HOMEMADE ICE CREAM FOR THE HOLIDAYS

My family loves ice cream!  Unfortunately, because my son and daughter have a peanut food allergy eating some isn't as easy as picking up a carton at the grocery store or going out to an ice cream parlor.  Most manufacturers create lots of flavors featuring peanuts on the same production lines as those that don't include them as ingredients creating contamination risks with everything that comes out of their facility.  Because my kids food allergies are severe enough that microscopic exposure from ingesting a peanut contaminated product can cause life threatening anaphylactic shock we just avoid purchasing ice cream altogether.

That doesn't mean my family can't enjoy ice cream though.  We just have to make it ourselves!  So we absolutely include ice cream as one of the treats enjoyed during the holidays.  It is just homemade for us.

One of the ways we make this homemade desert is by using an ice cream ball.  There are a variety of models available that you can find at retailers such as Amazon, Bed Bath & Beyond, LL Bean, Mindware, REI and Walmart among others.  You can get some exercise and have some fun playing with these ice cream balls while making yourself a tasty desert.

First gather up the ingredients that makeup the ice cream.  We normally make the vanilla variety. Start off with one 14 oz can of Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk.  We mix that together with 4 cups of light cream and 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract.  Pour that mixture inside the container located on designated side of the ice cream ball.  Then add ice and rock salt into the chamber on the opposite side of the ball that has a chamber which surrounds where the ingredients are held.  Rock salt is used in the process because it facilitates a cold saltwater slush surrounding the container your ingredients are held in that helps promote the appropriate temperature to get them to transform into ice cream.  I know it sounds weird to add salt because that is normally associated with melting things like snow off roads, but trust me it really works!

Now the real work starts!  The ball needs to be rolled, shaken and tossed for twenty minutes.  My kids have a lot of fun playing catch with it and rolling it around the kitchen or dining room floor.  Shaking it around like a maraca is also important to assist getting a good mixture of the ingredients to provide a nice texture as the ice cream forms.  We normally open the ingredients chamber about 10 minutes in and stir things then go back to moving the ball around for another ten to fifteen minutes. The ice and salt never touch the ice cream but rather just foster the right temperature that combined with churning the ingredients produces the final outcome.

So there you have it!  Put enough effort into constantly keeping the ice cream ball in motion for around twenty minutes and you will be rewarded.  You'll have ice cream that can be eaten right out of the ball when you are done. 

For best results though I recommend scooping the ice cream out of the ball and placing it in a freezer-proof container.  Let it solidify in the freezer for an hour or so to allow the ice cream to become a bit thicker than when it is first made.  We also use Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk when making our ice cream because it provides a richer flavor more like what you would purchase at a store compared to just using half-and-half or cream in your own recipe. Click here for a variety of homemade ice cream recipes that can be made using Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk  including two of my favorite flavors from their idea list, Caramel Apple and Chocolate Peppermint.

Of course ice cream isn't the only desert that Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk makes a great ingredient for.  Use it for making candy, cakes, cookies and other sweets.  Visit eaglebrand.com for ideas and recipes on how to make some wonderful treats.  What is your favorite desert to make during the holiday season?

AVRIL KNOWS -- A POSITIVE PERSPECTIVE ON FOOD ALLERGIES

As the father of a daughter with severe food allergies, I've experienced first hand the negativity that hangs over people suffering with this medical condition and their families from having to constantly be cautious about where you go and what you eat; being excluded from places and situations because you become either a risk or an inconvenience; and dealing with people who have no consideration or compassion that their actions impact whether you may be sleeping in your own bed or a hospital room that night because of something called anaphylactic shock.  So I was really happy to share with my daughter a book based upon a true story that provides some positivity to the food allergy experience.

Ginny Heenan is an award-winning San Francisco area artist who paints children's portraits.  She has written several books based upon enlightening experiences she has had while working with these children. AVRIL KNOWS is based upon a real life girl named Abby with a severe nut allergy who was eight year old (which happens to be the same age as my daughter) when Heenan painted a 36-inch by 36-inch canvas oil portrait of her two years ago.  

