Food Allergy Living Blog Tagged Results

Many parents of children with allergies worry about how to handle children going to parties for friends where food will be served. But what should you do when you’re the host and you’re worried about visitors with allergies?

Every year I host a holiday party and share the same concerns. With friends who have allergies to wheat and tree nuts and vegetarian friends, what would Martha Stewart recommend?

Know Your Guests

When you send out your invitations it’s nice to ask if your guests have any allergies or sensitivities. By doing so, you let them know you’re aware of their concerns and give them an opportunity to share any concerns. If possible, you might even provide the menu ahead of time so they can be aware of foods that are safe and those that present a risk. If they offer to bring a “safe” dish, take them up on their offer. Better yet, host a potluck!

Before you start to cook for the party, clean your kitchen tools and surfaces thoroughly, and make sure you store prepared items safely so that they won’t become contaminated.

Know What You’re Serving

By knowing which allergies your visitors have, you can purchase prepared or packaged foods that are safe (your guests can tell you specific ingredients to look for - check labels carefully) or perhaps to prepare items yourself which you know are safe. Luckily, foods now have required labeling for the 8 major allergens. If you have questions contact the manufacturer to be certain.

Be careful when preparing food yourself. With recipe ingredients like celery, you know what you have – celery! But for other ingredients a recipe calls for, such as spice blends or sauces, the ingredients can be trickier to understand. Is that “protein hydrolysate” derived from soy, wheat, pork or something else? Again, it may be best to contact the manufacturer or run the item by your guest with a quick phone call. Keep the ingredient label on hand for the party, if possible. It’s also a great idea to keep hard copies of recipes for homemade items handy during the party in case guests have questions. The safest bet of all? Try some allergen-free holiday recipes.

Be realistic when planning the menu – you can easily prepare a batch of chocolate chip cookies without adding nuts for those with tree nut allergies, but it may not be reasonable to prepare a different version of EVERY dish you serve that presents an allergy risk. Guests with allergies will be happy to see a few items they can enjoy and usually expect they can’t eat everything on the menu. If you do have separate versions of some items, you can keep them on a different table.

Enable Your Guests - With Labels!

Especially for a large party it can be hard to keep track of telling each guest what foods are safe as they arrive. If you plan on serving buffet-style, consider labeling items for your guests. This could be as simple as using place-tags that provide a description and state what allergens are in the food. An even easier approach would be color-coded stickers that indicate what is or isn’t in the food. Labels on each item served of the 8 major allergens might be most helpful and can help cover your bases for unexpected guests or unexpected allergies.

If you have multiple young guests with allergies it might be more fun for them to see a special sticker just for them (such as a favorite animal or cartoon character) on foods they CAN eat. Labels eliminate the worry of having to tell each guest what is or isn’t safe; just make sure they know what the labels mean! A clearly posted guide to your labels at the front of the buffet could be helpful.

What tips have you used in the past when hosting get-togethers for guests with allergies?

- Rob

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When you have a child who suffers from food allergies going out to dinner may seem impossible. Fortunately because many chain restaurants have standardized menus, which often include ingredient information, they can provide you and your family with some safe allergy friendly food options.

So Many Options, So Little Time

Some great examples of food allergy friendly chain restaurants include:

• Boston Market
• Carrabba's
• Chili's
• Chipotle
• Longhorn Steakhouse
• Outback Steakhouse
• P. F. Chang's
• Romano's Macaroni Grill
• Ruby Tuesday

All of these restaurants include helpful information about the top 8 allergens (milk, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat) both in their restaurants and online. But it is also important to do your research before trying out any new restaurants to ensure reliability.

Do Your Research

A great resource for ensuring you find chain restaurants with allergy friendly food options is the Internet. Most major chain restaurants have websites where you can view their menus before you visit. This gives you a chance to identify safe options for your little ones with food allergies before you go!

Keep in mind that websites may not be updated frequently and ingredients may change, so it’s always a good idea to speak to a manager at the location where you're interested in dining before you go. This will help you ensure that the restaurant really is food allergy friendly and cross-contamination won’t be a problem.

Always Double Check

As moms we always want to make sure our kids are safe, so I recommend always checking to make sure the restaurant is still food allergy friendly even if it’s a restaurant you dine at frequently. And always be sure to tell your server about any food allergies to ensure that you have happy and healthy dining experience.

