Food Allergy-Friendly Supermarket Easter Candy Finds

Easter is this Sunday and for those of you who are looking for allergy-friendly candy, you'll be glad to know that there are more choices in stores than I've seen in past years. For this post, I've chosen only to feature the candies marked as 100% nut-free and allergy-friendly for many food allergies, just because right now there isn't a lot of time to second-guess manufacturing processes, etc. And luckily, for the following candies, we don't have to. Plus, the following candies are all gluten-free.

First up, one of my favorite gummy candies is Surf Sweets (pictured). Free of GMOs, organic, and free of the top 8 food allergens. You can find these at Whole Foods and other specialty food stores. Go to their web site to find stores. My kids clamor for these--they are really tasty! Adults love them, too.

While you are at Whole Foods, go to the candy bar aisle and pick up Boom Choco Boom Bars from Enjoy Life Foods for the chocolate lovers on your list. This is dairy-free, nut-free chocolate that tastes great AND is it free of the top 8 allergens. The candy is made in a dedicated, free-from facility.

What would Easter be without jelly beans? Recently, we featured Gimbal's jelly beans in Allergic Living magazine and I am a huge fan! You can find them at Wal-Mart and some other supermarkets. Fun, colorful, tasty and free of the top 8 allergens, these are made with natural ingredients and come in 41 delicious flavors.

Divvies nut-free, egg-free, dairy-free (and gluten-free) candies are another Easter staple and best of all, they are now available in select supermarkets and specialty food stores including Wegman's. Go to the Divvies web site for a store locator; you can also order online. You can find so many good things at Divvies including chocolate bunnies and rock candy.

Finally, if you are still poking around Whole Foods, don't miss Yummy Earth organic gummy candies and lollipops. These are free of high-fructose corn syrup and free of the top 8 allergens. Right now, Whole Foods has mini packs of the gummy bears (at our store, they were on sale this past weekend!), perfect for the Easter basket.

Nut-Free, Allergy-Friendly Halloween Candy: A Few of My Faves

October is here and the witching season has begun for finding nut-free, delicious and "spirited" treats that are safe for nut allergies. I'd like to share three of my favorites with you and urge you to order your treats now because some of these are annual sell outs! First up is the delightful assortment of goodies from Divvies treats: these are nut-free, egg-free and dairy-free and all of the candies are gluten-free as well. Best of all, Divvies offers Halloween-themed shapes, colors and complete deliciousness. You will never even know what is not in these goodies because they taste so amazing. Imagine your little one's face when they see the solid chocolate ghost pictured above and realize that they CAN have it.

Next, I've got to mention Vermont Nut-Free Chocolate. Check out the Haunted House pictured above--it arrives packed with Halloween-themed chocolate treats. This Haunted House is an annual fave for my kids but be sure to also check out the wonderful and whimsical chocolate selections for Halloween. This is gourmet, smooth and delicious chocolate at its finest. So delicious that I would recommend you get some extra for yourself because otherwise there might not be anything left for your kids by the time Halloween rolls around. Yes, it's that good.

While you're on the site, VNF also have a great assortment for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hannukah. Please note: Vermont Nut-Free is perfect for those with ONLY peanut or tree nut allergies; these candies do contain other allergens.

Last but not least, you asked and here it is: nut-freecandy corn from A and J Bakery. This candy corn is nut and gluten-free! It sells out year after year so click the link to order now.

I don't know what I'd have done all these years without these terrific online resources. There is nothing like knowing that a candy is absolutely safe for your child to eat. And when they are as delicious and attractive as these candies, they're not missing out on anything at all. In fact, don't be surprised if other moms want to know "where did you get that?"

Food Allergy Awareness Week Recipe Swap on The Motherhood!

Next week on May 10, I will be joining in the chat at The Motherhood where we will share our favorite allergy-friendly recipes! I have a few I'm thinking of right now, sond I hope you will gather some of your favorites and join us at The Motherhood Recipe Swap.

This is part of the Cooking Connections series hosted by Lori Sandler of Divvies, and so far the chats have been wonderfully entertaining and informative. Lori is such a warm and knowledgeable food allergy advocate -- she is doing a great job with these chats, so join us!