Heenan strives through this picture book, with illustrations by Savannah Lund and Daniele Derenzi, to help children with allergies see themselves positively through the eyes of an artist.  This book does a nice job of showing how to make "lemonade out of lemons" when dealing with a tough situation and provides encouragement to look at the positive side of life instead of dwelling on the bad things.  I appreciate that Avril isn't presented as a girl who is letting allergies interfere with living her life, but rather someone who is handling her condition the best she can and appreciates some positive encouragement from the artist painting her portrait.  This is a nice book for children with food allergies to read in that it reinforces that they aren't alone in their struggles and has an uplifting message in its story.

 For those who don't have a close connection to someone with food allergies AVRIL KNOWS personalizes what it is like to be a kid living with this medical condition providing a better understanding of what it is like to walk in those people's shoes.  The book isn't a call for regulations, protections or other actions but rather just tells it as it is regarding the story of a young girl living her life with food allergies.  A great selection for any library's children's section or elementary school class reading assignment because it invokes compassion and understanding without preaching, lecturing or demanding anything from its audience.  The book just challenges readers to picture their own face on the canvas of that portrait instead of Avril's.  How would you handle, or how will you handle, living a life with a severe food allergy?  Sincerely answering that question can be a life changing moment both for those with and those without food allergies.

Avril loves learning new magic tricks. She also has an uncanny way of noticing details and things that other people don't, and that makes her good at magic. When her parents decide to have her portrait painted Avril imagines herself as a proud magician. However, Avril learns through the eyes of the artist that her allergies are not a bad thing, but instead make her more powerful and special than she ever imagined.


AVRIL KNOWS: A POSITIVE PERSPECTIVE ON ALLERGIES is available on Amazon either in paperback or as a kindle download.  kindleunlimited members can read the book as one of the free selections in their subscription's services. A Geek Daddy readers can also get a 30% discount by purchasing the book through the CreateSpace estore by using code  DJNXUWGA.

Food Allergy Action Month Trivia Contest

I grew up eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches almost every day at school. As a first time parent, I didn't think there was any cause for alarm in giving my children food that I ate myself as a kid. Having no friends, family or work colleagues with food allergies, the topic actually didn't even come to mind. Than one nice summer day, I took the afternoon off work to enjoy some time with my kids. I fed my daughter a banana slice with a very small amount of peanut butter rubbed on it. She was only a toddler and had never had peanut butter before; my wife had read something about food allergies a few days earlier and asked me to give our 18 month old twins a small sample so just in case a negative reaction occurred I was the one dealing with the situation and not a baby sitter or day care. I didn't think much of it...what was the worst that could happen? Maybe a rash or some itching? Twenty minutes later we were in the ER at a local hospital with my toddler's eyes, nose and throat swelled shut. She was going into something called "anaphylactic shock" and was surrounded by a half dozen or more doctors and nurses urgently rushing in efforts to save her life. It's an experience I'd like to help make sure hopefully others never have to go through.

Fortunately, my daughter survived the experience. Our lives have changed now though. My daughter has a severe food allergy to peanuts and we always have to be on guard to her coming into contact with them now. Her twin brother has a more moderate allergy to them, but we have been warned by our doctor that additional exposures could enhance the condition to a more dangerous level. So we screen all the food they eat now for its ingredients and potential contamination, wipe down surfaces that could have residue on them that could be absorbed into the skin, and try to avoid situations that could put our kids at risk. May is Food Allergy Action Month and since I know from personal experience both how the subject isn't a top of mind issue for most people and also how people without food allergies can expose those who do to risk, injury, and sometimes even death, A Geek Daddy Blog is sharing our story to promote awareness and provide information on this topic.

