Nancy Drew and the Tree Nut Allergy Mystery

My daughter LOVES everything Nancy Drew. She is a fan of the books, from the vintage hardcovers that belonged to my Mom, to modern Nancy series available at bookstores today.

She is also a huge fan of the games from Her Interactive. These award-winning games are a blast even for adults like me who love mysteries and still think Nancy is pretty cool. They always involve educational elements like history, science or social science and they've won a ton of awards.

My daughter is such a fan of these games that I am usually suckered into being among the first to buy new ones when they emerge, every 3-4 months or so. The latest is called Warnings at Waverly Academy and it's all about "mean girls" and a not-so-nice prankster at a girls' boarding school.

When she began the game recently, my daughter ran to tell me about about a character with a tree nut allergy who was put out of commission right off the bat by the school's mystery prankster known as "The Black Cat." The tree nut-allergic character speaks to Nancy's game character via cell phone (I know! It's so fun) and tells Nancy what happened with her accidental ingestion.

According to my daughter, Her Interactive did a pretty good job of explaining that this allergic character needed to use an Epi Pen and that she needed to go to the hospital. My daughter was excited to find validation for her own situation via this tree nut-allergic character in one of her favorite games, even though (ugh) this person was basically poisoned.

A couple of things bothered me, though. The allergic character told "Nancy" that she didn't use the Epi Pen till she got to the hospital (no, you'd use it immediately) and that she winds up in the hospital all the time because she's "not careful." Actually, the latter is actually not a bad reminder to be careful with allergies.

The biggest worry I had was that, as nut allergies become more prominent, they are being used as a way to "off" people in both fiction and film--or at least the attempt is made to do so.

"The DaVinci Code" (book, not movie) used a peanut allergy reaction to kill of a character; likewise the novelist Joanne Harris (of Chocolat fame) devised a character who purposely poisoned a peanut-allergic student in her fairly recent novel "Gentleman and Players." The character survived, BTW. (Incidentally, this a great novel overall.)

I love Her Interactive and their wonderful series of games and I commend them for including a tree nut-allergic character in their latest venture. It does raise awareness, and the fact that the character is hospitalized underscores the seriousness of the allergy and the need to be cautious.

I just wish that nut-allergic characters in literature, film or any form of fiction (like games) weren't always portrayed as victims or used as pawns by malicious characters. As a writer, maybe I'll meet that challenge myself.

Bam! Emeril Takes on Allergy-Free Cooking

My kids have always loved famed chef and TV star Emeril Lagasse--maybe because he talks directly to the camera (as kids shows tend to do) or maybe because he made a Sesame Street cooking video several years ago--one of their favorite videos back in the preschool days.



Either way, he helped get them interested in food and cooking which turned out to be a good thing once we discovered my oldest daughter's severe nut allergies. We cook and bake all the time around here now and the kids enjoy pitching in to help.



So I was happy to discover this joint venture between Emeril and Enjoy Life Foods on YouTube. In it, Emeril visits a Whole Foods store and talks to families with all manner of food allergies and intolerance, including gluten intolerance and nut allergies.



Then, he demonstrates how to make allergy-free brownies that can be enjoyed by families with multiple food issues.



No matter what you think of Emeril, it's clear that the man loves food and is very enthusiastic about the subject so I think he's a great person to advocate for allergy-free food. His participation in this video also shows that food allergies have come a long way in reaching the public consciousness. First Martha Stewart posted allergy-free trick-or-treating tips on her web site and now Emeril tackles allergy-free cuisine! I'm encouraged when I see mainstream figures addressing the subject of allergy-free cooking and baking. It's just becoming an accepted thing--and as Martha would say, that's "a good thing."



Enjoy the clip!

Nut-Free Granola Bars--Where to Find Them

Granola bars are a great, quick and healthy snack--unless you have nut allergies. These bars are usually loaded with nuts or at the very least have come into contact with nuts during the manufacturing process.

I always enjoyed granola bars as a snack and have wished my children could enjoy them as well. They are so easy to pack in a backpack or lunchbox.

The good news is that there are more and more nut-free granola bars on the market these days. Two delicious versions that I've discovered are from Vermont Nut-Free Chocolate and Enjoy Life Foods. The only downside would be that these are a bit pricey. To help with the cost, click here to get an Enjoy Life Foods coupon. You can also find nut-free granola and similar nut-free snacks at FAB Snacks, founded by Jennifer B of the blog Food Allergy Buzz.

