Zacky’s Goal

Zacky Muñoz, 14, is careful when he eats. He has allergies. He cannot have certain foods. Even a tiny bit of them can make him sick. He accidentally ate some sesame in first grade. After a few bites, “I knew something was different,” Zacky told TIME for Kids. “So I went to the nurse.”

Zacky had a serious allergic reaction. “It was scary,” he says. A medical device called an EpiPen saved him. The event inspired Zacky. He became an advocate. He speaks up for people with food allergies.

Zacky Muñoz uses his experience with food allergies to raise awareness. He wants to help students stay safe.

Be Informed

More than 33 million people in the United States have food allergies. That includes one in 13 kids. Eggs and peanuts are among the most common food allergens. So are milk, sesame, and soy. Zacky runs a website. It teaches people about these allergens and more.

Zacky (right) and his brother, Jacob, make allergy-friendly pancakes at home.

Zacky also gives speeches. “Let your voice be heard,” he says. “You should be loud and proud. Say, ‘I have food allergies. This is what I need to be safe.’”

Raise Awareness

In 2022, the Zacky Bill became a law in California. It was created by Zacky and his mom. It says California must provide a food allergy resource guide for schools. The guide is available online.

The Zacky Bill is signed into law in 2022. Friends, family, and lawmakers gather for a press conference.

In 2023, the Muñoz SAFE Act also became law. It says California schools must provide easy access to epinephrine. That is the medicine in an EpiPen. In 2025, Zacky helped pass another law. It helps students access the medicine even more easily in an emergency.

After meeting with lawmakers in Washington, D.C., Zacky eats at the U.S. Capitol.

“There are so many people like me” who have food allergies, Zacky says. “That is what led me down this path.”

Zacky appears on a food allergy panel in Illinois in 2024. He shares his story and rallies adults to help.