Food Allergies and Thanksgiving: Libby's ® Brand Pumpkin and Nestle® Carnation Brand Evaporated Milk

I love to bake my holiday pies with Libby's® brand pumpkin puree.
Read on for the company's nut allergen statement.

Holiday bakers, start your engines! It's pumpkin pie season!  Who's with me? Thanksgiving comes early this year, so I've been gathering seasonal baking ingredients for the annual Turkey Day indulgence.

But wait--what about ingredients? Everyone's favorite pumpkin pie recipe is on the back of the Libby's®  brand pureed pumpkin and it always includes Nestle®  Carnation Evaporated Milk. Since so many of us end up baking our own pumpkin pies for the holidays (including me), it was time for my annual ingredients check-in for these products.

I wanted to share my findings with all of you so we can get on to the fun part: baking pies. Both of these popular seasonal products are made by Nestle; I e-mailed the company last week and got a detailed e-mail response. Here's what Nestle had to say about Libby's Pumpkin and Carnation Evaporated Milk with regard to tree nuts and peanuts (and general food allergen labeling):

Dear Ms. Kales,

Thank you for contacting Libby's® Pumpkin.

Our Nestlé® Carnation Evaporated Milk and Libby's® Pumpkin products do not contain peanuts or tree nuts nor are they at potential for cross contact.

Labeling regulations require that if any of the eight recognized known allergens, such as peanuts and tree nuts, are in the product, they must be listed in the ingredient statement. We always list the allergen by the common name.

Additionally, our factories, that use any of the recognized allergens as an ingredient, take all precautions to avoid cross contact of products that do not contain them. We always add a cautionary statement at the end of our packaging ingredient listing if a product is made on the same line or factory of those products containing a recognized allergen. It is recommended that you always check the label before purchasing a product.

Holiday bakers: Please make a note of the last line of the e-mail above because it is an important one: always check the label before purchasing a product.

For example, while the canned items I contacted Nestle about do not contain nut allergens (see full statement from the company, above), Libby's and Nestle's baking kits that include the pumpkin puree and canned milk, respectively, have nut allergen and other food allergen warnings on the label.

While the canned items are safe and we can use them to make a pie or cake from scratch, it looks like the culprits in these baking kits are the pumpkin bread mix and the pie crust mix, respectively. Avoid the baking kits when baking for people with nut allergies. Note: these kits are extremely well marked for allergens. If you read the label, you'll see the warnings underneath the ingredients list.

This is what the Libby's® Pumpkin Bread Kit looks like. The label on this kit has warnings for nut and other food allergens:

Check each label--even if certain ingredients in a baking kit
might be OK, other components might carry nut allergy warnings.

Click the link for a nut-free pumpkin bread recipe from my blog that uses Libby's brand pumpkin--almost as easy as a kit, and best of all -- no nut allergens to worry about!

The prevalence of allergy warnings on prepared baking kits only reinforces that holiday baking needs to be carefully monitored for anyone with a severe allergy. That's why I volunteer to do so much baking--I know what's in my kitchen and what goes into our food, so we can enjoy our desserts without any concern for cross-contact or allergenic hidden ingredients.

Note: the allergen information given in this post is for these specific brands, only, and refers to peanut and tree nut allergies.  If you have questions about Libby's, Carnation or any other store brands, with regard to their practices or for other allergens, please contact companies directly. It is always up to the consumer to decide if a specific product fits your allergy needs. Thank you!

Peanut Allergy Parenting Guide: The New Nut-Free Mom E-Book! Reduced Holiday Price!

A concise, effective nut allergy guide, written for parents and caregivers, by a parent who has "been there."

Each day I hear from more parents who have just found out that their child has severe peanut and/or tree nut allergies. A new nut allergy diagnosis is a very overwhelming time and it helps to hear from a parent who has been successfully navigating allergies for years. It's even better to have this guidance in a quick, easy-to-follow format for busy parents -- and who isn't a busy parent these days? My book picks up where your doctor's appointment leaves off, to offer you the lifestyle guidance you'll need as you adjust to your new "nut-free normal."

