New Year, New Food Resolutions

2022 has almost officially come to an end and what better time to look back at my last year’s resolution-

Let’s take her to a birthday party and NOT freak out that nobody washed their hands after eating milk and egg infested cake.

Yes?

Yes.

She’s getting older. She doesn’t automatically put everything in her mouth now. We’ll just teach her not to lick her friends.

2022: Outside, socially distanced birthday parties and not licking people!

One poison cupcake for you, one poison cupcake for you, one poison cupcake for you! Yep! Make sure to be as messy as possible and then run around with your sugar high and get really close to that sad kid over there!

Were we successful? Did we make it to a birthday party without accidental anaphylaxis? Yes! Yes, we did! We went to multiple classmates’ birthday parties throughout the year, completely surrounded by allergens, dairy icing smeared on faces, cupcake crumbs littered the floor, and I did my very, very best to not freak out. Luckily, poison cupcakes were allocated towards the end of the party. Pizza was right in the middle of things, but more easily avoided. She’s surrounded by allergens everyday at preschool, but the kids are conditioned to wash their hands after every time they eat. Birthday parties, where anarchy reins, is generally a handwashing free zone. I definitely don't want to be a handwashing enforcer at another kid’s birthday, but I’ve done crazier things as a food allergy parent.

Well, I am going to give myself an A+ on last year’s resolution. After all, I didn’t say I had to do it with no stress, I just wanted to not completely freak out. And we did it! I didn't steal anyone's child and hose them down. I didn't run around with a pack of wipes attacking anyone with icing on their face. We went to birthday parties and it was okay.

Now, for 2023, my resolution is going in a slightly different direction. I am embarking on updating North Carolina’s preschool/daycare food allergy regulations. Elijah’s Law, a policy first introduced in New York after Elijah, a preschooler with severe milk allergy, was given a cheese sandwich, not given epinephrine, and passed away. It’s aim is to make young children with food allergies safer in preschool and daycare and I am looking to bring it to NC. 

So, 2023, bureaucracy, here I come!

Free Snacking: Christmas Candy Edition

If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you know my love of chocolate candy. You also know that chocolate candy is a hot bed for common food allergens. Milk, nuts, peanuts, soy, even egg and wheat are everywhere you turn in the candy aisle. Even candy bars that aren't made with food allergens are usually made on the same line as other candy bars, so me and my kid just steer clear of the whole aisle.

This is a huge problem for Christmas because I associate stockings with chocolate Santas- there's nothing like gnawing off Santa's head to celebrate the true spirit of Christmas. In the past, I’ve relied on sour patch kids or other gummy candies, but after Halloween, my kids are tired of those. So, this was the year that I ventured into ordering safe chocolate candy online. I settled on No Whey Foods because they are Top 9 allergen free! Plus, I love a good pun.

They had a Christmas three pack- Santa head, gingerbread man, and reindeer; I got one for each kid. Then, I just couldn’t say no to a few more things- Choco No No’s (like M&Ms), PeaNOT cups (like Reese’s cups), and No Tricks (like Twix). They also have other things like chocolate covered prezels and cupcakes but I went to that website for one reason and one reason only: candy.

I love the names but I do think that packing looks like they've been at the back of the shelf at the convenience store since 1982.

SO do they taste good?

As far as milkless chocolate goes, it was actually pretty good. It’s no Hersey's milk chocolate, but there was nothing offputing about the taste. The PeaNOT cups really tasted delicious and although it’s been a while since I have had the real thing, I thought the creamy Sunbutter inside was great. The top layer of chocolate was a little thick which made it hard to eat, the bottom layer cracked and squished out the filling. But I would definitely get them again.

Luckily, the cracks did not stop me from eating the whole thing.

The No Tricks bar was a little further from the original inspiration- the cookie layer was too thick (I’m sure the no wheat threw off the texture) and the caramel was so sticky I thought it had permanently fused to my teeth (I blame no dairy for that one). Did I still enjoy eating it? Yes. It’s candy. But I don’t think I would order it again.

We’ll see how the kids like the Santas in a few days!

At Home Food Sensitivity Tests? No You Better Don't.

Have you been bombarded with advertisements for at home food sensitivity tests? Tis the season for giving medically inaccurate at home testing, I guess. These at home food tests really infuriate me because it’s perpetuating the confusion between food allergies (life threatening, medically diagnosed, immune system mediated) and food sensitivities (not life threatening, no clear cut way to diagnose, GI system mediated). Look, I’m not saying food sensitivities and intolerances don’t exist. They do. BUT they are NOT allergies. And when half the population can’t eat gluten because it hurts their tummy, but then there’s 1% of the population THAT COULD DIE if they eat wheat, I feel like we should not get them confused.

Yes, I did want a scientifically unproven test that can potentially give me extremely misleading results! 😍😍😍 How did you know?

