EPPIE THE ELEPHANT

Peanuts and elephants go together like hotdogs and baseball. So what happens when an elephant is allergic to peanuts? It is a premise that the characters in EPPIE THE ELEPHANT find hard to believe. They joke "an elephant allergic to peanuts? This must be a prank!"

Unfortunately, like many children nowadays including my own daughter, Eppie really does have a food allergy to peanuts. This fictional elephant joins the approximately 6 million real life children in the United States (1 in 13) that have a food allergy.  For children suffering from this medical condition going to school can often be an intimidating experience filled with bullying, jokes, harassment, misunderstanding and exclusion by both students and teachers involving their food allergy. Our family has personally dealt with challenges which have ranged from kids in her school lunchroom harassing my daughter to try eating unsafe food in front of them to a teacher offering food that she couldn't eat as a class reward.  I noticed both my daughter and wife tearing up as they flipped through the pages of EPPIE THE ELEPHANT as it brought back some of these memories.

Written by Livingston Crouse and illustrated by Steve Brown, EPPIE THE ELEPHANT is a children's picture book for preschool, kindergarten, and early elementary school aged kids that explores going to school for the first time with a food allergy.  Through charming illustrations and a tale told through rhymes and word play, the story of a student with a food allergy going to school for the first time is told in a relatable way for children to grasp promoting understanding and compassion about this topic.  Reading this book can provide encouragement for those with food allergies that they aren't alone and educate those who don't suffer from them what life is like from a different perspective in an entertaining, non-lecturing way.

With most class rooms now averaging one or two children with food allergies, I'd highly recommend teachers consider EPPIE THE ELEPHANT as a book to be included in their story time reading list. May is Food Allergy Awareness Month … hint, hint.   Parents, with its colorful imagery and meaningful message, EPPIE THE ELEPHANT also makes for a great bedtime story to add to your home library of children's books.

In this story, it is the first day of school for Eppie the elephant and she's nervous that her classmates won't understand her allergy to nuts. Will they understand why she can't partake in peanuts and has to be careful about what she eats? Eppie quickly makes some great friends in Allie the alligator and Pearl the squirrel. But when lunchtime comes around and they sit together Allie pulls out a pb&j sandwich and Pearl starts snacking on a bag of peanuts.

Off goes Eppie to eat alone and watch her friends having lunch fun during lunch from the "Nut-Free" zone.  Making things worse her friends laugh and joke about the allergy. Embarrassed and sad, Eppie worries she will spend the rest of the school year without any playmates.  What happens next? You'll need to read the book to find out... though I will say it has a heart-warming ending.

Published by Silver Dolphin Books, EPPIE THE ELEPHANT is available to buy from Amazon as well as Barnes & Noble. This hardcover picture book is 40 pages full of wonderful drawings. For addressing a sensitive topic that hits close to home in a caring and considerate way, EPPIE THE ELEPHANT has earned A GEEK DADDY nod of approval.  For more information about food allergies please visit the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America's Kids With Food Allergies website or contact FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education).

PBS KIDS DVD: ALL ABOUT ALLERGIES

May is Food Allergy Awareness Month, a topic of particular interest to our family as my daughter has a severe peanut allergy. I have to embarrassingly admit not knowing much on the topic before the fateful day when we discovered my daughter's medical condition after she went into anaphylactic shock and came very close to dying. If you haven't previously read about our family's experience with food allergies, here is my post about it.

With 1 in 13 children now suffering from food allergies it really is important for people to have a basic understanding of the condition and understand this is is not a joking matter even though you often see television and shows use it as the topic of comedy sketches. Yes I'm talking about you Big Bang Theory!  There is a really good chance that even if someone in your direct circle of friends and families doesn't have a food allergy you will be interacting with someone at some point who does.  Food allergies are a series, potentially life threatening medical condition.  Since I didn't know much about food allergies until they impacted my family, I  understand how easily others can be in the dark about them as well.  So please take a moment to learn some tips about dealing with food allergies this month as a favor to this food allergy dad.