Our friends at Comcast Xfinity have generously donated a great gift bag as a prize for A Geek Daddy Blog's Food Allergy Action Month Trivia Contest. Answer the trivia question below for a chance to win a backpack filled with a mobile recharging kit for smart phones and tablets, coffee mug, baseball cap, and a water bottle. Must be a US resident and over 18 years old to participate in the trivia contest.

Unfortunately, the number of children with food allergies is an increasing trend with most school now averaging 2 kids per class room with a moderate to severe food allergy compared to that number being a fraction of a percent a generation ago. No one knows what is causing this escalation in food allergy cases and there is no cure. Watch this short informational video from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a division of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, to learn more about food allergies and to find the answer to our trivia contest question.

For a chance to win the Comcast #Xfinity prize pack submit one or both of the following entry methods to earn up to 3 entries prior to 11:59 pm EST on Sunday May 24, 2015:

Congrats to Kev from Maplewood, Minnesota on winning the Trivia Contest! Thank you to everyone who participated.

E-mail thegeekdaddy [at] yahoo [dot] com your name and mailing address plus correctly answer this question: In what year did an expert panel issue "Guidelines for the Diagnosis & Management of Food Allergy in the United State"? Email subject line should be ALLERGY ACTION HERO. (1 Entry)

For additional entries, visit our Facebook Food Allergy Action Month Trivia Contest post and leave a comment mentioning one of the eight most common food allergies (2 Entries)

A special thank you to Comcast Cable Heartland Region for generously providing our trivia contest prize.

We've encountered many people over the last few years who don't think that our daughter's food allergy is "a big deal", don't want any restrictions placed on them to help protect children with food allergies, or just don't care and believe it is just our family's issue to deal with and if something bad happens it is my daughter or our family's own fault.  While we understand that our daughter's medical condition is our burden to deal with we also believe that when it comes to school and public spaces that there should be some level of safeguards in place to allow people with food allergies to be able to live healthy and productive lives without fear that someone else's actions could hurt them. We're not trying to rid the world of peanuts, our family is just asking people show some consideration and compassion for those people who are facing a life threatening medical condition.

You can become a food allergy action hero this month by taking a moment to educate yourself on this matter and pledging to make an effort to be considerate of those who suffer from this medical condition.  If you are up to the challenge CLICK HERE to download the template to create your very own food allergy action hero costume.  Print a teal mask and a hero emblem for your shirt then cut out and wear them to have fun as you show your food allergy spirit.  Take a picture of you in your action hero outfit and tag it with #FoodAllergyMonth on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. There are adult and children's sizes of the masks available to download.

Once you have your food allergy action hero gear, take a moment to read this one page handout that contains facts about food allergies that can be shared and used to help educate others about this growing public health issue.  Download Now.

 

For more information about food allergies visit FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education) at www.foodallergy.org.

DISCLAIMER:  A Geek Daddy Blog will be responsible for selecting the winner of this contest and delivery of the prize. By participating in this contest, you waive any liability to the publisher that may arise from your involvement with this promotion.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification. No P.O. Boxes are allowed as mailing addresses.  A Geek Daddy Blog is hosting this contest as a benefit to our readers. Any opinions in this post are my own.

Tips for Creating a Food Allergy Friendly Easter Basket

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DisneyEaster  #CollectiveBias

According to the non-profit group FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education) 1 in 13 children suffer from food allergies.  A statistic my daughter joined when she was 18 months old and went into life threatening anaphylactic shock after eating some peanut butter which resulted in her being rushed to the ER and a three day hospital stay.  Prior to that incident our family didn't know much about food allergies or understand how dangerous and severe of a medical condition it can be, now taking protective steps regarding food and products has become part of our daily routine. 

What is a food allergy? FARE describes it like this, "the job of the body’s immune system is to identify and destroy germs (such as bacteria or viruses) that make you sick. A food allergy results when the immune system mistakenly targets a harmless food protein – an allergen – as a threat and attacks it." What makes dealing with a food allergy especially challenging is that the trigger is microscopic (you can't see a protein) and even if a food or product like shampoo doesn't have the allergen as an ingredient if it is bakes, created, or processed with the same equipment or utensils that have handled those ingredients the contamination can cause a reaction.

