No Peanutz

3x5 Folded Card Thank You Card

2011-12-14T16:47:00.001-08:00

I love creating cards at Shutterfly.com during the holidays. I especially love when they give me a coupon for sharing my creations. Enjoy!

Mint Julep Thank You Card

For hundreds of thank you card designs, click here.

View the entire collection of cards.

Candy Canes

2011-12-13T19:19:00.000-08:00

Whose child does not love a great Candy Cane? Or as my boys always say, a great Candy Can?We have been chomping on these candy canes. They are made in Mexico, but the box promises that they are made in a nut-free facility. So far, so good.Merry Christmas!

The Spangler Website says this (and I LOVE IT):It has been our experience that families with allergic children take great care to determine the origin of the food their children consume to protect against an allergic reaction. Families should ask the origin of any candy or food product that is in an open bowl or container to ensure what their children consume is free of allergies. If you have any questions, please contact our Quality Assurance department through email at info@spanglercandy.com or toll-free 888-636-4221. 5 ways we make sure our products are allergy free.Our manufacturing facilities are 100% free of gluten (from wheat, barley and rye), dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, fish and shellfish.All Spangler Candy products are made on dedicated manufacturing equipment.We thoroughly clean every manufacturing line, every day.We notify all of our suppliers about our allergen standards. We also request an annual allergen report from each supplier to verify that the ingredients they provide are allergy free.At least twice a year, all of our products are tested for allergens by an independent food lab.Did you know? Facts about food allergies and intolerances in the United States.•About 3 million children have a food or digestive allergy.1•About 4% of adults have a food allergy.2•30-50 million people are lactose intolerant.3•Over 3 million have celiac disease, an intolerance to gluten, the protein found in wheat, barley and rye.4•More than 3 million are allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, or both.5•Over 900,000 have milk allergies.6•Over 2 million have autism.7•From 1997 to 2007 the number of children with food allergies rose by 18%.8(1) National Center for Health Statistics, 2008 Brief, (2) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, 2007, (3) Consumer Health Interactive Report, 2008 (4) Celiac.com, 2007, & National Institutes of Health (5) Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology, 2003 (6) Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), (7) Autism Speaks (8) American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology, 2008.

Cholinergic Urticaria

2011-12-01T20:42:00.001-08:00

This very much describes L.I feel like this answers the questions to L's hives at the pool and in the bathtub, when running around the backyard, and when just getting too hot at night or when playing indoors.For example, tonight L was wearing a tee-shirt, sweatshirt, and jeans while running around the house playing. He came to me with a few hives on his face and said "Will you help me get this sweatshirt off?" I immediately think

Those hives are tempature related, not food related.

A whole new way of thinking about L's hives, for sure.I am in awe that the answer to his constant hives for the past few years is quite possibly due to tempature changes and quite possibly not food related. I really am amazed at how closely the article in the link describes L's symptoms. As always I am grateful to a loving God who has opened my eyes to yet another answer in understanding my children.

Annual Allergy Testing for L

2011-11-30T11:40:00.001-08:00

The boys have been to too many doctor appointments lately. But, we have made some great discoveries at the Allergy Appointments.

Below are the blood work results for L.They will be followed up by skin testing of the allergens listed with which fall below .34. To read the results you should know:Less than 0.10...no significant level detected.10-.34 borderline, significance is determined with doctor (our doctor will follow up with skin testing and possibly food challenge).35-.70 Low .71-3.50 Moderate3.51-17.50 High17.51 or greater VERY HIGH L's Results Fall 2011:Peanut >100 (extremely high as expected)Pea 20.60 (This is no surprise really because Peas are legumes like Peanuts. This is a new and very serious allergy)Sesame Seed .62 (This is new and significant. No sesame seeds for L in any form)Almond 7.28Pistachio 2.51Hazelnut .94Chestnut .73Cashew .97Brazilnut .77Conclusion: No nuts, sesame seeds, or peas for my oldest!Numbers that have dropped/or are insignificant:Milk .18Casein (milk protein) .14Egg Yolk .30Egg White .26Latex .15Red Dye <.10Gelatin Bovine <.10Gelatin Porcine .28Yellow Dye .12 The next step, to be preformed next Wednesday, skin test to Latex, Milk, Egg.If the skin testing goes well the next step would be a food challenge (a little bit of the food is eaten in Doctor Office and patient would be watched for reaction)