As part of Food Allergy Awareness Month, PBS KIDS is releasing ALL ABOUT ALLERGIES a DVD collection of shows from some of its most popular animated series that all have allergies as a topic. These episodes are a great way for children and their parents to learn about food allergies. Young viewers can join Binky as he works to understand his peanut allergy in an ARTHUR story, and Daniel Tiger as he tries a peach for the first time and gets hives leading to the discovery he's allergic to the fruit.

The DVD also features a WORD WORLD story in which Pig struggles to tell his friends that he is allergice to peaches after Sheep and Dog bring over a bag of fruit for him to make into pies. I was a bit disappointed PBS included a PEG + CAT episode on pet allergies because it can cause confusion with the food allergy messages.  Also the WORD WORLD episode doesn't really explain food allergies correctly which is troubling because people don't sneeze in those circumstances when having a reaction they break out in hives or start having issues with their body swelling up. Overall though this is a very nice collection of shows that provide very valuable information in an entertaining format.

ALL ABOUT ALLERGIES will be available at retailers across the United States beginning May 9, 2017. It has a run time of approximately 70 minutes. The DVD features five stories from four of PBS KIDS television including these two standout episodes:

ARTHUR --  Binky Goes Nuts

When Binky discovers that he’s allergic to peanuts, he has so many questions: will he be forced to live without Chinese food? Will he ever again be able to eat with his friends? And most importantly, will his Mom ever calm down? Binky learns that the best way not to go nuts is to be well informed, and to understand his allergy.

PBS KIDS also has a special website filled with peanut allergy information and tips revolving around the episode.  CLICK HERE to check it out.  They also partnered with Cherrybrook Kitchen to create a line of ARTHUR themed snacks including brownies and cookies that are peanut allergy safe to eat.

DANIEL TIGER'S NEIGHBORHOOD -- Daniel's Allergy
When Daniel tries a peach for the first time, he learns he is allergic to the fruit. Dad and Doctor Anna take care of him, and Doctor Anna tells Daniel how he can take care of himself, too.

For more useful information about food allergies, please visit Kids With Food Allergies or FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education).  Plus here is an informative video on the topic:

WHIFFER SNIFFERS ARE A SWEET TREAT FOR EASTER

** A Geek Daddy received the featured product for free to review **

My daughter loves Whiffer Sniffers!  She's covered her backpack with these amusing plush caricatures of sweet treats when school started last fall. They aren't just fun to look at but also are great to sniff as each one is slightly scented to smell like its featured treat.  The school year is almost half over and kids still excitedly run up to her before and after school to get a smell of the Whiffer Sniffers decorating her backpack.  The scents on these backpack clips last for about a year but are also designed so the smell is only noticeable up close so as not to be prominent or overpowering when carried around.  These really are a great way for a child to personalize his or her backpack.

A new Spring collection of Whiffer Sniffers has been released just in time to make for a great addition to a child's Easter Basket, especially for those who suffer from food allergies.  My daughter has a severe peanut allergy and most of the Easter candy sold in store holiday aisles isn't safe for her to have either because of ingredient or contamination issues.  So the Easter Bunny avoids bringing candy and leaves a basket filled with non-edible goodies for her each year.  This year there will be a bit of a twist on that theme though as my daughter will find some sweet treats in her Easter basket that don't present a risk to her --> the newest Whiffer Sniffers to add to her collection.

The whimsical designs and variety of smells incorporated into these plush backpack clips have delighted my daughter so I'm sure she'll be thrilled to find some additions to her collection.  In addition to showing them off, kids also have fun collecting these cute plush creations.  Whiffer Sniffers release new product in waves and retires older versions after awhile so you should be on the lookout and pick up the ones you are really interested in before they can't be found anymore.  The Spring 2017 wave includes a red jelly bean (Jay Bean), cinnamon roll (Howie Roll), bottle of grape soda (Izzy Sodalicious),  ice cream cone (May B. Minty),  jelly doughnut (Phil O'Jelly), orange (Sonny Shine), green apple (Sour Saul), macaron (Maci Macaron) and chocolate milkshake (Mikey Milkshake).  Keep an eye out for Jay Bean as he'll only be distributed around Easter time.

