Sweethearts Candy Blog's

First, a disclaimer. I'm not a doctor and I don't play one on TV, so if you have any questions, please always ask your medical professional. My advice is based on my own knowledge and experience.

I realized that my previous food label post was quite long and it would be helpful to have a "tips-only" version. So here it is:

A few suggestions when deciphering food labels:

1. Look at the ingredients list carefully. Not all packaging contains a separate section that lists potential allergens. Therefore, you're going to have to know every possible term for "peanut" or "nut." For example, "marzipan" is almond paste, "filberts" are hazelnuts and "natural flavorings" can contain peanut. A little scientific knowledge on your part can make all the difference here.
   
2. Understand that imported, ethnic or "gourmet" foods may not have the same allergy warning requirements as the U.S. Personally, as a Nut-Free Mom, I avoid Asian foods that have been imported (big peanut risk) or any food made in any other country if it looks like it contains potentially suspicious ingredients like unnamed oils or "natural flavorings." (Canada is one exception. They have similar food packaging standards to the U.S. In some cases, superior standards.) My family loves World Market and Trader Joe's, but use their products with care. Some contain allergy warnings but many don't. For the record, Trader Joe's products (those produced by TJ) tend to have very detailed allergy warnings, but be careful with their imported foods. They are open to questions about their foods, so contact them if you need more information on their products.
   
3. Beware of chocolate. I mentioned it before, but I'll say it again, chocolate companies are notoriously inconsistent with their labeling. Only recently, Ghiradelli, for example, has started printing allergy warnings on all of their products, including their chocolate chips. Hershey and Baker's are brands that I have personally called (but we know how that can go) though I do feel I've done enough research to use some of their products. I also recommend Vermont Nut Free Chocolate. It is delicious, gourmet chocolate available in both eating and baking varieties and my whole family loves it.
   
4. Review labels often. Food packaging labels are undergoing big changes due to new laws so what you thought was safe one day may not be tomorrow. Don't take anything for granted and be sure to update any of your child's caregivers when you notice a change.
   
   

When I first learned of my daughter's peanut and tree nut allergy, she was not yet old enough to join Girl Scouts. However, that didn't stop me from wondering and worrying about it. I loved Girl Scouts and figured she might want to join someday. But, when you think of Girl Scouts, what's the first thing that comes to mind? COOKIES! And as a former Girl Scout myself, I knew for a fact that some of those cookies would be loaded with peanut butter.

At the time I think I placed the whole Girl Scout question on a shelf to be worried about at a later date. But in my gut, I was thinking, no way! How can I have my daughter running around promoting and selling peanut butter cookies? Isn't that going to send her a mixed message? Well as it turns out, no.

As I've learned more about food allergies, I realize that every activity has its pros and cons. I definitely don't want my daughter to miss out on fun or educational opportunities, simply due to her allergy.

So when one of her best friends asked my daughter to join her Girl Scout Troop, I was all for it. I was fortunate in that the Brownie leaders were very open to learning about my daughter's allergy. In fact, one of the leaders is a Registered Nurse (I had no idea when I joined. Super lucky, wouldn't you say?) and had no problem taking on the EpiPen Challenge, as I've come to call it. Each meeting, the leaders choose a "safe" food and on occasion, I've brought a home-baked treat for a party. It's all good.

My advice: don't say no to something until you find out all the details. There will be times when the risk does outweigh the benefits, but don't assume that from the outset. I'm so glad I didn't.

Food labels can be the nut-allergic family's best friend or worst enemy. They are one of our best lines of defense against our child having an allergic reaction and yet they are so darn unreliable and headache-inducing.
If you have an allergic kid, you know what I'm talking about. One week, you can buy your kids' favorite snack and the label contains no allergy warnings. The next week, you grab the same exact food at the supermarket and when you check the label (yes! you have to every time), you discover an allergy warning to nuts! There is nothing quite like that heart-dropping moment of discovery, especially if you've been touting the food as "safe" to family members, teachers and other parents.