Questions I still have from L's results

2011-11-30T11:35:00.000-08:00

Questions I still have: Is L really not allergic to gelatin? The gelatin in Frosted Mini Wheats used to really make him cough, but he did love them? He dislikes most food with gelatin (jello and marshmallows) L always has hives it is a daily occurrence. The cleared up a lot once latex, food dyes and gelatin were removed from his day/diet. But, I learned today there are sooooo many reasons for hives. Non-food, non-latex reasons are very possibly the answer.The hives I thought L was getting to food dyes and latex could also be explained by Immunologic and Non-immunologic Urticaria...basically HIVES. There are several causes of hives and they do explain exactly when L has hives that I thought were food related. Reasons include being exposed to hot and cold temperatures in the pool and bathtub. L regularly gets hives at the pool and almost nightly in the bathtub, which could mean the temperature change causes hives, not the latex toys or the food/medicine he just consumed before bath time. L will get hives when upset and when he plays outside (exercise induced hives), when clothes are too tight (in his most recent growth spurt his clothes, specifically his elastic waist band of underwear, which contains Latex, itch and cause redness and hives), after playing the violin and having an object rest in the "cave" of his neck, the resting of the solid object could cause the hives as opposed to the latex(in the form of bandages to make it softer) on the violin). Hindsight is 20/20 it is easy to see where I could suspect a latex allergy in place of Urticaria. Some foods and medicines do cause Uticaria, such as eggs, nuts, fish, and penicillin and sulfa. But, I am definitely rethinking why L gets hives.I feel like we have some answers from today's results and we have a possibility of adding Eggs, Milk, Gelatin and Dyes back into L's regular diet. Wouldn't that be wonderful? We are still a NUT free home. We now will not let L near PEAS:) Lucky kid...well at least he thinks so. He was not at all allergic to green beans, so I will put those back in his diet:)Sorry L!All of this information is a lot for L, who is just 5 years old. My plan is to talk to him about Urticaria and call it just plain old HIVES and to try to teach him better how to understand his body and be able to alert us, his teacher or other adults when he recognizes signs of an allergic reaction. Also, L very rarely complains of itchiness or any discomfort when he has hives. Hives are not treated with medicine unless they become painful or disrupt life work, play and/or sleep (this is the advice from my doctor....not medical advise for you or your child). I will let you know what the skin results tell us and possibly the food challenge. I really never imagined we would work up to a food challenge for L. If we do great, I welcome it. But, if we don't L already lives without and we know God has a plan for L and we will find Joy in the Journey with or without egg and milk allergies:)

B's Results are so pretty

2011-11-30T11:30:00.000-08:00

B's Results Fall 2011:Casein (milk protein) <.10Milk <.10Egg White .26Egg Yolk <.10Soybean <.10PEANUT .44 (This is a class 1 allergy. When B was 1 y/o he was a class 4, when B was 2 y/o class 2, and now class 1....this is a very positive trend. The doctor predicts a possible food challenge next year if the number continues to go down. I am afraid to be too optimistic. Time will tell. But for now no NUTS!) Could B possibly be food allergy free in a year? Unimaginable, but really nice to imagine!

Traveling with Food Allergies

2011-11-17T16:21:00.001-08:00

I just read an interesting tip at the allergist office yesterday...When traveling bring along more Epipens than you would normally carry. I had never thought to do this. We always travel with L's and B's two pack of Epipen Jr's. We always keep them in a set. So we always travel with four epipens, two for L and two for B. I think this is a great tip for traveling because you may need your Epipen and be either farther from a hospital than usual or not sure of where a hospital is/get lost, etc. (just let your imagination imagine as a mom, mine usually will:) On our next trip we will take our "at home" epipens and "going out" epipens. Love this tip, hope you do too!Why so many Epipens, you maybe wondering? You can use an Epipen every 15 minutes as needed for anaphylaxis. Also, sometimes Epipens don't work or the person who needs the epipen shot fights it and you don't get it injected all the way, several reasons I have heard of and can imagine. I know my L, who is 5 years old, will fight me if the epipen is ever needed because he absolutely hates shots! Safe travels!

The forbidden fruit

2011-11-15T10:17:00.001-08:00

I thought I had it all perfect. L knew that he could not eat anyone's food but his own at school--only his lunch, only snacks from his safe snack box.Well, for the Fall Curriculum his class learned about trees, specifically the APPLE tree. We went to Open House night as a family. The brother of one of L's friends, gave L and apple slice on a toothpick, and I was surprised to see L eat it without batting an eye! What my perfect plan ruined!

