Waiting for Sandy

We spent the weekend preparing for Hurricane Sandy and on Sunday, Governor Patrick declared a state of emergency for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, asking that all schools close on Monday. It appears all schools have complied with his request. We are stocked up on epipens, asthma inhalers, and allergy-safe food and hope that the power outages might miss our area or somehow be short-lived.

Hoping that you and your family are safe and well.

Food Allergy Consumer: Skeeter Snacks

If you peruse the food allergy blogs, you probably have heard of Skeeter Snacks by now. If not, and you manage peanut and tree nut allergies, listen up! We recently had the opportunity to try Skeeter Snacks--the newest peanut-free, nut-free cookie to enter the market. Out of respect for the manufacturers, I hate to compare one brand to another, but I think Skeeter Snacks are poised to become the Chips Ahoy of peanut-free, nut-free folks. (That's a compliment! I don't know about you, but Chips Ahoy brings happy thoughts for me!) Skeeter Snacks are tasty, crispy store-bought cookies that promise to be affordable and available at your local supermarket. If they can get into your local store and sell for $5 or less, they're going to be at every peanut-free cafeteria table, and also will be the ideal store-bought classroom treat for all those peanut-free, nut-free elementary school classes. (Can't wait!) 

The FAB Review
Dedicated facility: Yes (peanut/nut free)
Appearance:Easy-to-open wrapper. 
Taste: Tasty store-bought cookie. (Just like what the non-allergic kids eat!)
Texture: Crispy cookies. Oatmeal cookie is a little chewy, just the way it ought to be.
Convenience: The 2-packs are perfect taking in your lunch box, pocket or handbag. 
Price/value: 6 2-packs for $3.99 on Skeeter Snacks site
Buy again? It's a definite YES for us!

While the website makes it appear as though they are at every supermarket near me (I am in southeastern Massachusetts), I have yet to actually find them in a store. My understanding is that the online list is, at this point, the goal and not the reality. At the present time, you can buy Skeeter Snacks online, and at Shoprite stores, Costco in the Northeast, and Walmart in the Southeast. One way to help speed the arrival of Skeeter Snacks in more stores is to ask your local grocery store to carry them. That is on my to-do list for the stores near me (Shaws, Stop and Shop, Roche Bros. and Hannaford--any one will do!).

The cookies currently come in three flavors: Golden Oatmeal, Skeeterdoodle, and Chocolate Chunk. We also sampled a 4th flavor which we loved--Chocolate 3. It is a chocolate chocolate cookie perfect for satisfying your chocolatey cookie cravings! I'm really hoping we'll be able to purchase that flavor in the future as well.

I'm looking forward to seeing Skeeter Snacks in stores near here soon!

Food Allergy Friendly Candy Corn--The Hunt is On!

Every year in October, thousands of people search for candy corn that is safe for their food allergies or their loved one's. Since I started writing Food Allergy Buzz, things have changed and now I can find peanut-free, tree nut-free candy corn. But what about egg-free, milk-free, or soy-free candy corn? Does it exist, and where? Here's the rundown, to the best of my knowledge. Please check and double-check ingredients on packages and call or write to the manufacturer to the get the scoop on cross-contamination risk.

Sunrise Confections: can be purchased in some dollar stores and online from Peanut Free Planet. It is peanut free and tree nut free.

Jelly Belly: can be purchased in stores or online. It is peanut-free and egg-free.

The site's FAQ section states "We make over 150 different candies and some of our products may contain ingredients that include commonly known allergens. Please carefully check the Ingredient Label on packages and bulk bins to determine the presence of any ingredient you wish to avoid."

A & J Bakery's Candy Corn: specially made for A & J Bakery. It is peanut-free, tree-nut free and gluten-free. May be purchased in-store or online.

Do you know of any other food allergy friendly candy corn? Let me know and I will add it to the list.

Food Allergy Friendly Dessert Party at Disney World

If you are planning to be at Walt Disney World in mid-December 2012, you may want to consider adding the Illuminations Dessert Party to your schedule. A private dessert party geared towards those with food allergies and intolerances is scheduled for December 15 at the France Pavilion in Epcot. The event is being sponsored by the Gluten Free and Dairy Free at WDW Blog and Allergy Free Mouse. Tickets are $50.00 per person and include admission to the private dessert buffet, special viewing area of the show Illuminations, and a goodie bag from allergy conscious vendors. For more information, please contact gfdf{DOT}wdw{AT}gmail{DOT}com.

