No nuts or eggs about it!

SAFE CANDY!!!

2010-11-03T11:09:00.001-04:00

I also get so nervous when it's time for Halloween time because of the focus on candy. It can be hard to know what is safe for your allergic child. As always, we took the kids around but in the end they traded their candy in for a toy of their choice. I did however come across a few brands that say they are totally safe from many allergens. Here is my list:

Smarties - The bag contains an allergen free statement. They do not use nuts in their factories and they are also free of most other allergens. If the barcode on the back begins with 0 11206 they say that they are safe. They do not however guarantee that smarties in mixed candy bags are safe. They are also gluten free.

Dum Dums - Also contain a no nut and other allergen statement.

Enjoy Life Candy Bars - These chocolate bars are amazing!! They are free of all the top 8 allergens. They come in rice milk and crispy.

Starburst Jelly Beans - I stock up on these every Easter! I called the company and was told that they are not processed in a factory with nuts or eggs. May want to call this one first though, because it doesn't contain a label and as we know, things can change. I call for every bag just to be sure.

Tootsie Roll Pops - I just called about these and was told that they do not have any kind of nuts in their factories whatsoever. They are also egg free. They do have some products that do contain eggs though, however she said that with the tootsie pops there is no chance of cross contamination. Their Charleston Chews contain egg and therefor some products that are run on the same machine will have the "may contain" statement.

Skittles and Starburst - I also just called about this one and was told that they are nut and egg free. They are also made in a factory without nuts.

As always, please use your best judgement and call to double check if you are worried. I call about everything!! :)

Disney World!!!

2010-07-05T16:59:00.000-04:00

We just took an amazing trip to Disney World, but along with all the excitement comes worry. Feeding my allergic son at the condo with a kitchen was easy, but being at the park for a full day was more difficult to plan. I emailed Disney ahead of time and they sent me a lot of helpful information on where my son could safely eat and what items were offered at each location. They have Amy's mac and cheese, Amy's pizza and allergy friendly chicken nuggets. We decided to bring what food we could and use what they had at the park only if we had to. I packed a backpack full of safe cookies, muffins, bananas and other snacks. The bad news is that it all melted and became mush from the heat! Luckily there are tons of places that serve bananas, apples, yogurt and grapes. Most are prepackaged.

My son was just fine with eating fruit and yogurt all day, with a sprite as a special treat at lunch. I knew that there were better meal options there, but he insisted on grapes and yogurt. He was satisfied, so that's what mattered. While we were having lunch my husband overheard a lady asking the manager of COSMIC RAY'S CAFE about what was offered for food allergic individuals. He seemed very helpful and when the child's meal arrived he received a special Disney button.

The best find of the day was at the MAIN STREET BAKERY!! They have a rack of items from Divvies!! Their products are free of a lot of the top allergens, most importantly nuts!! They had jelly beans, caramel corn, cookies and more! My son was so excited to have these special treats and jelly beans are his favorite. By the way, their jelly beans are AMAZING!!

Overall we had a wonderful experience and next time I hope I'm less paranoid and can take advantage of how well Disney seems to cater to those with food allergies. I advise anyone who is going to any of the parks to email them for information beforehand. They are so helpful!!

Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips

2010-03-03T16:22:00.000-05:00

I was so excited to find these chocolate chips in the aisle at Whole Foods. They are so yummy and very affordable! My son just had his first chocolate chip cookie ever and loved it! The thing I love about this brand is that not only is it free of eggs and nuts, but also of all the other top allergens. They also make cereal bars, cookies, bagels,ect. You have to give them a try!

Holidays are over and we made it through!