I talked to L about this on the way home from open house....WE only eat our food! We don't know if that apple had been in the hands of someone who had nuts on their hands or cross-contaminated when cut. L said "But mom I did not get sick. It was fine."Okay folks I have a smart guy on my hands. But I said "Yes you were fine, but lets not do that again. You only eat your safe food at school."End of discussion...Well, no not quite.The next day we are walking home from school. L says, "We learned the parts of an apple today and then our teacher let us all taste a bite of apple." "Did you L?""I don't want to tell you, Mom."PUNISHMENT....he disobeyed. Then, time to reflect on my strict rules....L has a great teacher who can probably cut the apple up safely. I talked to teacher. L, teacher and I had a discussion about this matter. We decided if the teacher, L and I discuss the food (used as a learning tool) L can have it in the class.The next week his class rated Yellow, Green and Red apples and graphed the results. L was part of the apple tasting and rating contest. L knows I only want him to eat food from his teacher that she and I have discussed. So far it is working out. The teacher and I have discussed pumpkin seeds, popcorn and, of course, apples. By the way, the Yellow Apple was by far the most popular apple in L's class!L is a smart kid, who has a lot of food restrictions. L feels safe at school and trusts his teacher. I trust her too. She is really a great teacher for L. We have some new rules and they seem to be working. I feel that L and I have to be a team, working together to manage his food allergies, because one day he will be doing it all by himself. (DISCLAIMER: I am still the parent and the one who makes most decisions...L is just smart enough and aware of his food allergies enough to help me and be on the team to keeping him safe.)

Halloween

2011-11-15T10:04:00.001-08:00

We survived it...that is always my first goal...It was fun...that's my second goal!

We trick-r-treated with neighbors. Our neighbor was just diagnosed with peanut and tree nut allergies. We were officially the nut-free gang!We had a little bit of an adventure. We got locked out of our house, without our epipen jr.s and benadryl. My mom and brother went and got a spare key for us from my mom's house (sorry I ruined there Halloween...but they saved the night!) And luckily we trick-r-treated with friends who have a epinpen jr and benadryl. I hope to not have that kind of adventure again, or at least if I do it again I want our epipens and benadryl with us for goodness sake!I let my boys accept all the candy and when they got home they traded their bags full of candy for a cupcake and half a rice-milk candy bar by Enjoy Life. Click here for a coupon. Very yummy! There was some kettle corn in their bag that they could have. L loved it. B left his bag for L to eat, not a popcorn fan I guess. Check out this great popcorn. This was a new brand for me. The packaging looked promising. I researched the company on line and felt it was completely safe for them to enjoy it! Check it out. In our area it sells at Remke Biggs and Costco.

Soy Free Vitamins

2011-09-22T19:19:00.000-07:00

I have had a lot of trouble finding a children's daily vitamin that includes iron and is soy free.For L the challenge was Gelatin Free and Dye Free. The answer has been: L takes

A special thank you to all the Vegans who have made a market for "gelatin free" vitamins and other health foods. We found these vitamins at a locally owned health food store. You can buy them on the internet cheaper. I may do that next time, assuming I plan ahead in time.For B the challenge is he is allergic to SOY. He could eat the very popular Flintstones Complete:

But, I am trying to avoid the Red Dye for him as well, to avoid a future allergy (my own concocted method, not one I have reviewed with the allergist yet)Currently I spend a lot of time on the elementary school grounds. I have met many great people. I recently met a neat lady who works at Whole Food Market. She has become a great resource for me on healthy foods and vitamins. She recently informed me that most vitamins were wheat based until recently when the price of wheat went up....then they mainly became soy-based because soy is cheaper. I have not been able to discover for sure if the above mentioned vitamin, that L takes, only contains soybean oil and/or soy lechitin or if it contains the soy protein, flour, etc that B has to avoid.This post is motivating me to write Bluebonnet and ask if there vitamin just contains soybean oil....or actual soy protein and/or soy flour. I will get back to you if I receive a response.Do you have a favorite Soy-free, dye free-vitamin that contains iron??? Please share!!!

Birthday Party with Coconut Ice Cream

2011-09-11T05:07:00.000-07:00

We had L's friend party this week. L is 5 years old! I can't believe it. His food allergies seem to be sticking around (no outgrowing them yet!)I served water(little ones still spill and oh! they did), chocolate cupcakess (egg free, dairy free, nut free, soy free ones) with coconut ice cream----chocolate or vanilla.No child noticed the difference in the ice cream. One child, who has a milk intolerance, took some convincing that he was allowed to eat ice cream. I took him in the kitched and showed him the containers with the coconuts on them (not cows!:) He liked the chocolate....evidence: it was all gone!

The cupcakes and ice cream were not sugar free. This was well noted when the kiddos went crazy after "cake and ice cream".It was so nice, as the mama, to see B and L sitting at their little picnic table (spilling water everywhere) and enjoying "cake and ice cream" with their friends. No special orders, no digging out their different "safe" cupcakes because they were all safe. Next week we will dig out our safe treats at a friend party, but for this week all the kids were the same and it was a happy day. Happy Birthday, L!