 

That's why I wrote my e-book: "The New Nut-Free Mom: A Crash Course in Caring for Your Nut Allergic Child." Now, you'll find the book at a reduced holiday price of $7.99!

 

 The holidays are a time when many food allergy questions arise and this book has got you covered with information on how to determine what foods are safe, how to educate other about your childs' food allergies, dealing with relatives who don't "get it" and much more practical advice to help steer you through the holidays and beyond.

 

Below is information on how to get the book, plus see what others are saying about The New Nut-Free Mom!

New to Nut Allergies? You're Not Alone.

Written by a parent who has been in your situation and lives it every day, "The New Nut-Free Mom: A Crash Course in Caring for Your Nut-Allergic Child" by Jenny Kales is the concise and easy to follow guide you need.

How to buy my e-book:

Purchase directly from Amazon Kindle:

Click this link to buy my book "The New Nut-Free Mom: A Crash Course in Caring for Your Nut-Allergic Child" on the Kindle.

Or click here: http://www.amazon.com/NEW-Nut-Free-Mom-Nut-Allergic-ebook/dp/B0078G41MW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329149735&sr=8-1


Buy directly for the Nook from Barnes and Noble:

Here is the direct link, on the Barnes and Noble web site.


No Kindle or Nook? No problem.

Luckily, you don't need a Kindle or Nook to read my e-book. There are many free downloads you can use to read my e-book on your MAC or PC, android phone, iPad and more.

FREE Apps from Kindle

Click the link below to find free apps from Kindle that will allow you to download my book. Note: You do NOT need a Kindle to download these apps:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

FREE Apps from Nook:

Click the following link for a list of free Nook apps available that will allow you to download my book. Note: You do NOT need a Nook to download these free apps: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/free-nook-apps/379003593


Book synopsis:

"Trying to cope with raising a nut-allergic child? Here comes the Nut-Free Mom to the rescue. This is the one book that gives a "crash course" on what you need to know – from a mom who’s “been there”.

The book offers heart, humor and hard-won experience to help caregivers cope with nut-free living. Learn how to handle play dates, grocery shopping, meal-planning, dining out, family gatherings, and many more practical, real-life situations. Written in a lively format, the book includes scores of tips that’ll boost your — and your child’s — confidence.

As a professional writer for nearly twenty years and as a parent currently raising a child with life-threatening nut allergies, Ms. Kales is uniquely qualified to author The NEW Nut-Free Mom. Kales has advised thousands of parents, grandparents, teachers and caregivers from all over the world via her award-winning blog “The Nut-Free Mom”.

This is the book that Kales wishes she had when her daughter was first diagnosed with a life-threatening nut-allergy. For anyone wishing to raise a healthy, well-adjusted child with nut or other food allergies, this book will be an indispensable guide."

Praise for "The New Nut-Free Mom" from food allergy advocates:
Susan Weissman, author of the food allergy book Feeding Eden and a Huffington Post contributor, reviewed "The New Nut-Free Mom" on her web site.

"Jenny Kales...is about as savvy about the challenges of nut allergies as anyone I can think of. Sometimes people write handbooks because they can. Better to read advice from an author who should write the book and really and truly lives it day to day. That is this book. It's succinct, direct and never preachy. Allergy parents will get exactly what they need so they can move on, be safe and enjoy life."

Jennifer B., allergy advocate and author of the popular blogs, Food Allergy Buzz and Peanut-Free Baseball, had this to say about my e-book:

 "Jenny is a calm voice of experience and reason in an overwhelming world of nut allergy fears, conflicting information and controversy. Her book helps steer parents and caregivers through all of the questions that arise following a diagnosis of peanut and/or tree nut allergies. It is really a treasure trove of valuable tips, accumulated through experience over the years.  If you are new to managing a child's peanut and tree nut allergies, you can't ask for a better and more thorough summary of need-to-know information. It's especially wonderful to have Jenny's wisdom so conveniently packaged in an e-book to take on-the-go too!"

