Happy Nut-Free Holidays: Nut-Free Candy & Treats Finds, Holiday Party Tips and More

Nut-free holiday cookies: you'll find the recipe in this post. Read on.

One holiday down, a few more to go! Holiday time is very busy for all of us, so I wanted to share some of my most popular holiday posts in a sort of "roundup" blog post.

I've included links to posts on nut-free holiday candy you can find at the supermarket, recipes for nut-free treats and holiday party tips that allow you to have a safe and healthy time with food-allergic family members. (Also see the post just before this one for info on navigating those holiday dinners with food allergies).

Food allergies can be very stressful at the holidays and sometimes we feel like we have to attend every party and event, even if we know it will be difficult. Depending on how close you are with the hosts and the strength of your interest in attending the party or event, go easy on yourself. If you want to skip something, it's OK. I don't advocate avoiding everything, but the amount of social demands this time of year can be overwhelming, and if you are a family dealing with food allergies, it can feel impossible to keep a kid safe at some of these things. So, use your judgment and have fun is my motto.

A word about candy, especially chocolate: labeling laws do NOT require "may contains" language or "processed on equipment with" language. Some companies may choose to put that information on a label, but it is, at this point in time, voluntary. So if you pick up, say, a chocolate in the shape of the "Frozen" characters and it has no warning for cross-contact, "may contain,", etc, that doesn't necessarily mean it is safe. Call/e-mail companies if you need additional information. If you can't find out the info, then use the links in this post for some safe nut-free suggestions. But remember: ingredients labels/manufacturing procedures can change and frequently do. Be an informed consumer and read labels, even if you see the item featured here.

I also want to give a thank you to Nutphree's and Surf Sweets, two nut-free food makers who are currently sponsoring my blog. Their products are delicious, high-quality, NUT-FREE always, and available in some supermarkets and specialty stores, making them a great resource for nut-free holiday treats. Nutphree's has its owns storefront in the Chicago suburbs, so check it out. Surf Sweets is also available online.

On to the nut-free holiday article roundup. Click each link to go directly to the article.

Tips for a happy, nut-free holiday

Nut-free holiday/Christmas candy

Nut-free Christmas recipes

Snowball cookies (pictured above) recipe

Are you a Pinner? Check out these boards on my Pinterest page:

Nut-Free Christmas Sweets

Holidays with Food Allergies

For general nut allergy information, especially for those of you new to dealing with this issue, my e-book, The New Nut-Free Mom: A Crash Course in Caring for Your Child with Nut Allergies is a concise, compassionate resource. You can find out how to get it by clicking this link.

Your readership and kind comments mean the world to me! I'm so glad that this blog is a helpful resource for so many of you. As this year draws to a close, I wish all of you a wonderful, safe, happy, healthy holiday with your children and families!!

Chicago-Area Friends: Halloween Candy Trade-In at Nutphree's Cupcakes -- Last 2 Days!

Hi everyone! I have a timely new message for my Chicagoland readers! (And I apologize, I meant to have this up earlier. I've been light on the posts lately just due to life in general and the fact that I'm revising a book and trying to finish before New Year's. :))

Back to the news: The wonderful Nutphree's Cupcakes (one of my site sponsors) has this to say about all that candy the kids with food allergies may have collected a few days ago but can't eat: 

"We’re happy to be hosting our Trade Your Candy for a Cupcake program again this year. Kids can bring in their well-earned haul from Nov 1 through Nov 7 and take home a FREE cupcake or non-food treat! All candy collected will be sent overseas to deployed soldiers through Operation Gratitude."

Nutphree's is open until 6 pm tomorrow, so if you can, head over there! Check their web site for more info. If you've never been in this bakery, you will be amazed at the beautiful nut-free cupcake and treat selection.

I'm also happy to note that Nutphree's is bringing their cupcakes to several grocery stores in the Chicagoland area, including Whole Foods and  Mariano's.

THANK YOU Nutphree's for being such a caring (and delicious) resource to families dealing with nut allergies. Your baking creations are beautiful works of art and I appreciate all you do!

What if you live elsewhere? If you have a similar buy-back program for Halloween candy in your area or if you have info on nut-free baked goods available near you, we want to know about it, especially with the holidays on the horizon.