Coconut Milk

2011-09-08T22:20:00.001-07:00

My boys love, love, love Coconut Milk Yogurt and Ice Cream by So Delicious! If you have not yet tried it...go get some! Don't delay! It is delicious and sweet! We will be eating some at this weekends birthday festivities:)

Basics

2011-09-08T22:18:00.001-07:00

So I did a lot of reading of other mom blogs and I have read a lot of books about food allergies and this is what I determined was needed for L's situation:1. ONLY eat food from home2. Be in a Peanut/Tree Nut free classroom3. Everyone washes there hands when entering the room4. L always washes his hands with soap and water before eating5. L always eats on a clean surface6. L washes his hands with soap and water in the cafeteria (hand sanitizer will not do the trick)7. L eats at the Peanut/ Tree Nut free tableThis has been working well for 3 weeks, but L has had hives the past two days. The possible culprit a sore in his mouth (probably where he bit his lip) and he cannot keep his hands off of it....despite my threats and redirections, I find his little hand in his mouth : (

School-IHP

2011-09-08T22:14:00.000-07:00

L has begun Kindergarten!I can't believe he is old enough! Don't all mothers say that!I spent a lot of time doing paperwork, arranging medications and talking to his teacher to get ready.We decided to do an Individual Health Plan instead of a 504B. I feel this is the best decision this year. I really might change my mind!The District cut the school Nurses and replaced them with Health Aides. Our Health Aide is so sweet and kind, but she is a former Art Teacher, not a medical background:(The Health Aide is organized and even gave me her cell number. L's teacher is super nice and is providing (to her best ability) a peanut-free room.L is doing the "snack box" provided from home and lunches packed at home. He only eats his food! I really feel super strong about this! L knows the rules...only eat food from home.It seems to be working and we are almost a month into school. I really wanted to shelter him and keep him in a nice peanut free bubble....But he wants to SOCIALIZE and learn with great teachers and fun peers!I know in my heart him being at school is what he needs and what is best for him. I only hope God has the patience to listen to my lengthy prayers about keeping my little boy safe!

peanut butter cups

2011-09-08T22:08:00.000-07:00

I was in a room with L and B and a bunch of other kids and a bunch of pb cups! The smell was foriegn and awful (because at this point I really hate peanuts and peanut butter). We left soon after this. We were not expecting peanuts/peanut butter. When we got home it was bath and bedtime. L had hives all over his trunk when I bathed him. Hard to say if they were because we were in a room with so much pb being eaten by young (messy) children. But, it made me feel sad and worry about the future and future social events It made me upset that food is such a BIG part of socializing. But, I know that we just take one day at a time and that God will lead the way if we let him.

HAND SOAP

2011-09-08T22:04:00.000-07:00

So the first week of school for L has come and gone. It was thankfully uneventful. I was really proud of L for coming home and telling me that there was no handsoap in the cafeteria, only hand sanitizer. Hand sanitizer will not do the trick. It took some investigating to discover the dispensers in the cafeteria do not hold the foam soap supplied by the district. It just leaks out as soon as you put it in. I bought some thicker soap and it still does not work that well. For now the solution is to have a regular store bought dispenser, which Bob the Janitor fills on a regular basis and to keep soap in the not-working-so-well dispenser until who knows when. L tells me each day that he is washing his hands....this is the important part that his hands are cleaned before he eats:) And now I am friends with Bob the janitor and Bob the janitor now understands why hand sanitizer is not enough for my son:)

Red Dye #40

2011-09-08T21:58:00.000-07:00

We have finally figured out one of the reasons for L's hives. Red Dye #40! It's everywhere...in toothpaste, juice (or I should say "juice"), hand soap, shampoo, vitamins, candy, everywhere! Avoiding it for a child with peanut, tree nut, milk, and egg allergies is hard because ....that means no skittles, starbursts and other go to treats. Halloween is shaping up to be an all out trade if for a Rice Milk Chocolate Bar. The Candy Bar is good....but we shall see how it goes:)I read somewhere technically you can't be "allergic" to Red Dye #40 (which is made from Coal Tar, yuck!). It is technically an "intolerance". But, you can have hives, breathing trouble and possibly anaphylaxis. This is serious business. So we were planning to skip our annual trip to the allergist. But, in light of this and also the gelatin allergy. As well as possible seasonal allergies and reactive airway business, which means nightly breathing treatments.....I think we will take Luke back to the Allergist for a little follow up, some testing and a good plan to keep L safe, happy and healthy!

Vitmain without Gelatin

2011-03-24T10:02:00.000-07:00

We have recently discovered L is allergic to Gelatin. This explains his hives after he got his chicken pox vaccine, his coughing while eating certain cereals (Lucky Charms, Frosted Mini Wheats (All Varaties), and his more recent stomach upset and general hives when taking a daily vitamin. Almost all daily vitamins contain gelatin, as well as some fruit snacks, soft drinks, and canned meats. Make-up also contains gelatin, luckily as a boy this should not be an issue. Gelatin is made from animals. So we have had some luck in finding Gelatin-free vitamins. Vegans don't want Gelatin in there diet, and either does L. This is a blessing. I don't think L needs a daily vitamin, but B does need one. L wants to be included in the morning vitamin fun and thanks to Lil Critters he can be. I found the vitamins at Target. Random place, but I am grateful to find them there and not make a special trip to the health food store.