2010-01-03T16:15:00.000-05:00

We just made it through out first holiday season of having food allergies. I was so worried that every place we went I would have to follow my son around everywhere. I couldn't take the chance on him ingesting food he was allergic to or coming in contact with a child who just gobbled down a peanut butter cookie. I didn't want him to feel left out at my inlaws house, so I baked him a few different safe cookies and brought a plate with us. My inlaws are great about his allergies, so they had plain foods set aside for him. He had green beans, applesauce and yogurt. Perfect for my little man. The other part of our holiday was here at home, so that was comfortable for everyone. I baked lots of safe treats. The only scarry encounter that we had was an event in which there were multiple bowls of peanuts on the counters and tables. I know that I can't expect everyone to always put his allergies first and remember them, since it's still new to us. I think they noticed my fear of him touching anything there, so they were put up shortly after we arrived. Of course there will always be tables of foods and drinks that are not safe for him and he will need to learn to ask before he eats ANYTHING!! I know it will get harder as he gets older and wants to try all the yummy treats, but for now we made it through!!

H1N1 Flu Shot and Egg Allergy

2009-12-19T00:21:00.000-05:00

My son successfully recieved his first dose of the swine flu vaccine without any egg allergy complications. A couple of days ago I took him to the doctor for his second. About a half an hour after we got home I noticed that his leg was swollen pretty bad around the injection site and it was red. His whole thigh and part of his stomach was blotchy red, his nose was running, his leg seemed to really bother him and he just seemed to not feel well. I called the doctor and they told me to immediately give him Benadryl and put cold compresses on his leg. Within an hour or so the symptoms began to go away, without any wheezing. I was told that an egg allergy reaction to the flu shot doesn't always occur on the first injection, but shows up on the second. We were lucky that his wasn't serious. I was never told this, or else I would have waited a while at the office before coming home. I'm glad that he is now vaccinated and I think it's important for all parents do, but if your child has an egg allergy please be cautious and ask lots of questions. We felt a false sense of security after he recieved the first without any issues.

Martha White Corn Meal Mislabeling

2009-11-21T13:24:00.000-05:00

The other day I decided to bake my son some corn muffins using Martha White Corn Meal. While they were baking I decided to call the company just to make sure their mix did not contain eggs. I gave them the barcode number and all the info about the particular bag I purchased. To my shock, I was told that it was mislabeled and that the bag I had contains eggs. I was five minutes away from giving it to my son!! Needless to say the muffins found the garbage! They apologized and said they would figure out the problem. I wish more companys would take allergies seriously! What an aweful mistake to make. Please call and inquire about all the products you feed your little ones. I'm glad I did!

Coupons!

2009-11-21T13:16:00.000-05:00

I always call and inquire about every new product that I give my son. I make sure I know what their factory and labeling practices are. You can't always trust the labels. The wonderful thing is that it seems like everytime I call they end up offering me great coupons just for calling their company. They vary from free stuff to dollars off. So, not only am I spending just a few minutes insuring my sons safety, but I also get something in return!

The Best Allergy Baking Book I've Come Across!!

2009-10-16T13:15:00.002-04:00

Today I purchased Kelly Rudnicki's new book, "The Food Allergy Mama's Baking Book". I can't wait to make all the recipies in this book! It is so exciting, for a mother of a child with food allergies, to have a wonderful source to turn to for all my baking needs! The recipes are easy to follow, delicious and I already have most of these ingredients in my pantry. My son is already in love with her blueberry bread recipe, so I can't wait for him to discover many more of her safe yummy treats! This is by far the best allergy baking book I have come across! Thank you Kelly for making my baking life easier!

Clay Pumpkins

2009-10-01T16:20:00.008-04:00

I love this clay-dough recipe! It's so easy and my kids can use it to make snowmen, pumpkins, ornaments and so much more. Have fun!!

1 Cup all purpose flour
1/2 Cup of salt
About 1/3 Cup of water

Mix the salt and flour in a bowl. Add the water a little at a time. Squeeze and knead the dough until it's smooth. You can add more water if it's crumbly or less if it's too wet. Add more flour if it gets too wet. Now you can let your little ones make whatever their hearts desire and keep it forever! When done sculpting, put creations on a foil covered baking sheet. Bake at 225 degrees. Large ones can take up to an hour each side and small ones as little as 15 minutes. You'll know when they are done, just keep checking on them. I let mine sit out a day or two, just to be sure. Then paint and cover with a coat of clear nail polish when dry.