Holidays like Easter can be very difficult for children with food allergies because many of the treats associated with it, like candy from the Easter Bunny, are off limits due to their ingredients or contamination issues.  To make it up to my daughter, we work to make these days extra special with non-food treats.  My daughter, like most 6 year old girls, is enamored with FROZEN so we went to our local Walmart and created a #DisneyEaster basket for her.  Here are some tips on making a food allergy friendly Easter Basket.

In addition to large assortments of candy on stock, Walmart has a nice selection of fun non-food related Disney FROZEN items that can be used to fill an Easter basket ranging from activity sets to clothing to toys.  Even if a child in your life doesn't have a food allergy you may want to check out some of these items if you're  looking to cut down on the sweets they are eating.  Here are some food allergy friendly categories of items to look out for and examples of products we purchased during our shopping trip.

CLOTHES

My kids are often just as thrilled and excited to get some cool clothing items as they are to get candy.  Plus a fun t-shirt or hat lasts longer and is more useful compared to candy for a treat.  We picked up an adorable cap and a hair accessory set that included barrettes, terries, snap clips and elastics to put in my little girl's Olaf basket.

ACTIVITIES & CRAFTS

Art supplies, temporary tattoos, and stickers can be creative and imaginative treats to use as prizes for Easter egg or basket hunts instead of jelly beans and chocolates.  You'll never have to worry about putting a kid at risk at a family gathering, school function or community event by providing these types of items as a treat.  Walmart has available a #Disney FROZEN 3-in-1 Activity Set and sticker books that we picked up for our Food Allergy Friendly Easter Basket.

TOYS

Toys are always a safe option to candy as a treat when it comes to food allergies.  They often times will be a more expensive option than candy but provide peace of mind when it comes to a child's safety for parents and of course always put a smile on a kid's face.  Walmart has a great selection of #FROZEN toys for budget conscious shoppers - keep an eye out for them rolling back those prices too!  We picked up a trio of Anna, Elsa and Olaf plush toys to fill our daughter's #DisneyEaster basket.

SNACKS & TREATS

Whether it is filling Easter Baskets, hiding Easter Eggs for a hunt, or entertaining a party providing candy, snacks and food can be a touchy subject.  While the numbers of people suffering from food allergies is growing, it is still a relatively small percentage of the overall population which means that many people aren't aware of the seriousness of the problem and the difficulties associated with the medical condition because they don't have to deal with it on a daily basis so food allergies just isn't a top of mind issue.  The fact is though that most schools average two children per classroom with a severe food allergy that once triggered could cause them to go into life threatening anaphlyactic shock so it is likely that someone you know is impacted.  My daughter's class for example has two girls with peanut allergies and another girl with a milk allergy. That makes it important to be considerate of the problem when planning snack or treats for events and parties, especially ones where children are involved.  Please keep the following points in mind:

READ THE INGREDIENTS - In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires food manufacturers to list the eight most common ingredients that trigger food allergies: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat.  The label should include any specific allergen included in the food as well as any ingredient, coloring, flavoring or other additive that contains a protein from the eight major food allergens.  Carefully reading labels is a good way to be proactive in avoiding food allergy problems.

CONTAMINATION IS AS BIG AN ISSUE AS INGREDIENTS - Microscopic contamination of food or candy can make treats unsafe even if they don't have the allergen in their actual ingredients.  Don't just look at the ingredients on labels but also watch out for warningss that identify if a treat was processed, prepared or packaged in a facility with the allergens.  Note though that contamination warnings are voluntary and not mandated by the FDA so if something looks like it may be produced with other products that contain allergens but doesn't have a warning on the label it is best to still be cautious.