GELATIN

2011-03-24T09:56:00.000-07:00

It took me a long time to figure this out. But, L is allergic to gelatin. I began to suspect this after little things added up. First, he had a terrible reaction to his Chicken Pox Vaccine. Second, every time he ate Frosted Mini Wheats he would cough and cough. Then, it happened again with Lucky Charms. Finally everyday he and B take a daily vitamin. L began to complain about his tummy hurting and refused to eat much of the time. After label reading, I cut out gelatin and life is much better. L has not had official (expensive) allergy testing. But when you know you know. He can be tested in his next annual allergy doctor visit. L has been very involved in this discovery and feels more confident eating when he knows the ingredients of his food and plays in active part with me in making sure his food is safe.

I would have a harder time with this discovery, except when I told the doctor I though there must have been egg in his chicken pox vaccine because he had hives for two weeks following. She said "it may have been gelatin." sort of thinking out loud. I am so glad she did. I have since read that there is more likely to be a reaction to gelatin than eggs when vaccinations are given.

SOY

2011-03-24T09:53:00.000-07:00

Somehow B's allergy to SOY was overlooked and not tested in his first round of testing at 13 months old. Now at 2 we know he is allergic to soy. He was not experiencing hives when he drank soy and I was missing it. He instead sounded like a made case of bronchitis all the time. I worried about him so much. It was a huge answer to prayer when we discovered his SOY allergy. Since eliminating soy he is much better, happier, and more energetic. L continues to drink and eat soy as a main part of his diet. It gets a little more complicated as what they are allergic to changes and goes in different directions. But, with extra planning and label reading we are doing just fine.

Dairy-Free Margarines Butter Substitutes

2010-08-30T20:17:00.000-07:00

Parkay Squeeze Butter
Blue Bonnet Light (comes as sticks and in small containers/tubs)

Kindergarten is around the corner

2010-08-30T20:11:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Kindergarten is around the corner for our oldest child. I have been researching a lot about schools, our school district and others. Sadly we did not move into the district in the area with Peanut-free elementary schools. If only we had known what challenges lay ahead before we bought our home!

The school our children will attend serves a peanutbutter bar everyday for breakfast and a PB&J everyday for lunch. Sad:( But, they have a peanut-free table. They have a nurse 4 out of 5 days a week and they have 10-12 students this year with nut allergies. Our kids will certainly not be alone at the nut-free table! This is encouraging because the school staff is already familiar with the needs of children with peanut/treenut allergies. I felt less anxious today after talking with the nurse at the school. She answered the phone after 2 rings and she let me ask lots of questions and rattle on all while being completely patient with me.

Baseball Game

2010-08-30T20:09:00.001-07:00

We decided against taking the boys to the game. The Reds are in first place, so I knew it would be crowded and there would just be too many peanuts! The boys were happier to stay at home with grandma and watch cartoons and play games and my husband and I had a worries free date night. It was really a win-win.

Baseball Game

2010-07-09T14:07:00.000-07:00

This article is a good one. I feel like I am nearly OCD at times, but it's not OCD because my constant cleaning, wiping and food preparing is purposeful and life-saving. I feel like I have normal, healthy children. But, we ( my husband and I and even our children's grandparents) do live in a different world than parents and grandparents of children without life-threatening food allergies to the dreaded peanut and treenuts.

I recently wrote to the Cincinnati Reds and asked if they had any accomadations for children with peanut allergies. There response was not sensitive, certainly far from accomodating. I am still considering how to respond. I'll let you know what I decide.

Ms. J,

Unfortunately, we do not have a peanut free zone at Great American Ball Park. We have previously looked into this idea, but even if we are able to create a peanut free suite, we cannot guarantee a peanut free path to the suite, nor could we guarantee that our ventilation system was free of any peanut dust. The same issues would arise if we established a seating area as peanut free. Even if we could guarantee a path into the ballpark, we could not keep a breeze from off the river from blowing peanut dust into the established peanut free zone.

Thanks,

Sean

Really? Does he think we live in a bubble. I would not have thought this response was rude if it had not been for the "we could not keep a breeze from off the river from blowing peanut dust into the est. pfz". I think what I want is a seat for the boys in the handicap section, where it would be less likely that peanut shells would be tossed there way. Maybe I will ask him if he can do that? What do you think? The National's have a peanut free zone, couldn't the Reds just offer special seats?

Peanutbutter Cracker

2010-03-12T17:00:00.001-08:00

The other day we enjoyed a nice visit to the park. We enjoyed the sunshine and 50 degree weather. But, we had a close call when B found a pb cracker half eaten on a picnic table. Luckily, I was able to grab it before he got his little paws on it and took a bite! I am sure some little 2 or 3 year old left it there innocently enough. But, sadly peanutbutter in the park is hardly innocent in today's world of Peanut Allergic little ones!