Enjoy Life Foods are available at many supermarkets across the U.S. including Whole Foods Market. They are also now available at Jewel grocery stores in the Chicago area--that's where I buy mine.

What are some reader favorites? I can't try them every granola bar out there, so let me know!

Trick-or-Treating with Nut Allergies

When my daughter was first diagnosed with life-threatening peanut and tree nut allergies, we considered not doing the whole trick-or-treating thing. It just seemed counterproductive and potentially harmful emotionally. Why be handed lots of candy that you can't eat? We thought about doing other Halloween activities, like attending Halloween-themed events at the zoo and Chicago museums, but seriously thought about just skipping the candy routine.



My daughter was 5 years old at the time and all she cared about was dressing up like a Disney Princess (that year, I think it was Sleeping Beauty.) She really wanted to go door to door in her fancy costume and I didn't want to have her miss out. Thinking back to my own childhood, Halloween was never only about the candy. It was mostly about dressing up and hanging out with my friends after dark. Candy was a nice side benefit--but definitely not the whole show.



Why should it be any different for my daughter then? We decided to take her out and just have her hand us the obvious unsafe candies--Snickers, Reeses, Butterfingers, M&Ms, and sort through the rest of it later.



It was amusing to see the reactions of neighbors who tried to hand my daughter a Snickers bar. She would politely refuse, ask if they had anything else and then say "OK, then. Thank you anyway" and skip back down the street. Most were like "huh?" A few thought she was being ungrateful or picky. So what? She was so empowered. Finally, I said "just take the candy and I'll put it in a separate bag." That's what she did and all was well.



When we got home, I traded her unsafe candy for a Halloween treats bag: Bonne Belle lip balm, stickers, safe candy and a Halloween book. She loved it!



By the next year, she was running back to me to hand me Snickers bars and the running to the next house without a second thought. Let me tell you, people love their Snickers. I had a bag full of them by the end of the night. No matter. Being with her buddies and dressing up was enough for my daughter--plus she knew she got her own special goody bag later.



A lot of you may wonder "what's the point" about trick-or-treating with nut allergies but if your child really wants to do it, I say go for it. It's a way to show them that they can participate with other kids, while still being careful about their allergy. Now that my daughter is older and her trick-or-treating days are numbered, I'm so glad she enjoyed this. I don't think she'll remember the bag full of Snickers as much as she'll remember the good times she had dressing up, seeing "spooky" decorations and running around in the dark with her friends.

Have a Happy and Safe Halloween!!!

Countdown to Halloween--Are You Ready for the Class Party?

If you're like me, you're gearing up for the classroom Halloween party. Have you done your homework with regard to this school activity yet?

Here are 5 tips for your child's class Halloween party:

1. Find out what foods are allowed. Store bought only? Any other food allergies to consider? Get the info so you can either bake a safe treat or buy something the whole class can enjoy. Now is the time to ask about a nut-free party environment as well.

2. Consider contributing non-edible treats. Stickers, Halloween-themed pencils or small toys add allergy-free fun to a party and best of all, everyone can enjoy them. Check the shelves at Target, Walmart or other discount retailers for great bargains and creative ideas.

3. Contribute some goodies for the entire class. Even if there are other foods at the party that are off-limits to your child (it happens) at least they will able to enjoy one thing that everyone else is eating. This will really help them to feel a part of things.

4. Be available the day of the party. Even if you can't be there, keep your cell phone on and be ready to answer questions. I've been called more times than I can count during a class party and answered questions about specific treats. I don't mind--I'm glad to either steer my child from an unsafe treat or allow them to have it if they can.

5. Role play with your child before the party. If your child is very young or new to nut allergies, this is especially important. Practice with them how to politely refuse food or ask to see a label. In general, tell them to avoid anything they're not sure about. It's never too early to start teaching kids how to handle their allergy.

Chicago Tribune Food Allergen Investigation: Promising Update

Last year, The Chicago Tribune published a series of stories about hidden allergens in foods. Among them were chocolate bars sold at Whole Foods and at that time, marked as nut-free due to "good manufacturing practices." That wasn't true and the Tribune followed many food suppliers and their labels to find alarming inaccuracies.

Last Friday, the paper published an update of this story. You can read the short blurb by clicking this link. Scroll down until you see the heading Allergens. There is a lot of good news for allergic consumers--many of the foods in question have been removed from the Whole Foods shelves, for example. Others companies have pulled product and promised to label the foods accurately.

I get asked about food labels a lot and the fact is, as I just posted about in my recent ice cream post--food labels are random and not policed in many cases. Some companies really have their act together with regard to food allergies--but so many don't.