Which brings me to my next topic and one I will be covering with a new post next week:

Even before Halloween, I saw a post about nut allergy issues on a local parenting mag web site, so I will be addressing the issue of dealing with holiday, social situations and  nut allergies in the next few days on this blog. 

In the meantime, I've got lots of posts about Thanksgiving and nut allergies. Below you'll find two of the most popular; click the links below to read them. You can find even more articles, including nut-free Thanksgiving recipes, if you use key words in the search bar located in the upper left-hand corner of this site.

Food Allergies Don't Take a Thanksgiving Holiday 

Pumpkin Pie Ingredients: The News on Libby's and Carnation: 

(Regarding this last post: Food labels can change -- at any time! Please always check labels/call companies if you need additional information on allergens.)

And of course, if you haven't already, check out my e-book for encouragement and advice on navigating life with nut allergies.

Unli

Halloween, Holidays and Nut Allergies: What's In Your Food?

That's Nancy Drew on the left. :)

It's official: we've embarked on the holiday season. How do I know? Well, besides the fact that every store is screaming Halloween, with some Thanksgiving and Christmas creeping in on those side aisles, Love Actually was on TV this weekend and the Hallmark network is starting their Christmas movie season on October 31st! Yep, you read that right.

I love the holidays but there is one thing that drives me a little bit nuts and that's, well, peanuts and tree nuts showing up in unexpected places. We can have lots of fun at this hectic time but we've got to be careful. No getting around it.

This topic is something I've covered in my e-book and also touched on in several blog posts, but I don't think it's something I've covered recently here, in detail, so please bear with me.

Basically, any food is up for grabs at this time of year.  Well, this rule holds all year, but the fall and winter holiday season is the time that people break out the tree nuts, in particular. Peanuts also show up in all sorts of Halloween and other holiday candy. You've got to be vigilant with all the tasty treats out there and that includes candy, baked goods, savory dishes -- you name it.

 This is the best thing you can do: if you don't know what's in a food or can't identify an ingredient -- SKIP IT! I know it's not always fun, but it's the safest thing. And take heart, because there are so many good things out there right now. I'll include a couple of Halloween blog posts I've written at the end of this one for ideas. I hope everyone who is in the Chicago  area is already partaking of Nutphree's awesome cupcakes (now available at Mariano's grocery stores). They will custom make stuff for you at their storefront bakery or buy ready-made at Mariano's. You can always decorate them. 

Remember, too, that all treats don't have to be sweets. This is a good slogan for the food-allergic and unfortunately, one I can't take credit for -- it was on the most recent Oriental Trading Company catalog. If you haven't perused that catalog in awhile, you can simply go online to their site for terrific non-food Halloween treats, party games and a lot more.

Another thing I want to point out to not only the nut allergy newbies, but to everyone: not everything that contains peanuts or tree nuts is going to be obvious. So even if you've been doing this for a few years, be careful.

I remember last year's Halloween treats bag. My younger daughter got a bunch of those old-fashioned candies called "Bit O' Honey." I never knew that they contained finely ground ALMONDS and only discovered that when I read the minuscule print on the side of the candy wrapper. I'm so glad they listed it but I've known about that candy for pretty much my entire life and never knew it had almonds. Learn from me: never assume a candy is nut-free unless you've checked it out personally. 

Here are some other seasonal foods that make an appearance especially during the holidays, and that contain peanuts or tree nuts:

Marzipan  - this is an almond paste used to make candy but also to decorate cakes -- it holds its shape and you can make elaborate cake decor with it. There's nothing in the name to suggest nuts, but they are there.

Linzer Torte - this is a European fruit pastry (or cookie) with generally, almonds, in the crust. Avoid any torte for that matter -- "tortes" usually have tree nut flour as a large component of their ingredients.

Flourless chocolate cake -- again these cakes may contain almond flour in place of wheat flour. 

Imported candy - some imported candy can be safe for nut allergies -- Haribo brand gummy bears are one example. However, a lot of the cute, different and fun stuff you find at say, World Market, or other stores along those lines is going to have at least tree nuts in the ingredients, especially the chocolates.

