Food Allergies - Woodridge, IL

I've been a room mom for many kid's parties and, I'm always careful with children with Food allergies and asking the right questions. Many times, if there is a child with many food allergies like this, the teacher will already have a special "bag" of approved stuff from the parent, so please ask this question. Or...call the parent directly. Soy allergy can be tricky. The parents generally don't want to put others in this situation of having to come up with a solution and potentially jeopardizing the well-being of their child. It's very polite that you are asking this question. Many parents have been amazed that I have made that call - there are so many people who don't understand food allergies or don't ask questions about it and send an item in, anyway with the offending ingredient in the item. Good luck.

What about Jello? You could make little gigglers and that would be safe, sweet, and more b-day like.

The other thought was fruit, but then, fruit isn't much of a b-day treat when your a kid.

I agree with the other mom's thank you for thinking about the other child with food allergies and trying to accomodate. I'm sure the mom and the child appreciate it.

My son has those allergies plus wheat and barley. He just started preschool and I take a back up snack each day. I ask the teacher in the morning when I take him if I can see the package for the snack and if he can have it, he can have what the other student brought. If not, I always have the back up. That is very nice of you to ask. This week is our turn to bring snack, and I bought individual packs of cinnamon applesauce, baby carrots, and apple juice boxes. That way he can have everything on his day to bring. He usually has no problem not eating what the others do sometimes b/c he's used to it. If there is a special treat, though, I have a cake mix to make him a cupcake he can eat, and he can eat some regular icing. So he feels included there.

I would say fruit or cut up veggies would be a good choice. His teachers said they could cut up apples for the kids, and they liked those kinds of treats.

His teachers at the Eola Comm Center have been wonderful about his allergies. He gets reactiosn from just touching foods with his allergens and they are so good about compensating. Last week the kids glued real cookies onto a cut out cookie jar. Since he can't touch the cookies (wheat), they had him glue brown foam cut outs for his cookies. I really appreciated that they did that.

My son suffers from those (and more) food allergies too. Thank you for thinking of the other children. Every time ther was a birthday in my son's class, he got left out. I kept some snacks for him there so he'd have something, but it didn't have the same impact. THANK YOU THANK YOU for being considerate of others!!! What we did for his birhtday was a hit with the class. We got frozen juice pops, it's healthy and taste great. I buy the Minute Maid ones. Good luck

My daughter was allergic to milk so I always had treats at school for her. I know it was not the same but at least she was not left out. It would have been nice if once in awhile she could have had the same treat as the other children. It is very nice of you to consider the other child. As a parent I would have had no problem if someone would have called me and asked what she could have had. There are vegan cake mixes and some can frostings are also. Go to the peta website and you can get a list of vegan foods. You will still need to be careful of the soy and peanuts though. Rice milk or almond milk can be used in place of milk in most cases.

Can you can the child's mother? Or can you make fruit cabobs or fruit with dip?

That's great that you are willing to go the "extra mile" for one child! I'm sure their mom is very grateful. You could make your own chocolate chip cookies. They sell dairy free chocolate chips, "egg replacer" and dairy free butter (actually a vegetable oil blend available in a spread or sticks) that we buy. You could also make oatmeal cookies with the special butter. I know it's more of a pain to make things, but allergens can sneak into pre-packaged food. Especially it they are made in a plant that processes those items that the student is allergic to. All kinds of juice should be fine. If you need information on specific brands of items, please send me a message. My family doesn't eat dairy or eggs, so I could let you know about some of the stuff we buy. Good luck!

Does it have to be a snack? Last year, we brought in goody bags with stickers, pencil, and a pad of paper for the kids. There were so many different food allergies in the my daughter's classes, that I just didn't want to risk a reaction.

Bubbles and chalk are other good items instead of a snack.

check w/mother of child w/allergies. She's the only one who can truly give you the best directions. She may say not to worry about it and she'll supply something. Sounds like her kid is VERY allergic and you don't want to fool around with that.

It is very considerate of you to think of this student. Here are some ideas:

Enjoy Life and Pamela's Products is a great brand for people with food allergies.

Bring a fruit tray with sunflower butter (a great and healthy snack. Sunflower butter tastes just like PB and can be found at Trader Joe's. Enjoy Life products makes a dairy and soy free mini-chocolate chips, have the students roll their fruit in it)

Get mini flower pots, put some hummus or white bean dip in it stick baby carrots and celery in the hummus making it look like a little plant.

Rice milk is a nice alternative to dairy and can be replaced with any recipe. Whole foods has DF/SF/EF/PF products, puddings. They have a gelatin mix that you can make with fruit juice instead of using a jello brand that has all the added dyes. Just look in their baking section, you'll find the gelatin and allergy free boxed products too.

Good luck.

J. W. MPH
Lifestyle and Wellness Consultant

I wish I had some advice to give you but I do want to say that I think it is awesome that you are thinking of the child with the allergies so s/he is not feeling left out! Kuddos to you and many blessings!