Tag: nut free

Eating Out With Allergies in Madison, WI

foodallergiesmom

Last weekend I went on a girls’ trip to Madison, WI with my daughters and my mom. As you can imagine, I was a little concerned about trying to navigate eating while there with Asa’s multiple food allergies in combination with my Celiac Disease. Avoiding milk, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, and gluten isn’t exactly an easy task! I posted in some food allergy groups I’m in on Facebook looking for recommendations for our travels and some people definitely delivered! I also had several people tell me that Madison was a great city for food allergies and let me tell you… they were right!

The first day we got there, we went to a restaurant called Ollie’s based off of a recommendation. It was such an awesome place! Looking at their website immediately made me feel comfortable. They talk about food allergies on their home page which is always a great sign. When you walk in the door, they offer fidgets and sensory items to take to your table. They also provide noise cancelling headphones if you need them! They had a vegan menu and a regular menu and their menus clearly labeled gluten free items as well. The waitress was great and went to the back to talk to the chef about Asa’s allergies to ensure what we wanted to order would be safe for her. The kids were excited because they even had MARKERS instead of crayons for the kids menus. This was their dream come true! I was able to eat cheese curds (a Wisconsin staple) that were gluten free and they were delicious! We had no reactions and everything was super yummy!

That night we went to an ice cream shop that was recommended by multiple people – The Chocolate Shoppe. This ended up being Asa’s favorite part of the whole trip. She’s never ordered “ice cream” from a restaurant before. We’ve always been nervous to and not many places have safe options for her. But since multiple people recommended them, we decided to try. Their website also made me feel better about their awareness of allergens. She got the Strawberry Hibiscus Italian Ice and LOVED IT! She could not stop talking about how she got ice cream from a shop. It was the first thing she told her dad on the phone! They also had great gluten free choices for me!

The next day we hit multiple stops! We went to Yola’s Cafe for breakfast. We had to wait quite a while because it was a Saturday morning and they were busy, but it was really good! They had amazing, fluffy gluten free waffles and were able to make bacon in their separate fryer just for Asa!

For dinner that day, we went to bartaco which ended up being the best meal we had the whole time – so good in fact that we went back again the next day before leaving town! I picked the restaurant based solely on the fact that they were rated high on the Find Me Gluten Free App and was planning on Asa eating food we brought for her. When we got there, I asked the waitress about the menu and found that there were only a few items that weren’t gluten free! Yay for me! I then told her that I was sure Asa probably couldn’t eat there and we brought her food. She asked what her allergies were so I told her. She then uttered a statement that I’ve never had any server say to me before… she said, “Oh! That’s really not that hard!” And then she proceeded to tell me all of the things on the kids menu that she could eat! I was stunned. I’ve never had anyone tell me that her allergies weren’t that hard. The waitress has no idea what she did for me that night! She made me feel so calm and comfortable. Asa was able to eat chicken, corn wheels, and a fruit kabob. She scarfed it so fast and was so excited to come back the next day for more! If only every restaurant experience could be like our experience at bartaco!

My delicious gluten free tacos!

Overall, our experience eating out in Madison, WI with food allergies far exceeded my expectations! I packed a ton of food that we didn’t even have to touch because of how much Asa got to eat out. I had to come home feeling jealous of our experience in Madison! I hope this blog helps other travelers!

Our Allergy Warrior and Her Allies

foodallergiesmom

I just need to take a minute to acknowledge how much it means to an allergy parent when other parents take the time and energy to go out of their way to make my child feel included.

If you’re an allergy parent, you will immediately know what I mean. And if you’re not an allergy parent, I hope you take a couple minutes to read this to understand how just a couple small gestures can mean the absolute world to someone.

We have been incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by some amazing families so far in Asa’s life. Her friends at school have been awesome with her allergies. I’m sure a lot of this is due to the wonderful teachers that she has had and the way that they educate the kids in her class about her allergies. But it is also due to the kids’ amazing parents. This has been evident by how many parents have taken the time to reach out to me personally when planning birthday parties, in-class treats, and in-class parties to make sure that Asa has safe snacks and treats so that she isn’t left out. We are used to bringing our own goodies to birthday parties and keeping safe treats at school for her. It’s just part of her life. But parents making her feel included not only means the world to us, it means the world to HER.

Today we went to a birthday party where the mom reached out several times ahead of the party to make sure they had safe treats in lieu of cupcakes for Asa. It was adorable because the birthday kids (they are twins) were both so excited to come show Asa the snacks they got her and Asa was beaming. One kid that didn’t know Asa asked why she had a tub of icing sitting at her spot of the table and the birthday girl said, “Because Asa has allergies and the cupcakes aren’t safe for her! So we got her something that is!” The pride on Asa’s face was so evident. Her friends had her back.