You can purchase Whiffer Sniffers individually either in clear sealed tube that identifies the character or by getting a blacked-out mystery pack container where you can get a randomly selected plush which you won't know what you have until the package is open.  In addition to the fun of being surprised, mystery packs often are the only place to find certain characters.  For example in the Spring 2017 wave Maci Macaron and Mikey Milkshake are exclusive characters that can only be had by finding them in a mystery pack.  If you open a mystery pack and find a sealed bag inside you've really struck gold.  In this case you've got yourself a really rare Sniffer Mix which is a combination of two Whiffer Sniffer characters and are also exclusively found within mystery packs.  The two newest Sniffer Mixers are a Strawberry Milkshake (Bitsy Shakin) and Mint Macaron (Minty Macaron).

CLICK HERE to find a retailer near you who sells Whiffer Sniffers.  They can also be purchased online at WhifferSniffers.com.  If you want to give a child a sweet treat that won't contribute to giving them cavities pick up a Whiffer Sniffer.

Lollipops That Fight Cavities -- Zollipops

It is exciting news that an eleven-year old entrepreneur and inventor from Metro Detroit who lives just a few miles from our home is being featured in the Ripley's Believe It or Not! Wild & Wacky Edition 2017 which just hit newsstands. In this book aimed for young readers that Ripley Entertainment Inc. created in partnership with children's publisher Scholastic, Alina Morse's story about creating candy that helps fight cavities is included with other profiles about weird scenarios and amazing oddities.  

Alina's questioning of her father about why no one made candy that was healthy for kids' teeth spurred the daddy-daughter duo to create Zollipops® candy.  Zollipops help naturally raise the pH in your mouth which helps fight the development of cavities and help teeth remineralize faster.  So these sugar-free lollipops are actually a good treat for your teeth -- what a sweet idea!  Alina and her Zollipops are featured in a two-page spread as part of a chapter on Entertaining Enterprises within Ripley's Believe It or Not! Wild & Wacky Edition 2017.

Zollipops generously sent A Geek Daddy some samples to try out but unfortunately they aren't safe for my kids to eat which added a twist to this review of the product.  For children like mine with a food allergy to peanuts it is too much of a risk to let them eat a Zollipop.  You see incidents of people having an allergic reaction are more likely resulting from eating something contaminated by peanuts during its production cycle than from an item that actually has peanuts as an ingredient.  There's the rub -- Zollipops are "manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts."

According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, peanut is the most prevalent allergen of food allergic children.  In fact medical studies have shown the number of children with a peanut allergy appears to have tripled between 1997 and 2008.  About 8% of children in the United States are currently allergic to peanuts and while that may not seem like a large number if you think about it that is almost 1 in 10 kids so you are pretty likely to encounter someone with this medical condition.  Especially troubling about peanuts is that they cause more deadly anaphylactic episodes than any other food allergy.



Zollipops are being marketed as a healthy option for schools to provide by offering free samples for teachers to hand out to students.  Lollipops aren't a candy you'd associate as having peanuts as an ingredient and for those who don't deal with this allergy on a day-to-day basis the contamination issue may not come to mind or be considered as not as much of a concern as it really is.  I've witnessed on numerous occasions at school functions and sporting events, people trying to persuade the parents of kids with a food allergy that something is safe for a child to eat because the allergen isn't an ingredient even though it was "processed" or "manufactured" where contamination was a risk.  Microscopic proteins create these allergic reactions so unfortunately it is not as easy as just looking at something to see if it is safe, especially when it comes to peanuts.  If Zollipops wants to market itself as a healthy treat to a widespread audience of kids, of whom many may not have the maturity to say no when offered this candy, they really should have selected a production facility that wouldn't have presented a risk for a dangerous allergen that is negatively impacting a growing number of our population.

While Zollipops seem to be a sweet idea that I honestly find to be impressive and innovative, A Geek Daddy has to warn those with food allergies to be wary and advise against people giving them out in situations where they don't know whether or not a recipients may have a peanut allergy.  I really actually liked this product but unfortunately in this review A Geek Daddy has to give a head shake instead of a nod of approval to Zollipops because of the food allergy issue.  That being said, I don't want to be too harsh as this does seem like a nice product for people not suffering from a peanut allergy -- so if your family knows that won't be an issue go ahead and give Zollipops a lick!  You can find Zollipops at Costco, Meijer, U.S. Military Exchange, Toys R Us and Whole Foods Markets.