Here's how the chats work: you register for the chat on The Motherhood web site and then post questions, comments and in this case, recipes and photos of our creations during the live chat.

Parents of kids with food allergies tend to be accomplished cooks and bakers by necessity so please join us on May 10, 1 pm EST, at The Motherhood for what is sure to be a fun and delicious chat experience.

Vermont Nut-Free Coupon Code news:
Also, Friday, May 6 is the last day to use your Vermont Nut-Free Chocolates coupon code exclusively for Nut-Free Mom blog readers. Nut-Free Mom blog readers will receive a 10% discount on all items in the order, excluding shipping charges. Enter NFM10 at the top of the shopping cart in the keycode box. It is not case-sensitive.

Use code and save 10% off your purchase today!

Peanut Allergy Easter Candy (and other Food Allergies): The EB Has Some Options! Plus, a Vermont Nut-Free Giveaway!

For those of us dealing with peanut allergies and other food allergies at Easter, we often feel like the Easter Bunny may have a sparse basket to share with our food-allergic kids and family members. I'm happy to report that there seems to be more options than ever before that make it a lot easier on EB. Also, non-edible items are a big hit at my house and I encourage you to try those as well. I'll have more on non-edible suggestions in an upcoming post. Now, onto the candy!

Divvies is a fabulous choice for egg-, nut- and dairy-allergic people. Click the link to discover chocolate bunnies, jelly beans and other fabulously delicious "safe" candies for Easter. Hurry though--they tend to sell out quickly--they're that good!

For nut allergies only (this is what my family deals with) we love, love, love Vermont Nut-Free Chocolate. This is guaranteed, nut-free goodness made in a dedicated nut-free facility. Currently, Vermont Nut Free is backed up with Easter orders and can no longer guarantee Easter delivery. However, Vermont Nut-Free was also kind enough to offer a nut-free chocolate Easter giveaway to readers of The Nut-Free Mom blog! VNF recently provided me with Easter chocolate and I can ship it to you directly. The winner will receive: a dark chocolate Easter Bunny pop, a crispy rice chocolate bunny bar and a small Easter-shaped chocolate assortment (2.8 oz). Yum! That certainly dresses up a nut-free Easter basket! Please note: this is peanut- and tree nut-free only. May contain other food allergens such as egg and soy.

All you have to do is comment on this post TODAY and TOMORROW ONLY (Wed. and Thurs.) for your chance to win. When commenting, I'd love to hear how you celebrate Easter nut-free (or other holidays nut-free, egg-free, wheat-free, dairy-free, etc.). I will announce the winner on Friday so that we can get your candy to you in time for Easter Sunday! Winner will be chosen at random.

Note: When commenting, please give your first name and an initial. Please do NOT post as Anonymous. I need to know how to identify the winner. Thanks in advance for this!

Finally, if you're in the supermarket and want to pick something up, I've got a few suggestions that are safe for nut allergies since that is what I am most familiar with, but I also have a couple of choices safe for the Top 8 food allergies as well. The list below in no way encompasses everything out there, so I'm welcome to comments that share your "finds."

Chocolate eggs:Cadbury mini chocolate CANDY COATED eggs. These are made by Hershey. Hershey has stated to me that they will always mark for cross-contact, so read the labels. Creme-filled and caramel Cadbury eggs have nut allergy warnings but the candy coated ones, called Cadbury Mini Eggs do not.

Hershey chocolate for Easter. Not everything is free of nut warnings, but many of you have reported finding "safe" chocolate bunnies, chocolate eggs and more. Always check the label on these and contact Hershey for more info, but it looks like there is a fair amount to choose from these days.

Starburst jellybeans, Gimbals jelly beans. I don't recommend Jelly Belly just yet though they recently went "peanut-free." The company has reported that older bags of candy may still contain peanut flour.

Sweet Tarts "Eggs, Chicks and Bunnies": Egg and wheat allergy warnings.

Marshmallow Peeps: These are gluten-free as well and do not contain egg ingredients; gelatin is listed as an ingredient. There are SO many kinds of Peeps out there now; it's mind boggling. :) If you can have them, go for it.

Safe for the Top 8 (including celiac disease)
Surf Sweets Gummy Bears. You can find these in the candy section at Whole Foods as well as other natural markets. These are made with organic fruit juice and no artificial dyes.

