Dairy, Egg, and Peanut Allergy || Safe Snack List
***I am updating this list as I find new snack items which might be safe and am glad to file numerous new additions because I first posted!***
I get emails a lot from people who have a child newly diagnosed with food allergies. It's such an overwhelming and anxiety filled road to navigate and I'm happy to do anything I can do to make that journey feel less isolating for someone else. Today I'm just offering out a few things that are safe snacks for those with dairy, egg, and peanut allergies. If there is anything you want to know or questions you have or topics you'd like to see me talk about regarding this just comment below or send me an email. (juliakyleryan@gmail.com)
I've been wanting to share my feelings on being a food allergy mom on here for well over a year but I've held back. Mostly because when I start thinking about it too much my anxiety sky rockets and that's not helpful for anyone, least of which my family. And I also don't want to give the false impression that my son is an "allergy kid" because he is so much more than that and I don't want that to be what people see first. This article articulates really well what it's like to have a child who is not defined by his allergy but a motherhood that is. This is my life. I urge everyone to read it because I am an advocate for compassion and education. Nothing more. This article also gives a good look into an allergic reaction if you're curious.
If you or someone you love suffers from severe food allergies I also urge you to familiarize yourself with the FARE website and facebook page. It's the best out there. And please read all labels and do your own research; I'm not a medical professional or an educator, just a mom.
My favourite lines from the thing referenced above:
"a food hypersensitive reaction is a life-threatening circumstance that causes kids to prevent. Breathing. Right away. It's very real... And it is very horrifying."
"We recognise we're perceived as excessive-protection parents. And we feel badly approximately that due to the fact the extent of diligence we're compelled to have approximately the challenge of food allergies may not be constant with the extent of diligence our personalities would generally mirror."
Today my son's teacher is sending home a letter asking his classroom to become allergy friendly for him. He is anaphylactic to dairy, egg, and peanut. I'm still not sure how I feel about that. I asked three times for her not to do that. I'm not the kind to ever want to impose on others. I'm not really sure how I feel about food bans in general. Mostly because I know they don't work. I've seen firsthand where peanut butter sandwiches were brought out in our nut free school. Plus nothing in our world is truly safe. There are sticky grocery carts and monkey bars and escalators and door knobs and elevator buttons in our world. And they pose an indefinite threat to his breathing. But I need to teach myself and my son how to navigate that. He won't be kept in a bubble, now or later in life. Plus, of all people I really and truly know first hand the struggle to find something to feed your child and asking others to do without something their child likes goes against my nature. I hope they don't hold it against us. I'm sure it's hard not to.
I also understand the teacher's need to feel more in control of her classroom and to eliminate as many scenarios for disaster as possible. These kids are three. I get that because it's the same control I exercise at home. I live with anxiety every day that I won't be able to spot the signs of my son not breathing or be able to distinguish fast enough an asthma attack from anaphylaxis. I live with this all day every day and I'm not an expert, how can I pass that burden on to someone else?
One specific thing I get asked is what to feed them. I've put together a list of all the snacks our Dairy, Egg, and Peanut Allergic son can have. Please be sure to read all labels as some things change. His allergies are severe so we have also eliminated anything that is processed on equipment shared with his allergens. If you've got anything to add, I'd love to know! I'll update this list as often as I can!
Rold Gold Pretzels (ordinary and honey wheat)
Wheat Thins
Triscuits
Saltines
Ritz crackers
Back to Nature Crackers (spinach roasted garlic, stoneground wheat)
Mary's Gone Crackers (gluten unfastened and vegan)
Skinny Pop Popcorn (sold in huge and character sized luggage)
Boom Chicka Pop Popcorn (lightly sweetened)
Kashi cereal bars (cherry vanilla, Blackberry Graham, Ripe Strawberry)
Kashi crunchy granola & seed bars (chocolate chip chia)
Soy Yogurt
Coconut milk Yogurt
Fruit (apples, strawberries, blueberries, peaches, bananas, grapes, pears, oranges, mandarin oranges, etc.)
raisins
craisins
dehydrated mangoes, blueberries, strawberries
Wow Butter (peanut butter substitute, SunButter is another brand)
vegetables (cherry tomatoes, celery, carrots, cucumber, broccoli, cauliflower, sugar snap peas, etc.)
Un-buttered popcorn
Trader Joes Kettle Corn popcorn (sold in individual bags)
*Enjoy Life Brand Bars and cookies(they also make chocolate chips!)
*Cybele's cookies (snicker doodle, oatmeal raisin, chocolate chunk brownie)
*Nature's Bakery Fig Bar
Lucy's chocolate chip cookies (no gluten, dairy, egg, peanut, tree nut)
Squeezable applesauce and other fruit flavors
Applesauce
Turkey slices
Ham slices
Field Trip Brand Jerky (beef or turkey)
Rice Cakes
HoneyMaid Graham Crackers
Oyster Crackers
Stacy's Pita Chips (original)
Veggie Sticks
Dry cereal (Cheerios, fruit loops/fruit bloopers, cinammon toast crunch)
Teddy Grahams (cinnamon, chocolate chip, chocolate, and birthday cake)
Black Beans, northern beans, pinto beans
Thomas Bagels (plain, cinnamon raisin, blueberry mini or regular)
Chex (any flavor except honey nut)
Annies Organic Pretzel Bunnies
avocados/guacamole with tortilla chips
Earth's Balance VEGAN white cheddar puffs (whole foods)
Earth's Balance VEGAN cheddar squares (whole foods)
Plentils
Vans Waffles
Simple Truth Waffles (Kroger)
Brown Sugar & Cinnamon PopTarts
*Ians Frozen Chicken nuggets, fish sticks, and bread crumbs for cookingDaiya Vegan cheezy mac
Earth's Balance Vegan Mac + Cheese
Annie's Organic Vegan Mac + Cheese
Oreos (regular and vanilla)
*Made in a dedicated facility that is free of the top 8 allergens + gluten free