So, what do these “at home food sensitivity tests” actually test? Most test for IgG’s in your blood (this is not to be confused with the blood tests done at the allergist office- IgE) to around 100 different foods. It should be noted that there is no evidence to suggest that higher IgGs to certain foods is any way related to food sensitivities, intolerances, or allergies. Actually, your body normally makes IgG’s to food that it has been exposed to, so higher IgGs to certain foods may actually mean you can eat (and have eaten) that food. This is why the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology and the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology have recommended against using IgG testing to diagnose food allergies or food intolerances/sensitivities.

What’s the harm with getting false results for food sensitivities? Well, you can completely eliminate something from your diet that you don’t need to. Another problem? If you ARE actually allergic to something, you might have no IgGs to that food. And a false negative test to a real food allergy? Not great. Not great at all.

So do yourself (and your family and your friends and random people on the street) a favor and make sure nobody wastes money on IgG testing. Let’s waste our money on other fun gifts- like gift cards that lie forgotten in our junk drawers.

Happy Allergen Free Birthday, Part 3

It’s December and it’s my kid’s birthday again. This year, we decided to have a “party” for her at the zoo. We invited family and started looking on the zoo’s website for ways to make it special. A lot of the behind-the-scenes activities aren’t available in the winter and when I checked the age limits for the ones that were available, none were approved for kids under 5. But, the zoo does offer a birthday party package- admission to the zoo and a pizza party! And outside food is not allowed! Wow! That doesn’t sound like fun at all for kids who can’t eat pizza.

So, we skipped that experience. But it didn’t change the fact that we would probably need to eat lunch before driving the 1.5 hours home. I couldn’t find any allergen information online, but just looking through the menus didn’t inspire a lot of confidence- cheese was on every sandwich (except for the kids menu PB&J 😒), there was no information in what oil they used for frying things, and I just have to assume that garlic or eggs were in all the sauces. Nothing seemed like a safe choice. Come on Zoo! Lots of people have food allergies now, why don't you have any information online in this day and age!

While the zoo doesn’t allow outside food, they do have a section of picnic tables in the parking lot. It’s our kid’s birthday, so if there’s ever a time to force everybody to partake of her restricted diet, it’s this special day. We settled on a bagel spread with vegan cream cheese. Make your own safe bagel sandwich. We brought some Spudsy puffs for the side. And don’t forget her requested cupcake- chocolate with yellow icing and rainbow sprinkles. All peanut, milk, egg, and garlic free. All toddler approved. All easy to bring for a cold, December picnic. That beats a discriminatory pizza party, right?

You know what makes all baked goods better? Rainbow sprinkles and a giant candle.

Happy 3^rd birthday, baby girl! May you soon grow out of a food allergy or two (maybe 3!) (okay if we're making wishes, let's grow out of all 4).

Welcome, Sesame!

What does the hungry magician say to the jar of tahini? Open sesame!

In honor of sesame joining the top allergen party (in the US, sesame must be clearly labeled on all prepared food starting in January 2023), I’ve decided to update my Top Allergen rankings. Welcome to the party sesame. May you be clearly labeled in all prepared foods for the safety of all.

I had no idea our normal wheat bread had sesame! But look! New label!

So, may I present to you, the 

NEW AND UPDATED

(okay I didn't update much BUT I did add sesame)

ULTIMATE

(okay, it’s just my opinion)

DEFINITIVE

(feel free to disagree with me and leave some comments. I’m not going to change my mind but maybe it’ll make you feel better)

DATA DRIVEN

(I used numbers, ya’ll)

RANKING OF HOW MUCH DOES IT SUCK THAT YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO THIS TOP 9

(it's 9 now!)

 ALLERGEN?!

 The points are assigned in three important categories:

• Taste- how delicious is the allergen?
• 0 (poop) to 10 (last meal delicious)
• Prevalence- how many things can you not eat because they have the allergen it?
• 0 (it’s only found in 1 restaurant in the town over) to 10 (it’s sprinkled on everything you’ve ever eaten)
• Replaceable- how easy is it to substitute the allergen?
• 0 (no problem I can use something else) to 10 (nothing in the world could ever come close)

#9- Shellfish

Taste: 6/10
Prevalence: 1/10
Replaceable: 1/10
Total score: 8

I mean, just avoid shellfish right? Seems easy enough to just use a different protein in recipe. Then all you have to do is stay away from seafood restaurants and hibachi restaurants with flying shrimp! Not to mention most people are aware of this allergy. If you’ve got to have an allergy, this is the way to go.

#8- Flake Fish

Taste: 6/10
Prevalence: 2/10
Replaceable: 1/10
Total score: 9

The fact that fish is sometimes found in a wider range of food bumps it one notch above shellfish. You’ve got to avoid Caesar salad, anchovies on pizza, fish sauce (sorry Thai food!), and Worcestershire sauce. This means that in addition to staying away from seafood restaurants, you should probably stay clear of some Asian ones, too. Being allergic to flake fish sucks, but definitely not as much as the other top ones.

