Do Food Allergies Result in Healthier Eating?

Food allergies force us into the kitchen out of necessity. But sometimes that necessity can turn out to have unexpected health benefits.

Recently on my Nut-Free Mom Facebook page, a reader shared that even though food allergies can be a drag, she had a recent revelation while at the zoo.

Jane K said "I watched my kids chow down on their turkey and avocado sandwiches, on homemade whole wheat bread, with a side dish of apple and strawberries. And homemade pumpkin choco chip cookies for dessert. I looked around, everyone else either had fast food or PBnJ on white bread, with chips... Etc. I realized that my kids are growing up healthier than they would without the allergies. I really have to think about what to feed them, but that means I THINK about what they eat... They aren't going to be these adults that have to force themselves to eat veggies and fruits. The allergies are forcing us to be a very healthy family, and I like it! (Not the allergies, but the fact that my kids are learning to eat so well.)"

I've often thought the same thing. Kind of like, well we have these allergies to deal with but I know my kids are learning to eat healthy foods and that will benefit them over the long term.

Families are so busy today. KIDS are so busy today, their lives filled with so many activities. That's why, besides the health benefits of home cooking, getting into the kitchen together is a great way to spend quality time with your kids. This is not a new idea at all, but one that is easy to forget in the hustle and bustle of every day life.

Some of my best childhood memories take place around the table--in fact the only birthday cakes I remember are the ones that were home-baked for me by my grandmother. Were they fancy? No. (Though they were delicious). When people cook for us we feel loved.

Here is what reader Tina had to say on my FB page: "I have my moments where I am upset about my lil ones food allergies BUT I always come back around to the silver lining :) It forces me to feed my kids healthier foods. It forces me to cook instead of us jumping in the car to get some fast food on a busy night. FA's have certainly forced me out of my comfort zone in the kitchen (which before kids was to open a box and put it in the microwave) but it is a GOOD thing!"

In the spirit of kitchen bonding, I've included the following recipes that are two of our favorite easy-to-make and relatively healthful treats:

Banana Bread

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Craisin Cookies

You can search my blog for dinner ideas, too. I also highly recommend Linda Coss's book "What Else to Eat?" because it has a treasure trove of yummy and healthy allergy-friendly dinner recipes.

What about you? Do you find your family has adapted healthier eating habits because of food allergies?

The Nut-Free Home Baker: Nut-Free Food Coloring, Sprinkles, and More!

Dealing with nut allergies means avoiding bakeries. So now that you have to home bake, what ingredients are safe to use?

Labels don't always reveal all of the information we need. With current labeling laws, they only have to list actual ingredients, not whether or not an item was processed on the same lines as potential allergens. So sometimes we need to do a little more digging to find out.

Through my own research as well as tips from readers of this blog and my Facebook page, I've found that nut-free cake and cookie decorating items like sprinkles, colored sugars and food color are some of the most difficult to find.

If you plan to bake much (and you probably will if you have a child with a nut allergy) then ordering safe nut-free items makes sense. Is it as convenient as a trip to the grocery store? No, but if you stock up you will have what you need when you need it.

The list below offers some suggestions on decorating items that are nut-free. A few you can find at the supermarket, but it's worth ordering some of these online items for a huge variety as well as quality and non-artificial colors, etc. Of course, if you have any questions about products mentioned here or other products I haven't mentioned, please contact the company's customer service department for the most accurate and up-to-date information.

Sprinkles/Cookie and Cake Decor
Let's Do Organic Sprinklez. This company has a detailed list what each product is "free of" on their web site; they are tree nut-free and peanut-free. They are also free of other allergens so click the link above to find out more.

India Tree. This company offers a beautiful array of products with the added bonus of natural colors and flavors. So it's a healthier option in addition to being nut-free. India Tree has really special decor that's hard to find nut-free. The web site has a store locator and you can even order many of their products from Amazon.

Cake Mate/Betty Crocker--Signature Brands These are readily available at the supermarket and many of these are safe for nut allergies. Here is a post I wrote about Cake Mate. Both Cake Mate and Betty Crocker are made by Signature Brands. In my e-mails and phone calls with this company, they tell me they will list cross-contact info on the package. Please contact Signature Brands directly for specific info.

Food Coloring
Sugarcraft. Nut-free food colors and decor, beautiful and natural. Click the link for exact products and product info as well as ordering information.

