Support for those with Food Allergies

New Changes for F.A.C.T. Group in 2012

2012-01-03T18:52:00.000-08:00

We are welcoming 2012 with some new changes for our F.A.C.T. (Food Allergy Community of TN) group.

As parents of food allergic children, we all know how it feels to get the diagnosis and have that feeling of “now what”? Our group was created to be a support system and to have a place to share products/ideas that are making our lives easier while we are on this journey.

Thanks to technology and our Facebook group, we are now able to connect with others who are local, ask questions and share 24/7. This is a wonderful tool for encouragement, for people new to town, those looking for a good doctor, school information, safe places to eat, etc. We want to encourage you to connect/interact with our group on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/groups/FoodAllergyCommunityofTN/

For 2012, we would like to try a new format for our meetings. By consolidating and having a larger event (coming this summer), this would allow us to focus our attention on a quality event with great speakers, sponsors and giveaways. Also, you will have the opportunity to meet some of the members of the Facebook group in person and further those relationships.

Be on the lookout for an email and Facebook event from F.A.C.T. for the next event coming summer 2012.

If you or someone you know someone would be interested in being a sponsor for our next event, please contact us.

We look forward to connecting with you!

F.A.C.T. Meeting, Tuesday Nov 1st

2011-10-19T20:54:00.000-07:00

Our next F.A.C.T. meeting is Tuesday, Nov 1st from 7pm at the Whole Foods in Green Hills (we usually meet upstairs). Our group tries to meet the first Tuesday of every other month.

Dr. Donald Brothers will be discussing "Updates on Food Allergy Research" followed by a Question and Answer time.

Dr. Donald Brothers 300 20th Ave N # 100 Nashville‎ TN‎ 37203 615-284-4750

Special thanks to our sponsor Matteo's Pizza who will provide samples of their Gluten Free pizza and Gluten Free/Dairy Free pizza. Matteo's is located at 1800 Carothers Parkway Brentwood, TN 37207 (phone) 615-661-5811

Let's continue to support local businesses who provide quality food and services to our food allergy community!

F.A.C.T. Meeting-Monday September 12th at Chick-Fil-A

2011-08-30T09:53:00.000-07:00

Our goal is to meet the 1st Tuesday of every month, at the Whole Foods in Green Hills, but we have been given a unique opportunity to get a sneak peek behind the scenes at the Chick-Fil-A in Brentwood (330 Franklin Rd, Brentwood TN 37027) on Monday, September 12th at 7:00pm. .

The managers at this Chick-Fil-A location want to show and share with us what they are doing to ensure that food is safe and properly prepared for those who are food allergic. There will be a tour of the kitchen, and you will have the opportunity to find out what foods are "safe" for your child, get to see their food practices first hand, and ask questions. Join us and help be a voice for the children with food allergies that they are preparing food for everyday.
Please RSVP to allergenfreeplease@gmail.com so we can give them an estimate for attendance.

Peanut Free Night at the Nashville Sounds, August 17th

2011-08-02T15:02:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine told me that the Nashville Sounds have had a few peanut free nights this season. I know some of the food allergy moms worked hard to make this possible. I also want to thank the Nashville Sounds for bringing awareness to food allergies by setting aside nights so children that have life-threatening peanut allergies can enjoy a baseball game with their families. This is wonderful!

The last peanut free night is Wednesday August 17th 2011 at (against the Padres) at 7:05pm in Section D. Click HERE to read more. *Section-D will be designated as a peanut-free zone at Greer Stadium. For more information, call (615) - 690 - HITS.

Tickets are $12 in advance (prior to game date). Children 2 and under are free, if they do not occupy a seat. Ticket prices include tax. To see more details, click HERE

Enjoy a night out with the family!!!!

F.A.C.T. Meeting-Wed. 6/22-Fit and Healthy Families

2011-06-18T08:09:00.000-07:00

Due to the 4^th of July holiday, our next F.A.C.T. (Food Allergy Community of TN) meeting will be Wednesday, June 22^nd from 7pm-8pm at the Whole Foods in Green Hills (we usually meet upstairs).

Julie Herbst, health and wellness expert is coming to Nashville, and we will have the opportunity to take advantage of hearing her talk on “Fit and Healthy Families.”

Julie has worked in the health and fitness industry for over 23 years. For the past 12 years, she has been sharing the message about the relationship between nutrition and disease with families all over the world. Today she works with families to help them adopt healthier lifestyles. As the mother of two children, Julie understands the challenges of keeping our families healthy. Please join us as she shares practical tips for how every family can improve their health.

As food allergy moms, a lot of our go-to foods are probably fruits and vegetables because they are safe for our children; but are they getting enough and in a wide variety?

Special thanks to our sponsor Juice Plus for providing samples of their soft chewables, which contain 15 fruits and vegetables and are free of the top 8 allergens. These delicious chewables are made in a dedicated allergen free facility.

Vanderbilt Asthma, Sinus and Allergy Program (A.S.A.P.)

2011-06-18T08:06:00.000-07:00

Thanks Dr. Allison Norton from Vanderbilt Asthma, Sinus and Allergy Program for speaking at our last F.A.C.T. meeting.

Dr. Norton did a wonderful job of giving us some more insight into food allergies and answering questions. It was a wonderful opportunity to learn in an intimate setting.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Norton call
Vanderbilt Asthma, Sinus and Allergy Program
615-936-2727 or toll free 1-866-390-0379

AllergyFree Foods-Eliminating the Top 8 Allergens

2011-03-05T18:41:00.000-08:00

Thank you AllergyFree Foods for sponsoring our March F.A.C.T. (Food Allergy Community of TN) Meeting!

Kelly Young and Richard Croteau did a wonderful job of communicating the mission of the company, who believes that EVERYONE has the right to purchase food products that are of both great taste and value.

AllergyFree Foods works with Joel Schaefer, a former Manager of Product Development and Special Diets for Walt Disney World Resort, theirproducts are free of the top 8 food allergens (wheat/gluten, milk, egg, peanut, tree nut, fish, shellfish and soy).

Now those with allergies can finally enjoy the products that they crave such as chicken nuggets, chicken wings and more.

Allergy Free Food offers All Natural Chicken Products (Minimally processed, no Artificial ingredients)

· Chicken Filets

· Chicken Nuggets

· Chicken Tenderloins

· Chicken Tenders

· Chicken Wings

Be on the lookout for some dry mixes to be offered in the near future!

Check out the list of the products/ingredients ororder.

AllergyFree Food products have been featured at and have been successful with independent and chain grocers nationwide.

See if AllergyFree Food products are available at a grocery store near you.

Would you like to have Allergy Free Foods available to purchase in your local grocery store? Print a Grocer Request Form, download, print and take it to the manager of your local grocery store (the more people request, the greater likelihood that they will carry it). The distribution centers that the store can order from is UNFI, Tree of Life and KeHe foods.

Find AllergyFree Foods on

Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/allergyfreefoods

Twitter

YouTube

Allergy Free Foods

(706) 265-1317

info@allergyfreefoodsco.com

www.allergenfreeplease.blogspot.com

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Allergen-Free-Please/182710255091299

F.A.C.T. Meeting, March 1st: AllergyFreeFoods

2011-02-20T13:24:00.001-08:00

Our next FACT meeting (Food Allergy Community of TN) is Tuesday, March 1^st at 7 pm at the Whole Foods in Green Hills.

Kelly Young, President of AllergyFree Foods (based in Nashville!) will join us to share their company mission and allow us to sample some of their great allergen free foods.
AllergyFree Foods works with Joel Schaefer, a former Manager of Product Development and Special Diets for Walt Disney World Resort, their products are free of the top 8 food allergens (wheat/gluten, milk, egg, peanut, tree nut, fish, shellfish and soy).
AllergyFree Foods is firmly committed to the consistent evolution of a healthier lifestyle that supports the development of food products which taste as good as they make you feel.
By steering clear of gluten amongst many other allergens, those with allergies can finally enjoy the products that they crave such as chicken nuggets, chicken wings and more.
To see a list of the products they carry, click here: http://www.allergyfreefoods.com/2010/nutrition.asp
Come find out how we can support this local company who is making great strides in the allergy free world. In the meantime, check out their website to learn more. http://www.allergyfreefoods.com

Allerbling

2011-02-17T11:19:00.000-08:00

Another great product designed to help keep your kid safe! Allerbling is a customizable bracelet for your child - and one you can change if your allergy situation changes! Check out allerbling here.

Other helpful stickers, tattoos, shirts, bracelets and labels:
Assure Allergy Bands
Shirts and Stickers from Jeeto
SafetyTat
Inchbug labels

Lori Sandler (Divvies) will discuss food "Navigating Food Allergies" TODAY at 12pm Central

2011-02-02T05:18:00.000-08:00

"Navigating Food Allergies"

CLICK HERE to Register for the live talk and cooking class

Where in the World is Children's Benadryl Dye-Free Allergy?

2011-01-25T09:45:00.000-08:00

Has anyone else been looking everywhere for Children's Benadryl Dye-Free Allergy?

I have been on a search for Children's Benadryl Dye-Free Allergy for a couple of months now and cannot find it anywhere. Yesterday, I decided to call the company and see if I could get some answers.

In September 2010, Tylenol, Motrin and Benadryl were recalled. If you have any of these medicines sitting around your house and you bought them awhile ago, they might be part of the recall. Call this number, 1-877-717-2824 and they can tell you if it has been recalled and if so, they will send you a refund.

As of now now, the company is having a hard time distributing the Children's Benadryl Dye-Free Allergy after the recall, and they are unsure when it will be back on the shelves.

Would I give Brody the regular Benadryl with dyes if I had no other options? Absolutely, but if I can find an alternative that is dye-free, that would be my first choice.

