Get Involved
Food Allergy Awareness Month
May is Food Allergy Awareness Month, part of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America’s (AAFA) National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month. It’s a time to educate patients, family, friends, school staff, coaches, and the general public about food allergies and related allergic diseases.
Countdown to Food Allergy Awareness Month
Day(s)
:
Hour(s)
:
Minute(s)
:
Second(s)
The Power of Community to Improve Food Allergy Management
Food allergies are best managed with a community of support. Everyone from your friends and loved ones, your health care team, school staff, employers, advocates, and lawmakers can be part of your community.
Having a community of support can lead to better management of your food allergy, more accommodating spaces, better labeling, more treatment options, and better policies which all lead to better quality of life.
This May, we are raising awareness of the collective power we have when we come together to improve the lives of people living with food allergies. Everyone can make a difference!
We invite you to join with us throughout May to spread the word. Watch this page for more information on ways you can take part.
Want to raise awareness now? Become an advocate or donate to our mission.
About 20 million people in the United States have food allergies (4 million are children).
1 in 17
children in the U.S. have food allergies
50,000
emergency room visits each year in the U.S. due to anaphylaxis to food
49%
people with food allergies incurred more debt due to food allergies
Your Voice Leads to Action
AAFA and its food allergy division – Kids with Food Allergies – supports the power of community action to drive change. During May, we invite you to join us and encourage policymakers to back solutions that protect the health of our community.
We need your help to advocate for:
- More affordable allergy treatments
- Better health care coverage
- Reduced barriers to health care
- Guidelines, regulations, and oversight to support clear food allergen labeling (including better “may contains” labels on pre-packaged foods, and allergen disclosures on restaurant menus and alcoholic beverages)
- Federal investment in food allergy research and programs
- Protection of school accommodations for students with food allergies
We call on everyone to increase their efforts to raise food allergy awareness.
Social Media Tools
This toolkit contains facts and resources that anyone can use to raise awareness about food allergies.
Follow AAFA’s food allergy division, Kids with Food Allergies (KFA), on social media and use the hashtags #NAAAM, #FAAW, or #FoodAllergyAwareness when you share these resources.
Facebook: Kids with Food Allergies
Instagram: Kids with Food Allergies
LinkedIn: AAFA National
TikTok: FoodAllergyToks (KFA)
BlueSky: Kids with Food Allergies
YouTube: Kids with Food Allergies
Hidden
Fact Sheets
More than 100 million people in the United States have asthma and/or allergies. Some people may have more than one of these conditions.
- About 20 million people in the U.S. have food allergies (4 million are children).1,2
- Food allergies can develop at any time, but it starts in childhood most often.3
- Any food can cause food allergy. The most common food allergens in the United States are peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, wheat, soy, and sesame.3
- Children with food allergies are more likely to have asthma or other allergic diseases.3
- Each year in the U.S., it is estimated that anaphylaxis to food results in 90,000 emergency room visits.4
- Severe allergic reactions to food need prompt treatment with epinephrine.3
- Although new treatments are being developed, there is currently no cure for food allergies.5
Download PDFs
Food Allergy Facts and Figures
Allergy Facts and Figures
Asthma Facts and Figures
Awareness Ribbons
Help raise visibility on food allergies, eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), and FPIES by changing your profile pics for the month of May!
Sharable Images
You can download these images and copy the caption to post to social media. We have many shareable images throughout our website. Here are some of our favorites:
Hidden
Advocacy Toolkit
To help you get started, AAFA has some toolkits to help you find your elected officials and communicate with them.
Download PDFs
Modernizing Epinephrine Stocking Laws
Child Care Policies for Food Allergy: Elijah’s Law Report for U.S. States and Territories (toolkit starts on page 16)
2025 State Honor Roll™ of Asthma and Allergy Policies for Schools (toolkit starts on page 22)
References
- Ng, A.E. & Boersma, P. (2023). NCHS Data Brief, no 460: Diagnosed allergic conditions in adults: United States, 2021. National Center for Health Statistics. https://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc:122809
- Zablotsky, B., Black, L.I., & Akinbami, L.J.(2023). NCHS Data Brief, no 459: Diagnosed allergic conditions in children aged 0-17 years: United States, 2021. National Center for Health Statistics. https://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc:123250
- American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology. (2022). Food Allergy. https://acaai.org/allergies/allergic-conditions/food/
- Clark, S., Espinola, J., Rudders, S. A., Banerji, A., & Camargo, C. A. (2011). Frequency of US emergency department visits for food-related acute allergic reactions. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 127(3), 682–683. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2010.10.040
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration. (2023). Food Allergies. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/food-allergies
Events
-
-
Food Allergy Awareness Month 2026
During National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, we also focus on food allergy awareness. A food allergy occurs when the body’s immune system sees a certain food as harmful and […]
-
National Eosinophil Awareness Week 2026
AAFA joins the American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED) in recognizing National Eosinophil Awareness Week, May 17-23, 2026. The purpose of this week is to create awareness and educate both […]
-
Type 2 Inflammation Awareness Week 2026
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) designates May 18-22 to be Type 2 Inflammation Awareness Week. Conditions such as asthma, allergies, eczema, eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), and nasal polyps are […]
-
World EoE Day 2026
AAFA joins GAAPP (The Global Allergy and Airways Patient Platform) in recognizing World Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE) Day on May 22, 2026. What is eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE)? Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is […]
-
AAFA Remembrance Day 2026
On May 28, 2026, of National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) and our division Kids with Food Allergies (KFA) are holding a Remembrance Day […]
Explore Our Resources