Americolor. Food coloring that's entirely nut-free. Karen McNeil, one of my Facebook followers, clued me into this one. Thanks, Karen! The colors are deep and rich and unlike a lot of the Wilton gel colors, they are safe for nut allergies. A great find! (Note: Wilton has detailed allergy labels. If you are interested in a specific product, check the label for more info.)

McCormick Brand I've used this brand many times for food coloring--they are very helpful when you e-mail or call. Unfortunately they do not list allergen info on their web site. I wrote about their vanilla extract and I also use their food coloring.

Decorative Candies
Divvies. They have amazing candy that you can use for cake decor. In fact, my daughters just used their "star" candies on a beach cake to make "starfish." This company is so awesome, and they have baked treats in addition to candy that is egg-free, dairy-free and nut-free.

Vermont Nut Free Chocolate One of my all-time faves for nut-free sweets, Vermont Nut Free has jelly beans and other nut-free candies you can use on your cakes and cookies. They also have delicious gourmet cocoa powder for baking as well as baking chocolate.

Food Allergy Products for Back-to-School and Home: Onespot Allergy Color-Coded Labels

When you have a family member with food allergies, sharing cups or other items is more than just potentially germ-inducing--it can trigger accidental allergic reactions. What if there was a product that could help you identify each family member's personal items to cut down on accidental exposures and cross-contact? Wouldn't color-coded labels come in handy here? However, labels you find at office supply stores fade immediately and can't stand up to dishwasher usage.

That's why I'm so happy to tell you about color-coded labels especially designed for this very important purpose. Elizabeth Goldenberg of Onespot Allergy is the mother of a child with severe peanut and tree nut allergies, and she knows firsthand how important it is to keep an allergic person's items separate--and safe. To help identify items at home, she created convenient, color-coded food allergy labels (pictured above). These handy labels can be used on everything: plates, glasses, a lunch kit, water bottles and more items that need to be identified for the food allergic person's use only.

Most labels and inks are made from toxic or carcinogenic materials. Onespot Allergy food allergy labels are non-toxic. The labels are designed to be fade-proof and will stay on your items, even when placed in the dishwasher. Plus, they can be peeled off items without leaving any residue, a huge bonus for the busy mom.

Elizabeth suggests choosing a color for each family member so that everyone knows what belongs to them and to eliminate potentially dangerous mix-ups.

In addition to food allergy labels, Onespot Allergy also offers back-to-school items such as EpiPen belts so that your child can wear their life-saving EpiPens at all times.

If you want to learn more about these color-coded labels, click here to see Elizabeth explain her product in a video.

For more info about any Onespot Allergy items for back-to-school or at home, visit the company web site web site.

Nut-Free Bakery in Chicago Area: Q & A with NutPhree's Cupcakes!

One of the number one questions I get is: Where do you find a nut-free bakery in Chicago? The answer is that it hasn't been easy and mostly non-existent when it comes to cakes or cupcakes. My biggest pet peeve has been places that are "only" peanut-free, but still loaded with tree nuts (making it unsafe for many with nut allergies) or places that use peanuts and tree nuts but still market themselves to food-allergic consumers.

Because nut allergies are so serious, dedicated nut-free bakeries are the only thing I feel that I can trust. Most of the time, the only nut-free bakery out there is my own kitchen.

So I was very happy to hear from Brian Walker, owner of Nutphree's Cupcakes. They are the only dedicated nut-free cupcake bakery that I know of in the Chicago area, so welcome Nutphree's!

I recently asked Brian to share with us a little bit about his new company. You'll be happy to know that while this is a currently home-based business, they are soon opening a storefront bakery.

Thanks, Brian for sharing some info with us. Something tells me that you will have some loyal customers, very soon!

Here is the Q&A with Brian Walker, creator of Nutphree's Cupcakes:

Me: What is your personal experience with food allergies?
Brian: Our oldest son, who is 4-1/2, has a severe peanut and tree nut allergy. When he was first diagnosed with the allergy, we couldn't believe how difficult it was to find baked goods that were safe for him to eat. We found ourselves always having to bake a separate cake or cupcakes anytime we went to birthday party because we weren't sure if the ingredients in the cakes being provided were going to be safe for him to eat. That's when we decided it was time for Nutphree's.

Me: Tell me a little bit about Nutphree's and how you are helping to serve a customer niche.
Brian: We created this business out of need we felt wasn’t currently being fulfilled. We did extensive research to find ingredients from manufacturers that guaranteed safe, nut-free products. We take tremendous joy in providing delicious and safe products which allow those with peanut and tree nut allergies to enjoy the same baked goods as everyone else, especially our young customers.