Since Dye-Free Benadryl is not an option right now (and we do not know when it will be available), I spoke to a pharmacist at Walgreens, and he recommended the Children's WAL-DRYL Allergy Dye-Free. He personally has food allergies uses it.

I bought it, but wanted to call my allergist to confirm that is was alright to give. My biggest concern was that on the Children's Benadryl, it said do not give to children under 2 and on the Children's WAL-DRYL Allergy , it said to not give to children under 4. My allergist said that it was fine to give and the most important thing to look at was that the Diphenhydramine HCl (which is the antihistamine/active ingredient) was 12.5mg per teaspoon, which it is.

If you are like us, we do not go anywhere without "Benadryl" because there have been many times that it has saved us from going to the Emergency Room (too many times to count). If you do not take it with you and you have children with food allergies, I recommend getting some to take with you. We even keep it at the grandparents' house that live close by, so that we are never without it. So, until the Children's Benadryl Dye-Free Allergy comes back onto the shelves, the Children's Wal-Dryl Allergy Dye-Free would be a great replacement.

www.allergenfreeplease.blogspot.com

Aunt April's Bakery

2011-01-19T18:37:00.000-08:00

Aunt April's Bakery is Nashville's very first ALL gluten free bakery. In addition to being gluten free, the products are also soy and dairy free. Some of her options are also vegan. April's heart is to be able to make allergen free treats for any food allergies and is more than willing to accommodate them.

Aunt April's gluten free, vegan (no egg, no dairy) and soy free Heaven Cake is available to purchase at The Wild Cow in Nashville. It is an extremely moist chocolate cake with a creamy, decadent icing.

We had April make the Heaven cake for Brody's 2nd birthday. We ordered a sheet cake so we could cut it up into smaller pieces for the adults and bought cupcakes (also Heaven cake) for the kids. It was a big hit! The adults were going back for seconds and my husband and I had to hide the rest of the cake so we had leftovers. Everyone couldn't believe how many things the cake "didn't have in it", yet it was delicious! Aunt April's also offers seasonal gluten free, soy free, vegan cupcakes at The Wild Cow if you are not in the mood for chocolate or are allergic.

You can also find some of Aunt April's Bakery baked goods (muffins, brownies and cookies) at the Edgehill Cafe.

When you buy Aunt April's baked goods from one of these places, you will find that they are clearly labeled with what is not in it (gluten, dairy, soy, vegan, etc.) and you will find a detailed list of ingredients (which I love).

For Thanksgiving, Brody was able to have his first pumpkin pie. April baked a gluten free, egg free, milk free, crustless pie. I was so thrilled that he was able to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving treat.

Aunt April's Bakery is going to be opening (hopefully the end of February) inside The Green Wagon near East Nashville. April will offer her delicious baked goods, and will serve lunch, which will include homemade soup and sandwiches. I am so excited about this! How nice to be able to go and grab some yummy treats when you are out and about, or meet up with some friends at a place that really "gets" food allergies.

If you would like Aunt April's Bakery to make something for you special order, give her at least 48 hours to be able to make it just the way you need it!

You can sign up for Aunt April's Bakery VIP Program by sending a text to 56687 and put Aunt April in the body of the text. When you spend $100 over a period of time, you will get $8 back. Also, 5% goes back to a non profit.

Thank you Aunt April's Bakery for sponsoring our January F.A.C.T. meeting! The Heaven cupcakes were fabulous and we loved the baking tips.

Here is one of April's tips for baking egg free:

Substitute for one egg:

2 tsp of flaxseed meal

3 Tbsp boiling water

Mix together and then let sit for about 10 minutes. The end result will be a egg-like consistency.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact April. She is more than happy to answer your questions!

Aunt April's Bakery

615-568-0028

april@auntaprilsbakery.com

www.auntaprilsbakery.com

www.allergenfreeplease.blogspot.com

F.A.C.T. Meeting

2011-01-03T11:45:00.000-08:00

Our next F.A.C.T meeting (Food Allergy Community of TN) is tomorrow, Tuesday, January 4th at 7pm at the Whole Foods in Green Hills (we usually meet upstairs).

Start the new year off with some great tips on allergen free baking!

April Graves from Aunt April's Bakery (an allergen friendly bakery in middle TN) will be teaching a workshop on baking with food allergies. April is passionate about baking safe, tasty treats for those with food allergies and will teach us tips on how to prepare safe baked goods for our families.

She will be bringing some yummy allergen free treats for us to try. For more information, go to www.auntaprilsbakery.com
She can accommodate any food allergy. Email me at allergenfreeplease@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Kourtney Kardashian's Son has Peanut Allergy

2010-11-22T10:22:00.001-08:00

Today, People Magazine reports that Kourtney Kardashian's 11 month old son has food allergies. He was hospitalized yesterday after a reaction from his first peanut butter experience. Click here for Kourtney's blog update.

Bringing Food to someone with Allergies

2010-10-07T06:51:00.001-07:00

I’m convinced that bringing food to someone who needs it is possibly the greatest gift ever. But if that person has dietary restrictions, you might have a challenge on your hands. I am quite well versed in food allergies. However, a recent experience cooking for a family with a different set of allergies reminded me what an overwhelming experience it can be to cook outside your comfort zone. Allergy families understand what a big deal it is for you to bring food. If you have a friend with a new baby, illness, or just in need of a TLC, here are a few tips that would be helpful if you are willing to go the extra mile, as you generously consider bringing to someone with an allergy in the family:

1. Do it Anyway – The thought might enter your mind “This is too difficult. Forget it.” Trust me: Whatever you do will be appreciated. Even if it’s not a glamorous meal, you can come up with something that will work for your friend. One friend brought us a simple basket of fresh fruits/veggies from the farmer’s market, which saved me a grocery trip!
2. Ask Questions – If you cannot conceive of how to cook a meal within your friend’s restrictions, just ask! I sent a list of “safe” recipes & easy substitutions to some friends who requested it. Your friend will be happy to answer questions about how to accommodate their needs.
3. Label – Put the list of ingredients on the box, container, or include the recipe. Although your friend understands that you have gone to extra effort to create their meal, people with allergies are instinctually double-checkers.
4. Bring The Box – If you used anything prepackaged, bring the empty box with you! Even those who are accustomed to cooking this way make mistakes, so it’s comforting for us to read labels for ourselves.
5. Don’t Be Insulted – If you are asked questions about an ingredient or food, please don’t be insulted. We are so grateful for your kindness, but must be sure that the foods we eat are safe.
6. Know that we are Beyond Grateful – Many people are frightened by the thought of bringing us food. So we are so grateful that you’ve done it anyway. We know the extra effort required by your generosity, and it means more than we can explain.

When Food Allergies Make Kids a Target

2010-09-28T06:58:00.000-07:00

Food allergy and bullying article today on CNN.com.

Back to School: Food Allergy/Gluten-free Store Tour

2010-08-06T06:54:00.000-07:00

If you are local, the Whole Foods In Green Hills is doing a Back to School: Food Allergy/Gluten-free Store Tour next Thursday, August 12th from 3pm-4pm

For parents of children with food allergies or celiac disease, the beginning of the school year often means taking a close look at meal options to ensure the health and safety of their children. Join Whole Foods Market, Green Hills and the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) as we provide a store tour on foods that accommodate food allergies and gluten-free diets. Parents from FAAN will also share relevant information. Parents and their children welcome!Location: Meet at seating area at 3:00 p.m. next to coffee bar.

Let's Spread the Word about the FAAN Walk

2010-07-27T07:21:00.000-07:00

Our FAAN walk is about a month away (Saturday, August 28th). We need your help spreading the word about the walk around our community. We have about 2,000 brochures that need to be shared with as many people as possible. Many hands make light work, and if we all pitch in, we can spread the word far and wide. Let's get everyone excited about this wonderful event happening in our own backyard!

Here's how you can help (while you are grocery shopping):

Visit either Whole Food at Green Hills OR Whole Foods in Cool Springs. Go to the Customer Service Desk and request some FAAN brochures/posters to pass out. Take as many as you think you can share with others. The brochures/posters are there now and will be there for the next 10 days (probably until August 2nd). Think about businesses that you frequent, doctor offices, dentists, consignment sales that are happening around town (grab bags that they give out), etc. Places that moms go with kids would be perfect :)

Thank you in advance for helping to make the FAAN walk a success. It is so exciting that we get to have the walk right here in Nashville! We are looking forward to seeing you and your family there! Together we can help raise awareness about food allergies.

For more information about the FAAN walk, to form a team or donate online CLICK HERE

The Divvies Bakery Cookbook No Nuts. No Eggs. No Diary. Just Delicious

2010-07-21T21:13:00.001-07:00

I am so excited to share THE DIVVIES BAKERY COOKBOOK with you! When I found out my son had food allergies, I wanted to find cookbooks that were specific to kids with food allergies that had yummy, easy recipes, and "normal" ingredients. This cookbook is one of of those. I sat down last night, and enjoyed reading through all of the recipes. I loved the personal touches throughout the book; they were practical and encouraging. I thought of my son, smiled, teared up and was inspired to make treats that everyone wants to eat!

When Lori Sandler’s son Benjamin was diagnosed with severe food allergies to dairy and nuts at a young age, she decided to take action. While she wasn’t trained as a pastry chef, she had many fond memories of visiting bakeries as a child and wanted Benjamin to experience those same warm moments and treats. And so after years of testing, tasting, and refining, the Divvies Bakery was born in 2005, a bakeshop dedicated to peanut-free, tree nut-free, milk-free, and egg-free products located in South Salem, New York.