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

Twigtale Books: Sharing with Care Bears

**A Geek Daddy was provided the featured product for free** 

My daughter in first grade has been given an ongoing homework assignment of reading 30 minutes per day after school.  It has been challenging to find plenty of books to keep her interested in continuously reading plus that are also at her beginning reading level.  So it was nice that as a Care Bears brand ambassador, A Geek Daddy was provided the opportunity to review the new "Sharing With Care Bears" personalized book from Twigtale.com.  The Twigtale service provides a soft cover book with a themed story template, like the Care Bears, and lets people personalize it by inserting pictures and customizing some of the text.

The service is really easy and convenient to use.  Just visit the Twigtale website and select the story template you want to use which include Doc McStuffins Big Sibling Book, Everybody Gets Scared, Me & Daddy, Learning To Stand Tall & Act Brave Versus Bullying, and Sharing With Care Bears, among other topics.  Themes include safety teaching stories, identity and self esteem, ages & stages, family changes, learning, and well being.  There is also a category where you can completely create your own book from scratch. 

As a parent of two children that have severe food allergies, I was pleased to see that Twigtale has partnered with FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education, a leading non-profit that advocates for the 15 million Americans that have food allergies) in creating a personalized book to help parents explain specific food allergies to children.  "My Food Allergy" is personalized with photos and specific details about a child's allergy to make it an engaging and effective way to help children understand what it means to have a food allergy and how to stay safe.  Plus a portion of this particular book's sale is donated back to FARE to help support its mission of finding a cure for food allergies and helping keep individuals with food allergies safe.  Based upon our family's satisfaction with Sharing with Care Bears, we are probably going to go back to Twigtale to create My Food Allergy books for each of our twins who suffer from life-threatening peanut allergies.

Once you've selected your story template you are asked some questions based upon the theme of the book.  For the Care Bears it was really easy as they just wanted to know my child's name to insert periodically throughout the text of the story.  They also asked for a photo to use on the cover of the book.  You just need to upload a digital photo from your computer and you're all set.  Additionally there is an author designation which you can customize based upon who the book is from such as Mommy & Daddy, Grandma & Grandpa, Aunt Sue and Uncle Joe, and so on.

 

The website then allows you to flip through the pages of the book inserting additional pictures or editing text in specifically designated areas.  For example on the page below you could add a picture plus alter the text as desired where the story talks about who your child's best friends are.

Here's another example where you can add in another personalized picture and provide your own text describing the activities that your child likes to do with his or her best friends.  Sharing with Care Bears is 21 pages and provide the opportunity to add pictures and customize text within 6 of them. It's really easy peasy to put together.  Wow did I just say easy peasy?  You know I spend a lot of time around first graders don't you?!

As I mentioned the book was very easy and convenient to customize on the Twigtale website and it arrive at our doorstep lickety split.  We received our personalized Sharing with Care Bears book in the mail three days after we had ordered it.  My daughter has really been thrilled to have a Care Bears book that includes her in the story.  As parents, we really appreciate that the text is simple enough that early readers can easily read it on their own.  So not only has this book provided a nice story for my daughter to enjoy but it also has been a great aid in helping her practice her reading by allowing us to include it as part of her first grade reading assignment.

For more information about ordering your own personalized children's books, visit www.twigtale.com.  These books cost $20 plus shipping and handling.  They normally can be delivered within a week after an order has been placed.

DISCLAIMER:  As a Care Bear brand ambassador, A Geek Daddy blog received a complimentary Sharing with Care Bears book to review from Twigtale.  No financial compensation was provided.  The opinions expressed are my own.

5 Most Peanut Allergy Friendly Major League Teams

Take me out to the ball game,

Take me out with the crowd;

Just buy me some PEANUTS and Cracker Jack,

I don't care if I never get back.

Let me root, root, root for the home team,

If they don't win, it's a shame.

For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,

At the old ball game. 

