Food Allergies When Crisis Hits: Emergency Preparedness Is a Must

I had another post planned for today but the tsunami in Japan got me thinking about so many things. My heart goes out to everyone who has been touched by this tragedy, including those in the affected U.S. regions who must now wait out the oncoming storm. I hope they are all safe.

This incident reminded me of a post I did when we were hit with severe weather that caused lengthy power outages here in Chicago. Luckily, this was nothing like what they are facing in Japan or in other places where earthquakes have occured, thank goodness. However, when you've got food allergies in your family, more common weather emergencies like hurricanes, flooding, blizzards and tornadoes require a bit more preparation.

Weather disasters and other emergencies aren't pleasant to think about but since they don't happen when you expect them, it's best to be ready.

Here's a few tips for keeping on top of food allergies in an emergency:

1. Have a good stock of "safe," non-perishable food items that can be eaten by the entire family. Soy milk (if you can have it) doesn't require refrigeration and bottled water is always good to have on hand in case you can't use your tap water for any reason. I like to have cereal, crackers, pretzels and slow-spoiling fruits like apples and bananas on hand in case of a blackout. SunButter, if you can eat it, is also good to have as is non-refrigerated cheese and crackers (if you aren't allergic to dairy). Anything from Enjoy Life like trail mix and granola is safe for the Top 8 food allergens, gluten and sesame. These foods will keep well and give you much-needed energy if you are low on food and stressed.

2. Make sure all your prescriptions are up-to-date and well-stocked. Check to make sure that you have several epinephrine auto-injectors, a bottle of Benadryl and whatever asthma or seasonal allergies your child needs well before a crisis hits. In the event of extreme bad weather, you may not be able to renew these prescriptions in a timely manner, so get them now. Keep them in a plastic resealable bag so they don't get wet.

3. Keep a nice supply of cleaning wipes and antibacterial hand wipes. If the worst happens and you have to leave your home for any reason, you'll be able to remove allergenic residue from surfaces. In addition, hand and face wipes will come in handy for personal use.

4. Get the "Go Bag" ready. At a FAAN Conference I attended a couple of years ago (sign up now for the 2011 FAAN conferences coming up soon!), a dad who used to work with NYC on Emergency Preparedness discussed the need for a "Go Bag" that you have ready for your child in a convenient area of your home. This bag would contain up-to-date medications in addition to safe, unperishable foods and drinks.

Food Allergy News: Beyond a Peanut Allergy Cards Giveaway!

As promised, I have another exciting food allergy giveaway for readers of The Nut-Free Mom -- Beyond a Peanut educational flashcards!

I've long been a fan of "Beyond a Peanut." These handy, portable cards are the perfect tool for teaching adults and kids about nut allergies. Creator (and friend) Dina Cooper was kind enough to offer this special giveaway just for readers of The Nut-Free Mom. Thanks, Dina, for a great product that I personally use and benefit from.

Beyond a Peanut uses a color coded system to teach others about nut allergy safety and pitfalls.

Blue cards provide important food allergy safety information.

Yellow food allergy cards create awareness around items or situations that can present a danger for someone with food allergies. For example airplanes and bulk foods.

Green food allergy cards address foods or situations which are usually considered safe for a child with peanut and tree nut allergies. On the back are examples of situations that can make an environment unsafe or cross-contaminate a usually safe product.

Red food allergy cards address foods that have a greater risk for people with nut allergies. These cards offer alternative ideas and suggestions to ensure the safety of someone with a peanut or tree nut allergy.

These are great to share with preschool or elementary school teachers, grandparents, friends, other relatives--anyone who cares for your child with nut allergies.

How can you win? Simply post a comment on this blog between now and this Friday, March 11, that shares with us how you currently educate others about your child's food allergies. The winner will be selected by a random drawing and announced next week.

Also, don't forget to follow me on Twitter and my new Nut-Free Mom Facebook page for even more food allergy news and support from others dealing with nut allergies.

Good luck! I'm looking forward to hearing your stories!

Food Allergy Book Launch: My Review of "Allergic Girl" by Sloane Miller

Today I’m reviewing Sloane Miller’s book, “Allergic Girl” to coincide with her official book launch! I first became aware of this talented writer and devoted food allergy advocate a few years ago following my daughter’s nut allergy diagnosis. Over the years, I’ve followed Sloane’s terrific blog, Please Don’t Pass the Nuts, and have received a lot of comfort, advice and tips from her online chronicle of what it’s like to live with severe food allergies to many foods including tree nuts and fish.

When I heard that Sloane had a book coming out, I was thrilled to know that this topic is getting the attention it deserves and that she was contributing her voice in this way. Sloane’s approach towards living with food allergies has been inspirational to me and to so many others. Her book, “Allergic Girl: Adventures in Living Well with Food Allergies” is a wonderful resource, akin to having a friend guide you through the pitfalls of allergic living.

I have been privileged to correspond with Sloane over the years about various food allergy issues and she is always ready with great advice. And, hey, check out page 64-65—she was kind enough to include my input about families and food allergies.