According to Sandler, eating and celebrating should always be an inclusive experience and nobody should be defined by their food allergies. The very name of her company connotes “divvying up” and sharing. In her Introduction, she writes: “In the spirit of Divvies, I have written a book filled with recipes for delicious, safe treats that everyone will want to share, with or without food allergies, as well as tips, shortcuts, and ‘life recipes’ that will help everyone feel included.”

Featuring more than 70 sweet treats that anyone can easily prepare, THE DIVVIES BAKERY COOKBOOK is divided into sections that focus on the times in our lives when food plays an important role and those with food allergies often feel left out. From birthday parties and family holidays, to schoolroom and travel snacks, the book includes Sandler’s signature recipes, such as: crowd-pleasers like Warm Apple-Apricot Cake, Cinnamon Buns, and Divvies Famous Chocolate Cupcakes; one-of-a-kind treats like Popcorn Snowman, Wafflewiches, and “Brown” Chocolate Bags that you can fill with fruit or sorbet; interactive desserts like her Chocolate Fountain with Dippers; and special sections on sweet beverages, party favors, cake frostings, pie fillings and more!

It’s hard to believe these scrumptious goodies contain no dairy, eggs, and nuts. The ingredients left out are replaced with healthy dollops of natural chocolate, oatmeal, fruit, and molasses. Along with the Divvies recipes, the book imparts Sandler’s handy resources, basics for stocking the kitchen and getting started, and hard-won wisdom for parenting a child with food allergies, with useful advice for communicating with teachers and parents. And the book also features a note from Benjamin, now 11-years-old, in which he shares his personal story and favorite treats.

With the degree of “divviculty” indicated for each recipe, tips for the best birthday parties, perfect picnic baskets, cool cupcake towers, snacks in a cinch, tasty travel treats, and bonus gluten-free recipes, THE DIVVIES BAKERY COOKBOOK is the essential allergen-free cookbook for beginners and kitchen experts alike.

To get a copy of The Divvies Bakery Cookbook go to Amazon, Borders, Barnes and Noble or a bookstore near you!

Want to win a copy? We will be a Divvies Bakery Cookbook away at the FACT meeting on September 7th

Ban Peanuts on Planes?

2010-06-12T20:58:00.000-07:00

I read this article today. I was interested to read the comments the followed, and found that they literally made my stomach turn. Some attitudes were insensitive, downright mean and uninformed.

Are peanuts really that important to people, or does banning them signify something else? Until your child (or someone you love) is affected by this, I truly believe that you cannot empathize. I was there, I did not get it AT ALL before. Life experience has changed my attitude.

Go HERE to leave a comment for DOT (Department of Transportation) under What DOT wants to know from you

If anyone has any other suggestions about what we can do...please leave info/link in the comments

Ban Peanuts on Planes? It's Not Nutty to Allergics
By Russ BynumAssociated Press Writer /June 12, 2010

SAVANNAH, Ga.—Federal regulators are considering a snack attack on the nation's airlines that would restrict or even completely ban serving peanuts on commercial flights.Advocates say the move would ease fears and potential harm to an estimated 1.8 million Americans who suffer from peanut allergies. Peanut farmers and food packagers, however, see it as overreaching and unfair to their legume.

"The peanut is such a great snack and such an American snack," says Martin Kanan, CEO of the King Nut Companies, an Ohio company that packages the peanuts served by most U.S. airlines. "
What's next? Is it banning peanuts in ballparks?"

Twelve years after Congress ordered it to back off peanuts, the U.S. Transportation Department gave notice last week that it's gathering feedback from allergy sufferers, medical experts, the food industry and the public on whether to ban or restrict in-flight peanuts.The peanut proposals were listed in an 84-page document including several other proposed consumer protections for air travelers. Three options were given: banning serving of peanuts on all planes; prohibiting peanuts only when an allergic passenger requests it in advance; or requiring an undefined "peanut-free zone" flight when a passenger asks for one.

While those options only pertain to peanuts served by flight crews, the document also states "we are particularly interested in hearing views on how peanuts and peanut products brought on board aircraft by passengers should be handled."

Spokesman Bill Mosely said the department is responding to concerns from travelers who either suffer from peanut allergies or have allergic children, "some of whom do not fly" because they're afraid of exposure.

"We're just asking for comment on whether we should do any of these three things," Mosely said. "We may not do any of them."

Peanut allergy can cause life-threatening reactions in people ingesting even trace amounts. Just breathing peanut dust in the air can cause problems -- though usually minor ones -- such as itching, sneezing and coughing.

A few limited studies on airline passengers with peanut allergies found a number of people reporting symptoms while flying, but few were severe or life-threatening, said Dr. Scott Sicherer, who studies food allergies at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.

"But there's discomfort," Sicherer said. "It's sort of like if you were allergic to dogs and all of a sudden they brought 50 dogs onto the plane."Why worry about peanuts on airplanes, as opposed to other public spaces?

Advocates with the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network say the answer's simple: planes are confined spaces where the air and dust particles get re-circulated. And there's no way to stop and get off during a severe reaction during flight.

"It's a different environment when you're basically 30,000 feet in the air," said Chris Weiss, the group's vice president of advocacy and government relations. "If you're sitting around a bunch of people and all of a sudden they're all handed packages of peanuts, that could release enough peanut dust into the air to trigger a reaction."

The Transportation Department previously weighed imposing peanut-free zones on airliners in 1998. The agency retreated after getting a hostile response from Congress, which threatened to cut its budget.

Several airlines such as Continental, United, US Airways and JetBlue have voluntarily stopped serving packaged peanuts as mile-high grub. Delta and Southwest still hand out goobers as in-flight snacks. American Airlines doesn't serve packaged peanuts, but it does offer trail mix and other snacks that can contain peanut ingredients.
Not surprisingly, government regulation of peanuts on planes is a woefully unpopular idea in Georgia -- the nation's top peanut producing state and home to former President Jimmy Carter, who grew up on a peanut farm.

"The peanut industry feels like we're being picked on," said Armond Morris, who grows peanuts on about 270 acres in rural Irwinville and serves as chairman of the Georgia Peanut Commission. "If we're going to go targeting food products, maybe we just need to ban all food" on planes.

Arlene de Armas of Miami sees things differently as she makes plans for her family to fly to Pennsylvania for a summer vacation. Her 7-year-old son, Leandro, is allergic to peanuts.She's already planning on what precautions to take -- calling the airline ahead to request no peanuts are served on her son's row, bringing sanitary wipes to clean the folding table in front of his seat and packing epinephrine -- or adrenaline -- to administer if he suffers a severe reaction.

"It's the added stress of knowing, God forbid, you could have a situation where he has a reaction and you have no way of getting to a hospital," de Armas said. "Peanut allergies are severe enough and common enough. Why not serve fruit?"

Food Allergies "Inexact"

2010-05-28T15:02:00.000-07:00

CNN again repeats the frustrating notion that food allergy diagnosis' is "an inexact science." It turns out that the term "food allergy" has no universally accepted definition, nor are there well-accepted criteria for diagnosis, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Read the full story here.

Food Allergies Impact Budgets

2010-05-28T14:55:00.000-07:00

A recent The New York Times article discusses the financial strain that many families with food allergies incur because of food allergies. The reasons include the constant monitoring which leads one spouse to often quit working, high expenses for specialty food items, including many online grocers, and stockpiling epi-pens.

When specialty food bills become excessive, Dr. Tamara Perry (a researcher at the Arkansas Children’s Hospital Research Institute) suggests writing a formal appeal to your insurance company for coverage — especially if it is for something as specific as baby formula.

Click here for the full story.

Doubt is Cast on Many Reports of Food Allergies

2010-05-22T09:29:00.000-07:00

Take a look at this article from The New York Times and see what you think...thank you Sohnia for sharing it with us!

Doubt is Cast on Many Reports of Food Allergies

Food Allergies and School

2010-05-17T20:27:00.000-07:00

Thank you Amy for compiling this information for us!

These are just my opinions and research as a parent. My position is as a teacher, not counselor, nurse or special education teacher. I contacted counselors and nurses at several schools to get some feedback for this project.

First and foremost, understand how schools are similar, no matter which part of the country or which grade level:

1. The principal is in charge and responsible for everything at the school. At some point I would contact the principal—see my suggestion later in this handout.

2. Federal laws must be followed. By the way, if a private school accepts any federal funding, and I understand that most of them do, then they must also follow all federal education laws. If your child is on a “504 plan” (see below) then there is no question about how his or her care will be handled.

3. The school and its employees truly do have your child’s best interest in mind. That’s why we are in the profession!

There are many ways, though, that schools differ. Here are some of my suggestions:

1. Start in the spring. Contact the school nurse to set up plans and procedures. One nurse I talked to said, “The earlier that I know about an incoming child with food allergies, the happier I am.” Another nurse told me, “It is up to the parent to inform us what they want. We have some that want everything and then send in the allergen with their own student and others who want their child to not have any of these precautions.”
In spring most schools will not have student schedules set up yet for the next year so it may be difficult to contact the actual teachers who will see your student. You could ask to meet with the student’s counselor. Some schools’ administrators work during the summer and others don’t.
A few weeks BEFORE school starts, I would contact the nurse again to touch base. I would then talk to the guidance office to find out who the teachers are and try to set up meetings as soon as possible. We always have teacher work days before the first day but they are already PACKED with meetings. Understand that this will make it difficult to meet with the teachers. Perhaps a detailed email will do. If you don’t get a response from a teacher, call the school as well so that you absolutely have personal contact with all of your child’s teachers before the first day. Don’t forget study hall, lunch monitor, etc. My tip: offer to bring in lunch for the teachers of your child if they will meet with you during their lunch period one day during the teacher work days.

2. Time spent with your student per day varies based on grade level and on type of class at the elementary level. At the middle & high school levels, as well as for elementary music, etc. teachers, we can see well over 100 students per day. We learn the names as fast as we can but it helps to send reminders that very first week along with a picture of your child to help us!

