Winter Travel Tips for Food Allergies

Have epinephrine, will travel? Before you go, be prepared.

I hope you all have had a wonderful holiday season so far! Maybe you're in the midst of traveling right now, or maybe you've got a winter getaway planned. Either way, I thought now was a good time to review some tips for safe travel with food allergies. Travel with food allergies goes much, much more smoothly if you have all your ducks in a row before you leave. Hey, you're packing for the kids anyway, so here's just a few more things to remember. If you're kids are old enough, be sure to include them in the process. It's good practice for them.

The important thing is to be prepared for anything, so with that in mind, here goes:

- Bring extra medication. Asthma meds, epinephrine auto injectors, etc. -- have extra in case one goes missing. Most airlines allow these items through security without but a doctor's note will ensure that you can bring these necessary items with you if you leave the U.S.

- Make sure you've got your doctors' phone numbers and info easily accessible. Program this info into your cell phone to make sure you've got it if there is (hopefully not!) an emergency.

- Bring your food allergy action plan. In the event anything goes wrong, having this doctor-approved plan will help you stay calm and take the right steps in the event of an emergency. FAAN has a link to this action plan that you can download for free. Make sure it's completed by your doctor. (This is a great document for any caregiver, school, etc.)

- Bring a small cooler with a couple of meals (for car travel) or at least one meal in an insulated lunch bag (if necessary) for air travel. Traveling with food allergies is like a box of chocolates--you never know what you're gonna get. Eliminate the need for possibly unsafe food by being prepared with some of your own meals -- and pack some extra items to allow for travel delays. You also won't be forced into feeding your child a restaurant meal from a place you haven't researched. If you aren't sure about the availability of certain foods once you reach your destination, you may want to ship a box of allergy-safe items in advance.

- Stock up on safe snacks. Crackers, allergy-friendly granola or trail mix (Enjoy Life Foods makes both of these free of most top food allergens), cookies from Skeeter Snacks (found at many grocery stores) would be some things to keep on hand. Fresh fruits, raisins and cut up veggies are also good, healthy choices. SunButter in small packets is great if you can have it. Whatever your kids like--if you have some nut-free options on hand it will be hugely appreciated when hunger strikes or if you face the inevitable delays that seem to happen while traveling. A few safe sweet treats on hand are helpful when kids can't have bakery items and other things that pose cross-contact risk.

- Bring a place mat. A washable place mat is a great way to cut down on cross-contact when feeding your child away from home. Or use a paper towel to protect the table.

- Make sure you've got a couple of safe restaurant options at your destination. A quick Internet search and a couple of phone calls will ensure less "dining out drama" on your trip. A great place to start your search: Allergy Eats. I recently used this online restaurant resource for food allergies and it was a huge help in pointing us in the right direction.

- The grocery store is your friend. Eating every meal at a restaurant, fast food or otherwise, isn't only costly, it adds to the food allergy risk. If your room has a refrigerator, the fixings of a sandwich, a quick breakfast or snack will take the pressure off so you can focus on enjoying your trip, not constant restaurant navigation.

Peanut-Free Finds: Tootsie Roll (R) Candies Made in a NUT-FREE Facility

Tootsie Roll (R) candies are produced in a dedicated, nut-free facility.

I got an e-mail from a parent last night who said she received a really nice note from Tootsie Roll industries. This mom had sent Tootsie Roll a thank-you note for being a candy that kids with peanut and tree nut allergies could safely enjoy. What a great idea, to let companies know why you appreciate their nut-free policies. I'm glad she shared her experience with me.

This mom's e-mail also made me realize that a lot of people might not know that Tootsie Rolls are made in a dedicated nut-free facility. This is the case for their entire family of products, like Caramel Apples, Junior Mints, Tootsie Pops, Sugar Babies, Dubble Bubble gum, Andes Candies and many more. Click this link to see Tootsie Roll's entire family of products. If you are looking for a last-minute Halloween candy for your nut-allergic child (or for yourself), then Tootsie Roll brand candies are an option easily accessible in nearly every store.

Caramel Apple Pops are just one of the products made by Tootsie in their nut-free facility.

Here is some more allergen information directly from the Tootsie web site:

Do any of your products contain peanuts or nuts?

At this time, all of our confections are completely peanut, tree nut and nut product free. We have no peanut or tree nut products in any of our facilities.

Which of your products is gluten free?

At this time, all of our confections are gluten free with the exception of Andes cookies. We do not use wheat, barley, rye, oats, triticale, spelt or any of their components and that includes our dusting on our conveyor belts. We do use corn and soy products in the manufacturing of our products.

 

All Tootsie products are:

• Gluten-Free (All Tootsie products are gluten free except Andes cookies.)
• Peanut-Free
• Nut Product-Free

Tootsie does not use wheat, barley, rye, oats, triticale, spelt, or any of their components, either as ingredients or as part of the manufacturing process.

Corn and soy products are used during the manufacturing process.

Kosher Products: Tootsie Rolls, Tootsie Fruit Rolls, Frooties and DOTS have become kosher-certified by the Orthodox Union (OU). “We take great pride in producing wholesome confectionery products with fresh ingredients of the highest quality. This will bring our iconic brands to an entirely new consumer base that can now enjoy our products,” said Ellen Gordon, President, Tootsie Roll Industries. More Halloween candy supermarket finds made in a dedicated nut-free facility: You  can find Surf Sweets gummy candies (free of the top 8 food allergens and organic) including worms and spooky spiders at specialty grocers and Whole Foods; Skeeter Snacks cookies (peanut and tree nut-free) are available at many supermarkets and Costco; Yummy Earth lollipops (top 8 allergen free and organic) are available at many supermarkets and specialty grocers, even Toys R Us; Divvies nut-free, egg-free and dairy-free candies and treats are at specialty stores and Wegman's supermarkets. Time is running out to order from awesome online retailers  and nut-free bakeries like Premium Chocolatiers, Sweet Alexis bakery, Nutphree's, Deans' Sweets (gourmet chocolates) Cakes for Occasions and Vermont Nut Free Chocolates! If you haven't ordered yet, check to see if you can still get a Halloween delivery. Many of these also have local storefronts, so see the links for more details. If you live in the area, you can always stop in! What are your favorite Halloween nut-free supermarket finds?