My best advice is to steer clear of high risk foods if you have any doubts. The old "when in doubt, do without" rule works when labels don't. High risk foods for nut allergies can include chocolate, candy, many ethnic foods, baked goods and baking ingredients.

Always, always ask the company if you don't know what's in their food. If they seem glib or uncertain, avoid their products. Even if they're convincing, you need to do your homework by being aware of who owns the company, what other products they make and what their understanding of "nut-free" is. To some it means a nut-free facility. To others, it means no nuts in the final product. We need to find out where food companies stand and asking them shows them we care.

Still, it's great to know that the Tribune investigation helped pull unsafe foods for food allergies and intolerances. Newspapers are suffering throughout the country but this proves how much they're needed.

One other piece of good consumer news, courtesy of Jennifer of Food Allergy Buzz. Nut-free candy corn is here! A & J Nut-Free Bakery now sells this online. It's made in the U.S. in a nut-free facility. Finally! Go to http://www.foodallergybuzz.com/ for more info.

Nut-Free Consumer Alert: Crazy Ice Cream Labels Make Buying Nut-Free a Tricky Business

Recently, Felice, a fellow Nut-Free Mom and co-founder of the earth-friendly lunch accessories site Litter Free Lunch (www.litterfreelunch.com), contacted me with a heads-up about Edy's brand ice cream. She has two sons with nut allergies and had been giving them Edy's ice cream based on the label that did not have any nut allergy warning. I have also served my child Edy's brand without a problem. The other day, however, Felice thought she'd visit Edy's web site to double-check their ingredients and e-mailed me with her findings. Turns out the web site has a nut allergy warning on each flavor--but not on the packaging in the store.

For example, when you click on the Edy's Slow Churned Vanilla Bean Ice Cream flavor, the site has an allergy warning about peanuts and tree nuts for this ice cream. Click here to see what I'm talking about. I looked at all of the flavors on the site and they all contained that warning. However, there is no allergy warning label on the labels of the actual product that you buy at the store.


Why? Felice sent them an e-mail asking just that. Edy's response was that they are not required to place this on their labels, due to the current FDA regulations that only state you need to list what is actually in the product. Luckily, the FDA has ingredients labels under new review. Obviously, we all need to stay on top of this! As my daughter said "Who is checking a web site when they're at the supermarket? They're only checking the labels." Out of the mouths of babes....



Edy's also stated that they have no dedicated nut-free lines for producing ice cream, but that they carefully clean and sterilize their equipment after using known allergens. Hmmm. Edy's is owned by Nestle (didn't know that till I saw the site) which sheds more light since we know that they have no safe chocolate or baking products for nut-allergic people.


That got Felice interested, so she graciously did some digging that will benefit us all. She contacted Haggen Dazs next and got a similar response to the one from Edy's--no nut-free lines, but careful cleaning and sterilizing of equipment.


I have to add that both of these ice cream manufacturers mentioned in their e-mails, using the exact same wording that they are "happy to answer questions since we live in an increasingly health-conscious society." I thought that was weird--we're talking life-threatening allergic reactions here, not whether or not the foods have too many calories or fat grams. Obviously, not all of these food companies are getting the point of our customer service calls.


Finally, Felice called Ben & Jerry's and they told her they are members of FAAN (who knew?) and that they also do not have dedicated lines, but they clean, sterilize, etc. the equipment after using known allergens and they take food allergies seriously. They also happened to mention that they have not had calls about allergic reactions.

My biggest beef is with Edy's since their allergen warnings should be on the actual labels and not only on their web site. Ghiradelli Chocolate had the same approach awhile back--labels did not reflect allergens but the web site did.

Which just goes to show that you really need to understand how food is manufactured and prepared. I'm not sure what I'm doing about ice cream--besides skipping the Edy's--at this point. Ice cream shops not an option for us, and I was happy that we could at least buy ice cream at the supermarket. Now it looks like that Cuisinart ice cream maker I have will be getting a workout.

Many parents of nut-allergic kids avoid commerical ice creams altogether. I admit I'm uncomfortable with lines that only get "cleaned" of allergens. It's hard to say what's right in this case. I know that in his book "Food Allergies for Dummies," Dr. Robert Wood addressed nut allergies and ice cream. He pointed out that the incidence of allergic reaction from commercial ice cream (that didn't contain an allergen as an ingredient) is low. It's a personal call for each of us to make.

If you want further information, please contact ice cream manufacturers directly. Feel free to share the responses you get!

Thanks to Felice for her dedication and research on this topic!