Me: What is your favorite Nutphree's cupcake? Your son's favorite?
Brian: I’d have to say my favorite cupcake is the Red Velvet with Cream Cheese frosting. Not only does it taste great, it looks great, too. As for my son, he’s all about the vanilla with vanilla frosting.

Me: How do we order and where do you ship to? Do you have a storefront bakery? If so, where?
Brian: Currently, orders can be placed either through our website (www.nutphrees.com) or by calling us up at (847) 754-4320. Until we determine a reasonably inexpensive shipping method that guarantees product freshness and product appearance, we are currently only offering local pickup in Des Plaines, IL or delivery to the nearby surrounding suburbs. We are also in the process of finding a storefront for our bakery. It will most likely be in downtown Arlington Heights, IL or Mount Prospect, IL.

Food Allergy-Friendly "Sunella"--Our Nut-Free "Nutella" Substitute

I don't know if it's all of those Nutella commercials that we've been seeing lately (you know, Nutella for breakfast, etc.) but a lot of you have been contacting me about my recipe for as we call it, "Sunella" a nut-free hazelnut chocolate spread that we make at home using SunButter brand sunflower seed butter.

I posted this recipe awhile ago and when Babble.com was looking for allergy-friendly recipes on their Facebook page, I entered this and won a cookbook! So I hope you'll try it. What follows is my original post:

I used to be a big fan of Nutella, that chocolate-hazelnut spread that is a European sensation but is now widely available in the U.S. I don't have peanut butter or tree nut products in my house anymore, but I definitely have missed Nutella. I bet some of you do, too.

Last week, I remembered that I had (from years ago) a peanut butter-chocolate recipe that was meant to be used as filling for dessert calzones (this recipe was suggested if you didn't have access to Nutella). I used to make these dessert calzones using only Nutella, but that was back in the days before nut allergies came into my life.

I dug up this book and decided to use Sunbutter in this recipe, along with a few other of my changes. I know that some of you with nut allergies also are allergic to seeds, so if you can have soy butter, you can replace the Sunbutter with that. In fact, I've seen a soy butter-chocolate spread at the supermarket, but making your own tastes a lot better if you have the time. Also, I tend to prefer the taste of Sunbutter over soy butter, but of course, use what is appropriate for you.

So here goes: the Sunbutter-chocolate spread recipe followed by the one for dessert calzones. Enjoy!

Sunbutter-Chocolate Spread

2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Hershey's)
2/3 cup milk (any kind--substitute non-dairy if you need to)
1 tsp vanilla extract (I use McCormick or Nielsen-Massey)
1/2 cup Sunbutter sunflower seed spread

In a medium saucepan, stir the sugar and cocoa powder until blended. Gradually stir in the milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, then lower heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for at least 5 minutes. Add the vanilla and Sunbutter, stirring until smooth. Let cool thoroughly before using.

Store this in the refrigerator. It will keep for about a week.

Dessert calzones with Sunbutter-chocolate filling

Use your favorite pizza dough recipe or buy pre-made dough (I sometimes use Pilsbury brand). Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.

Divide the dough into 6 pieces and roll each piece into a 6-7 inch circle. Spoon two tablespoons filling into the center, then fold dough into a half-moon over the filling. Pinch the edges together and fold bottom half over top, crimping to seal well. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, leaving 2 inches between each calzone. Bake until well browned-between 12 and 20 minutes, depending on your oven. Remove from oven and sprinkle with confectioner's sugar. To die for!!!!

Food Allergies and School: Back-to-School Checklist for July

I know, I know, it's early for some of us to think about school, but I've already started getting many questions and hearing concerns from parents who are about to send kids to school for the first time. Plus, there is so much to do, it helps the stress level to start early and avoid the mad rush right before school begins.

It can be scary to contemplate dropping your young child off at school with the knowledge that they will be around food and situations beyond your control, sometimes for the first time. However, if you keep open communication with the school and stay on top of things like parties, you will be one step closer to ensuring a safe and enjoyable school year for you, your child, the teacher and everyone in the class.

July is a good time to get started. If your school office is currently closed, try setting up meetings via e-mail for later in the summer. The important thing is to make contact early so that you can iron out details before the first day of school.