Yummy Earth Lollipops. These are also available at Whole Foods and they are natural and delicious besides being allergy-friendly.

Enjoy Life Candy Bars. These are free of the Top 8 allergens and the crispy rice Boom Choco Boom is a little slice of heaven. Anyone would like this in their Easter Basket. Find these at Whole Foods; for other retailers visit their web site.


Note: It is always your decision what to serve your child, so if you have questions or concerns, please always contact the candy manufacturer for more info. Food labels can change; always read the label to be sure of ingredients/cross-contact risk.

Peanut Allergy News: Halloween Tips and Treats

Halloween is definitely scarier when you are caring for a child with a severe nut allergy. During Halloween it seems like every candy either contains or "may contain" peanuts, peanut butter, almonds or "nougat" i.e. nuts.

After many years of dealing with peanut and tree nut allergies AND having my daughter safely participate in trick-or-treating, I can tell you that having a fun and nut-free Halloween can be done. It just takes a little creativity, a little planning and a lot of tolerance for hundreds of mini Snickers Bars and Reese's cups.

Here are a few tips for safe trick-or-treating with peanut and tree nut allergies or any food allergy, for that matter:

- Carry two Halloween bags. One is for "possibles" that is, candies you will review with your child when you get home and one is for "unsafe" candies. The unsafe candies will go to friends, neighbors or your workplace the next day--or in the trash, your choice. Separation of bags is important because trust me on this: one exploded Snicker's bar all over the "possibles" places them in the "unsafe" pile and that is really no fun at all.

- Make sure your child eats a meal or snack before trick-or-treating. Take a hungry child with a food allergy and dangle some Halloween candy before them--are they going to be tempted? Most likely. So don't let that happen. Filling little tummies before sending them out helps prevent your child from making bad choices purely out of hunger.

- Enlist the neighbors. If you have very young children, they can probably grasp being denied candy but not why it must be so. A few friendly neighbors can save the day here. If they are open to it, provide some of your neighbors with "safe" candy that they can offer to your little one when they ring the doorbell.

- Do a candy swap. This can be a two-pronged approach. First, we swap "unsafe" candies with our child's friends who don't have allergies. Most kids are willing to give up their lollipops, gum and other safe candies for my daughter's unwanted Reese's, Snickers and other nut-filled chocolate treats. (Chocolate is usually the most unsafe thing out there on Halloween if you have certain food allergies and especially if your child has nut allergies.)

Secondly, we tell our daughter that she can turn in any unsafe candy to us for a "safe" treat bag. I fill it with nut-free chocolate from Vermont Nut-Free or Divvies and some inedibles such as some lip balm, a book or maybe some inexpensive Halloween earrings, now that she's older. In past years we used Halloween books, Hello Kitty nail polish and coloring books. When she was younger we did a Halloween treasure hunt so that she could have fun finding the treat bag. I'll tell you a secret: she still enjoys the Halloween treasure hunt.

The candy swap adds a fun element to having to give up candy and will greatly lessen any feelings of being "deprived."

- Consider candy size and ALWAYS read the labels. Different sized candies may be produced on different production lines, so check each candy before giving it to your child, even if you think it's OK. Food labels like to surprise us, so be cautious and thorough.

If the item does NOT have allergy or nutrition information on it, don't use it.

- Emphasize other elements of Halloween, not just food. Years ago, Halloween had many facets besides getting candy treats; in fact, candy as the focal point is a relatively modern invention. I remember my grandparents telling me that Halloween used to be more about costumes, playing games, scaring their friends (all in good fun, nothing dangerous!) and having Halloween parties. Plan to do all of the above if you can. Plus, researching the origins of Halloween can open up discussion and take some of the focus off of candy and sweets.

- Enjoy Halloween and autumn traditions so that trick-or-treat isn't the whole show. Pumpkin picking and carving, vists to apple orchards, baking safe cookies and enjoying the beautiful autumn weather are all great ways to enjoy the Halloween season.

For more safe Halloween ideas including a list of candy suggestions, click here.

