When Hayes was diagnosed with food allergies, we immediately began building routines and systems to keep him safe. Our goal was to make him an active participant in managing his allergies—knowing we wouldn’t always be there. He needed to learn to advocate for himself.

One of the first systems we came up with was color-coding all of his belongings. He was young, colors were easy to teach, and he caught on quickly. I’ve always been a fan of simple, memorable solutions and this one stuck.

The Birth of the Color-Coding System

Hayes’s nickname is Bob, so we chose blue for all his things and used the phrase “Blue Bob” as a reminder when preparing food for him. What started as a small safety measure quickly took on a life of its own.

When our second son, Rowdy, was born, we gave him red—“Red Rowdy.” Now Hayes’s oat milk was heated in a blue measuring cup, Rowdy’s cow milk in a red one. Hayes’s drink went in a blue sippy cup; Rowdy’s in a red one. That extra layer of visual checking helped prevent mix-ups that could lead to an allergic reaction.

Friends and family learned the system, too. If it was for Bob, it was blue; if it was for Rowdy, it was red. Gifts, clothes, dishes…everything started matching their assigned color.

Then came Ladd, our youngest. Everyone asked, “What’s his color?” To keep the theme, we chose “Lime Ladd.” Everything of his is lime or lawn green (because lime isn’t always easy to find! Haha).

How Color-Coding Changed Our Routine

The system became second nature and gave our kids a sense of ownership and responsibility. From a young age, they knew exactly which items were theirs—plates, cups, forks, snack bags because the color told them.

It’s so ingrained that if you ask their favorite color, they’ll answer with their assigned one. In many ways, the colors have become part of their identities. 

The Takeaway

Color-coding has been a simple, fun way to help ensure Hayes’s safety. It’s also empowered our boys to advocate for him and play an active role in keeping him safe. It’s an easy method to teach kids how to identify their own items and gives caregivers a memorable cue to pause and double-check before giving food or drinks.

Managing food allergies is complex, but the more simple systems you can put in place, the easier—and less stressful—it becomes for everyone involved.

Some of our favorite color-coded items are…

Yeti Cups

Owala Cups

Stainless Steel with Sleeves

Measuring Cups

Bento Boxes

Yeti Lunch Box

Yeti Bookbag

Under Armour Bookbag

Kids color chairs

Barefoot dream color blanket

Color cots

Primary Pajamas Colored