Here are a few things to do this month:

•Schedule any doctor's appointments and have your allergist complete important paperwork such as Food Allergy Action Plans, notes and other medical documents that you need for the school nurse or a 504 Plan if you have one. Make sure to include recent photo of your child (such as a school portrait) that can be glued/taped onto their emergency plan. FAAN has Food Allergy Action Plans on their website.

•Schedule a meeting with the principal and district nurse. If they are on vacation, send them an e-mail or leave a phone message with the distrtict asking for a meeting before school begins. Many schools offer these meetings for parents to discuss everything at one time. This meeting would also be a time to discuss things like peanut-free tables.

• Review your current EpiPen prescriptions and renew them if necessary. Have at least 2 EpiPens for school--one for the health office and one for your child's classroom. Make sure your prescription is current and that you sign up for the new EpiPen registery (there is also a form is included in your prescription.) It lets you know when your Epis are about to expire.

•Invest in an EpiPen carrier for your child -- great designs and colors can be found at Kozy Epi and Activeaide.

•Make sure your child has a Medical ID bracelt (or other medical ID jewelry)such as you'll find at Lauren's Hope (I just interviewed them for this blog) and Hope Paige medical ID jewelery. If your child feels fashionable, her or she will be more excited about wearing this important item.

•Stock up on lunch gear for all those packed lunches you'll be making. Green to Go, offers handy, reusable lunch containers for back-to-school with the added bonus of being eco-friendly.

Full disclosure: Green to Go, Lauren's Hope and Hope Paige, mentioned above, are advertisers on this blog. Click their logos if you'd like more info about any of these companies.

Got Food Allergies? Visiting Relatives? You Can Make It Work

Summer is the time that many of us get in the car, hit the road and visit the relatives. For many of us, these are folks we haven't seen in awhile and they may not be fully aware how much food allergies can affect our lives. Also, there can be more family baggage involved than simply what you've packed in the trunk of your car.

Some family members are ready and willing to help accommodate a severe food allergy. They understand that it's not a food preference, but a medical condition and they accept the dangers. Other family members are less receptive and/or less informed about it so it's going to be your job to be proactive so that you can have fun and also, a safe trip.

Family relationships can get strained over food allergies, but there are some things you can do to help.

- Call ahead. Don't just show up at your appointed time and expect everything to go smoothly. Especially if you're staying with relatives and even if you aren't, give a shout out and discuss the food allergy situation. You will want to give people a heads up about foods to avoid but also you want to reassure your family that you will help provide safe meals and won't leave it all up to them.

- Bring food. Pack enough non-perishable safe treats, either homemade or from places like Enjoy Life Foods or Divvies so that your allergic child is not left without good stuff during family meals or snack times. Stocking up will also save you and your family the stress of last-minute grocery runs or overheated discussions about "just one bite won't hurt" and "why can't he have the plain M&Ms?" etc.

- Be fun. Food is part of the social fabric that holds families together but it can also be divisive if you're dealing with food allergies, so don't let all the focus go to the food. Once you arrive, organize a family vs. family soccer game, go to a movie or beach or bring your favorite board game and engage everyone in a fun activity that doesn't revolve around food. Everyone will be having too much fun to comment on what your kid is or isn't eating.

- Plan activities that allow you to bring your own meals. If you're visiting a zoo or amusement park, for example, you will want to make sure you can bring a picnic lunch so that you don't have to rely on the food allergy-unsafe food options found at these places. Everyone loves a picnic, so help pack a good one and then you can focus on the activity instead of finding what so often turns out to be as easy as finding a needle in a haystack -- a "safe" lunch or dinner while out and about.

Kids Allergy Bracelets and More: Q & A with Lauren's Hope Medical ID Jewelry!

I recently learned about Lauren's Hope medical ID jewelry from some other parents at the FAAN conference in Chicago. Kids allergy bracelets are a crucial item once we receive a diagnosis of severe food allergies, but many times kids don't want to wear them. What I liked about Lauren's Hope is the the fashion factor--they are so wearable! I ordered my daughter a "mood-changing" bracelet (like the blue one pictured above) and necklace and she loves them--and at 11, they have to love it to wear it. The red bracelet pictured is for swimming, perfect for summer. To provide more information to readers about medical ID jewelry, I asked Lauren's Hope to do a Q & A about their fabulous jewelry and kids allergy jewelery in general. Here's what they had to say:

Me: What is the inspiration for Lauren's Hope jewelry?