HOME BAKED & BAKERY MADE ITEMS ARE A NO NO - Unfortunately, even with washing, if the same bowls, pans, utensils and other kitchen tools are used to make and prepare items that contain allergens there is a significant risk of contamination though the food itself may not have the allergen as an ingredient.  That often makes most home baked goods from other people and items from bakeries off-limits for kids with food allergies.  If you bake or cook at home using any of the eight most common allergens in your kitchen, it is probably in every one's best interest not to include home made items as Easter treats unless you are certain no one has a food allergy.

For our daughter's food allergy friendly FROZEN Easter basket, after reviewing the label we picked up some movie themed Kellog's fruit snacks that are shaped in form of various Disney princesses including Anna and Elsa.  In the food/snack category we also picked up a 2-in-1 Snack & Drink cup so our daughter can conveniently enjoy her food allergy safe snacks at home while watching her favorite movie, FROZEN on the TV.

FARE cites on their website the stat "every 3 minutes, a food allergy reaction sends someone to the ER – that's more than 200,000 visits per year."  Nobody wants a holiday ruined by a trip to the hospital and by taking some precaution and consideration for this serious medical condition that outcome can very easily be avoided.  As we've demonstrated in this #CollectiveBias shop at Walmart there are numerous safe and fun items that can be used for Easter Baskets, egg hunts, and holiday celebrations that are food allergy friendly and don't put people's health and lives at risk.

Have a wonderful Easter everyone.  For more information on the products listed in this post, please visit www.walmart.com and for more information about food allergies go to www.foodallergy.org

Don't Let Food Allergies Haunt the Holidays

Photo - Chandler Swink / Courtesy of Oakland.edu

On Thanksgiving Day when most of us were eating turkey feasts and watching football, William and Nancy Swink were deciding whether or not to remove their 19 year old son Chandler from life support at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital.  A few days earlier Chandler, who was diagnosed with a peanut allergy at the age of 2, had gone into anaphylactic shock caused by a food allergy reaction when he was somehow exposed to an allergen while being at a friend's house who was baking peanut butter cookies.  Only being given a 2% chance for survival by doctors, his family allowed Chandler to pass away that evening.  What a tragic way to spend a holiday and the nightmare scenario for any parent who has a child who suffers from a severe food allergy.

Chandler hadn't led an easy life dealing with bullying from elementary school through high school by students, and the parents of some of his classmates, who were outraged that food restrictions had been placed on them by the school for Chandler's well-being.  Despite this Chandler grew up to be a great young man according to all accounts from people who knew him that was going to school at Oakland University to become a nurse so he could have a career helping people in the medical field.  More than 600 people attended Chandler Swink's funeral saying good bye to a life that ended way too soon.

We discovered my daughter had a severe peanut allergy when she was around the same age as when Chandler was diagnosed.  No one in our family, my side or my wife's, has food allergies and we really didn't know much about the topic.  Then one day while our daughter was eating peanut butter she started howling and screaming.  Her face turned red with huge hives and her head began swelling.  I raced her to the emergency room at the hospital a mile from our home.  As we raced into the hospital my daughter's eyes and throat had swelled shut.  I didn't know if she was going to live or die at that moment.

The doctors and nurses at Beaumont Hospital did an exceptional job in saving my daughter's life and preventing her from suffering any long-term injuries from the incident.  Our family now is constantly on guard about avoiding situations that could put her in life in jeopardy again.  My daughter has to avoid ingesting food that not only has peanut as ingredients but also may have been contaminated by contact with them during the production or packaging of it.  Exposure to the proteins in the peanuts against her skin could also trigger a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction so you have to be careful of residue that could come from touching a surface or another person...yes playing with a toy, using a shampoo, shaking a hand, or even getting a kiss could potentially cause a food allergy reaction.  This can be so especially challenging to get your hands around because you are dealing with trying to avoid something at a microscopic level.

Like Chandler, we've encountered many people who don't think that our daughter's food allergy is "a big deal", don't want any restrictions placed on them to help protect children with food allergies, or just don't care and believe it is just our family's issue to deal with and if something bad happens it is my daughter or our family's own fault.  While we understand that our daughter's medical condition is our burden to deal with we also believe that when it comes to school and public spaces that there should be some level of safeguards in place to allow people with food allergies to be able to live healthy and productive lives without fear that someone else's actions could hurt them. 

