Navigating Food Allergies

Featured Clients,

February 2, 2011

On February 2, 2011, The Motherhood hosted its most popular Talk ever, the first class in its Cooking Connections series. The topic was Navigating Food Allergies, led by the fabulous Lori Sandler, founder of Divvies Bakery, and sponsored by ConAgra Foods, and women swarmed to the conversation looking for information, ideas and support. The class rocked.

http://youtu.be/aO8cVP_K4Cg

Read the full conversation here: http://tmotherhood.wpengine.com/talk/show/id/62140

Below are highlights of what was shared:

Getting friends and family on board

The best way to deal with the uninformed is by educating them. Lori explained, “Ironically at times asking family to understand all about dealing with food allergies can be the most complicated. I understand how awkward and exhausting this can feel. It is absolutely worth your while to patiently educate your family and friends about food allergies.”

Kelly Rudnicki, Food Allergy Mama, added, “If an adult is combative, it’s helpful to just say ‘I’m sorry you feel that way’ and carry on. There’s not much you can do to address this type of close-minded behavior other than to walk away and keep your dignity.”

Getting your child on board

It’s so tough to get your kid to understand that the yummy pizza or ice cream with sprinkles that his friends are scarfing down just aren’t on the menu for him. One word says it all: education. “This is so very important. I don’t tell my kids they can’t have something ‘just because’; I educate them. My five-year-old reads so she understand what ingredients are good and bad for her,” said Niri, Mommy Niri.

When they learn to read labels, tell them “it’s important to keep reading labels because manufacturers often change ingredients,” said Piera, Jolly Mom.

One of the best ways to teach your children is to get them involved in their own care by cooking with them. “I think when you cook with kids, you allow them to ‘own’ their allergy. It’s not just Mom saying, don’t eat this, eat that. It develops understanding,” said participant Squanky.

Getting your child to eat in the first place

You can lead a kid to the table but you can’t make him eat. Or can you? Mary Jo Strobel, FoodAllergy.org, recommends finding a dietitian through the American Dietetic Association at www.eatright.org. “They can help by evaluating the diet and offering menus to ensure appropriate nutrition.”

Still won’t chow down? Rachael shared a neat trick. “I have found to getting my son to try new foods, is to call it Buffet night. I set up everything like an all-you-can-eat buffet and he gets to walk the line and put things on his plate he might have never ever tried.”

Protecting your home space

“Every family has their own style. We personally have kept our home primarily free of all ingredients/foods that are not safe for Benjamin so he can feel free and worry-free. It is very important to keep our children just as emotionally safe as we keep them physically safe,” said Lori.

If you do allow allergens in your home, put them in one spot where your child can’t reach. Stefany, To Be Thode, told a friend to “put a big red X on the things her son could not have. It helped him, at three, to know his safety boundaries with food.”

Recipes

Check out Lori’s terrific cookbook, The Divvies Bakery Cookbook, and co-host Kelly’s The Food Allergy Mama’s Baking Book, for lots of great recipes.

Also, ConAgra Foods’ great website, www.readyseteat.com, will provide new recipe ideas. (Lori likes the Spicy Mediterranean Pasta at www.readyseteat.com/recipes-Spicy-Mediterranean-Pasta-2446.html)

“I love how easy it is to search by ingredient – and it even shows me which ingredients are on sale in my area!” said Christina, Mommy’s Must Haves.

Some other good recipes from the class:

Check out Divvies Sugar Cut-Out Cookies http://tmotherhood.wpengine.com/talk/show/id/62140/view/single/post/488104

Allergy-Free Chocolate Cookies

http://www.foodallergymama.com/2011/02/02/dairy-egg-and-nut-free-chocolate-sugar-cookies-and-a-food-allergy-cooking-show-today/

Restaurants, schools and birthday parties

Whenever you go out, be prepared. Christy, MoreThanMommy, had this tip: “My son carries a Twin-ject with him. It’s an auto-injector with two doses of epinephrine, so we only have to carry one. If you normally carry two epi-pens,you might want to ask your allergist about the Twin-ject.”

But how to make outings more fun for your child? “I bring treats for my allergic daughter. I always try to get something similar to what is being served. So, for birthday parties, I bring a delicious vegan cupcake for my daughter who is allergic to dairy and eggs. I always bring soy ice cream. That way it’s similar to the birthday cake and ice cream,” says Emily, West of the Loop.

We also learned that sometimes restaurants will not allow you to bring a separate meal for your child. Call ahead to avoid any unpleasantness, or scan the menu in advance to see if there is anything safe for your child to eat.

Allergy-free cooking on a budget

Participant Erin asked for tips on how to deal with allergies on a budget: “I am finding this all to be very expensive!” There were suggestions to cook from scratch, which is cheaper than buying prepared foods. Or buying and freezing foods in quantities. Read more great tips at http://tmotherhood.wpengine.com/talk/show/id/62140/view/single/post/488087.

Lori’s Six “Ingredients” for Cooking with Food Allergies in Mind

MADE TO SHARE: Eating and celebrating should always be an inclusive, shared experience…not exclusive only to those who do not have food allergies/dietary restrictions. Planning ahead and choosing a recipe that will appeal and be safe to everyone is key.

KNOW YOUR INGREDIENTS: How safe are your ingredients? Label the problem foods, or conversely, label the safe foods. Stock up on the essentials and have safe substitutes on hand. Read product claims carefully and whenever in the slightest doubt, call to inquire about safe manufacturing practices.

MADE WITHOUT: Be 100% certain which food allergies are to be considered and which ingredients to strictly eliminate before choosing a recipe. Understanding food “families” (e.g., If someone is allergic to peanuts, are they allergic to all legumes?).

KEEPING IT CLEAN: Is your kitchen workspace dedicated to being allergen-free (allergens have NEVER touched all work surfaces and cooking tools) vs. prepped to be allergen-free (thoroughly cleaning all work surfaces and cooking tools)? Make sure everything is clean and allergen-free: clothing, hands, work surfaces, tools, sponges, towels, even garbage!

COOKING WITH KIDS:

Rule #1 – choose recipes kids will want to make and eat!

Teaching kids how to cook from an early age can instill a lifelong love of food. When choosing recipes for kids who want to learn to cook, consider the difficulty of the recipe, how much parent involvement will be needed, and whether the child will eat it after finishing.

Select a recipe for kids with simple steps. This allows kids to learn exactly how to cook without unnecessary pressure. The cleanup should also be kid-friendly.

BE PREPARED: Assemble an emergency kit that includes your medications, autoinjectors, and an emergency medical plan.

Many thanks to all who participated and shared their information. As Emily said, “To all the parents out there dealing with allergies, you are not alone. I give you all big kudos for being such strong advocates for your kids.”

Many thanks also to our host, Lori Sandler, founder of Divvies Bakery and author of The Divvies Bakery Cookbook, http://www.divvies.com

And to the awesome co-hosts as well:

Caryn Bailey, Rockin’ Mama

Christina McMenemy, Mommy’s Must Haves

Christy Matte, Quirky Fusion

Clarissa Nassar, The Posh Parent

Emily Paster, West of the Loop

Kelly Rudnicki, Food Allergy Mama

Mary Jo Strobel, FoodAllergy.org

Nicole Shields Smith, Allergic Child

Nirasha Jaganath, Mommy Niri

Piera Jolly, Jolly Mom