Flu Shot Testing

2009-09-29T21:42:00.003-04:00

Carter finally went for his flu shot testing appointment and even though he is highly allergic to eggs, he was able to successfully receive the flu shot. It ended up being a long day for us though. When we got to the office we were told that they didn't have flu zone available yet, which is for children four and under. My poor son had been off all his allergy medicine for over a week because of this testing. No vaccine, no testing. I left feeling disappointed because we wanted to get him the flu shot as soon as possible and now they said it could be days or weeks. With one phone call to my pediatrician's office I was able to obtain the vaccine myself. I brought it to the allergist's office and he was then tested. They pricked his back with the vaccine, antihistamine, egg and one other. Of course the egg swelled up, but luckily the spot where the vaccine was didn't show much sign of irritation. He was then able to get a full dose at once and we had to wait around for about a half an hour or so. If his back had shown serious signs of irritation, they would have given him a little at a time over a couple of hours. We feel much better now knowing that he is protected and will most likely be able to get the swine flu vaccine. They do want to skin test him again for that one though, just to be sure. If your child has an egg allergy and needs the flu shot, ask an allergist about the testing. It was painless, just itchy. Maybe one day they will make the shots safe for all egg allergic patients without worry!

Flu Shot

2009-09-20T12:41:00.003-04:00

I have always been strict about my whole family getting the flu shot every year. This year we are worried about our son because he has an egg allergy and it is not recommended that those with such an allergy get a flu shot. My husband and I both got one, as well as our daughter. His allergy/asthma doctor thinks it is important that he is also protected, so this week we are having him tested for the flu vaccine. They are going to prick his back and put the vaccine on it to see how big of a reaction he has. He has always gotten the flu shot and only had slight reactions, but since egg has been totally eliminated from his diet for a while he could have a shock reaction. If his reaction is okay they will give it to him in the office and watch him for a couple hours. The only reason that I am considering doing it is because he has bad asthma and he needs to be protected if possible. I'll let you know how it goes!

The Best Ever Egg and Nut Free Sugar Cookies!!!

2009-09-20T12:28:00.003-04:00

I have tried so many egg free sugar cookie and shortbread recipes, but never found one that my whole family could agree on. Until now!! My mother in law gave me this recipe, but I had to do a few modifications to make to safe for my son. This is the best sugar cookie recipe ever! I hope you think so as well!

1 cup allowed butter, soft
3/4 c sugar
1 t vanilla
2 c flour
1/2 t baking powder (egg free)
1/4 t salt

Combine butter, sugar and vanilla in mixer bowl. Beat at medium until creamy. Reduce to low. Add the remaining ingredients. Beat well. Roll into 1" balls, flatten to 1/4" thickness with your palm or the bottom of a glass that is buttered and sprinkled with sugar. I find that it's easier to use your palm and then sprinkle them with the sugar. Bake 7-9 minutes at 400 degrees, until edges are just slightly golden.

My Favorite Egg Free Bread Recipe

2009-08-14T17:13:00.003-04:00

The first white bread recipe that I blogged about is good, but this one is our favorite! It has more flavor and a few more ingredients than the other. The other one is good because most of us already have the ingredients in our pantry. I had to make a special trip to the store for a couple of these ingredients. It was well worth it! This recipe is for a bread machine. It is egg free, but it does contain milk and wheat.

1 1/2lb. loaf -
1 c plus 2 Tablespoons water
2 T allowed oil
1 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 T sugar
1 T dry milk
3 1/4 c bread flour
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

Add the ingredients in the order given. Use the 1st setting.