Unfortunately, there are plenty of people in the world who just don't care about the safety of people with food allergies.  A recent incident in Michigan where a school board member named Linda Grossman joked "just shoot them" during a public meeting in regards to the concerns of parents and staff about food allergies that these kids should just be shot highlights the problems many families with food allergy children in schools have in providing a safe and healthy environment.  The Grossman incident was  followed up by a shameful editorial by the Detroit News' Dan Calabrese that criticized school district parents for demanding Grossman resign and mocked food allergies as not being a serious threat.  I also noticed tweets and posts from people defending Grossman because she was being sarcastic and arguing parents should be doing a better job of teaching kids to protect themselves.  This shows that despite the alarming increases in children with dangerous food allergies our society still has a lack of knowledge on the topic and a great deal of apathy towards people suffering from the condition.

So why should Grossman be condemned for an off-color joke?  Why should people be upset by "just comments" made by someone.  Well actually her comments were an action.  Grossman shirked her responsibility as an elected official by not acting in a professional manner, being dismissive of food allergies being a threat to the safety of students, and by mocking the parents and staff expressing concerns.  Being a school board member is a serious responsibility that Grossman didn't treat seriously and therefore she deserved to go.  Food allergies isn't a topic that should be joked about, especially when people are dying from this medical condition.

I'm so glad that Dr. Matthew Greenhawt, M.D. from C.S. Mott Children's Hospital jumped into the fray writing an editorial titled "5 Reasons We Shouldn't Joke about Kids with Food Allergies" criticizing people like Grossman and Calabrese for believing a joke isn't that big of a deal.  This doctor's critique really is a great way to make this topic a teachable moment for the community.  He writes "Food allergy is not a laughing matter, and these children should not serve as a target of derision." 

Here are Dr. Greenhawt's 5 reasons that joking about food allergies, especially in schools, is a serious matter:

1. Food Allergy is a rapidly growing chronic condition, affecting as many as 8% of children.  Reactions can be quite severe, potentially fatal and terrifying to experience.  There are no cures or treatments for food allergies.

2.  Children, especially those with chronic health conditions are fragile and vulnerable.  They should never be the butt of a joke.  This sets a horrible tone that it is acceptable to make light of someone, and demonstrates ignorance of and lack of empathy for those living with a particular condition.

3.  Accommodating multiple health concerns within a school is challenging, but us not an excuse for a public display of intolerance of any student for any reason, including a health condition, religion, race or income.

4.  School districts are a community, and members of the community must work together to solve problems.  Administrators must lead by example.  Derisive attitudes by school board members are counterproductive.

5.  Federal disability law affords children with food allergy and other conditions the right to seek accommodation.  It is the school's legal duty to comply as such.

Holidays can be a stressful time for people dealing with food allergies with there being such an emphasis on food being a part of celebrations.  Now is especially a time of year where the consideration and compassion of those who don't suffer from food allergies is appreciated by those that do.  It is also important to keep in mind that recent food allergy deaths have been of teenagers and young adults so if that age group is having difficulties just consider how hard and stressful it is for younger children preschool through elementary school age to deal with it, especially if you take the position that its the parents sole responsibility to make sure their kids can protect themselves.

Please keep in mind that an allergen doesn't need to be an ingredient to make food unsafe.  If someone has a food allergy please note that most food cooked in a bakery, processed in a facility that makes other food with allergens on the same equipment, or is made in someone's home is probably going to be off limits for someone with an allergy because of the threat of contamination.  It is more than just checking the ingredient label and seeing that there are "no nuts" to make sure something is safe.  People making and trying to give our child home made treats is one of our biggest headaches when it comes to looking out for our daughter especially around school functions, community events and even family gatherings.  It's not that we don't trust them or appreciate the offer but rather the risk of another trip to the hospital, or worse, just isn't worth it.