3. At some point, contact the principal directly. I would probably do this a few weeks before school starts, after you make contact with the nurse again. He or she is SWAMPED with emails, so make it brief and to the point. Introduce yourself and let him or her know that your child will be in the building. Note the seriousness and potential negative health effects if health procedures aren’t followed correctly. This would be a great opportunity to give credit to the nurse if he or she has been wonderful, or to ask for help getting the message across if you don’t feel that the school employees have been helpful. The principal is the boss.

4. Most high school teachers are NOT epi-pen trained through the school and may have very little knowledge about food allergies. I sent an email to the entire faculty at my school a few months ago from a parent’s perspective. I just gave them an overview of the types of situations that could happen in their classrooms. I explained things that are terrifying to a parent. For example, obviously I mentioned classroom parties. Food is a great prop to use in some types of activities, games, or labs. Students could bring (or sneak) outside snacks in. I just wanted them to have a general awareness. You could draft something like that and request that the nurse or principal send it to help inform the staff.

5. Prepare a handout for the teacher to specifically leave in the substitute teacher folder. Technically the sub folder should include important health information about the students already, but I wouldn’t take a chance with this. Ask the teacher to leave it with whatever paperwork or folder is left for the substitute teacher.

6. Consider asking for a “504 plan,” especially if the allergy is life-threatening. The 504 won’t technically change the care your child receives. However, it is a legal document which states how your child is to be treated medically. Parents would have the right to sue if the procedures aren’t followed. Schools pay close attention to following 504 plans, needless to say.

The law: To put it simply, “To be protected under Section 504, a student must be determined to: (1) have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities” http://ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/504faq.html Typically students who are on these plans have some medical condition. Deafness or anatomical abnormality would be examples.

"504" is a section of the federal Rehabilitation Act, which is part of a group of federal laws known as Disability Rights Laws (I know we don't consider our kids disabled because of an allergy, but if you can get past the wording, you might see the benefit of a 504 plan. In fact, in the 2008 amendment of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the definition of disability was broadened to include "any impairment which limits a major life activity.")

"Section 504 states that 'no qualified individual with a disability in the United States shall be excluded from, denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under' any program or activity that either receives Federal financial assistance…” http://www.ada.gov/cguide.htm
Here’s the interesting part: The school decides, for each individual student, whether or not a 504 plan is deemed necessary. There is no blanket list of health conditions for it. There was a case in Gloucester, Virginia where a school denied a peanut-allergic child a 504 plan because they didn't feel the allergy would interfere with learning. The Office of Civil Rights suggested that because not breathing would interfere with learning, a 504 plan should be in order. The court stated that it was up to the school to make the decision. I talked to one school counselor who said “absolutely” a nut-allergic child would get a 504 plan. Most counselors and nurses said that they usually do not use them, though. One said that “we have been able to work informally with students and teachers without having a formal 504.” As a parent, I would push for one but realize that the child may be just as safe without a formal 504 if the school is very cooperative about the procedures.

The law “requires that school districts ensure that the determination that a student is eligible for special education and/or related aids and services be made by a group of persons, including persons knowledgeable about the meaning of the evaluation data and knowledgeable about the placement options. If a parent disagrees with the determination, he or she may request a due process hearing.” http://ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/504faq.html

Also, depending on the school, different people handle the writing of the 504. At the high school level I have often seen an administrator in charge of it. One school told me that counselors do it. If you would like one, you should ask around to find out which person in the school you need to talk to about it first. The plan would describe the condition and the specific procedures to be followed in prevention and in case of an incident.

Register for the FAAN walk!

2010-05-12T20:30:00.000-07:00

The FAAN walk will be HERE IN NASHVILLE this fall! We got to hear Kelsey Morgan, our 10 year old local ambassador share her heart with us at our F.A.C.T. meeting. What an inspiring young lady!

Let's sign our teams up (in honor of our children or others dealing with food allergies) and start raising awareness within our communities and raise money to help find a cure. The earlier we sign up, the more time we will have to share with others.

It is free to register, FAAN asks that we instead collect donations to raise money for food allergy research and education programs. By registering online, you will receive an e-mail confirming that you are registered and information about setting up a personal fundraising webpage (how cool is this!). You will also be able to make secure online credit card donations.

Click HERE to get started

Save the Date
Date: Saturday, August 28, 2010

Time: Check-in begins at 9:00 a.m.; Walk begins at 10:00 a.m.

Location: Centennial Park, 2500 W. End Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203

Distance: 2 miles

Restrictions: No pets, glass bottles, bikes, roller skates or skate boards. Baby Strollers and wagons are welcome.

I can't wait to see you all there. It is going to be a wonderful event full of hope!

Parents Speak About Their Children's Food Allergies

2010-05-12T19:16:00.000-07:00

This is an amazing video...it will touch your heart. Thanks Shannon for telling us about it at the F.A.C.T. meeting.

Turtle Mountain: Providing Dairy Free Indulgence

2010-05-12T18:25:00.000-07:00

Thank you Turtle Mountain for sponsoring for our F.A.C.T. (Food Allergy Community of TN) meeting last night. We were able to sample DELICIOUS coconut milk ice cream sandwiches (contained coconut, gluten and soy).

All Natural So Delicious made with coconut milk non-dairy frozen dessert

Agave sweetened center

100 calories per serving

Dairy free

Rich in medium chain fatty acids

Click HERE to print a coupon

I have to tell you, I LOVE Turtle Mountain! On all of their products, they state this

Allergen Information: Turtle Mountain applies strict quality control measures in an effort to prevent contamination by undeclared food allergens. To assure our preventive measures are effective, we sample test our products for the presence of dairy, peanut and almond allergens using state of the art testing methods. To learn more about our all allergen prevention program visit us at http://www.sodeliciousdairyfree.com/

They also have great dairy free ice cream....our favorite is Mint Marble Fudge, and we buy the vanilla to make milkshakes with :)

kateelayne is giving away their "Pull-Apart" cakes

2010-05-10T13:13:00.000-07:00

At kateelayne, our goal is to bring a smile to the face of those affected by food allergies. In light of last week's devastating flood, that isn't so easy to do. It is especially not easy for those in our community who may be celebrating a birthday or special occasion. Over the next couple weeks, if you or someone you know has a food allergy and was affected by the flood, kateelayne would like to extend the offer of a free cake for that occasion.
Please contact us at 615.942-8433 or carefreetreats@kateelayne.com

FOOD ALLERGY AWARNESS WEEK
May 9-15

Place an order with kateelayne and receive one dozen complimentary CINNADOODLES with your purchase in honor of those affected by food restrictions. Enjoy the Cinnadoodles yourself or pass them on to share a smile!

Allergy Moms

2010-04-20T12:03:00.000-07:00

Allergy Moms has a free email newsletter that you can sign up for that features the latest allergy-friendly products, advice, and information. It's one more way to be connected and know what is going on with food allergies.

10 Things Children With Food Allergies Want You to Know

2010-03-30T20:39:00.000-07:00

10things children with food allergies want to you know

View more presentations or Upload your own.

Assure Products: Food Allergy-Band

2010-03-17T20:08:00.000-07:00

I saw this on Fox 17 news the other night. My ears perked up when I heard "food allergies."

The Food Allergy-Band was the brainchild of three partners from the Nashville area, who have personally been affected by their kids with food allergies. Parents who manage their child's food allergy understand that awareness is the key to keeping harmful foods out of their reach. The Food Allergy-Band offers an added layer of protection because they stay with the child when parents and guardians cannot.

The initial Food Allergy-Band will be available in three styles:
Dairy
Nut
Food

Dairy and nut allergies are the two primary food allergies that can be life-threatening. The number of children affected by food allergies has doubled in the past 10 years and now affects over 12 million Americans. Each year more than 125,000 children visit emergency rooms because of food allergy reactions.

Assure Products' hope is that the bands will not only serve an awareness purpose but also be something that kids and parents alike will enjoy using. Each band is designed for a specific allergy, is 100% latex free and incorporates a "kid friendly" design.

Click HERE to order, shipping is FREE

Food Allergy-Bands are available at the following fine retailers:

Kid to Kid

95 Seaboard Lane

Brentwood, TN 37027

(615) 309-0903

Learning Express

The Shoppes of Thoroughbred Square

1420 Cool Springs Boulevard

Franklin, TN 37067

(615) 771-3434

Popo Cool Kids Stuff

4017 Hillsboro Pike, Suite 309A

Nashville, TN 37215

USA Baby and Kids

1113 Murfreesboro Road

Franklin, TN 37064

You're Invited

Belle Meade Galleria

5133 Harding Pike, C3

Nashville, TN 37205

HomeFree Cookies

2010-03-15T16:45:00.000-07:00

Another choice for kids with food allergies. HomeFree Cookies don't have any dairy, eggs, tree nuts or peanuts. They're also organic, cholesterol and trans-fat-free and made with whole grains. $15 for 12

FiddleCakes: Bakery.Cafe.Coffee

2010-03-07T13:33:00.000-08:00

FiddleCakes sponsored our March FACTS meeting and brought delicious Vegan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies (they were divine!), gluten free brownies, regular chocolate chip cookies and other treats for us to sample. Everything was yummy and moist!

FiddleCakes offers a variety of Vegan and Gluten Free baked good daily (they can even make cakes upon request...this is wonderful for us allergy moms), and Vegan and Gluten Free sandwiches, soups and salads are available upon request. They said they can accommodate any request that you may have (this is SO great!) Check out the menu on their website.

Besides being Allergy Friendly, they use local and organic ingredients (love this!)