I can’t overstate these moments. As a parent, there is nothing better than watching my kid’s friends stick up for her and keep her safe. And as a mom, nothing means more than other parents going the extra mile to make my daughter feel included. They spent extra money on her today just to do that. And it doesn’t go unnoticed by me. Those are moments I don’t forget. And this wasn’t the first time. Other parents have told me that their kid begged to have an “Asa-safe” cake or told them to make sure to buy Skittles because Asa loves them.

These little acts of kindness mean more than these parents and kids will ever know. So if you are ever faced with an opportunity to do one, I really encourage you to think of a way to include those that are probably left out a lot. They won’t forget it! ❤️

Asa with her tub of icing, Skittles, and Starburts 😍

Going Out To Eat…

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Asa is now 5 1/2 years old. A few months ago, I was in the car with her and I was running to pick up some dinner for me while my husband was in our other car running to get food for him and the other kids (that’s life with Celiac Disease for you…). From the backseat, Asa said, “Mom, can we please stop and get some food for me too?” Thinking she meant something from the grocery store I said, “No, we already have food for you at home.” She replied, “No, Mom. Can we please stop at a restaurant and get something for me? I don’t even care what it is. I’ll eat anything. I just want to get something from a restaurant like the rest of you.”

My heart broke. It was the first time that she was really expressing that she felt left out. She went on to tell me that every time we bring food home like this, the rest of us have our food from eating out and she just has food from home and she hates just watching us eat our special food. She said she just wants to be included.

We’ve spent close to 6 years protecting her from restaurants. We’ve packed safe meals every time we’ve gone out. We’ve avoided meals out just to keep her safe. We’ve cooked elaborate meals at home and ordered special ingredients just to make sure we had all the safe foods we needed right in our four walls. I’ve dreaded navigating menus. I’ve shed tears thinking about ordering from a restaurant and trusting them with her allergies. I’ve conjured up images of giving the epipen in the middle of the restaurant because an allergic reaction happened. To say I’m scared is an understatement.

But I also know I need to prepare her. I need to help set her up for the real world. I need to teach her how to navigate restaurants, menus, wait staff, and chefs. I need to help her have confidence using her voice in these situations. I have to be her example. I have to show her how to live with caution but not fear. Anxiety is a real side effect of life with food allergies. And I don’t want her to be paralyzed by it as she grows up.

So we started researching places to go. I started reading menus online, going to local allergy groups I’m in on Facebook, and calling places. I started using MY voice more and slowly but surely I started feeling more confident in letting her eat out at a few different places!

I wanted to share a few of those in hopes that they help others if in no other way than to help you know that it’s possible to navigate eating out, even with multiple food allergies! As a reminder, Asa is allergic to milk, egg, peanut, and some tree nuts.

One of National places that we found was Chick-fil-a. They have a great allergy menu online which makes it easy to plan before you go. (I linked their allergy menu above!) They have a separate fryer for their fries so they stay gluten free (yay!) and their grilled chicken is a great option for those with egg, milk, wheat, gluten, and nut allergies! Their kids meals also have options of fruit or applesauce as alternatives to fries. Asa and I have both eaten there safely multiple times now!

Another great regional restaurant we’ve come to love is Hawaiian Bros. (Their allergen menu is linked above!) Almost their entire menu is dairy, egg, and gluten free. They are also VERY allergy conscious. The best part – they serve Dole Whip as dessert! If you have allergies, you probably know what a treasure Dole Whip is! And if you don’t, find your local place with Dole Whip and get some pronto! For the record, Asa’s favorite food at Hawaiian Bros is the Luau Pig so try it if you go.

Our list is slowly growing and we’ve found some great local spots too. I’ll share more as I find them! Feel free to share yours too!

Our food allergy warrior eating out safely!

Super Simple Fried Ice Cream!

foodallergiesmom

Ever wanted friend ice cream but didn’t want to mess with actually having to deep-fry something? Well look no further! Here is a super easy 5 minute recipe! Added bonus – you can even make this vegan!

Ingredients:

  • Vanilla ice cream of your choosing (I used a vegan ice cream to keep it allergy friendly!)
  • Corn flakes (or you can substitute Frosted Flakes or Honey Nut Frosted Flakes)
  • Sugar
  • Margarine or butter (again, I used a vegan margarine to keep it allergy friendly)
  • Honey and/or chocolate syrup

Directions:

  • Scoop out your ice cream and put it in the freezer.
  • Add margarine, corn flakes, and a bit of sugar to a small pan and sauté the corn flakes for a few minutes. If you choose to use Frosted Flakes or Honey Nut Frosted Flakes (like I did here!) you can skip the extra sugar.
  • Lay the corn flakes onto a plate and gently roll your ice cream in the corn flake mixture. You can use your hands to add extra of the corn flake mixture into your ice cream.
  • Drizzle with honey (pictured), chocolate syrup, or any topping of your choice. You could also add whipped cream and a cherry if you want to get extra fancy. 😉

This super simple treat is so yummy! Enjoy!