#7 Soy

Taste: 6/10
Prevalence: 5/10
Replaceable: 2/10
Total: 13

Truth be told, I love soy. I love soy milk. I love snacking on edamame. And I think tofu is actually delicious. You may not agree with my taste ranking, but it’s my list. What this really came down to is prevalence. There’s soy lechithin in a lot of delicious processed foods, however according to FARE, most kids allergic to soy can safely eat soy lechithin so you really just need to steer clear of Asian cuisine, vegetable broth, and a lot of meat alternatives. As long as you are not a vegetarian, you should be able to replace those things relatively easily, making soy come in just before tree nuts.

#6- Tree Nuts

Taste: 7/10
Prevalence: 3/10
Replaceable: 4/10
Total: 14

Tree nuts move up next because the amount of tree nuts that are used in bakeries, Asian, and Italian (pine nuts mean no pesto!). Tree nuts are delicious and people love to sneak them into all kinds of baked goods. You can’t exactly replicate a tree nut in recipes, but you can use seeds to add crunch and texture. Definitely easier to deal with than peanuts....

#6- Sesame

Taste: 7/10
Prevalence: 5/10
Replaceable: 4/10
Total: 16

I got to say, this was higher than I was expecting. But, according to FARE, sesame can be found in:

• Asian cuisines (especially sesame oil)
• Baked goods (I’m looking at you bread and bagels)
• Granolas
• Chips
• Crackers
• Dipping sauces (hummus! Tahini! Baba ghanoush!)
• Falafel
• Margarine (sesame oil??)
• Processed meats and sausages
• Protein bars
• Sushi
• Vegetarian burgers

I did not know how many things sesame could be in. I knew: everything bagels. Sesame seed buns. Hummus. I’ve used sesame oil. But protein bars?  Chips and crackers? Processed meats? That seems like a real weird place to hide sesame seeds. Sesame is more prevalent than tree nuts, but less prevalent than peanuts so it sneaks in at #5. Welcome, sesame. It sucks to be allergic to you.

#4- Peanuts

Taste: 8/10
Prevalence: 5/10
Replaceable: 4/10
Total: 17

My love of peanuts pushed this above tree nuts. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, peanut butter is delicious. In a candy bar? Yes. In a curry? Yes. On a PBJ? Yes. Straight from the jar? Yes, please. Plus, look at this list of things that can have peanuts:

• African
• Asian
• Mexican
• Baked goods
• Ice cream/desserts
• Candy
• Chili
• Nougat

I think it's possible that other tree nuts (or even sesame) are more prevalent in desserts in other parts of the world. But let's be honest, Americans love all things peanuts and peanut butter (thanks George Washington Carver). Are peanuts replaceable? Kind of. I did a whole blog post on the best peanut butter alternatives, but it's not quite like the real thing.

#3- Eggs

Taste: 8/10
Prevalence: 6/10
Replaceable: 8/10
Total: 22

Now we are getting to some big numbers. When I first learned about my kid’s egg allergy, I immediately mourned the loss of my morning fried egg. Not only are eggs delicious on their own, but they knock out an entire meal of the day. Goodbye breakfast. Goodbye brunch. It’s tough to go out for breakfast and find anything without eggs unless you are at a vegan restaurant. Pancakes, waffles, muffins, cakes, cookies, brownies out. Mayo out. Ice cream out. They are also hard to replace- scrambled tofu looks like scrambled eggs but it tastes pretty different. If you try the wrong egg replacer in baked goods, it can really make for a rubbery experience. Plus, there are just so many things in cooking (aioli, crème anglaise, custard) that get their texture from eggs. I’ve gotten better at cooking and baking without eggs, but I miss them.

#2- Wheat

Taste: 7/10
Prevalence: 9/10
Replaceable: 7/10
Total: 23

Bread. Pasta. Flour. It’s easier to list what wheat isn’t in rather than what it is in. If you are allergic to wheat, I’m assuming your relationship with rice and oats is up close and personal. The only saving grace for a true wheat allergy is the amount of people that have Celiac’s disease and gluten intolerance. There are at least more alternatives available in the grocery store. While the wheat free flour section has grown, will whatever you bake be a little more crumbly and a little less delicious? Probably. At least there’s always Cheerios.

#1- Milk

Taste: 8/10
Prevalence: 9/10
Replaceable: 7/10
Total: 24

It’s official. Being allergic to milk sucks the most.  Milk and wheat are pretty close, but hands down dairy products are more delicious. If I was Oprah and I was going to profess my love for a food, it wouldn’t be bread. It would definitely be cheese. Let’s look at all the delicious things humans have made from cow’s milk: butter, cheese, cream, custard, pudding, sour cream, yogurt. And we add it to so many things to make them more delicious: all kinds of baked goods, caramel, chocolate, margarine… Okay, so it’s in so many things, but is it replaceable? There are lots of options for dairy free milk that are ok. There’s vegan sour cream and vegan ice cream. But I have not found any vegan cheese that tastes anything like real cheese. Dearest cheese plate, I miss you the most. There’s a chance my kid’ll grow out of this one. So, let’s all cross our fingers and hope for the best. Until then, pizza, I’ll see you in my dreams.