Unsweetened soya milk offers a higher protein content compared to almond milk and is also often fortified with calcium and B vitamins. Oat milk tends to be moderate in calories and carbohydrates with a low protein content and is often fortified. Rice milk can be higher in carbohydrates and sugars while being low in protein. Light coconut milk is moderate in calories and fat but low in protein and carbohydrates.
The availability and variety of “free from” products have increased significantly in UK supermarkets in recent years, with dedicated sections catering to gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan diets. Major retailers like Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and Ocado offer extensive ranges, including their own affordable “free from” brands. This growing market makes it increasingly feasible for individuals with common food allergies to find suitable alternatives across most food categories. However, despite this improved availability, the cost of “free from” foods often remains higher compared to their original counterparts, which can be a barrier for some consumers, and there is the added complication that not all of these alternatives will have the required nutritional balance that a good diet requires.
At Mealeez, we recognise this is a problem. Living with allergies should not mean a balanced diet is out of reach. So, with our latest Android update, we’ve introduced Nutrition to the groceries section.
Using the UK Food Standards Agency “traffic light” system, Mealeez will break down nutritional values for each product, giving you a quick reference to see how much fat, saturated fat, sugar, and salt there is (per 100g/ml). For a full list of nutritional values, you can visit a listed grocery store’s page.
But there’s more!
You can also fine-tune search results to list items based on your nutritional preferences too. Looking for a cheese that is low in fat? Maybe a plant-based milk low in sugar? Or maybe you are looking for a quick high-protein meal? You can do that with the tap of a button. Following the keto diet? We’ve got you covered! Just select the filters to select low-carb/high-fat products.
At Mealeez, our core mission is to simplify life for individuals with allergies. That’s why we’re excited to introduce the most powerful online grocery resource, providing you with price comparisons, in-depth nutritional details, and personalized filtering – all designed to work seamlessly with your specific allergy requirements.
The new Nutritional information feature is available to all users that select UK as their preferred country for groceries. Nutritional filters are available as part of the PLUS subscription. Why not give it a try? We offer a 7-Day Free Trial so you can check out all the features and discover just how less stressful living with food allergies can really be.