ZenSoy

2010-03-12T16:58:00.000-08:00

L loves his soy pudding by ZenSoy. I got this letter explaining in detail their allergen information:

Hello,
This information sheet is in reply to many of the allergen questions asked about the ZenSoy
products; soy puddings and soy milks.
The ZenSoy puddings are produced in four flavors: Vanilla, Chocolate, Banana and
Chocolate/Vanilla Swirl. The ZenSoy soy milks are produced in ½ gallon and quart sizes in four
flavors: Plain, Vanilla, Chocolate and Cappuccino; ½ gallons are not available in Cappuccino.
The ZenSoy soy milks with added Omega3 DHA are produced in 8.25oz sizes in three different
flavors: Vanilla, Chocolate, and Cappuccino.
The ZenSoy soy puddings and soy milks are dairy free; (no eggs, milk, casein, milk protein).
There are no animal derivatives, nuts/peanuts, wheat/gluten used in the ZenSoy products. We
do manufacture at a plant that also produces dairy products, however, our machines are
cleaned and sterilized before we manufacture the soy products. Our products are Kosher
Certified Parve.
Some of our consumers are wondering where the lecithin is derived from; the lecithin is from
soy. We also have questions about carrageenan. Carrageenan is a generic term applied to
hydrocolloids extracts obtained from natural red seaweed grown around the northern Atlantic
coast. Throughout history, red seaweeds have been harvested and used for variety of products.
As a food source reference of its use in China goes back to 600 BC. It has been used in milk
puddings by the Irish, as salads and aspics in the Far East and in medicines in South Africa.
The mention of organic natural flavors lets the consumer know the natural flavors are the
actual real plant extractions; (vanilla bean, vanilla leaf, coco bean, banana plant…). Organic
products are grown without the use of herbicides or pesticides, using sustainable agricultural
methods such as crop rotation and water conservation.
The ZenSoy products have four certifications; OU Kosher Parve, Vegan, USDA and NOFA (North
East Organic Farming Association).
Up to date none of our equipment is used for any type of nut product, so there is no chance of
cross contamination with regards to nuts.
If there is anything more we may help you with concerning ZenSoy products please do not
hesitate to contact us.
Thank you for your interest in the ZenSoy product, we appreciate your patronage.
ZenSoy
Dora’s Naturals, Inc.
21 Empire Blvd
South Hackensack, N.J. 07606

I was very pleased with this response! L will keep eating pudding....and will soon earn the free ZenSoy tee-shirt:)

Medical News: AAAAI: Egg Allergy No Bar to Flu Shot - in Meeting Coverage, AAAAI from MedPage Today

2010-03-04T05:13:00.000-08:00

Medical News: AAAAI: Egg Allergy No Bar to Flu Shot - in Meeting Coverage, AAAAI from MedPage Today

Jelly Belly is kicking the peanuts out of the factory!

2010-03-01T20:39:00.000-08:00

I found this on another mom's blog. Good News! You might not even think before eating a jelly bean that it could be containmanated with a peanut!

Starbucks is selling Dr. Lucy's cookies

2010-03-01T20:34:00.000-08:00

Check out this site for more information on this nut-free, dairy free, egg free cookie! I will have to inform my dad, who loves Starbucks, to check for these cookies on his next trip!

****WARNING: I have read on other blogs that the peeled fruit at Starbucks is not peanut free. It is listed as nut-free but the back of the package states it is mfg. in a plant with peanut and nut products. ALWAYS READ LABELS!!! Scary stuff!

A nut-free Valentine's Day

2010-02-16T06:43:00.001-08:00

L got a special delivery from here!

L was excited to receive his nut-free skippers, which are basically M&Ms, his granola bar and chocolate lollipop.

In case you are wondering, we do eat fruit too! It's just fruit and veggies come naturally nut-free:)

So Delicious Allergen-Free Ice Cream

2010-02-16T06:40:00.000-08:00

Have you tried this? L gives it 2 thumbs up!

Allergen Friendly Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-02-16T06:29:00.000-08:00

I think these cookies are so yummy! And so do my boys and my taste testers. Taste testers that do not have food allergies!

Click here for the recipe!

I used shortening in place of the dairy-free margarine. I have heard dair-free margarine exists, but I have not found it yet! I also used Kroger Brand Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, which do contain some dairy. I left some without chocolate chips for B. L only eats one cookie at a time and the few chips don't seem to bother him. Our allergist is comfortable with this plan for L. Each person with food allergies needs there own plan:)

Enjoy these YUMMY Cookies!

Pumpkin Muffins

2010-02-16T06:05:00.000-08:00

Recently I made some pumpkin muffins that are dairy, egg and nut free.