What are your favorite allergy-friendly restaurants to dine at?

- Sarah

One of the most common questions we receive from parents is about the soy oil in Neocate. If your child has a soy allergy, you may wonder how Neocate can be hypoallergenic if it has soy on the ingredient list!

The answer is that the soy oil in Neocate is not just any soy oil – it is highly refined soy oil, which the FDA exempts from being labeled as an allergen. This means that the oil has been through a purification process that removes all of the soy proteins.

Soy Protein: What to Watch For

As with most allergies, soy allergies are usually the result of the body being unable to tolerate the soy protein. So because the highly refined soy oil does not contain any soy proteins, it is typically safe for patients with soy allergies. As always, you may want to talk with your child’s health care provider to determine what’s appropriate for them.

Another important thing to remember is that not all soy oil is highly refined so unless it is specified as such, you should not assume it is safe. If the soy oil in another product is described as “cold pressed”, “expeller pressed”, or “extruded” is not safe for those with soy allergies. Soy can also be a “hidden ingredient” in many products, so be on the lookout for it in unexpected items, such as tuna and even toothpaste.

Hopefully that helps explain! Let us know if you have any other concerns or questions in the comments section.

- Christine

Although there are over 160 foods identified as allergens, eight foods account for 90% of all food allergic reactions[1]:

• Milk
• Egg
• Peanuts
• Tree nuts (such as walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, coconuts, cashews, pistachios, pecans and brazil nuts)
• Fish (such as salmon, tuna, halibut, bass, flounder or cod)
• Shellfish (such as shrimp, crab and lobster)
• Soy
• Wheat

These foods are designated as “major food allergens” by the Food Allergen Label­ing and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA). FALCPA applies to all foods whose labeling is regulated by the FDA (both domestic and international). The law officially went into effect on January 1, 2006.

FALCPA:

Under FALCPA, food manufacturers are required to list major food allergens or any ingredient that contains protein derived from food allergens in simple, easy-to-understand terms. If the ingredient includes the name of the allergen that it contains (such as buttermilk or soy beans), this meets the FALCPA requirements. However, if the ingredient name does not include the name of the allergen (remember our blog about hidden allergens?), the allergen must be declared either in parenthesis next to the ingredient (for example, “flour (wheat)”) or after the ingredient list (for example, “Contains soy”).

Points to Consider When Reading Food Labels:

Manufacturers are not required to account for cross-contamination. “Cross-contamination” or “cross-con­tact” occurs when a food contains a trace amount of an allergen as a result of coming into contact with other foods containing that allergen during the manufacturing process. For example, a milk-free infant formula may be made in the same manufacturing site as a milk formula. Although milk is not an ingredient of the milk-free formula, it may pick up some trace amounts of milk protein from the shared equipment. However, the manufacturers are not required to list milk on the ingredient list. (Neocate moms, don’t worry; Neocate is the only formula made in a 100% dairy-free manufacturing site). If you have any doubts about a product, call the manufacturers and ask about the possibility for cross-contamination. If they can’t assure you its safe, it may not be worth the risk.

Certain foods are not subject to FALCPA requirements. Foods that are regulated by agencies other than the FDA will have different allergen labeling requirements. Examples of such foods include:

• Poultry
• Most meats
• Certain egg products

If you are unsure if a food is safe for your child, contact the USDA’s food and poultry hotline. Also keep in mind that most alcoholic beverages are not subject to FALCPA requirements. This obviously isn’t applicable to your little ones right now but it’s a good thing to be aware of as they grow up.

FALCPA requirements only apply to foods sold in the US. Food allergen labeling requirements will vary by country so if you are traveling internationally, be extra careful to read the ingredient lists and look for hidden allergens.

Have you found the FALCPA requirements to be helpful or confusing? What tips do you have for finding top 8 allergy-friendly foods in your grocery store?

- Mallory

[1] Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network. http://www.foodallergy.org. [Image: Flickr]

Grocery shopping is always a hard task, but it is even harder when you are shopping for someone with food allergies! Worse, the ingredients your little ones may be allergic to can be hidden within the food label. With our latest series, we will aim to uncover some of the sources of hidden allergens.