I've been a passionate baseball fan since my family took me to watch my first game at the old Tiger Stadium at the intersection of Michigan and Trumbull in downtown Detroit.  In my opinion you just can't beat being outside on a nice day enjoying watching a good baseball game.  Going to games was always a thrill when I was a kid and as an adult I've regularly visited the ballpark to take in our national pastime even going to a handful of games in 2003 when our hometown Detroit Tigers set a record for losing more games in a season than any other team in American League history. Unfortunately sharing my love for the ballpark isn't something I can easily pass along to my children.  You see they have a severe, life-threatening food allergy to peanuts and taking them to a game without any special accommodations is just asking for trouble.

I always use to sing along "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" during the 7th Inning Stretch at games without much thought to its lyrics but if you think about it that 1908 song, which really is the sport's anthem, highlights the strong multi-generational association between peanuts and baseball.  Take a look around the next time you go to a stadium for a ball game and you'll see more people than you might have expected snacking on peanuts.  Then look at the ground.  Wow! I never realized just how littered with peanut shells ballparks are until it became an issue for our family but those darn things are everywhere.  So while our family loves the game it's not often we get the chance to go out to root, root, root for the home team because it just isn't worth the risk of exposing our children to a situation that could put them into anaphylactic shock.

Sometimes an opportunity does present itself though for us to safely take our kids to a ball game.  Recently we took a road trip to Toronto to see the Blue Jays take on the Tigers from a peanut allergy friendly section.  The Toronto Blue Jays really did a nice job with making some accommodations for fans suffering from food allergies so that they could feel comfortable going to the stadium to go see a game live from the stands. Everyone with tickets to the peanut allergy friendly section were allowed to enter an entrance to the stadium that took you directly to the seating area to reduce any potential contact with allergens.  The section was power washed and checked to make sure it was cleaned of any peanut shells prior to the game.  The concessions closest to the section took a break from selling peanuts that game.  A few extra staff policed the area to make sure no one brought any peanuts within the restricted area plus one of the medical teams normally on duty was re-situated to be close by just in case someone did have an allergic reaction.  These weren't overly expensive or difficult accommodations to make but they made a big difference in allowing the people with peanut allergies and their families to have a fun and safe outing at the ball park.  Efforts like those by the Toronto Blue Jays show that peanuts don't need to be banned from a stadium to avoid disenfranchising baseball fans who suffer from this food allergy but rather showing a little consideration can make a big difference in providing an opportunity for a dad or mom to take their kid to a game for a family outing they might not otherwise been able to have.

When it comes to Major League Baseball teams providing access to games for people with peanut allergies it runs the gamut of not providing any sort of accommodation at all to taking advantage of these consumer's disability to price gouge them for tickets  to special sections that make an honest, concerted effort in providing opportunities for affordable and enjoyable outing for people suffering from this medical condition. A Geek Daddy has done some research and selected our 5 Most Peanut Friendly Teams in Major League Baseball for 2015.  Criteria for the selection included hosting a peanut allergy friendly section at their stadium, the ease of finding information online about a team's efforts to cater to people suffering from peanut allergies, the affordability of ticket prices, the availability of tickets and number of games offered, and going above and beyond to provide an excellent experience.  So without further ado here our top selections:

1.  Boston Red Sox

This is the 11th year that the Red Sox have made peanut allergy friendly accommodations available to fans.  Every team home stand one of the areas in Fenway Park's Media Booth is allocated to a family that has a child with a severe peanut allergy.  A doctor's note confirming a child's severe peanut allergy is required to be placed on the waiting list.  Booth F holds six people with tickets at $55 each including a Red Sox goody bag along with the priority seating arrangements and a view similar to the one the play-by-play broadcasters have from a secure window enclosed area.

Additionally, the Red Sox host several games blocking off outdoor sections that hold from 70 to 200 people in a peanut restricted zone.  In 2015 they hosted four of these peanut allergy friendly sections on Sundays throughout the months of July and August including a game versus our hometown team the Detroit Tigers.  In addition to cleaning peanut residue from the area and restricting peanuts during the game around this section, these games have a few extra welcoming touches to them.  The team displays a scoreboard message during the game "The Boston Red Sox Welcome Our Peanut Allergy Families to Fenway Park" plus their mascot Wally the Green Monster devotes a half inning to swing by the peanut allergy friendly section to greet and interact with attendees.  Plus like the people who are able to sit in Booth F for a game each person gets a special Red Sox goody bag.