One of the great things about "Allergic Girl" the book is that it outlines how to live without food allergies preventing you from what you want to do. I’ve found this so comforting because as a parent, that’s what I want for my daughter.

In “Allergic Girl: Adventures in Living Well with Food Allergies” Sloane discusses the medical aspects of food allergies but to my mind, she covers an equally important aspect: the social issues of food allergies. Her book discusses everything from how to get a safe dining out experience, to dealing with family members and friends, holidays and social events. She also covers previously un-discussed topics like dating with food allergies—yes, she goes there. And even though my child isn’t old enough to date (she’s 11—that time will be here, sooner than I probably think), it is helpful to hear from someone who has dealt successfully with the many challenges a food-allergic adult has to deal with.

Other topics covered include: How to find the best allergist and get a correct diagnosis; how to create positive relationships with family, friends and food; and how to build a safe environment wherever you are.

If you are a food-allergic adult, this is a must-read handbook for your life. If you are the parent or family member of an allergic child, “Allergic Girl” will give you both important resources and hope for the future. Warm, witty and knowledgeable, Sloane is a great food allergy advocate and I wish her all the success in the world with this book.

Thanks again to Sloane for hosting a book giveaway on this blog just recently! I hope you will all check out “Allergic Girl: Adventures in Living Well with Food Allergies,” now available on Amazon.com and in many bookstores.

FTC Note: I received a reviewer's copy of the book.

Peanut Allergy News: Safety Tattoos for Kids

One of my Facebook page readers asked me about the safety of temporary tattoos with regard to food allergies (they are generally not a problem unless your child has allergies to colored dyes and inks) and I remembered these safety tattoos. If you're looking for a fun way to keep your child safe, this is nice in addition to a kids food allergy bracelet. These tattoos are perfect for camp or other events where your child may not be as well known. Here's my original post:

If ever I needed proof that nut allergies are on the rise and that nut-allergic consumers are on companies' radar screens, this is it. I just received a One Step Ahead catalog that contains "Safety Tattoos with a Purpose" for young children. In addition to tattoos that can be personalized to include kids phone numbers, they also sell tattoos that say "No Nuts, Please!" The tattoo has a peanut in a red circle with a line through it--the universal symbol for "not allowed."

What a great product for those of us with very young children who can't always communicate their allergy needs when out and about. I can envision using these on field trips or special outings with preschoolers or toddlers. The temporary tattoos then wipe off when they're no longer needed.

No one wants to single their kids out in a negative way, but products like this seem almost as fun for kids to use as they are useful. I don't know about you but my kids have always loved temporary tattoos.

The customer service number is: 1-800-279-8440. They are a busy company, so you may need to call a few times before you reach a live person! :)

Food Allergy News: Are Ocean Spray Craisins Nut-Free?

With food allergen labeling all over the map, it's always good to do your research on a product. Because my kids like dried fruit, I noticed while shopping one day that Ocean Spray Craisins say "peanut-free" on the bag. However, I also noticed that the company makes trail mix containing tree nuts, which are another group of allergens we need to avoid. Peanuts have definitely made it onto food companies' radar, but tree nuts, not so much even though they are one of the most common and potentially life-threatening food allergens.

I contacted the company for more info and was very happy with the following response:

"February 24, 2011

Hello Jenny,

Thanks for contacting us over here at Ocean Spray, where we pride ourselves on 80 years of taking great care in harvesting and manufacturing our products. It’s nice to hear from people who are as into cranberries as much as we are.

All of our products are produced in facilities and equipment that are free of nuts, dairy, and eggs. The production equipment is cleaned and sterilized between each production run. Thus, there is no risk of cross contamination between any of our products. We are currently marketing a selection of Trail Mixes, which contain mixed nuts, dried fruit, and chocolate. Those products are packaged in separate facilities, apart from our standard products."

It was good to know that the trail mix is not made in the same facility as the plain Craisins, aka dried cranberries.

With this in mind, here's one of our favorite family cookie recipes. We recently added Craisins to this and everyone loved it--plus it packs a little more nutrition into the cookie. I know I've offered chocolate chip and oatmeal granola bars recently, so Craisins would be a nice addition to those as well.

The Nut-Free Mom's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Craisin Cookies

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine, (1 stick) softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar (I like dark brown)
1 large egg
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned or quick cooking oats, uncooked
3/4 cup chocolate chips (I use Hershey's semi sweet or Vermont Nut-Free)
1/4 cup Ocean Spray Craisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, with mixer set a medium, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla just until combined. Reduce speed to low and gradually stir in flour, just until blended. At low speed mix in oatmeal, chocolate chips and Craisins.


Drop dough by heaping tablespoons (I use a mini ice cream scoop for this), 2 inches apart, on two ungreased large cookie sheets. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes, rotating cookie sheets between upper and lower oven racks halfway through baking. With wide spatula, transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Repeat with remaining dough. Makes about 24 cookies.