Ferrero Rocher chocolates - these European chocolates have hazelnuts inside. Avoid them if you are allergic to tree nuts.

Nougat - nougat means nuts! Avoid any candy containing nougat.

Truffles - some delicious nut-free truffles exist, such as those from Dean's Sweets and Vermont Nut Free. (I recommend both companies for nut-free chocolate.) However, your garden variety truffle either contains tree nuts or came into contact with them. Avoid them.

Bags of assorted Halloween candy - check the labels. Your favorite brands sometimes package differently at Halloween to include a candy assortment that includes stuff you can't have. So what is "safe" may be alongside candy like Reese's, creating cross-contact risk. Stick to the bags of candy that are all "nut-free" such  as the assortments provided by  Tootsie Roll company. All of their candies are tree nut-free, peanut-free and gluten-free. Please also see candies like the all-natural, nut-free and top-8 allergy-free "Surf Sweets" candy. You can learn more about them by clicking the image with the Spooky Spiders to the right of this post.

This list is by no means complete -- you will have to look at everything you consume before serving it to a nut-allergic child or adult. However, I hope I've hammered home my point that many foods you or others might not think about may contain nut allergens and you can't ever assume that they don't without checking it out first.

Now for a few Halloween posts from years past. Click the links to go directly to those articles.

Nut-Free Haunted House Cakes and Nut-Free Candy Ideas - make an edible haunted house with a nut-free pumpkin cake recipe. Easy and delicious.

Halloween with Food Allergies: Thoughts from a Mom Who's Been There

Halloween with Food Allergies: Tips and Treats

If you're new to navigating life with nut allergies or just need a refresher, check out my handy guide: The New Nut-Free Mom. On Amazon, Nook or for your computer/iPad.

Remember to consider all of your allergy needs before serving any food to an allergic person -- you are the best judge of your exact situation. For accurate, up-to-date information on foods and food labels, call the company directly.

It's Nut-Free Candy Corn Time Again! Peanut-Free, Tree Nut-Free and Yummy

On my Twitter feed today, I shared a funny graphic featuring a burly Game of Thrones actor suited up for battle and posing with the caption: Brace Yourselves, Pumpkin Flavored Everything Is Coming!

Just as an example, I think Starbucks already has its pumpkin spice latte for sale (but don't quote me on that.) I just know that I read an article stating that treat is being introduced earlier than last year. And that's just the tip of the pumpkin spice-flavored iceberg.

When pumpkin-flavored everything is arriving in our stores and eateries, that means that it's time to start scouting out the NUT-FREE Halloween goodies available to us.

I have many posts on this blog that talk about Halloween candy safe for peanut and tree nut allergies (and I'll have more, of course as we get closer to the big day) but with the pumpkin spice invasion already underway, I thought it was high time that I talked about one of the trickiest nut-free treats to locate: CANDY CORN.

There are candy corn lovers out there and candy corn haters. For those of you who belong in the former category, or who have kids that do, I am happy to share a tip on one of my favorite sources for nut-free candy corn: A & J Nut-Free Bakery in Rhode Island. They make truly tasty and yes, NUT-FREE candy corn that is such a huge hit (probably at least a little bit in part to the loyal devotion of my candy corn-loving blog readers) that they are now offering this Halloween delicacy year round.

My daughter is already asking for candy corn from A & J's, so I figured some of you might be hearing the plea from your kids.

If you're new to this whole nut allergy thing, you might be thinking to yourself "How hard can it be to find nut-free candy corn?" I hear you, but this is one of those tricky items that always seems to carry a nut allergy warning. That's why my family has become such A & J Bakery devotees--it's delicious, arrives quickly and it's produced in a nut-free facility.

I've also spotted nut-free candy corn at the Dollar Store, made by a brand called Sunrise Foods. I have not had a chance to re-check their packaging yet this season, so if any of you have, let us know in the comments.

Another seasonal treat that you may have spotted on the shelves: Spooky Spiders from Surf Sweets, one of my site sponsors. Spooky Spiders are an adorable and tasty organic gummy candy free of all the top allergens, gluten and artificial anything. Look for these at natural foods stores or order online from places like Peanut Free Planet.