Kids with Food Allergies has two nice online pamphlets with tips for celebrating Christmas and Chanukah with children that have food allergy.  The web site Snack Safely also has a nice guide on checking out treats for food allergy concerns before serving them at a holiday function or party. Though the safest option at schools really is a food free celebration.

Don't let food allergies haunt the holidays!  How bad would you feel if you were involved in causing someone to have an allergic reaction?  How bad do you believe the Swink family or anyone else injured by food allergies will be hurting this holiday season?  Tis the season for us to show kindness to one another!  If you have a healthy child give thanks today and take a moment to consider how you may be able to be kind to a family that is not so blessed.

For more information about Food Allergies please visit FARE - Food Allergy Research & Education at www.foodallergy.org.

Halloween is a Tricky Time for those with Food Allergies

I had never had any experiences with any friends, family, co-workers or acquaintances suffering from food allergies until the day my daughter ate some peanut butter and we found ourselves in a hospital ER not sure if she was going to live or die after going into anaphylactic shock.  Fortunately everything turned out all right but now everyday is a challenge to avoid food and situations that could put her in peril.

I didn't realize just how much food I'd taken for granted over the years was dangerous for people suffering from food allergies either from ingredients or contamination during the manufacturing, baking or packaging of the product until we had to start monitoring what we fed our family.  The feeling of loneliness and exclusion when dealing with others that don't provide compassion or consideration, and in some cases even express hostility, towards your situation is a factor that I hadn't taken into consideration until food allergies started impacting our daily lives and we experienced these situations first hand.  We've already encountered our kids not being invited to play dates and birthday parties because the other students' parents didn't want to deal with our "food allergy" children being at their function.  On another occasion, we had to sit in the back of the room at a school holiday concert  away from everyone else because the event featured a pot luck buffet full of things that weren't safe for my daughter to eat and they fed everyone before instead of after the students performance of songs that my children had practiced for weeks and were very excited to participate in.

Holidays in particular can be a tricky time with so many parties and events that have a focus on food, especially Halloween.  Halloween was always one of my favorite times of year as a child.  I loved the spooky vibe of the season filled with costumes and decorations and of course trick-or-treating was a huge thrill.  While we stay away from many of the trick-or-treat type events surrounding the holiday, we do go out on Halloween night because I just didn't feel that it was fair for my kids to see all the other children in the neighborhood running around having fun and have to make them stay in the house.  We only go to a few houses in our neighborhood though and our kids don't touch or eat any of the candy.  When they get home my son and daughter trade in their candy for a treat bundle that my wife and I put together for them that includes toys and Halloween themed trinkets.  This year they are getting some Disney Infinity video game figures, Crayola coloring sets, and Scholastic books for their candy trade in. As we are imposing on others by visiting their homes asking for treats we take the responsibility on ourselves to be safe but awareness and consideration regarding food allergies by our neighbors is always appreciated.

My children's allergy doctor participates in the Metro Detroit Food Allergy Friendly Trick-or-Treasure event

Our kids are also lucky in that our community has been generous enough to adopt a Food Allergy Friendly Trick-or-Treasure event for children in the Metro Detroit area to attend the Saturday before Halloween that we enjoy going to.  The organizers screen candy labels for ingredient or contamination warnings and only purchase items identifies as safe for kids with peanut or tree nut allergies, though they do make an effort to accommodate for the eight top allergens impacting children.  They than distribute this candy and some other non-food treats (including comic books from Halloween Comic Fest) to businesses in our downtown who are participating sponsors along the trick or treat route so everyone has pre-screened goodies to hand out.

While the number of children with food allergies is still a small percentage of the population, the numbers are unfortunately growing.  Today, 1 in 12 children, approximately 8 million children living in the United States, are allergic to peanuts, tree nuts or milk, ingredients commonly found in candy.  What is really scary is that cases of the most life-threatening allergy, peanuts, have doubled in the last five years.  So there really are quite a few families dealing with food allergies at Halloween, more than you may have been aware of.