Just in Time for Valentine's Day...Nut-Free Bakery Roundup

"Where can I find a nut-free bakery?" This frequent question is what inspired this blog post, so I hope you enjoy the following suggestions. I've talked about many of these before and you can find them in my "Nut-Free Foods" section of the blog, but since I seem to have a lot of new readers, I thought it was high time we had a nut-free bakery roundup. The list I've compiled is by no means representative of every bakery out there, but every one on list is a dedicated, nut-free bakery that I've personally shopped from or had recommended to me by trusted sources. All of the bakeries below are available for online order.

A couple of them are dairy-free and egg-free as well!

A & J Nut-Free Bakery. Nut-Free. Located in Rhode Island, this Italian-style bakery (yum!) is completely nut-free. They offer all types of baked goods including Valentine's Day themed goodies. I've had many good reviews from this bakery so give them a try. If you live in the area, lucky you--you can stop in.

Divvies. Egg-free, dairy-free, nut-free. This allergy-friendly sweet treat mecca offers baked goods such as cookies and cupcakes. Divvies treats are individually packaged and you may have seen them for sale in cafes and coffee shops. Some of their candies make great cake decorations, too. Check them out!

Little Rae's Nut-Free Bakery. Nut-free only. This Seattle-based bakery now offers Valentine's Day decorated shortbread cookies that look divine. I've ordered their cookies and they are delish. Plus, the people that work there are darn nice. The owner is himself allergic to peanuts so these people really get it.

O'My Goodness Bakery. Nut-free only. Located in Illinois, this bakery is nut-free and is dedicated to creating beautiful decorated cookies. Take a look at the site for their current selection of themed cookie treats.

Sweet Alexis Bakery. Nut-free, dairy-free, egg-free. Based in California, this wonderful bakery produces baked goods made with lots of love that taste absolutely delicious. Their quick breads are particularly good, but right now they're selling plain V-Day cookies perfect for cookie decorating parties. The owner is the mom of child with food allergies.

It's great to support these bakeries whenever possible. They provide the ultimate safe choice for the nut-allergic because they don't process any peanuts or tree nuts.

Be sure to tell them I sent you and please tell me what you think after ordering! I hope this gives all of you some great Valentine's Day ideas.

Nut-Free Holiday Sweets and Treats!

Whew! It's been a busy week around here with work, holiday prep and all the other stuff that goes along with the holiday season. With all of the holiday magic I'm trying to create, it occured to me that many of you may be wondering where to find safe, nut-free sweets and treats for the holiday season. If you're new to nut allergies, the holidays can be an especially confusing time. What is safe to serve? Where do I find allergy-free treats that I can really trust?

You're in luck because I have some great suggestions! First, A & J Bakery in Rhode Island has some super-yummy holiday treats at their in-store bakery right now including -- gasp!-- nut-free Yule logs! I love those. They are also the home of the allergen-free gingerbread house, complete with plastic decorations, allergy-free candies and a full set of directions. You can order these kits online, so get going! Visit their website to learn more.

Next up is my all-time nut-free candy favorite, Vermont Nut-Free Chocolate! They've got their usual delicious array of Christmas-themed treats including peppermint bark--a family favorite--as well as chocolate "Skippers"--a nut-free M&M-style candy that are great for decorating cookies or cakes.

In addition, Vermont Nut-Free has chocolate coins for Hannukah as well as other Hannukah-themed candies. Be aware that Vermont Nut-Free, while completely safe for nut allergies, does contain milk, soy and egg in many of their products.

If you're looking for nut-free, dairy-free or egg-free cookies and candies, Divvies is the answer. They've got many delicious and colorful options, perfect for stocking stuffers or Hannukah treats.

If you're looking for treats that are free of the top 8 allergens, then of course you've got to check out the assortment from Enjoy Life Foods. Their site even has recipes that use their allergy-free ingredients, so be sure to stop by and see what's on offer.

If you're looking for delicious nut-free, egg-free and dairy-free baked goods--and you don't have time to bake-- look no further than Sweet Alexis Bakery. They've got a delicious assortment that my family is crazy about. These tasty baked goods are extremely high quality and they make a great gift! Or bring them to the family holiday party. Either way, you're gonna love them.

I hope this gets you off to a good start! And to my Jewish readers, Happy Hannukah!