Food Allergy Resource Fair: Save the Date!

The Food Allergy Support Group of Minnesota is hosting its 6th annual Food Allergy Resource Fair on Saturday, November 10, 2012, 9AM to 12 noon in Hopkins, Minnesota. Admission is free. For additional information, please see the flyer.

Food Allergy Mom Blog Contest Thank You

The results are in from the Circle of Moms Top 25 Food Allergy Mom Blogs contest and Food Allergy Buzz came in #21 out of 109 blogs, thanks to all of the votes from Food Allergy Buzz friends and followers. There are so many superb food allergy mom blogs. I am pleased it was included in the Top 25 and especially glad it was named one of the three most influential food allergy mom blogs. None of it would have been possible without you, the reader! Thank you very much!!

I really love writing Food Allergy Buzz and am very glad to contribute to and be part of the wonderful and very supportive online food allergy community.

Asthma Web-Based Game for Kids

The Oregon Center for Applied Science recently contacted me about Lungtropolis.com, "an interactive web-based learning game created to help children ages 5-10 control asthma. There is also a companion parent site, Lungtropolis Parents. I haven't had a chance to completely explore both sites, but so far, they look useful and informative. When you have a moment, please check the sites out, and come back to comment and let us know what you think of them. The creators of Lungtropolis would appreciate your feedback!

Food Allergy Friendly Halloween Round-Up

A & J Bakery:"Treat your palate to indescribable tastes and flavors from A & J Bakery, a new family-owned-and-operated Nut Free bakery with more than 25 years' combined experience. From Biscotti to a myriad of Cookie Trays, and custom birthday cakes, our goods are both affordable and creative—there's nothing in our selection that will displease your taste buds!"

Note: A&J is nut-free and gluten-free, and is one of the few places you can find nut-free and gluten-free candy corn. Better hurry tho!





Fancypants Bakery: "All Natural, Nut Free and Delicious! Fancypants Baking Co. proudly bakes delicious, hand-crafted cookies that are 100% natural and completely nut-free. Using only the finest ingredients, talented artisans design an array our gourmet cookies (a true labor of love) that taste as great as they look. For a truly special gift, we will ship a collection of our distinctive cookies in an elegant box anywhere in the country!"






So Lucky Gifts: "We are a business that provides all gourmet gluten free gifts beautifully giftwrapped! We have multiple items that are allergy friendly, gluten free and dairy free and are continually working to offer a more allergy friendly selection."

• So it's Halloween (gluten-free, dairy-free)
• So Festive Halloween
• So It's Time to Entertain Halloween Party

Sweet Alexis: "All Sweet Alexis products are PNF, NF, EF and DF! We do not use preservatives or fillers and all of our products are also Vegan. We ship nationally (cupcakes ship with frosting on the side - sprinkles not included). Both are fresh baked and sold sell by the dozen."

From Food Allergy Mom Doc, Halloween with Food Allergies: Feet, Eats and Non-edible Treats

From Stacy Molter, Food Allergies Friendly Muddy Buddies Recipe and

Halloween Chocolate Candy and Lollipops Recipe

How were these fine folks selected for this post, you wonder? They asked! You can be included too if you hurry and send me your info, if you are a food allergy friendly business with Halloween treats or a food allergy friend who has a recipe, post, craft, tips to share! Just email me at jenniferATfoodallergybuzzDOT com. 

Thanks to everyone who participated! Happy Halloween!

*PLEASE vote for Food Allergy Buzz today so we can stay in the Top 25! Click on the pink circle on the right and scroll down till you see us, and give us a thumbs-up!*

Please Vote for Food Allergy Buzz Today!

The Top 25 Food Allergy Moms contest is really tightening up. I really need more votes to stay in the Top 25. Please click on the pink circle to the right and vote for Food Allergy Buzz today! Many thanks!