Here are some more Halloween posts from The Nut-Free Mom blog that you may find helpful:

Halloween with Food Allergies: Thoughts from a Mom Who's Been There

Trick or Treating with Food Allergies?

If you're a nut allergy newbie, welcome! I hope you find this blog helpful. If you're looking for a short and easy to follow guide to navigating life with a nut allergy, please check out my e-book today: Find it on Amazon here, or you can also get it in other formats, including for your computer or iPad. Click here for more details.

You can find A & J bakery candy corn by clicking this link to their web site.

What about you? Any nut-free candy finds or tips? Share in the comments below!

Back-to-School with Nut Allergies: Nut-Free Foods & Resources

Back to school time is upon us – for some of us, it’s already begun. To help you get ready for school with nut allergies, I have a bunch of links that I will share at the end of this post.

In the meantime, here's a new list of resources and items that you will find helpful in navigating a nut-free school year.

http://www.ok2bpnutfree.com/

First I want to talk about the wonderful company, OK2BPNUTFREE, one of my site advertisers. Run by the parent of a child with nut allergies, the company offers eye-catching medicine kits to keep at school, allergy-awareness clothing and labels to help identify your food-allergic child’s belongings. Please check them out – I especially love the “shot kit” as it can be personalized for your child and will be easy to spot in case of emergency.

Now onto the nut-free food and snacks, always an issue at this time of year, what with lunches, after-school snacks, etc.  I’m always happy to find allergy-friendly foods on the shelves that clearly state “Nut-free” and that are made in a nut-free facility. Just kind of makes life easier. Luckily, those types of foods are increasing.

For example, I recently discovered the following:

Go Raw seeds. Most pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds contain frustrating statements about being processed on the same lines as peanuts or tree nuts. Not these: they clearly state NUT-FREE on the label. Plus they are “sprouted” seeds, so they are considered especially healthy to eat. Besides all that, these just taste great. The family is hooked. Please note that these seeds are not cheap; we paid $9 for a big bag at my local Fruitful Yield, a natural foods chain. However, they are an economical choice if you use them to create your own trail mix. I love prepared nut-free trail mix but it is $$$$!! (Seeds are not a nut, but please ask your doctor if your child can have seeds. Some kids with nut allergies are allergic to multiple foods.) www.goraw.com for more info. Nut and peanut-free, gluten-free, vegan.

Soy Wonder Soy Butter. I’m normally not a big fan of soy butter and have tried multiple brands looking for one I like – and then I tried this stuff. I love the crunchy version. This is perfect for cookies, nut-free granola bars (see my recipe) and of course, sandwiches. I generally prefer SunButter sunflower seed butter for just about anything, but Soy Wonder is a great choice for baking because you have no worries about the green color you sometimes get when using sunflower seed butter (due to the photosynthesis of sunflower seeds.) I found Soy Wonder at Publix in Florida; you can also get it at some Walmart stores and order it online from Amazon. It's peanut/tree nut-free, wheat-free, dairy-free and gluten-free.

Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels. – Regular size. I spotted these babies at Super Target a few days ago. Hooray! First ELF made the mini chips, then the chunks – both are good and nut-free. But the regular sized chips? Imagine the possibilities. These add a nice dark chocolate flavor to your baked goods, or add them to your nut-free trail mix with the seeds above. Nut-free, gluten-free, dairy-free.

Nutphree's Cupcakes. If you are in the Chicago area, you can now find these fabulous peanut-free/tree nut-free cupcakes at Mariano's grocery stores. Look in the bakery where they have a specialty section of prepacked Nutphree's goodies. Visit the Nutphree's web site for more info. Nutphree's is a longtime advertiser on my site and I've used their products on numerous occasions.

Going back to school with a life-threatening peanut/tree nut allergy isn’t only about the food and the gear you need. Please see my posts below for even more discussion about navigating nut allergies at school. And all the best to you and your family this year!!

School lunch ideas and back-to-school resources 

Food allergies at school: Advice and links

Food Allergy Action Plan from FARE: have your physician complete this form. 

What we should be able to expect from schools with regard to food allergies

Working around food allergies at class parties