I used this recipe. I used Libby's Pumpkin Pie filling for the canned pumpkin and all the spices. I did this to avoid using my spices...since they are McCormick I did not add the optional nuts and raisins. I used Canola Oil and Ener-G Egg Replacer I made them into muffins, or as L calls them "cupcakes", for easy freezing and storing. We have been using them as treats for the boys.

I added a few semi-sweet chocolate chips to some of the muffins. They do contain some milk. But, L seems to tolerate a little milk...not much, but a little! I froze the chocolate chip muffins in there own bag. This recipe makes a lot!

You can use Vegatable oil is place of Canola Oil. I did not because B was recently diagnosed with Sesame Seed Allergy, which can be found in some Vegatable Oils. This is only from blood work and not skin testing. We are just going to avoid sesame seed for now. I now have found some safe Vegatable Oils.

ENJOY!

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

2010-01-11T18:56:00.000-08:00

Our family rented Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs at my request over the weekend.I heard it was a good cartoon with a character who has a Peanut Allergy! I actually read about it on another mommy blog. I can't remember where or who to give the credit to for putting the word out about the movie having a PA character. I thought Sam Sparks, the weather lady with the peanut allery, was a wonderful character. Sam even goes into anaphylactic shock and requires an epipen during the movie. I think this is a great cartoon to watch with children who have food allergies. I enjoyed the opportunity to watch it with my 3 year old and talk to him about Sam! I give it two thumbs up!

McCormick Spices maybe cross contaminated with peanut and tree nuts

2010-01-06T13:15:00.000-08:00

I was making dinner and called about the spice packet from McCormick. They clearly marked the top 8 allergens in bold, but I am glad I called. They stated McCormick does not make any efforts to keep from cross contaminating their food. Bummer! I went through my spices and 85% are McCormick. Hopefully I can find some safe spices!

CiCi's Pizza Buffet is a Peanut and Nut Free Restaurant

2010-01-01T09:15:00.000-08:00

We wanted to eat out last night. I researched the restaurant we wanted to go to. The online menu to the restaurant we almost went to stated no peanuts or tree nuts. But, when I called to speak to the manager he was very short with me and I was not convinced we would get quality service there.

However,during my research I found that Cici's Pizza Buffet is peanut and nut free. They also state clearly that they have eggs in there white salad dressing and brownies. NO.WHERE. ELSE. We were able to eat out, at a buffet no less, and not worry. You do need to talk to the manager about MILK. The noodles with speghetti sauce were out for us because they contain cheese.

Our kids menu: We double checked with the manager upon arrival about the nut-free environment. We informed him of our children's milk and egg allergy. He made special cheese-free breadsticks for L and B. He also assured us that the Cinnamon Rolls were safe. I am still in shock that the Cinnamon Rolls could be egg and dairy free, not to mention nut free.

It made our year! We are so happy to have a Cici's close to home! LJ was bouncing off the walls with excitement! He got to eat out with the family and choose from a buffet! AND to top it off he got to eat DESSERT!

Thanks CiCi's

Go HERE to learn more!

PIZZA HUT is not peanut and tree nut free

2009-12-31T09:39:00.000-08:00

In an earlier post I was excited about PIZZA HUT. But I have learned more from other bloggers since that post. Unfortunately PIZZA HUT does not guarantee that they are peanut/tree nut free. Go HERE to learn more! You will see this statement at the bottom of page 2 "*=Peanuts and tree nuts are not used in Pizza Hut restaurants. May be used in common manufacturing plants."

I am grateful to the other mother bloggers who share what they have learned. Also, grateful to have found this out the easy way and not because of a reaction! I have learned the importance of going to restaurant websites and in reading the fine print!

some new things

2009-12-23T05:53:00.000-08:00

I learned some new things while reading last night:

Studies suggest some newborns and infants can already be allergic to peanut because of exposure in the womb.

Peanut protein can be found in breast milk for up to 8 or more hours after the nursing mother eats even the smallest amount of peanut.

Studies suggest you are more likely to be allergic to peanut if your sibling is, not if your mom or dad is.

Interesting information. I wish I had known long ago. I hope they can help others.

Preschool

2009-12-20T20:13:00.000-08:00

L, 3 years old, attends preschool twice a week. He loves preschool. He loves his teacher and his classmates. The class has four children. They stay for a two-hour block. I have seen L's self-esteem blossom as he has attended for the past three months. I told his teacher about L's food allergies and medication at our first meeting. His teacher is amazing. She got to work researching peanut allergy as well as the others. She has really worked hard to create a safe environment for L. There are of course risks, like typing on the computers in the community room and then eating a snack. But, L's teacher has all the children wash there hands several times, especially when coming in and before snack time. Things are going well. I am really grateful to his teacher for creating an environment of learning and fun for L.