FiddleCakes is located in the historic 8th Avenue district, an area largely known for its antique malls and thrift stores. If you haven't discovered this neighborhood yet, you are missing out! Come in for a treat and take a look around.

Fiddle Cakes Offers

Vegan and Gluten-Free Offerings

One-Stop shop for coffee, food and baked goods

local and organic ingredients

specialty dog treats

gifts and party supplies

free Wi-Fi

FiddleCakes
2206 8th Ave. South Nashville, TN
615-457-2127 (if you need additional information regarding allergy concerns, give them a call)
http://www.fiddlecakes.com/
Monday-Friday 7-pm/Saturday 8-2pm/Closed Sunday

Meat Allergies Not as Rare

2010-03-02T06:36:00.000-08:00

Here's a report on a new study about meat allergies.

Good News Continues with Ongoing Research

2010-02-19T15:17:00.000-08:00

Today's CNN.com featured the story, "Exciting advance reported in peanut allergy therapy". Good news continues with ongoing research which shows that allergies can be desensitized. Read the article and ask your doctor about ongoing research!

If you Miss These...

2010-02-15T09:47:00.000-08:00

A few great alternatives to your favorite treats. Look for these guys next time you are at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods! If you miss Rice Krispy Treats, try these Brown Rice Treats, found at Trader Joe's.If you miss Goldfish, try Eco Planet cheese-flavored crackers (without cheese!)

Angel Food Ministries

2010-02-08T15:40:00.001-08:00

When you have food allergies, there's not much working in your favor for your grocery budget. But Angel Food Ministries was created as a food delivery service which helps those struggling financially. As far as I understand it, there are no real criteria for measuring your need. Most of us allergy-folk would love to have a break in the high expenses of allergy foods. Click here to see their allergy box, which sells for $23.

When Is it a True Allergy?

2010-01-28T12:54:00.000-08:00

Yesterday's Wall Street Journal features this article, "Is Your Kid Truly Allergic? Tests Add to Confusion." It addresses false positive tests, and the need for oral challenges to confirm allergies.

FoodAllergyMama.com

2010-01-18T08:46:00.000-08:00

This blog and cookbook were recommended by one of our F.A.C.T. members. Don't these cookies look delish? Check out FoodAllergyMama.com!

FACT January Meeting

2010-01-16T07:56:00.000-08:00

A picture from our last meeting. I promise that men do come at times, and are very welcome to join us! See you at the March meeting!

Spreading Soynut Butter or Sunbutter

2010-01-08T10:25:00.000-08:00

If you hadn't noticed, this is not a picture of soynut butter or sunbutter. When I spread the butter, it tears up the bread. But I've discovered a way to make the spreading easier! Freeze your sliced bread! If you freeze individual slices of bread, the spreading is so much easier. You can make a sandwich in the morning, and the bread has thawed out by lunchtime! Easy peasy.

Crispy Rice Snowman Kit

2009-12-11T17:16:00.001-08:00

Look what Ginger found at Target! A great gluten-free alternative, it only contains soy. If you want to try making your own, here are a few recipes online. Check here or here or here for details.

EpiPen's New Design

2009-12-11T04:59:00.000-08:00

EpiPen has made improvements to their design, making it easier to use. View the How To Use video here.

Turkey Cupcakes

2009-12-09T04:55:00.001-08:00

How lame is it that I didn't post this before Thanksgiving? Pretty lame, I know. But they are still too cute not to post!!! They are very easily adaptable to be allergy friendly. Here's the recipe & how to information.

FACT 2010 Schedule

2009-12-09T04:44:00.000-08:00

Here's a tentative schedule for our meetings next year. Make sure you are on our email list for more information!!

Tuesday, Jan 12 - Dr. Donald Brothers - Research Updates
March 2 - Traveling with Food Allergies (Sharing Tips about Restaurants, Vacation Spots, Products that make it easier to travel w/allergies)
May 4 - Food Allergies 101 with Dr. Keegan Smith
Saturday June 5 - Family Fun Day at the Park (?)
July 6 - School Preparedness
September 7 - Meeting topic TBD
September 28 - FAAN Walk in Nashville
November 2 - Eczema with Dr. Heidi Rand

Sweet Potato Balls

2009-12-09T04:42:00.000-08:00

This fall, I plan to try Sweet Potato Balls, from Paula Deen's kitchen!!

4 large sweet potatoes
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 cups shredded coconut, sweetened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large marshmallow per potato ball

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the potatoes until tender, then peel and mash them. Stir in the brown sugar, orange juice, zest and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, toss the coconut with the sugar and cinnamon. Press mashed potatoes around each marshmallow, creating a 2 to 3-inch diameter ball. Roll the balls in the coconut mixture. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Watch carefully for the last few minutes of cooking; the expanding marshmallows can cause the potato balls to burst open.

Gingerbread Houses for Allergies

2009-11-17T04:52:00.001-08:00

{I'm reposting this from last year, because here we are again, getting ready for holiday season!)
I'm glad that it's not too late for me to make a gingerbread house with my little one. But I've been searching high & low for a recipe that we can eat. Even better, I found 2 bakeries that make kits! Ahh...Here's the scoop. But hurry! You need to place your orders by Wednesday, December 17 to enjoy these by Christmas!A & J Bakery, in NJ, makes houses two different ways; Nut Free; Egg & Dairy Free gingerbread house kits. For $24, plus shipping ($6), they supply you with all of the pieces of Pre-baked gingerbread house, white icing, 2 types of nut free candy and a variety of non-edible decorations for your decorating pleasure. They also include instructions for the construction of the house.

The Sensitive Baker also sells a gingerbread house kit for $25, plus shipping ($12). Sensitive Baker specializes in Gluten-Free items. Their kit is GF, dairy-free, soy-free, corn-free and nut-free. The icing in the kit has eggs, but can be left out of the kit if you wish.

Here is an adorable vegan gingerbread house, with recipe, that I found online. Haven't tried the recipe, but it sure looks delish!

"Living Without" Magazine

2009-10-27T18:12:00.000-07:00

Not exactly new news, but just wanted to make sure everyone was aware of this magazine! Available by subscription, and also places like Whole Foods, Living Without is a magazine for people with allergies & sensitivities. I have bought a couple of copies, which were great, but definitely spends alot of time on wheat sensitivities. Check out their website too, which has lots of helpful information.

Allergies on Oprah.com

2009-10-23T08:38:00.001-07:00

Oprah's website recently featured an article titled, "Does your Child Have Food Allergies," recalling that between 1997 and 2007, cases of childhood food allergies rose 18 percent. FAAN CEO Julia Brasher explains the hygiene hypothesis, stating "Because children in our culture are exposed to fewer germs than their bodies are used to dealing with, the immune system is deprived of the full-time germ-fighting job they have to do, and [immune systems] misidentify food as harmful" she says. To read the article, click here.

Living with Food Allergies

2009-10-12T04:52:00.000-07:00

Watch this video on cnn.com, about young kids lobbying for laws to manage food allergies in school!

Sunbutter

2009-10-10T19:21:00.000-07:00

If you are new on the food allergy scene, you probably haven't heard yet about the wonders of Sunbutter! Well, it's a delicious peanut butter alternative. Just thought you should know.

Announcing FAAN Walk, 2010!

2009-10-02T04:22:00.001-07:00

I'm so excited that there will be a FAAN Walk here in Nashville on September 28, 2010! The walk will be held at Centennial Park, and organizing committees are now being formed! If you would like to be involved in this fantastic event, please let us know!

Food Allergies in the Movies

2009-09-28T10:11:00.001-07:00

My hubs and son went to see "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" this weekend. Apparently, the main character had food allergies. When she brought it up in the movie, my son said out loud, "I'm allergic to nuts too!!!" My family loved the movie, and said that the allergy references were kept positive and accurate (as can be depicted in a cartoon kids movie). For a more detailed review of the movie & its food allergy references, click here.

Anyone remember any other references to food allergies in the movie? The only ones I can recall are Nancy Drew and Hitch.

Vegan Eating at The Tennessean

2009-09-26T13:24:00.000-07:00

An acquaintance of my husband's works for The Tennessean, and recently began a monthly experiment of vegan eating. Since we were dairy and egg-free for so long, eating this way is not a stretch for us. So we invited the couple over for a vegan dinner. We had a great time and introduced them to the joys of Tofutti Cream Cheese, Tofutti Sour Cream, Earth Balance Butter. We ate Pumpkin Black Bean Soup (omitting ham, replacing beef broth with veggie, and replacing butter with Earth Balance), cornbread and homemade peach pie.

If you are milk/egg-allergic, you might find the blog interesting. Click here to follow 5 Tennessean writers on their journey.

kateelayne Introduces G-Free & Seasonal Cookies!

2009-09-24T11:41:00.000-07:00

Due to popular request, kateelayne carefree treats now makes Gluten Free chocolate chip and seasonal sugar cookies! And did you catch the second part? They make seasonal cookies, iced & decorative. Be sure to check with special requests for holidays, initials, etc.
And by the way, BUY SOME COOKIES! Let's not forget that they're not doing this for fun, so show some support and buy some baked goods!

When Food Kills

2009-09-24T11:22:00.000-07:00

Be sure to watch this Australian video about food allergies and anaphylaxis. It's definitely worth sharing with friends & family, although please preview it before deciding if it's appropriate for your children. It's powerful and a great tool for sharing with people who need to understand the potential severity of food allergies.

This great 10 minute clip comes from the 45 minute documentary "When Food Kills." For the full video, you can buy it here on the Documentary Channel.

Allergies on Nickelodeon

2009-09-24T11:13:00.000-07:00

Set TiVo to watch "I'm Allergic to My World" on September 28 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Nickelodeon. The educational show "Nick News with Linda Ellerbee" focuses on food allergies in a special episode "I'm Allergic to My World."