Spangler Candy

2009-08-07T16:47:00.002-04:00

My son always gets a sucker after his allergy shots and I feel safe about giving them to him since his doctor said they were fine. Today while I was shopping I found them in the candy aisle, they are called Safe-t-pops. On the back of the bag it clearly states that, "This product does not contain peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, or wheat gluten. It has been manufactured on dedicated equipment." These are the only suckers that I feel safe giving my son, also because they have safety loop handles. They are also the makers of Dum-Dums and they too contain this statement.

Egg Free Banana Muffins

2009-08-04T21:31:00.007-04:00

My husband and kids love these easy muffins! They are egg and nut free. They can easily be adjusted for many other food allergies.

3 bananas
1/4 c allowed oil
1 c sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 c allowed flour

Mash bananas. Then add oil, sugar and vanilla. Mix well. In a separate bowl mix the flour, soda and salt. Add it to the banana mixture. Mix by hand until well blended. Put in muffin cups. Bake at 360 degrees until they are golden and toothpick comes out clean. They are so good right out of the oven when the top is slightly crispy! I hope you enjoy them!

Enjoy Life Foods

2009-07-31T14:21:00.004-04:00

Enjoy Life Foods have a wonderful allergen free line of brownies, cookies, chocolate chips, granola, bagels and much more. The box of brownie cookies I just bought says that their products are free of all eight allergens and casein, potato, sesame and sulfites. The front of most of the boxes has a circle stating this, but as always please check all labels. I found them at Whole Foods and the worker who helped me highly recommended the brand. To add to their goodness they don't contain any trans fats or artificial flavorings! Compared to a lot of allergen free foods, they are very affordable. I can't wait to try the whole line!

New Aisle At Whole Foods!!!

2009-07-31T14:07:00.002-04:00

Today while at Whole Foods I discovered a brand new gluten free aisle!! What I love about gluten free foods is that they are often free of a lot of other common allergens. They had egg and nut free pastas, cookies, brownies, granola and much more. Be sure to always check the labels though, because I noticed many items there that still contained egg, soy and milk. It was just nice to have a general area to look in. I was so excited to find many new options for my little man. Today we bought some brownies and next time we're going to try the granola. The manager also told me in an that they are trying to carry more safe foods for all allergens, not just gluten.

Egg Substitutions

2009-07-30T17:18:00.005-04:00

There are many things that you can use to substitute eggs for in a recipe, here are a couple that I use. I find that it's trial and error, and usually works best when only one egg needs to be substituted for. (I tend to use the second one more often)

For every one egg:

1.) 1tsp baking powder (egg free), 1T water and 1T vinegar

2.) 1 1/2 T water 1 1/2 T allowed oil and 1 tsp baking powder (egg free)

Mix the ingredients together and add them when the recipe calls for the egg.

Chicken Puffs

2009-07-30T13:49:00.003-04:00

We make these all the time for dinner, they are simple and delicious! I know that they are egg and peanut free, but the cresents do contain wheat and the cream cheese contains milk.

1 roll of pillsbury cresent rolls
1 8 oz. block of philadelphia cream cheese
1 T diced onion
1 T dried parsley
1 13oz. can chunk chicken breast, drained

In a bowl mix together the cream cheese, onion, dried parsley and chicken. Unroll the cresents and using two triangles form four rectangles. Divide the chicken mixture onto the rectangles. You can either bring up all four ends and seal, or you can fold it over and seal the ends. Bake on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees until golden brown. Serve immediately.

STAT kids

2009-07-28T16:32:00.002-04:00

I found this wonderful website that sells lots of neat health ID products. We were specifically looking for an allergy alert bracelet for our son, who is only two. I checked out so many other websites that had fancy, expensive ones. At STAT kids I found a peanut allergy bracelet that was perfect for my son's little arms. It's a stretchy, bright red and comfortable one! He wears it everywhere and it's waterproof. I bought him a size small and you get three in a pack for only $12.95. I like having extras just in case he looses one. I have so many people ask me at the allergy doctor's office where we got them. I feel better now that everyone around him knows about his allergy and he loves his cool new accessory!