New food labeling laws require the top eight food allergens to be listed on food labels. This is really helpful for those reading food labels; however, sometimes allergens can be hidden in the long words in the ingredient list.

Dairy is one of the ingredients which tends to be hidden in foods that you may have otherwise thought were safe. I wanted to share with you a list of some ingredients to watch out for. Some of these definitely contain diary, while others only possibly contain diary.

When viewing the list below, it’s important to always err on the side of caution. If you think there may be traces of dairy in something, call the manufacturer of the product you would like to purchase and inquire. If they cannot guarantee that the product is free of dairy, avoid it!

Foods with dairy ingredients:

• Milk and milk products(including condensed, derivative, dry, evaporated, goat’s milk and milk from other animals, low-fat, malted, milkfat, milk protein hydrolysate, nonfat, powder, protein, skimmed, solids, whole)
• Butter, butter fat, butter oil, butter acid, butter ester(s), buttermilk
• Casein, casein hydrolysate, caseinates (in all forms)
• Cheese
• Cream
• Diacetyl
• Ghee
• Lactalbumin, lactalbumin phosphate, lactoferrin, lactulose
• Pudding
• Recaldent®
• Rennet casein
• Sour cream, sour cream solids, sour milk solids
• Tagatose
• Whey (in all forms), whey protein hydrolysate
• Yogurt

Foods with potential dairy ingredients:

• Artificial or natural flavorings (anything which is derived from butter, cream and egg flavors)
• Chewing gum
• Deli meats
• Fat replacers
• Many types of chocolate (although dark chocolate is often free of dairy)
• Margarine
• Prebiotics (galactooligosaccharides, also known as GOS, are derived from dairy sources. Don’t worry, Neocate Junior with Prebiotics only contains prebiotics in the form of fructooligosaccharides, also known as FOS, which are derived from vegetables.)
• Salad dressings

For a more complete list of foods to avoid when accommodating for a dairy allergy, visit the Food Allergies and Anaphylaxis Network website or check out Alisa Marie Flemming’s book Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living and website for more resources.

Can you share any foods you have found that have surprising hidden dairy ingredients?

- Nita

As we’ve mentioned before, mixing food allergies and birthday parties requires a bit of effort.  This includes both hosting a birthday party (with guests with food allergies) and sending your food-allergic child to a birthday party.

We wanted to round up a few recipes that could provide a potential solution. It would also be great to have an allergen-free dessert, whether you’re hosting the party or sending your little one to a party.  This way everyone can safely enjoy a treat.
 

Cakes & Baked Goods

Most cakes and baked goods call for dairy, eggs, and wheat, which are three of the top eight allergens.  In fact, fish and shellfish are the only two of the top allergens that do NOT regularly appear in baked goods! Here are a few alternatives to a traditional birthday cake that could make a great stand-in.

On page 14 of the Neocate Food Allergy Cookbook, there’s a great recipe for a frosted birthday cake, made with a cake mix from Cherrybrook Kitchen – free of dairy, nuts, and eggs. But don’t count out serving cookies, brownies, bars, cupcakes, or cobbler, all of which appear in the same great cookbook. Another great place to check is the Kids with Food Allergies website, which offers a variety of recipes.

Not interested in handling the baking yourself? There are several companies that can bake a great, safe alternative and have it shipped straight to you, candles not included. A few places whose treats are allergen-free to varying degrees are Divvie’s Bakery, Home Free, Liz Lovely, and Betsy & Claude Baking Company.  You can also check grocery stores that cater to special dietary needs, such as Whole Foods.
 

Delicious Desserts

Who says that an equally delicious dessert can’t make a stellar stand-in for cake? Not us! Here are some ideas for other great foods that most kids would never refuse.

See our Neocate Nutra Recipe Guide for allergy-friendly ice creams and puddings.  Also check back into the Neocate Food Allergy Cookbook for great shake and smoothie recipes, many submitted by parents.  Top suggestions include the Banana Chocolate Shake or Chocolate Covered Strawberry Slushy.  If you really feel like going all-out, you can use one of these frozen desserts alongside a baked good, in place of the usual cake and ice cream.

Feeling REALLY adventurous? Try your hand at a homemade ice cream cake by combining recipes for an allergen-free ice cream, cookies, and frosting.

What have you used in the past when the traditional birthday cake wouldn’t do? Let us know in the Comments section below.

- Rob