Safe Alternative to Dyeing Easter Eggs

foodallergiesmom

If you’re like us and have an egg allergy in your house, you may be looking for safe alternatives to dyeing eggs for Easter.

We all know that you can buy plastic eggs for candy, but dyeing eggs was always half the fun when I was growing up. It was something I wanted to do with my kids too, and with my oldest, I didn’t think twice about it. Then my second daughter was diagnosed with an egg allergy and I began wondering what I could do with her to continue the tradition of dyeing eggs. This year I found two great alternatives!

First, I found these fun craft eggs at Target. These can’t be dyed, but they can be decorated with crayons and stickers! They even come with some stickers in the package. Best part, these can be found in their Bullseye spot for only $3!

Second, my husband found these DIY eggs at Walmart and these can be dyed! So cool! They look just like real eggs and can be dyed without having to worry about an egg allergy!

Hope these help you include your food allergy kiddos in the traditions that we’ve all enjoyed throughout the years! Happy dyeing!

*Please note that you can find a lot of things like this online for delivery as well so no need to leave your house during this time! Stay safe everyone!

Product Review: First Aid Beauty!

foodallergiesmom

Not only does my daughter have food allergies, but she and I both have extremely sensitive skin, and now my newborn son seems to be following suit. Dry, itchy skin is one of the most annoying things to have to deal with every day. I’ve always struggled with a dry face and finding a lotion that would actually help moisturize without making my face oily was hard to come by. I’ve tried everything – things from the aisles in Target, things my friends were selling through multi-level marketing, home remedies – but nothing ever really worked the way I wanted it too. Then I had my daughter whose skin was even more sensitive than my own and I really struggled. She’s had eczema since she was a baby and even creams, washes, and lotions labeled for eczema seemed to irritate her skin more. We saw a dermatologist and have basically stopped using everything except Vaseline and medicated prescriptions from her doctor. It’s been rough. Add in the food allergies, and the often unclear ingredient labels that are found on cosmetics products, and I felt hopeless that I’d ever find something for her to use besides sticky, messy, Vaseline.

I was talking about my own skin at work one day and a coworker (who used to manage a Sephora store) recommended a product to me. She told me that she even had some extra and she’d bring it for me to try. Thankfully, she followed through and I was introduced to First Aid Beauty.

One of my favorite things about it is that their ingredients are VERY clearly labeled and they have even more details about each product on their website. The product that I first used was their “Ultra Repair Cream”. You can use it in your face and body. After using it myself and LOVING it, I finally decided to try it on my daughter’s hands. Her hands are always one of her worst places for dry, itchy patches, but I don’t like using the steroid cream from her doctor on her hands for fear she’ll put them in her mouth. I had been wanting some sort of lotion to use on them, but again… almost everything contains fragrances and alcohols that actually just make her skin worse. I finally decides to give the First Aid Beauty a try and to my delight – it worked! Not only did it not cause extra irritation, but it actually got rid of her rough, dry patches of eczema!

Photo taken from firstaidbeauty.com

All of First Aid Beauty’s products are animal cruelty-free and have over 1,300 ingredients in their “no-no” list. The Ultra Repair Cream I mentioned above is Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, and Vegan! It does, however, contain oat, so if that it an allergy for you, you’ll want to avoid this product!

  • Photo taken from firstaidbeauty.com
  • Ingredient List of Ultra Repair Cream as listed on firstaidbeauty.com

A few days ago, I decided to buy one of their kits so I could give a couple other products a try. It came with their Ultra Repair Cream, Facial Radiance Pads, Ultra Repair Hydrating Serum, Pure Skin Facial Cleanser, and their Ultra Repair Lip Therapy. My face has seriously never felt this good. I’m always leery of exfoliating pads because sometimes they seem to make my dryness worse, but in this case, they really helped to get rid of the dry flakes and the serum and lotion helped to keep my face moisturized throughout the day. I’m officially hooked!

Kit purchased at Sephora.

As with anything, I’m not naive enough to think that this product will work for every person. But if you’re like me and you (or your kids) struggle with eczema and overly dry skin, this may be something to try – especially if you also have to contend with food allergies and get scared of cosmetics products that don’t REALLY tell you what is inside them. Knowing that this lotion is vegan and nut-free means that I can feel safe letting my daughter use it despite her milk, egg, and peanut allergies! I always recommend reading labels for yourself and doing some research before trying something new, so I’d encourage you to head over to firstaidbeauty.com to check it out for yourself if you are interested.

*This is NOT a paid advertisement. This is strictly a product review of something I’ve actually found useful. 🙂