Easy Egg Free White Bread

2009-07-28T16:23:00.002-04:00

This recipe is for bread machine use. It is so simple, that I'm sure you already have these ingredients in your pantry!

1 c warm water
2T sugar
1/4 t salt
1 1/2 T allowed butter or margarine
2 1/2 c flour
1 1/2 t dry active yeast

For use in a 1lb. machine. My machine can cook a loaf up to 2lbs. and this recipe works just fine in it. Layer in this order. I use the simple light bread setting and it takes 2 hours and 40 minutes. Stays fresh for about three days.

Mexican Wedding Cookies

2009-07-22T16:12:00.002-04:00

My mother-in-law made these for my son and he loves them. They are really good egg-free cookies!

1 cup allowed butter or margarine, softened
confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 c allowed flour

In a bowl cream butter, 1/2 cup confectioners sugar, vanilla and salt until fluffy. Stir in flour until well blended. Chill for 30 minutes. Shape into balls or crescents and place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven 12 to 15 minutes, until golden. Remove and place on rack. Dust with confectioners sugar and cool.

Cherrybrook Kitchen

2009-07-21T12:43:00.002-04:00

While shopping at Whole Foods, I noticed that they now sell pre-made cookies by Cherrybrook Kitchen. They are in the cookie and cracker aisle, not by their mixes. They had a couple flavors, vanilla and chocolate chip. They were under $4.00 a box. It's nice to know that they are available for the times that I don't feel like baking!

Some Safe Restaurants

2009-07-21T12:35:00.002-04:00

While traveling this weekend we ate breakfast at a Crackle Barrel. The waiter overheard us talking about our son's food allergy with our family and notified us that they are "allergy aware". He brought out a very detailed and helpful menu, listing all the safe foods that could be eaten for each allergy. We don't know how brave we are at letting him eat out yet, we always bring his food. It is really nice to know that we have safe options for the future though.
My son's dietitian also informed me that Red Robin also has a similar menu and that many of her clients eat there.

The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network

2009-07-14T16:00:00.002-04:00

Not knowing exactly where to begin once receiving my son's diagnosis, his allergist suggested joining this network. It has been such a help for everything dealing with food allergies. For a small yearly fee you can become a member. They send out a very informative newsletter every so often that includes information on the newest research, recipes, advocacy, recalls and other parents stories. I also received just letters on recalls of contaminated foods. They have so much information about coping with food allergies and how to manage life with them. You can shop on the site for lots of different cookbooks, kids books, videos and so much more. When my son starts school I plan on using their school awareness books and PAL program for his classmates. It's not only a great place to start, but a good place to continue to trust for your allergy needs!

Egg Free Pancakes

2009-07-08T17:09:00.002-04:00

I make these every weekend for my son and freeze them. When he wants them I just pop some in the microwave!

2 c flour
4 t baking allowed baking powder
2 t sugar
1/4 t cinnamon
2 c milk
2 T water
3 T allowed oil
1/4 t vanilla

Mix all the dry ingredients. Add milk, vanilla, oil and water. Mix until blended. May be a little lumpy. I usually make toddler size pancakes that he can easily hold them.

Egg Free Biscuits

2009-07-08T16:59:00.002-04:00

These are really easy and taste just as good as store bought!

2 c flour
1 T allowed baking powder
1 t salt
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup allowed oil ( I always use canola oil)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. In another bowl combine the oil and water. Add to the dry ingredients. Knead and roll out. Make the biscuits about 2 inches wide and 1 inch thick. I don't have a circle cutter, so I just used a small drinking glass. Bake for about 10 minutes, until golden.

Shortbread Cookies

2009-07-08T16:46:00.003-04:00

This recipe comes from my mother-in-law. I know it's egg and nut free, but it's also great for those who are allergic to other food allergens as well. It's so good and easy too!