The Peanut Allergy Answer Book: 2nd Edition

2009-12-20T20:08:00.000-08:00

The Peanut Allergy Answer Book: 2nd Edition (Paperback) I am reading this book. It came highly recommended from several websites and other bloggers. It is blunt, easy to read and hard to swallow. My husband is reading along too. We can both only handle a few pages at a time. Peanut allergy is really the most severe food allergy around. I find the book helpful, but WHOA! Read it with a box of tissues.

Ginger Bread Houses

2009-12-20T20:05:00.001-08:00

Tonight we had friends over for GINGER BREAD HOUSE making. It was so fun. My friend, who understands and takes our families food allergies serious, made a great frosting from corn syrup and powdered sugar. No eggs, milk or nuts involved. We used nut free candy and had a great time. The boys snuck a few graham crackers and candy. When I put them to sleep there was no sign of any type of reaction. Fun times! PS this was the first Ginger Bread house our family has made...as you may have already guessed.

Wiping off Contact Hives

2009-12-20T20:02:00.000-08:00

I recently heard a great tip. When your child gets a hive from contact with an allergen, such a peanut butter, a milk spill, etc. If you first try to wipe it off with a regular old wet wipe it may disappear without Benadryl or Anti-Histamine. I tried it the other day when L got 2 little hives on his leg. It worked. MAGIC! I hope this trick will help when L and B get hives in the grocery store from touching so many things, despite my best efforts. Hope this tip works for you too!

Out To Eat

2009-12-20T19:42:00.000-08:00

Going out to a restaurant makes me nervous. I wonder where there maybe hidden peanuts/tree nuts. I wonder if our chairs and table are covered in peanut dust. I wonder if the guy who made my kids hamburgers had a Reese Cup on his last break. But, then I remember FAAN says "don't live in fear" and I remember the Lord said "if you are prepared, you shall not fear." So I wipe down the tables and chairs with sanitary wipes. I tell the manager "hey my kids have food allergies, specifically peanut, treenut, milk and egg. It's serious. I need to make sure there food is safe." They don't have peanuts/tree nuts...at least at the McDonalds we go to most frequently with the boys. They open new packages. They tell the grill team. They are very, very careful. They sort of have to be with me staring them down, watching a little too closely:)

When the meal is over, I remind myself not to over examine every red mark on my boys thinking it might be a hive or some sort of reaction. I try to be discreet because I still do look for all those little signs of a reaction. I don't want my boys to be anxious and live in fear. I take a deep breath. I say a prayer in my heart. We pray over our food. And in the end I do try to do the cooking mostly at home.

The other night we went out to eat. My oldest son was ill and I did not feel like cooking. We got the boys hamburgers from McDonalds. My husband and I had Pizza Hut. I went in to Pizza Hut and picked up the pizza. I said my boys have peanut/tree nut allergies blah blah blah. Two out of three of the workers said I don't know if we have anything that contains peanuts, etc. One of the three (the youngest one actually) went around the corner for a minute, came back and said "Actually nothing we serve contains peanuts or tree nuts." I say "how did you know that." He says "we have a sheet with the top 8 allergens listed for all of our menu items." I say "can I see that?" He says "sure." WOW! I was impressed by the sheet and it's details. I felt safe if LJ or BJ want to have some pizza or breadsticks, without cheese of course, in the future. I don't always mention to the restaurant milk and egg allergy because they are not as severe in LJ. For BJ egg and milk is severe. I need to start mentioning it when we eat out.

I still have to fight my anxiety about peanuts, tree nuts, and other allergens in our food or cross contaminating our food when we are out to eat. But, I have read in paperwork from the allergist that if you warn the restaurant and are careful that it's okay. What do you think? Do you take your kids with food allergies out to restaurants? Do you secretly watch them for signs of a reaction? Sometimes I even sneak in there rooms after they are sleeping just to make sure all is well.

When it first hit me...

2009-12-17T18:37:00.001-08:00

When my oldest son L was diagnosed with a peanut allergy. I didn't want to know more. I thought "okay no peanuts. no big deal." I carried his epi-pens and benadryl around with me, but I thought no big deal. I was so comfortable wrapped up in my little blanket of denial about the significance of a peanut allergy. After way too long my neighbor said "Kathleen this is serious. You need to research and understand this peanut allergy more. This is life changing." Thank you Neighbor! You were so right. I reasearched and researched. And then I began to cry and cry. I was so sad and anxious. I prayed. I talked to my husband. I found a new allergist. I educated myself and those who care for my boys.
I finally stopped crying every night and learned that this is our life. It is a good life. God has a plan for our family. He knows each of our children and he loves them. He knows what's best for them. Now I feel like I have shed the nice cozy blanket of denial, I have dried the tears, I am better educated on food allergies, and now I want to keep learning and networking with other mothers and caretakers who love and care for children with life-threatening food allergies.