 

Thank you!

Thank you to everyone for the support of my e-book, "The New Nut-Free Mom: A Crash Course in Caring for Your Nut-Allergic Child." I appreciate the great feedback, reader reviews and general well wishes! This book is for parents of kids facing a diagnosis of life-threatening nut allergies for the first time, but it's also useful for any caregiver: grandparents, relatives, close friends.

I hope it is helpful to you all.

 

Food Allergy Book Review: Marty's Nut-Free Party

Newly released: Marty's Nut-Free Party

Lots of you ask about good children's books that deal with food allergies, so I'm happy to be able to recommend a newly released children's food allergy picture book: Marty's Nut-Free Party by Katrina Roe. With both a kid-friendly story and food allergy facts and information for caregivers, this is a great addition to your peanut allergy parenting bookshelf.

Ms. Roe, a Australian writer and mom to a child with a peanut allergy, has created a charming story about a spunky little monkey named Marty. Marty has a peanut allergy and he loves parties. Unfortunately, Marty keeps running into foods that land him in the hospital. The hospital visits are not handled in a scary way, but in a way that is matter-of-fact and reinforces to children that they must avoid certain foods.

One of the things I liked best about this book (and that my daughters liked--of course they read it, too) was that it discusses the issue of how foods become cross-contaminated. At one party, Marty picks off the "peanut sprinkles" but again winds up in the hospital. Avoiding even trace amounts of food is important and is often misunderstood, so I'm glad that the author covered this aspect of peanut allergies.

Katrina Roe, left, at her book launch. Fun fact: Marty's fur was inspired by the author's wonderful red hair!

Eventually, little Marty learns to advocate for himself and decides to host his own peanut-free party. Marty's friends would rather hang out with him than eat peanuts or peanut products and I liked this aspect of the book, too. Marty worries that no one will want to come to a peanut-free party, but his fears turn out to be unfounded. I know that a lot of our kids worry that food will get in the way of friendship, so again, I'm glad the author acknowledged this issue in an upbeat way. On a personal note, I've found that most kids will want to accommodate their friends and do not mind giving up a food just for a few hours. Books like this can help non-allergic kids understand their friends' concerns, so it would be a good choice to read to a classroom.

The holidays are coming up and Marty's Nut-Free Party would make a nice gift for a young child struggling with peanut allergies. Plus, "Marty" provides parents with  a non-threatening way of opening up some good discussions about staying safe, following the doctor's rules and speaking up for yourself when you have food allergies.

Click this link for information on buying Marty's Nut-Free Party and don't forget to "like" the author's Facebook page.

And if you're looking for guidance on managing birthday parties and life in general with severe nut allergies, I hope you will check out my e-book, The New Nut-Free Mom!

How Food Allergies Affect a Marriage: My Guest Post on Reboot This Marriage!

Today, I'm excited to share a guest post I wrote for the web site Reboot This Marriage by Tanja Pajevic, my college buddy! Reboot This Marriage is a terrific site dedicated to the topic of how kids affect your relationship. It has lots of good info on parenting, relationships and life in general.

Tanja's son has peanut allergies, so she wanted my input on how this can affect the relationship with your spouse. In fact, this is something I talk about in my e-book. It's a big topic! How you and your spouse work out the details of food allergy management makes a difference in everything that you do together. Naturally, you want to have a system everyone can live with, but it also has to be one that keeps your child safe and healthy.

It's not always an easy balance to strike. In fact, many of you have e-mailed me, commented on this blog or posted on Facebook about family and spousal issues with regards to food allergies.

Here is the link, if you want to read the complete article:

With the holidays coming up and family issues on the horizon, it helps to have your spouse on your side, no question.

Thanks again to Tanja for the opportunity to write about this issue!

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?