Food Allergy Book Review: The New Nut-Free Mom E-Book

You've likely heard my story about my younger son's initial diagnosis. After the doctor confirmed my son was, indeed, allergic to peanuts, a nurse provided me with a resource sheet. There were very few resources listed on the sheet. It was six years ago, and if memory serves me right, there were two resources: the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network and Vermont Nut Free. I would add a couple more resources to that list for parents managing their child's peanut and nut allergies, and one of those resources would be The New Nut-Free Mom: Crash Course in Caring for Your Nut Allergic Child, an e-book authored by Jenny Kales of the Nut-Free Mom blog.

If I had a copy of Jenny's book back then, my learning curve with peanut and nut allergies would have been so much quicker and less frightening. Jenny is a calm voice of experience and reason in an overwhelming world of nut allergy fears, conflicting information and controversy. Her book helps steer parents and caregivers through all of the questions that arise following a diagnosis of peanut and/or tree nut allergies. It is really a treasure trove of valuable tips, accumulated through experience over the years.

Jenny's thorough handbook provides guidance on so many critical subjects, such as allergies at school, dining out, playdates, and educating others about your child's allergies. I think my very favorite chapter is Chapter 8 "What Does "Nut-Free" Really Mean?" It touches on a pet peeve of mine which is how the term "nut-free" is used differently by different people. Not surprising, that makes label reading very confusing at times. I am especially glad Jenny covered this in her book, because misunderstanding a label can be dangerous due to the risk of cross-contamination with some foods labeled as "nut-free". It's a term used loosely and I haven't read another allergy book which cautions readers about this potential problem.

It's been a number of years since my son's diagnosis, and I still visit The Nut-Free Mom blog on a regular basis to read Jenny's latest tips and discoveries. In fact, a box of Whole Hearts cereal is sitting on the table, thanks to a tip in one of her blog posts following the introduction of peanut butter Cheerios in the last year. I highly recommend The New Nut-Free Mom for those managing a child's peanut and/or nut allergies. It is an informative, easy-to-read, and easy-to-implement book of helpful tips and advice, from a mom who's "been there". If you are new to managing a child's peanut and tree nut allergies, you can't ask for a better and more thorough summary of need-to-know information. It's especially wonderful to have Jenny's wisdom so conveniently packaged in an e-book to take on-the-go too! 

Food Allergy Book Review: Feeding Eden

Photo courtesy http://susanweissman.com/feeding-eden/

Susan Weissman's Feeding Eden is a wonderful book about managing a child's food allergies and the learning curve that comes following diagnosis of those allergies. It is a memoir and is perhaps the only book that has ever made me cry. Once I started reading, I truly could not put it down. If you have a child with severe, life threatening food allergies, this book hits home. It is difficult to describe the book because it is like no other food allergy book I have ever read. It is not a medical book or a book full of "how-to's", tips, or recipes. Rather, it is a book that tells a story, Susan's family's story of life with a child with multiple food allergies. 

There were so many parts of the book that I could personally relate to, because we share this bond too many parents share today--parenting a child with life threatening allergies.  Many say there is a sort of isolation with food allergies and in managing them, and reading Susan's book makes one feel not quite so alone in this food allergy journey. So many of the emotions, which Susan so beautifully expresses, are emotions I have felt over the years. She has a really lovely writing style, and the book is touching and also at the same time humorous. She explains her family's journey with food allergies with such detail and honesty, the reader cannot help but share her pain, concerns, joys and triumphs. We feel like we are experiencing the allergic reactions, the worries, the a-ha moments and the successes with Susan as they happen. It's just a marvelous book, particularly for parents and caregivers of children with food allergies. I highly recommend it and am very honored to have the opportunity to review it.

I can't wait to read Susan's next book, no matter what the subject. She is a fantastic writer.

Food Allergies Get You Down? Think of Dory

This weekend, my 9 year old son really wanted onion rings. Unfortunately, I could not find any that were clearly made in a peanut-free nut-free facility at any of the grocery stores near us . In the past, we were lucky and found Ian's onion rings, but no luck this time. So, he had to go without, and anyone who manages food allergies knows how frustrating it can be not to find a safe version of whatever it is you're craving. This is par for the course with food allergies. His eyes watered with frustration and disappointment, but he did not cry. Now, I'm on a mission to locate Ian's frozen onion rings within easy driving distance or find a safe alternative.