Lauren's Hope: In the past, medical ID bracelets have been big, bold, and not at all pretty. They can draw attention to a person’s condition, which can make people (especially kids and teenagers) feel “different” and self-conscious. Obviously, if they aren’t wearing it – it can’t help. At Lauren’s Hope, we are trying to change that. We want to encourage the use of medical ID jewelry, so making the medical ID bracelet attractive and worthy of their wardrobe was the answer. Through the creativity and expertise of our designers, we have created hundreds of beautiful pieces of medical jewelry that even the most style-savvy teenager would love to wear. Our motto is Safety with Style and that’s the balance we try to strike with every product.

Me: What are your most popular styles for boys and girls, respectively?

Lauren's Hope: The most popular medical identification style for boys would be our medical ID dog tag necklaces. These ID necklaces are durable enough to wear 24/7 and come in stainless steel and colored aluminum. Each medical ID dog tag can be custom engraved with up to 5 lines of information. Our most popular medical ID bracelet for girls would have to be our groovy color changing mood bead medical ID bracelet. This style has stood the test of time and changes color with each change in mood. This is also great for parents! Generally speaking, younger boys and girls tend to gravitate toward medical ID's that are bright and cheerful, yet durable enough to provide lasting protection from the playground to an awards banquet.

Me: Any new or innovative products that you want to tell us about?

Lauren's Hope: The heat of summer is upon us and with that in mind our designers have created dozens of new styles that are water friendly and durable. We've focused on bright colors with hot pink and flowers being the theme among our medical ID bracelets for girls. Boys are always on the go, swimming and playing with friends and the go-to summer ID has to be our waterproof adjustable medical alert bands. Our designers have done a fantastic job of keeping up with the trends, so for women we have dozens of brand new multi-strand beaded medical ID bracelets and necklaces galore! The classic durable stainless steel medical ID bracelets are always a popular option for men.

Me: What information should be on medical ID jewelry?

Lauren's Hope: Determining what you should engrave on your medical ID tag can be tough - especially with multiple allergies, medications and conditions. Thankfully, we offer plenty of room to engrave your most vital medical information in a clear and concise manner. You doctor will be able to provide you with their suggestions on how to phrase your medical conditions, but there are other key pieces of information that should be included on your medical ID. Let's talk about what you should engrave on your medical ID tag if you have a severe allergy.

First and Last Name - Typically customers will request we engrave their first and last name on the very first line of their medical ID tag. This makes it easy to drill down to your medical records in the event of an emergency.

Medical Condition(s) - If you have a medical condition other than an allergy such as Diabetes or Epilepsy you should list this directly underneath your first and last name. EMT's and ER doctors should have as much medical information as possible in case you are unable to communicate.

Life Threatening Allergies - Many of our customer's have severe allergies to tree nuts, peanuts, stinging insects and shellfish. If you carry an EPI pen that should be administered in an emergency, be sure list that as well. Remember, with room to engrave up to 5 lines there's almost always room to fit everything you need.

In Case of Emergency - This would be the first person you would like called in an emergency. For children, this is often times mom and/or dad. Simply listing MOM 555-888-7777 is just fine.

Doctor's Phone Number - If there is room, you can also list your doctor's phone number. You can simply have DR. 555-888-7777 engraved here.

Helpful Tip: If you find yourself running out of room to engrave everything on your medical ID tag you can choose to have 1 line engraved with SEE WALLET CARD. Lauren's Hope will then send you a free wallet card which you can fill out with additional details and medical information. You can also download a free wallet card on our blog by visiting: http://blog.laurenshope.com/download-your-free-wallet-card/

Me: Lauren's Hope has such attractive products--how do emergency medical techs know to distinguish medical IDs from regular fashion jewelry?

Lauren's Hope: This is always first and foremost in our minds when designing new products. Emergency medical personnel are well aware that they shouldn’t just be looking for a stainless steel chain anymore and are trained to look at the wrist and neck for medical identification. Medical jewelry now comes in all shapes and colors. Each of our medical ID bracelets and necklaces feature a brightly colored medical caduceus symbol top and center. This is the universal symbol for medical information and is always featured prominently on our medical ID jewelry. Our medical ID tags are an 1 1/2" in length which is large enough to be seen in the event of an emergency and also allows plenty of room for your most vital medical information. We have had customers request a smaller medical ID tag over the years, but because we feel so strongly that you want your tag to be noticed in an emergency situation we've kept our original size and design.

To view Lauren's Hope complete medical ID jewelry collection please visit www.LaurensHope.com. We invite you to browse our site and call us at 1-800-360-8680 with any questions you may have.