Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s (CHOP) allergen-friendly food pantry, established as part of CHOP’s groundbreaking Food Pharmacy, distributes allergen-friendly foods directly to families in need, helping relieve the financial and emotional stress that comes with managing a food allergy. 

CHOP also offers several other allergen-friendly resources for families facing food insecurity, an issue which impacts nearly one in four people in Philadelphia. 

The Allergen-friendly Food Pantry

The allergen-friendly food pantry is located on the 6th floor of the Buerger Center for Advanced Pediatric Care, in a corner of the waiting room. This positioning is meant to encourage open access but also allows for privacy when selecting food.  

Referrals are not required to access the allergen-friendly food pantry. Alternatively, providers or a dietician may direct families to the pantry if needs are identified. 

The pantry is open from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. and offers access to a variety of food options, such as milk and egg substitutes. A pilot program delivering dietician-guided foods directly to families’ homes was started February 2026.

Empowering Food Insecure Families

CHOP has developed a food insecurity screening tool designed to identify families struggling to afford allergen-friendly food. When identified, we provide customized resources, empowering families to find safe and enjoyable food.

To date, we have provided resources – including social work support, nutrition support and information on available community resources – to more than 500 families, ensuring their ability to address their child’s food allergy and insecurity challenges. 

Connecting Families with Other Resources

Many families have been referred to our dietician services – which will continue to expand – for tailored support, and we remain committed to helping families navigate other outside resources to help them meet their nutritional and financial needs.  

As part of our commitment to providing comprehensive allergy-friendly food resources, CHOP also continues to offer cooking and nutrition education to families in the Food Allergy Center and through community programs. This includes pop-up events where families can learn how to prepare safe meals and achieve optimal nutrition despite a child’s food allergies.