The Red Sox were given top billing this year for their continued and sustained efforts to accommodate fans with food allergies, their hosting food allergy friendly sections during summer weekend games when attendance is at its peak, and for their efforts to provide access to games to children with severe food allergies through making Booth F available throughout the entire season.

2.  Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays made the list this year because our family experienced their event first hand and had a wonderful time.  The only bad part of the game was watching the Tigers get pecked apart 9-2 by those feisty birds but we did get some nice complimentary Blue Jays jerseys out of our visit.  The information was easy to find online as that was how our family found out about the section and purchased our tickets.  They didn't care we were driving over from the opposing team's hometown in another country to attend the game either as the Blue Jays staff we dealt with were as friendly and helpful as people could be.  The team hosted the peanut allergy friendly section six times throughout the season and tickets were affordable at $32 each.

3.  Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies let peanut allergy fans watch the game in style from specially designated suites.  During seven games this season the team hosted what they call Peanut Reduced Suites which were specially cleaned and where peanuts were banned.  They call them "reduced" because you never know if wind might blow some peanut debris or dust someone's way from another section of the ball park - but that really is a minimal risk for this and the peanut allergy friendly sections located at other MLB stadiums for most though not all people with peanut allergies - so that is meant to be a disclaimer on potential liability. In fact none of these fan sections are ever labeled as "safe" but rather as "reduced" peanut zones or allergy "friendly" areas, so just as when out in public anywhere else people with peanut allergies need to be prepared for the possibility of incidental exposure from being out and about.  Locations that provide suites like the Phillies do provide a bit of extra peace of mind because if the wind does really pick up people know they can go inside. For $60 you get a great view of the field plus a food and non-alcoholic beverage buffet.  If you've priced out MLB tickets recently you know that for a suite seat and sweet buffet that's not a bad deal.

4.  Minnesota Twins

The Twins have coordinated Peanut Controlled Days the last few years with the Anaphylaxis & Food Allergy Association to provide zones at select games catering to people with peanut allergies.  In 2015, Target Field provided two private open air balconies in left field at twelve games throughout the season that took special precautions to provide a safe and comfortable atmosphere for fans with peanut allergies.  Tickets were also very affordable at $24 each. It's nice to see a sports team working together with a food allergy advocacy and research organization like AFAA to address stadium accessibility and safety concerns.

5.  San Diego Padres

Speaking of working with a food allergy advocacy and research group not only did the San Diego Padres do that in organizing their food allergy friendly zone at Petco Park this year but they also donated a percentage of those ticket sales to F.A.R.E. (Food Allergy Research & Education).  Way to go Padres!

If your local Major League baseball team wasn't included on the list, contact them and see if they offer a peanut allergy friendly section anytime during the season.  If not, ask them why not?

CLICK HERE for more information about peanut allergies.

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

Halloween @ the Zoo

During the Halloween season we often skip out on many of the trick-or-treat type events hosted for children because of my daughter's severe peanut allergy to avoid the risks and hassles involved with the candy and goodies that go along with them.  One thing that we do do every year to enjoy the Halloween atmosphere with our kids, and it has become somewhat of a family tradition for us, is take a trip to the local zoo to enjoy their Halloween decorations.

The Detroit Zoo does a nice job of creating artistic Halloween displays made out of pumpkins that you can appreciate as you stroll around the zoo grounds.  With the purchase of an annual pass to the zoological park it also doesn't cost us any extra money to take my minions on a special outing just to spend an afternoon enjoying the decorations. The changing fall colors often add a nice pallet of reds and oranges as a backdrop to enhance the decorations on display that really helps boost our Halloween spirit.

 Here are a few of our favorite displays from this year's visit:

Cinderella's Carriage

The Lorax

Christmas in October

Butterflies

Where the Wild Things Are

Witches Brew

Sesame Street

Detroit Sports Teams

In addition to the pumpkin art work, my kids always want to run up and hug the giant inflatable jack-o-lantern on display.  Yes Charlie Brown there is such a thing as the Great Pumpkin!

The DETROIT ZOO is located at 8450 W. 10 Mile Road in Royal Oak, Michigan.  During the month of October it is open 7 days per week (10am - 5pm/Weekdays & 10am - 4pm/Weekends).  For more information, visit: www.detroitzoo.org