After you recover from the shock you wonder if anyone will take you seriously when you tell them a food is "safe." And you wonder if any packaged food truly IS safe for a child with a nut allergy.

I've been amazed at the inconsistency of food labeling since my daughter was first diagnosed with a nut allergy, but luckily that's changing thanks to a 2006 law passed by the FDA that requires food packaging to contain allergy warnings for the top 8 food allergens including milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat and soy.

Still, food manufacturers were given a year to comply with this law and it is only recently that I am finding out that certain foods I'd been using without concern are foods I should not have been using at all.

Two offenders that come to mind: Nestle semi-sweet chocolate chips and Jay's brand Oke Doke popcorn varieties. Both recently had no allergy warnings and now they both contain strict nut allergy warnings.
Nestle chocolate chips being unsafe is kind of old news at this point, but I feel compelled to use it as an example because it makes me realize that all chocolate may be potentially allergenic. Nuts and chocolate seem to be processed on the same equipment more often than not. (By the way, I was alerted to the Nestle chips issue initially by a newsletter I receive as a member of the FAAN, the Food Allergy Anaphylaxis Network. Join if you can. They rock!)

Still, unless we want to learn how to make homemade Oreos and goldfish crackers, labels are all we've got. And homemade isn't always practical anyway, so here are a few suggestions when reading labels:

First, a disclaimer. I'm not a doctor, so please always check with your doctor if you have any questions about specific foods. Thank you.

1. Look at the ingredients list carefully. Not all packaging contains a separate section that lists potential allergens. Therefore, you're going to have to know every possible term for "peanut" or "nut." For example, "marzipan" is almond paste, "filberts" are hazelnuts and "natural flavorings" can contain peanut. A little scientific knowledge on your part can make all the difference here.
2. Understand that imported, ethnic or "gourmet" foods may not have the same allergy warning requirements as the U.S. Personally, as a Nut-Free Mom, I avoid Asian foods that have been imported (big peanut risk) or any food made in any other country if it looks like it contains potentially suspicious ingredients like unnamed oils or "natural flavorings." (Canada is one exception. They have similar food packaging standards to the U.S. In some cases, superior standards.) My family loves World Market and Trader Joe's, but use their products with care. Some contain allergy warnings but many don't. For the record, Trader Joe's products (those produced by TJ) tend to have very detailed allergy warnings, but be careful with their imported foods. They are open to questions about their foods, so contact them if you need more information on their products.
3. Beware of chocolate! I mentioned it before, but I'll say it again, chocolate companies are notoriously inconsistent with their labeling. Only recently, Ghiradelli, for example, has started printing allergy warnings on all of their products, including their chocolate chips. Hershey and Baker's are brands that I have personally called (but we know how that can go) though I do feel I've done enough research to use some of their products. I also recommend Vermont Nut Free Chocolate. It is delicious, gourmet chocolate available in both eating and baking varieties and my whole family loves it.
4. Review labels often. Food packaging labels are undergoing big changes due to new laws so what you thought was safe one day may not be tomorrow. Don't take anything for granted and be sure to update any of your child's caregivers when you notice a change.

As the mother of a (nearly) 8-year-old daughter who was diagnosed with a severe, life-threatening peanut and tree nut allergy 4 years ago, I sometimes feel like people look at me and my requests for my child as if I am "nuts." (Sorry, couldn't resist). A lot of people still don't get it and it is my mission to help get the word out about food allergies.

If you have a severely food-allergic child, you know that everyday activities like school, birthday parties, restaurants and travel are complicated by your child's allergy. However, I firmly believe that kids with allergies can and should live as normal a life as possible. That is my goal and the goal of the parents I know who have food-allergic kids.

It can be a scary world for those of us dealing with a severely nut-allergic child (doesn't it seem like the minute you get the diagnosis you find nuts are an ingredient in everything???) but I think having a sense of humor helps balance the practical side of any difficult issue. While severe food allergies are no laughing matter, I try to find the lighter side. This helps my daughter, too!

I am looking forward to sharing my thoughts, experiences and advice for parents dealing with the same issues.