Eggless Rice Krispy Treats

Eggless Rice Krispy Treats

Three great options to have these sticky treats without getting into a sticky allergy situation.

1- Use eggless marshmallows and follow any traditional rice krispy treat recipe
(some of the kosher brands are actually eggfree, read label carefully)
2- Fluff substitute Ricemellow Creme (Suzanne's brand).
consistency is very close to the real thing!
3- Packaged rice krispy treats "Glenny's Brown Rice Bars"
 contributed by Miriam in Savannah, GA 

Transferring Ownership

 
As our food allergic kids get older we give them more and more responsibilities.This includes starting to make safe decisions about the food they eat when they're out of the house.Our food allergic twins are now doing the bar mitzvah circuit. Their own bar mitzvah is just around the corner.This means lots of fun parties with friends and also plenty of potential allergic accidents.  Read the articles below  for tips on empowering our children to manage their food allergies themselves.
Empowering Kids to Manage Their Food Allergies
How to Teach Older Children about their Food Allergies

Candy Corn

This time of year, candy corn is a popular treat.
If  you're egg allergic beware these candies often contain eggs!
As always, play it safe and check the ingredients
*For our readers who participate in Halloween celebrations
please check out this kidswithfoodallergies.org page .
KFA has great suggestions for navigating this season with
food allergies.

Budget Friendly Meals

 

Is the dinner/ homework hour driving you bonkers?
No need to become a crackpot, meet your friend the crockpot!

Put up your meals hours before "rush hour" and have a warm satisfying meal on hand when you need it most.
You can make hearty beef dishes or choose more economical vegetarian fare.
One thrifty kosherfoodallergies fan uses a brand of soup mixes called "Hambeens". Believe it or not, they're kosher certified as well. Now that's a "souper" meal! Some mixes contain wheat and soy ingredients so, as always. check labels.

For more budget friendly ideas check out kosheronabudget.com

Allergy-Friendly Chips

My teenage daughter,  looked at the bag of Plentils on our counter incredulously
"lentils? are you kidding?"
Try it it's healthy doesn't work very well with kids.
It tastes good (and happens to be good for you) does!

So you already know that chips made out of lentils are healthier for you than traditional chips. They're made in Enjoy Life's Dedicated nut- Free, gluten free facility (also free of the 8 most common allergens).
Plant-based protein, less calories, more nutrition. but let's face it nutrition doesn't go very far if the chip tastes like cardboard.Plentils are Crunchy, flavorful ,Crispy, kosher  (and healthy too). Cardboard they're not.
Try them and you'll be convinced too. Garlic and Parmesan, Dill and Sour Cream. Light Sea Salt, and
Margherita Pizza. My favorite is Garlic and Parmesan. What's yours?
Enter the Plentils Giveaway and try a bag of each flavor

Easy Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

Just because you have allergies doesn't mean you have to spend hours in the kitchen.I have a delicious shortcut to great butternut squash soup. Really, no one knows it is not from scratch (Oh, I guess they do now).

2 (32oz) containers of Imagine Butternut Squash Soup
1 (12oz)pkg frozen cooked butternut squash puree (like Bird's Eye- Southland)
a generous dash of curry
heat and serve.
*If you can't find frozen butternut squash puree, you can substitute a small can of pumpkin puree (unsweetened).

Fall Allergies

Fall is here and so are Autmnal allergens! According to some, this fall allergy season may be rougher than usual do to warmer temperatures (higher temps translate into more pollen). Ragweed season could be extended longer than usual.  Asthma and Allergy flare ups can have a variety of triggers, speak to your allergist regarding treatment and minimizing adverse effects.

Common Fall Allergy Triggers: 

Weed Pollens (such as Ragweed)

Outdoor Mold (piles of dead leaves etc...) 

Food Allergy Walk

Since 2004, the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN^™) has raised more than $14 million for food allergy awareness, advocacy, education, and research programs through its Walk for Food Allergy fundraising events.The Walk for Food Allergy continues once again this year with plans for Walks in 45 cities around the nation. This year, FAAN’s goal is raise at least $2.4 million to help increase public awareness and educate individuals, schools, restaurants, and food manufacturers about the severity of food allergy, as well as to support advocacy efforts, such as the movement to ensure all schools have access to epinephrine for any student who needs it, and food allergy-focused research. (source: FAAN, foodallergy.org)
To find a food allergy walk in your area click here

Environmental Component to Food Allergies

We know that food allergies are on the rise, but why? What are the factors involved in this trend? It seems like the environment plays a role in this surge. Case of food allergies in Asia and Africa are very infrequent when compared to incidences in the West. A recent study( Clinical Pediatrics- Ruchi Gupta et al ) found that food allergies appeared with greater frequency in urban areas than rural ones. City children were twice as likely to have peanut  and shellfish allergies compared to their rural counterparts. The states with the highest prevalence of food allergic children are: Nevada, Florida, Georgia, Alaska, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. Similar trends were shown with asthma as well.  While we can't change our genes, we can change our environment. Researchers struggle to make sense of the complex mechanisms at play in order to help develop guidelines for food allergy prevention. Hopefully a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms in food allergy prevalence will help us reverse the trend.