In the special, Director of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology at John Hopkins' Children's Center in Baltimore, Dr. Robert Wood, explains the strange ways of allergies, while kids will share their experiences in coping up with the disorder.

Read more about this special here.

Must See Video

2009-09-04T19:12:00.001-07:00

Here's a great video to share with your kids, to help them see that they are not alone. The kids are so darned cute! And more cute kids in the video below. This one's great for adults of allergic & non-allergic kids.

Bringing Food to Someone with Allergies

2009-08-15T19:24:00.001-07:00

Kinnikinnick Foods

2009-08-07T14:39:00.001-07:00

I became the lucky recipient of a package of Gluten-Free pizza crusts from Kinnikinnick Foods, who sponsored a recent FACT meeting. They were delicious!!! Oh Blessed Day. We're not even Gluten-Free, but I loved it! We topped it with homemade tomato sauce, cheese, bacon, ricotta, basil & tomato. My son (peanut/tree nut allergic, outgrowing milk/egg allergies) gobbled his up! Make sure to try out some of their offerings - from cookies, to cake mixes, to waffles and more! Do you have a favorite from Kinnikinnick Foods?

Style Meets Awareness

2009-07-25T18:49:00.000-07:00

These are cute, and this is just the beginning. Click here for more allergy shirts, stickers & patches from Jeeto!

Peanut Flour Helps Allergies?

2009-07-10T05:17:00.000-07:00

By now, most of you have heard about the ongoing research which is promising in the efforts to find a cure for food allergies. Studies are showing that introducing small amounts of an allergen (in a clinical setting) are helping to build resistance. The only down side of these studies seems to be that the dosage of peanuts has to be consistently administered & in the blood stream in order for there to be a tolerance. It also seems that peanut can never be consumed normally. It just prevents anaphylaxis. Children in this study can now safely consume 10 peanuts. Although it's still not a huge victory for those with food allergies, the results of the study are promising for the future.

Read the full article here.

Cookies for Me?

2009-07-09T05:38:00.000-07:00

Take a look at these yummy looking cookies from Cookies for Me?. Gluten/Egg/Nut Free and Dairy Free, Cookies for Me has a wide selection, including cookie & brownie cakes, festive sugar cookies and more.

Food Allergy Moms

2009-07-08T08:17:00.000-07:00

For those of you who might live near Rutherford County, a support group also meets there. Find out more on their website, FoodAllergyMoms.webs.com.

Also, our Nashville area group has been meeting again since January, with a range of topics & special guest speakers, including Research, Nutrition, Psychology, etc. We have 2 more meetings this year (School Preparations & Eczema) & are beginning to plan for next year. If you have ideas for next year's meetings, please post them, or email us!

SafetyTat Winners

2009-07-02T11:37:00.001-07:00

Congratulations! The winners to last week's giveaway are: Miki Klein, Diane Mosley, and Ginger Hyatt. I believe I have all of your email addresses, so I will contact you about getting these to you. The winners were selected by random drawing.

Don't forget: There are a few more days left for everyone else to get 15% off your order!

SafetyTat Giveaway!

2009-06-24T06:54:00.001-07:00

What a great giveaway I have for you, from SafetyTat! The winners (Three of you!) will receive a pack of SafetyTats! All you have to do is leave a comment to enter. I'll announce a winner on Wednesday, 7/1.I've blogged before about SafetyTat, but now, I can say that they are as cool as they look! I can imagine a number of situations where this would be so helpful - at the pool, a party, museum, amusement park, and on & on. And in addition to the giveaway, they are also giving readers of this blog 15% off an order of $15 or more. Coupon will expire July 6, 2009. Coupon code is: AllergySuppport06 (Must be typed in as seen). You can get the Allergy Quick Stick Write On (shown above on Ethan) 4 Pack for $7.99 or the 6 Pack for $9.95.

Or Click here for their 5 Choices of Customizable Allergy Tattoos; 24 Tattoos for $19.95

Thanks SafetyTat! Make sure to enter to win! Or visit SafetyTat.com to get that 15% off today!

Jonesy Playdate Cards

2009-06-23T12:00:00.000-07:00

Pure Genius. Pretty Cute, Too! Jonesy makes handy Playdate Cards & Restaurant Cards that inform others of your child's allergies.

This wallet-sized Restaurant & Allergy Cards (above) include customized information about your child's allergies, along with your contact name and information.

This Fill-In-The-Blank Card is given to caretakers with important information in case of emergency. This card includes a visual representation of the child's allergies and detailed EpiPen directions. The parent fills in their child's name, birth date and parent contact information. This card is to be given to the child's caretaker to inform them and give directions in case of emergency. The kit sells for $12.50 and includes 10 playdate cards.

The Cravings Place - Ginger's Review

2009-06-10T19:09:00.000-07:00

After trying many baking mixes free off most or all top food allergens, I have found The Cravings Place to have the best tasting products on the market! We especially like their Ooey Gooey Brownie Mix and their Muffin Mix. And, don't be thrown off by the gluten free if you don't have wheat allergy. It is all really amazing. These are must haves at our house!

Ordering from Amazon.com is cheaper than many groceries, but you have to order in bulk (6 packages at a time). However, shipping is free! To see the selection on Amazon.com, click here.

Gluten Free from Betty Crocker!

2009-05-27T04:15:00.000-07:00

Exciting news - Gluten Free Dessert Mixes are coming soon from Betty Crocker! Products are also Kosher, which usually means egg & dairy-free (Right?). Mixes include Yellow Cake Mix, Devil’s Food Cake Mix, Brownie Mix, Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix. Are you doing a happy dance right now?

French Toast Challenge

2009-05-11T13:50:00.000-07:00

Pete Wells recounts ironies in the life of a family with food allergies, in "Cooking with Dexter: The French Toast Challenge", from New York Times Magazine.

Our family also went through a French Toast Challenge, thinking of eggs as potentially deadly one day, to completely removing the label the next. Wells says that "the things that scared me & my wife the most were the things we didn't know." He also mentions the differing advice that we patients receive from a variety of health professionals.

New Strategies to Overcome Food Allergies

2009-04-22T19:47:00.000-07:00

Today's article from USA Today takes a look at ongoing testing & treatments. Early results in tests on humans look promising for three experimental treatments:

•Oral immunotherapy. Under close supervision by health care professionals, patients swallow tiny but gradually increasing amounts of the foods that trigger their allergies, with the idea of building immunity. This method is being tested for peanut, egg and milk allergies.

•Sublingual therapy. Drops containing proteins that trigger allergies are put under the tongue, where they are absorbed into the bloodstream. This method is being tested for various food allergies.

•Food allergy herbal formula-2. Known as FAHF-2, this pill (not available in stores) is based on a 2,000-year-old Chinese remedy. It contains nine botanicals, including ginseng and oil made from cinnamon tree bark. It is being tested for peanut, tree nut, fish and shellfish allergies.

Life for those with food allergies will hopefully be much different thanks to current testing ongoing now!

Fruit Crushers from Trader Joe's

2009-04-16T06:15:00.000-07:00

I just found an awesome new fast food at Trader Joe's. Perfect for lunchboxes, with absolutely Zero mess, Applesauce Crushers, and Apple Carrot Fruit Sauce Crushers are delicious! I tried these out on a group of 3 year olds. While my son loves the Apple Carrot Crusher, one of the other kids did detect a weird texture. The Apple Carrot Crushers are now a staple in our home! $2.99 for a pack of 4 from Trader Joe's. Made in a facility that processes wheat & fish.

Patch Builds Tolerance

2009-04-06T10:02:00.000-07:00

A recent study showed that patients who wore a patch increased their tolerance to milk. The patch contained 1 mg of milk protein or placebo and was applied every other day to children in the study. Participants were from three months to 15 years of age and underwent oral milk challenges at baseline and after two and three months in the trial.

It seems like studies are increasingly backing the notion of building a tolerance to allergens, rather than what we've always heard - strict avoidance. Talk to your doctor about the latest research at your next appointment.

Dairy/Soy-Free Earth Balance

2009-04-06T09:54:00.000-07:00

Earth Balance is the world's greatest butter substitute. Now they are making it soy-free!

My Son's Struggle Against Deadly Food Allergies

2009-04-01T12:54:00.000-07:00

Are food allergies all over the news these days? Or do I just notice it more & more? This morning, CNN featured this story about food allergies, titled, "My son's struggle against deadly food allergies."

It chronicles the difficulties for Teddy's parents, just like any other child with food allergies, with the challenges of changing ingredients on store-bought foods, budgeting, and difficulties with normal school activities like macaroni-necklaces & Play-Doh.

Food Allergies Affect Family Life

2009-03-18T19:58:00.000-07:00

This article from today's US News & World Report strikes a nerve. Anyone relate? "Child's Food Allergies Take Toll on Family Plans" follows 2 studies that illustrates how food allergies affect daily life.

"The first study shows that caregivers with a food-allergic child were more likely to stop working, reduce work hours or incur financial problems.

A second study found that most families that have members with food allergies limit their vacation destinations. When they did travel, about half said they would eat most meals in their room, and more than 80 percent would ask for special meals if their vacation spot could accommodate them. When preparing to go, most also packed extra emergency medicines and allergen-free food, and almost half researched the location of the closest hospital to their destination."

Of course this is NOT news - just a fact - if you are reading this blog.

Best Websites for Managing Food Allergies

2009-03-14T05:52:00.000-07:00

More than 11 million Americans have food allergies, including 6 percent of children under age 3. The good news is that there are excellent resources online, plus products and strategies to help parents and kids get by. Cookie Magazine just posted their favorite websites for children with food allergies.