Food allergy moms frequently discuss the heartbreak their children feel from not being able to eat what the other kids eat or at being excluded at school or other activities. It's so difficult for our children and it is painful for us to watch. Earlier today, a friend on Facebook was talking about wishing there were a magic wand to make life's problems disappear. No magic wand exists so we must just keep on going forward, and confront life's challenges, be they food allergies or something else. It isn't easy, but I like to think of Dory, in Finding Nemo: "Just keep swimming..."

Food Allergy Buzz Fun Friday: Suncare Pack Giveaway

Summer may be officially over, but the temps are still warm, and the kids are busy player soccer and other sports outside. Thanks to The Eczema Company, we have a lovely natural suncare gift pack to give away. The owner of The Eczema Company also writes a wonderful blog, It's an itchy little world. (Please take a moment to visit it!)

The suncare gift pack is valued at about $50 and is eczema-friendly and food allergy friendly depending on which allergies you are managing. The ingredients are listed here for your reference.

Items included in suncare gift pack:

(1) Poofy’s “The Sunscreen” 
.63oz roll up stick  Organic Jojoba Oil, Organic Unrefined Shea Butter, Organic Beeswax, Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, Organic Camelila Oil, Organic Cocoa Butter, Zinc Oxide, Organic Rosemary Extract, Organic Eucalyptus Essential Oil, Natural Vitamin E (non-GMO). 

(1) Bienella’s SunCare spray 
Organic sunflower oil, organic jojoba oil, seabuckthorn oil, red raspberry oil, broccoli oil, green tea extract (w/ trace amounts of sesame), and vitamin E (derived from sunflower) 







 (1) All Thing Jill’s After Sunny Aloe Spray  
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (sweet almond) oil*, Prunus armeniaca (apricot) kernel oil, Lavandula officinalis (lavender) oil*, Mentha piperata (peppermint) oil*, Daucus carola (carrot seed) oil*, Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract*. 

 *certified organic 



The giveaway ends at the end of the day on Friday, October 12. To enter the giveaway, please complete the below entry form. You can get additional entries by completing some extra options. Feel free to email me (jennifer[at]foodallergybuzz[dot]com) with any questions. Good luck!!! 

*Food Allergy Buzz has received no compensation for this giveaway. It's all about fun!!*

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Eczema Workshop for Children in Boston

Did you know that October is Eczema Awareness Month? Later this month, Boston Children's Hospital is hosting an Eczema Workshop for children ages 5 - 7 years with Jennifer LeBovidge, Ph.D. The workshop is scheduled to take place on Saturday, October 20, 2012, 9:00 to 10:30 AM. For additional information, please view the flyer for this Eczema Support Group meeting from the National Eczema Association.

REMINDER: Please vote (again) for Food Allergy Buzz for the Circle of Moms Top 25 Food Allergy Mom Blogs. You can vote once every 24 hours and Food Allergy Buzz really needs your support! Many thanks :)

Food Allergy Friendly Halloween: Share with Us

It's October 1 and Halloween is just around the corner! 

This post is about two of Food Allergy Buzz's primary aims:

• connecting food allergy friendly businesses and consumers managing food allergies AND
• food allergy community building and sharing

I'm working on a Halloween round-up post which will be a chance for you to toot your horn! This is one occasion when it is ok to brag! So, food allergy friendly businesses, please tell us what treats and specials you are offering for this Halloween! And food allergy bloggers, families and friends, send us your favorite food allergy friendly Halloween recipes, crafts or tips. You can even share a photo of last Halloween's treats or crafts, etc.

Please email your item to share or brag about to me at jennifer[at]foodallergybuzz[dot]com, your name and a link (if you have one) by October 8, 2012, and Food Allergy Buzz will help toot your horn a little later this month!

REMINDER: Please vote (again) for Food Allergy Buzz for the Circle of Moms Top 25 Food Allergy Mom Blogs. You can vote once every 24 hours and Food Allergy Buzz really needs your support! Many thanks :)