1 1/2 sticks allowed butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 c flour

Mix butter and sugar together first. Then add the flour. Mix and knead until totally combined. Roll out to about 1/2" thick. Cut as desired. We do sticks and use cookie cutters. My kids like to dip the sticks in yogurt. Cook at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes on greased cookie sheet.

Easy pizza sauce recipe

2009-07-07T16:27:00.002-04:00

You can modify this recipe to your liking, it's a good base.

8 oz. tomato sauce
6 oz. tomato paste
1 tsp. Italian seasoning (I add a bit more)

Just stir together and you're ready!

egg free pizza

2009-07-07T16:01:00.002-04:00

This is an easy egg free pizza crust recipe.

1 package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (115 degrees)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 T allowed oil ( I use canola)
2 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

Dissolve yeast in the warm water. In mixer bowl combine remaining ingredients. Pour in yeast mixture. Mix with dough attachments until combined. Let it rest for 5 minutes. Using floured hands, on a floured surface, knead. Stretch and smooth out dough on a greased pizza pan. It should make two pizzas (we sometimes make the dough into four or five little pizzas). Top as desired. Cook in preheated oven at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes, until golden brown.

2009-07-07T15:23:00.002-04:00

Right after we found out about my son's allergies, he had his second birthday. We had no idea how to make an egg free birthday cake using the elmo mold that my mother-in-law had already bought. One day while shopping at whole foods I found a wonderful line of baking mixes, Cherrybrook Kitchen. Their cake mixes are egg, peanut and dairy free. We bought two boxes and my mother-in-law was able to make this wonderful cake. It is sooo good too! They are a great company that allows you to freshly bake allergen free cakes, cookies, brownies and cupcakes. Make sure to check all labels. I know the cake mixes do contain soy and wheat. Our whole family loves the chocolate chip cookies as well!

Our Story

2009-07-07T00:00:00.002-04:00

Our experience with food allergies began when my son was only seven weeks old. He seemed like a happy, healthy baby boy until one day i went to change his diaper and there was blood in it, a lot. After two trips to the children's hospital the pediatric gastro specialist concluded that it was a food allergy to both milk and soy. I was breastfeeding at the time. I wish that doctors would tell parents that this was a sign of such an allergy. We thought our little bundle of joy had a serious health concern. I went on a strict diet, eliminating all allergens. Once our son was a year we introduced soy formula into his diet. A few months later we gave him cows milk. Luckily by this age most children who develop it so young outgrow it. We thought his troubles were over. Then he began to develop severe eczema all over his body. He went through so many different medicines and nothing seemed to clear it up, that is until we found a wonderful dermatologist! It never completely went away though. He also began to develop some breathing issues and now uses a nebulizer when he has trouble. With all of his history, we were sure that he would have more allergies to come. They all go hand in hand. Right before his second birthday we took him to get allergy tested. He had started to break out in hives all the time for no apparent reason. Sure enough the allergy tests revealed that he has a severe reaction to peanuts and eggs. We felt so many different emotions. We were worried, scared and sad for our little man. This began our journey with epipens, strict diets and allergy medication (including shots for seasonal allergies). I consumed myself with help books, allergen-free cookbooks and baking everything from scratch. We rarely eat out and we make everyone around him aware of his allergy. If I could only put him in a bubble! I feel like I've become a walking allergy textbook just to prepare our family! I don't ever want him to feel different and it's a challenge everyday. I decided to start this blog because I know that there are so many moms out there in my situation and if i could help make one of those mom's lives a little easier it would mean a lot. I know that I am always searching for good books, recipes, advice and recommendations! If you have any, please share and I will do the same!

starting up!

2009-07-06T18:02:00.000-04:00

Hello! thanks for stopping by! I'm new to this and just getting things up and going! please visit again soon and i promise to have lots to share.