Here are Cookie's "Best All-Around Sites" for information and resources.
• Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network: The go-to guide for the latest info on food allergies. Sign up for allergy alerts so you know when a product has been recalled, and check out recipes and products, which include children's books, cookbooks, EpiPen carriers, and more.
• Food Allergy Initiative: Tons of tips on how to manage food allergies at home, in school, and at camp. It also offers strategies for eating out and traveling, as well as genius restaurant cards that explain a specific allergy and what to do in an emergency—in different languages.
• Kids with Food Allergies: Find an allergy buyer's guide, links to allergy articles and research, support forums, and more.
• Food Allergy Website for Kids: Part of the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network this site for kids has allergy-related projects, coloring pages, and activities.
• Beyond a Peanut: Created by a mother whose child has allergies, this site sells allergy flashcards with simple explanations and images—perfect for bringing grandparents, caregivers, and friends up to speed on food allergies.
• Allergy Haven: Listings of recommended allergy-related books.

Click here for additional information & resources.

"I Can't Breathe"

2009-03-11T06:12:00.000-07:00

These are common words heard in this house. I have yet to find a decent solution to this problem. So I'm looking for advice. Zyrtec works, but I really do not want to be doing this every night. Any of you have the same problem in your home? What solutions might you have to this problem? Have any of you tried Breathe Right Strips for kids?

Sweet Potato Oatmeal Bars, from Julie's Kitchen

2009-03-04T04:37:00.000-08:00

Adjust ingredients, and this recipe is free from all Top 8 Allergens! Enjoy!

5 medium-large sweet potatoes
2 tbsp cinnamon
2 tbsp extra light olive oil or canola oil (don’t use regular olive oil, flavor is too strong)
2/3 cup maple syrup
¾ cup orange juice
4 cups quick-cooking oats (use Gluten Free oats if needed)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake sweet potatoes (I cooked mine in the microwave). Scoop out the flesh and put in a large bowl. Add cinnamon, oil, maple syrup, orange juice, and oats. Mix well. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 baking pan. Pour mixture evenly into pan. Bake for 23 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Cut into squares. Can store for up to 3 days in airtight container.

Note: These squares also freeze well. I wrapped them individually, then put them in a large freezer ziplock bag.

Matisse and Jack's

2009-02-26T14:30:00.000-08:00

Anyone tried Matisse and Jack's bake at home snacks? Although they were not made specifically for the allergic in mind, I was excited to see several of these recipes that were free of many of the top allergens. This brand is made for people who are looking for snacks high in protein & other healthy additives, which I know many of us love as well.

Granola Bites sells for $5.49 per box, and is free of top 8 allergens (except gluten). Although directions say to add butter, I'm sure Earth Balance would be just great. Cranberry Power Squares($5.99) and Chocolate Chip Power Squares ($6.99) contain soy & gluten, but are free of all other top 8 allergens.

Julie's Vegan Blueberry Muffins

2009-02-19T09:10:00.000-08:00

These muffins are free of eggs/milk/soy/nut and refined sugar!

1-3/4 cups wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp allspice
3/8 tsp cinnamon
3/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
2 portions Ener-G egg replacer
1/4 cup olive oil, canola oil or vegetable oil
3/4 cup orange juice
1 grated orange, zest of

Combine dry ingredients; toss the blueberries with about 2 tablespoons dry mixture and set aside. Separately, mix egg replacement, oil, orange juice, and orange zest. Make well in dry ingredients and add "egg" mixture; stir gently, and when only partially combined, add blueberries. Fold ingredients together just until moistened (do not over mix). Divide batter into 12 well-greased muffin tins and bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly golden; cool briefly on wire rack, remove from pan.

Sweetheart Smores

2009-02-11T19:07:00.000-08:00

Wouldn't your sweetie love these Sweetheart S'mores, from Enjoy Life Foods? Yum. Let's get cookin.

Contains NO: gluten, wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg or soy

1 pkg (10 oz.)Enjoy Life® Snickerdoodle cookies
3 large marshmallows
1 Enjoy Life® boom CHOCO boom chocolate bar (rice milk or dark chocolate)

Directions:
1. Cut the marshmallows in half for a total of 6 pieces, set aside.
2. Break the chocolate bar into four sections. Then break each section in half for a total of eight pieces. Set aside.
3. Slightly flatten two Snickerdoodle cookies. Use a heart shaped cookie cutter or a knife to cut out your "sweetheart cookie". Place one piece of chocolate in center.
4. Slightly flatten a marshmallow piece and place it on top of the chocolate. Cover with remaining cookie. Assemble more s'mores with remaining ingredients.
5. Place s'mores on a microwavable plate. Microwave for 10-20 seconds or until the chocolate starts to melt and the marshmallow softens.
6. Remove and enjoy!

Also, check out these "I'm CHOCO For You Candies", which contains NO: gluten, wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg or soy

Car Birthday Party (& Dairy/Egg-Free!)

2009-02-09T07:25:00.000-08:00

Like many little boys, our son is obsessed with cars! So for his 3rd birthday, we went all out with a race car theme. We focused on activities instead of food. Here are a few highlights! We had tons of crafts, including: making license plates (the "DMV") with craft foam & stickers, coloring pictures of cars (the "Body Shop"), painting cutouts of cars ("paint jobs") and a bunch of Ethan's hot wheels in a corner (the "Race Track.")
The party was from 9-11, so we had bagels ("spare tires") & flavored (vegan) cream cheese. And coffee for the adults ("fuel!!") for dessert, we had Vegan Cupcakes.
We had goodie bags filled with fun car-themed gifts from OrientalTrading.com. And my sister-in-law made these adorable vegan sugar cookies with vegan royal icing.Here are a few resources to get your engine started for a fun racing birthday party!

Race-Themed Decorations: Nascar Party Decorations or RaceChex.com or Race Day Parties

Goody Bag Gifts: Mini Race Car Bubbles, Race Car Notepads,, checker flag soaker balls, and tons of other ideas from Oriental Trading Co.

Even More Fun Racing Activities: Race Car Picture Frames, 61 Piece Car Craft Kit

Name that Heart!

2009-02-06T04:44:00.000-08:00

Send in your best Candy Heart Phrase to win a free Enjoy Life Foods t-shirt! (And maybe the pride & glory of having your very own phrase on a candy heart?)

All phrases must contain a nod to an Enjoy Life product or one of the common food allergies. All entries are due by February 14, 2009. Winners will be chosen the week after Valentine's Day.

All submissions will be featured on the Enjoy Life Facebook page after they have been submitted! Click here to submit your entries.

Non-Dairy Flavored Cream Cheese Recipe

2009-02-05T09:32:00.000-08:00

I sure do think a bagel is rather bland without some yummy flavored cream cheese on top! So I recently made my own flavors. Delish! Here's how:

Vegan Strawberry Cream Cheese Ingredients: Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese, strawberry all-fruit preserves/jelly

Allow cream cheese to soften. Add jelly to cream cheese and mix in by hand. Add more jelly as needed. (If you add too much jelly, the cream cheese starts to become a bit runny, so start light & work your way up.) Add a drop of red food coloring if desired.

Veggie Vegan Cream Cheese Ingredients: Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese, cucumber, carrot, red pepper, green onion, garlic salt

Allow cream cheese to soften. Meanwhile, peel cucumber & remove seeds. Finely chop cucumber, red pepper, green onion. Grate Carrot. Add vegetables to taste into the cream cheese & season with garlic salt or other herb. Stir in.

Ongoing Research & Testing Methods in the News

2009-02-04T13:42:00.000-08:00

Food allergies were recently in the New York Times, discussing the topics of research and testing procedures.

The article titled "Researchers Put a Microscope on Food Allergies" reviews some ongoing research, including the "Hygiene Hypothesis" and other looks at statistics of food allergies in the US versus those of other countries.

"Is it a Food Allergy or False Alarm" takes a look at the imperfections of our tests, with the conclusion by Dr. David Fleischer that "The only true test of whether you're allergic to a food or not is whether you can eat it and not react to it." {But I'm just the messenger. Talk to your doctor.}

photo from Sally Ryan for the NYTimes

Gluten-Free Gift Baskets

2009-01-29T16:59:00.000-08:00

Those of us with food allergies in the family know the scary importance of reading food labels. So does Jackie, a New England graphic artist turned mom of a son with celiac disease. She turned her years of obsessive label reading into a company called Vanilla Spoons that creates yummy, treat-filled gluten-free gift baskets.

Her gourmet gift baskets have cheeky movie-themed names ("Mix and the City" anyone?) and are packed full of the types of treats that most of us without food restrictions take for granted: Popcorn, chocolate, baking mixes, crackers. For Valentine's Day, I love the Close Encounters of the Sweet Kind basket which comes inside a reusable steel tub.

Place an order at Vanilla Spoons by February 5, 2009 and receive 15% discount with code COOLMOM at checkout. (From Christina at CoolMomPicks.com)

Fish & Apples Good For Pregnancy. Just don't try to eat them at the same time, Ladies.

2009-01-23T09:51:00.000-08:00

For parents of children with food allergies, research can send you on a roller coaster ride of emotions. Theories frequently change & leave you wondering if you are making the best decisions for your children. As a rule-follower, I wanted to do everything exactly right to safeguard my second child from getting food allergies. Only to hear new research that my restricted pregnancy/nursing diet might be old news, and that exposure might be the best medicine instead. Who knows?! I can't wait for some real solid definitive research!

Anyway, new research is suggesting that moms-to-be might eat more apples to reduce chances of asthma in their children, and fish to reduce the chances of the child having eczema. Bottom line for pregnant ladies is one we've heard before, but it's worth repearting: Eat a well balanced diet. Click here for the article.

Baby's First Tattoo

2009-01-22T13:30:00.000-08:00

Ever want to take a Sharpie to your child's body when he walks out the door? I guess the folks at SafetyTat did too!