1. CONTAMINATION IS AS BIG AN ISSUE AS INGREDIENTS

Microscopic contamination of food or candy can make treats unsafe even if they don't have the allergen in their actual ingredients.  Don't just look at the ingredients on labels but also watch out for labels that identify if a treat was processed, prepared or packaged in a facility with the allergens.

2.  HOME BAKED & BAKERY MADE ITEMS ARE A NO NO

Unfortunately, even with washing, if the same bowls, pans, utensils and other kitchen tools are used to make and prepare items that contain allergens there is a significant risk of contamination though the food itself may not have the allergen as an ingredient.  That often makes home baked goods and items from bakeries off-limits for kids with food allergies. 

3.  IT IS NOT JUST EATING - TOUCHING ALLERGENS CAN CAUSE REACTIONS

In the case of my daughter, peanut or tree nut oil can be absorbed into her skin causing a reaction.  A child with peanut butter on their hands touching her skin or someone inadvertently contaminating a toy, seat, or desktop by handling something containing peanuts or tree nuts than her handling the same item creates a potential hazard.  Being wary of multiple types of exposures is so important.  The simple act of the wrapper from a piece of candy being torn and thrown into a goodie bag or trick-or-treat sack could contaminate the wrappers of every other item included with it.

4.  LET KIDS GRAB TREATS THEMSELVES OR PUT ITEMS IN THEIR BUCKETS - DON'T TRY TO HAND THEM CANDY

It can be really scary to have a food allergy and someone is trying to force candy you know you shouldn't be touching in your hand.  Every year we have well-meaning people trying to force my daughter to take Reese's Peanut Butter Cups from them by handing them to her even when she says no thank you.  Let the kids grab treats from a bowl or drop them in their trick or treat bucket just to be safe.

5.  LISTEN TO THE KIDS

If a child has a food allergy and sees that you are giving out something they shouldn't have they'll probably tell you and say thanks but I can't have that. Often times my kids just won't take unsafe candy from a bowl or will simply let someone drop it in their bag and not say anything knowing they are trading it to us at the end of the night.  It is when people start trying to force my kids to handle unsafe candy from them where problems occur though.  Every year I witness people telling my kids that food allergies aren't that big of a deal and go ahead and try it.  Than I have to step in!

It amazes me that my kids are always polite and say "thank you but I can't have that because of a food allergy so no thanks" yet adults get angry and argue with them.  Really?!!! 

6.  EVERY CHILD SHOULD HAVE A FUN HALLOWEEN

Try to provide treats at Halloween that are safe for everyone so no child is excluded from Halloween fun.  If you feel it is a necessity to include treats that aren't safe for everyone than provide other options and make sure you keep things segregated.  Many of the food allergy deaths reported within the United States the last few years have been from accidents involving safe and non-safe foods being intermingled.

The charity Kids With Food Allergies has provided a nice digital booklet with tips on trick or treating and other fun activities for food allergic children titled Celebrating Halloween With Food Allergies.  CLICK HERE to download it.

 7. SPREAD THE WORD

Because a majority of people do not have food allergies it just doesn't occur to them how important it is to make their home an allergy-friendly stop on the trick-or-treat trail or to take precautions at parties or community events.  Please share this post with friends and families to help make everyone aware!

This Halloween, the charity Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) is encouraging people to start a new tradition that will help make this holiday season less scary for children with food allergies: the TEAL PUMPKIN PROJECT.  This campaign encourages people to raise awareness of food allergies by providing non-food or food allergy safe treats for trick-or-treaters and painting a pumpkin teal - the color of food allergy awareness - to place in front of their house or display a free printable sign from FARE featuring a teal pumpkin on their front door.

VALU HOME CENTERS has a nice post on their website about how to create a teal pumpkin and participate in the  #TealPumpkinProject.  CLICK HERE to check it out.

For more information about food allergies please visit the FARE website at www.foodallergy.org