SafetyTat offers sveral options for children with allergies, stating to "Ask First" - one that can be customized, one for nuts, and one for peanuts. Click here to see the safety tattoos, starting at $19.95.

Cocoa Balls - Using Soynut Butter, Tahini or Sunbutter

2009-01-07T10:05:00.001-08:00

Lately, I've been trying to use up some soy nut butter and tahini that have been sitting around in my pantry for WAY too long. These cocoa balls turned out to be a great, fun snack that weren't too loaded with sugar! I've renamed the "Chocolate Earth Balls" from Whole Foods' website, and replaced the peanut butter for an easy treat that's easy for little hands to help make! The renaming came with the help of my 3-year old, who refused to help make "Earth Balls" because they were dirty, but would gladly make "Cocoa Balls." So there you have it. I've used both soy butter and tahini in place of the peanut butter (and omitted other nuts from the recipe). I bet Sunbutter would be great too!

Any of you have other good ideas for using Sunbutter, Tahini or Soynut Butter?

Non-Dairy Milk Alternatives

2009-01-02T04:22:00.000-08:00

If you are cutting cow's milk from your diet, you might find it difficult to decide on a non-dairy alternative. Our family drinks fortified Rice Milk, with minimal amounts of Soy Milk as well.

Here are a few of the best articles I've found to help guide your decision.

An updated guide to soy, rice, nut, and other non-dairy milks", from Vegetarian Journal

A very comprehensive list of non-dairy milk brands & options, from GoDairyFree.org.

And more non-dairy products besides milk.

"The Dairy-Sensitive Baby and Breastfeeding: What You Can and Can't Eat" - although it's geared toward the breastfeeding mother, it's helpful to all beginning a non-dairy diet.

"Dairy and Non-Dairy Milk", from Squidoo, with info about calcium.

"Non-Dairy Choices for Drinking & Cooking", from Suite 101.

Blogger Julie: Allergy-Free Savings

2008-12-16T05:02:00.000-08:00

As most of you know, shopping Allergy-free for convenience foods is not cheap! In fact, anything that is not full of junk is always more expensive. Why we are charged extra to be healthy I will never know. But, there are ways to help alleviate some of the sticker shock pain that comes along with these products. I have found that if I email the company directly, using the ‘contact us’ button on the company’s website, and simply ask them to send me some coupons, they WILL. I have received coupons from nearly all of the companies that I have contacted. Some will even send coupons for FREE products.

OrganicGroceryDeals.com often also lists deals or coupons that are available for allergen-free products like Enjoy Life Foods and you can trade coupons with others as well.

Feel free to share your own tips for saving money while being allergy-free!

Gingerbread Houses for Allergies

2008-12-12T11:39:00.000-08:00

I'm glad that it's not too late for me to make a gingerbread house with my little one. But I've been searching high & low for a recipe that we can eat. Even better, I found 2 bakeries that make kits! Ahh...Here's the scoop. But hurry! You need to place your orders by Wednesday, December 17 to enjoy these by Christmas!A & J Bakery, in NJ, makes houses two different ways; Nut Free; Egg & Dairy Free gingerbread house kits. For $24, plus shipping ($6), they supply you with all of the pieces of Pre-baked gingerbread house, white icing, 2 types of nut free candy and a variety of non-edible decorations for your decorating pleasure. They also include instructions for the construction of the house.

The Sensitive Baker also sells a gingerbread house kit for $25, plus shipping ($12). Sensitive Baker specializes in Gluten-Free items. Their kit is GF, dairy-free, soy-free, corn-free and nut-free. The icing in the kit has eggs, but can be left out of the kit if you wish.

Here is an adorable vegan gingerbread house, with recipe, that I found online. Haven't tried the recipe, but it sure looks delish!

Anyone know of other recipes or resources for allergen-free gingerbread houses?

Blogger Julie: Non-Edible Stocking Stuffers

2008-12-12T09:16:00.000-08:00

AllergyMoms.com had a great post over Easter, which gave tons of ideas for non-edible treats. It would translate very well for Christmas & stocking stuffers! Here are just a few: Jump Rope, Floam, Puzzles, Decks of Playing Cards, Stickers/Tattoos, Cool Band aids, Wallets, Bubbles, Frisbee, Tub toys, Nerf, Rubik's cube, Chia Pet, Silly String....The list goes on!

Click here for 101 of these great ideas!

Blogger Julie: Chocolate and Candy for the Holidays

2008-12-11T08:44:00.000-08:00

When the first holiday rolled around after my son was diagnosed with milk and egg allergies, I was heartbroken that he would be surrounded by yummy Christmas, Easter and Halloween treats that he couldn’t eat. Then, I started searching online for some alternatives and these are some of the great sites that I found. Hope it helps to make your holiday and stocking stuffing a little yummier!

Amanda's Own – made without peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, egg and gluten
Enjoy Life – they now have yummy chocolate bars!
Divvies – made without peanuts, tree nuts, milk and egg
Allergy Grocer – treats like allergy-free m&m type candies (whizzers) and all sorts of other products
Gimbals Candy – made without peanut, tree nut, dairy, egg, gluten, gelatin, soy and trans fats
Pure Fun - products are certified organic, kosher, vegan and fair trade. No dyes, pesticides, GMO's or chemicals. They list all ingredients of each product too. One site I found where you can order Pure Fun candy is www.wholeandnatural.com.

Gluten-Free on Etsy.com

2008-12-03T10:07:00.000-08:00

Have you discovered Etsy.com? I sure hope so. I love that website. Etsy is similar to an ebay for handmade items. This ranges from woodworking, to hairbows, to pottery, to...Food! I've been a regular buyer to etsy.com for a couple of years, but have been afraid of their food section...until now. I still am a bit nervous, since I don't know what restrictions etsy places on food. But if you browse, you will see that some do come from dedicated licensed bakers. Also, you can email the baker, to ask any questions and make sure you are comfortable with their practices. I'm not gluten-free, but I thought I'd share some of the gluten-free items I've found. Homemade Chocolate Marshmallows from JakeBakes, whose treats are always gluten/wheat free, egg free, dairy free, peanut free, tree nut free and are handcrafted in a dedicated allergen free bakery. They are also currently stocked with Strawberry Marshmallows, Cookies, Caramel Corn & Granola.
Gluten-Free Donut Holes from Glutenada - Tell me these don't look delicious?!? My son isn't gluten-free, but has never had a donut. Maybe today is our day? Glutenada also has cupcakes, cookies, all-purpose fry mix, cupcakes & pancake mix.
Nature Dough from CreativeDooer, a gluten-free play-doh alternative.

For more allergen-free treats, type in keywords, such as "gluten-free", "vegan", or "food allergy" into the search box of etsy.com.

Bumpy Name Labels

2008-12-03T09:19:00.000-08:00

For parents of the preschool/baby set, these InchBug Bumpy Name labels are great for marking your territory, and relaying other important info. For $13.95, you get 4 customized orbit labels. You can put your child's hame, her allergies, your number, or other important info. These can transition to wrap around a bottle, to sippy cup, to water bottle, as your child grows.

I'm in a Cupcake State of Mind

2008-11-23T16:06:00.000-08:00

I guess I've been thinking about cupcakes alot lately! I wanted to share a new product with you - Manischewitz Chocolate Frosting! Free of all top 8 allergens except Soy. I saw it last week in the Kosher section of my local Kroger. I had yet to find a storebought chocolate frosting, so I was excited! So I figured I'd do a whole cupcake roundup. Here are some of my favorite products (besides KateeLayne, of course!)

Pillsbury Classic Supreme is dairy-free too! It appears to also be free of all top 8 allergens except soy. Check it out for yourself.And if you are here, then I hope you know about Cherrybrook Kitchen, which has egg/dairy free mixes, as well as a gluten/wheat-free line as well.

And speaking of cupcakes, here is a yummy white cake recipe, and one for chocolate cupcakes. Now I'm getting hungry!

Do you have other cupcake/cake recipes or mixes to share?

Kid-Friendly Proteins

2008-11-20T09:19:00.000-08:00

Make it Little. Make it Bite-Sized. I've learned that's one of the best ways to get a little one to eat. For us with allergies, we have a whole new set of challenges on top of the normal picky kid behaviors. Here are some of our favorite finger foods, all with proteins in mind. All nut/dairy/egg/shellfish-free. Check to see if they are free of other allergens that apply to your needs.

Also, I've frozen all of these (except the tofu & salmon). They are all great the second time around!

Salmon Fingers - My Replacements: Check Stuffing for Allergens, Follow Your Heart Grapeseed Oil Vegennaise, and Flax Seed egg Replacement instead of eggs.
Black Bean Burgers - My 3-year old LOVES these. For him, I just make small round meatball-sized 'burgers,' which are easier to eat.
Porcupine Meatballs - I've been looking for a good egg-free meatball. Finally I've found it!
Baked Tofu Sticks - Serve with some marinara dipping sauce, and they look just like french fries! Plus, they are very easy to make & have little hands help with.
Chicken Apple Bites - These are great. And time consuming. That's all I can say.
Chicken, Quinoa & Apple Patties - Okay, I don't love these as much as they chicken apple balls, but it's a nice variation for those who have wheat allergies.

Do you have any favorite protein recipes that your little ones love?

Food Allergies for Brit's Kid?

2008-11-19T11:20:00.000-08:00

Britney Spears website reported that her son, Jayden James, had a reaction from "something he ingested." I hope it's not food allergies, but it kinda sounds like it. With these kind of statistics, I've been wondering which celebrity parent would be next. If Brit Brit is next, it sure will bring a lot more attention to the subject! Hope you're feeling better, Jayden James!