Allergy-Safe Frozen Treat Outings

by Kelley Lindberg


(Updated 5/14/12 to add another location) One of the great things about belonging to the Utah Food Allergy Network’s email forum (which is free, by the way, so join by going to the UFAN website) is the recommendations that our members share with each other.

Over the last couple of weeks, the hot topic (now that the days are getting warmer!) is where to go to find allergy-safe frozen treats like sorbet or smoothies. I grew up spending Saturday nights with my family at the local ice-cream shop, and I’ve missed doing that with my son. But now there are starting to be several places where we can enjoy that family tradition once again.

Here are some of the places UFAN members recommended, where they serve at least one type of dairy-free frozen treat and will accommodate allergy needs by using clean utensils, etc. (but ALWAYS remind them to use new utensils and get toppings from uncontaminated containers – cross-contamination can still occur, so stay vigilant!). If you have a favorite place for safe frozen treats that isn’t on this list, please share it with us!

• Maggie Moo’s (Sugar House and Cedar City) has sorbet and mix-ins. (Thanks, Michelle & Esther)
• Cakewalk Baking Co. (Salt Lake City) may have soy soft-serve (Thanks, Lynn)
• City Cakes & Cafe (Salt Lake City) has soy soft serve in dedicated machine, and dairy-free fruit smoothies. (Thanks, Lynn)
• Sub Zero Ice Cream (Ogden, Layton, West Jordan, Centerville, Salt Lake City, Murray, Sandy, Pleasant Grove, Provo, Spanish Fork) can use rice or soy milk as a base to freeze your ice cream on the spot, and they will even let you bring in your own toppings and mix-in items. (Thanks, Janel and Michelle)
• Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt (Layton, Salt Lake City, South Jordan, Orem, St. George) has a couple of flavors of diary-free sorbet and they will work with you to find safe toppings.
• Thanksgiving Point serves Blue Bunny Lemon Sorbet that has no dairy, eggs, nuts, soy, corn, rice, oats, wheat. (But they say they can’t guarantee that a scoop hasn’t been used in another flavor). (Thanks, Marie)
• Jamba Juice (lots of locations in Utah) says any of their smoothies can be made dairy free. All of their fresh juices, shots, and All Fruit smoothies are non-dairy. (Thanks, Lynn)
• Snow cone stands – one of the first signs of summer is snow-cone stands popping up in parking lots everywhere you look. Ask for ingredients and you may find some stands that don’t use ingredients you’re allergic to. Michelle says she’s found some that don’t use corn syrup, so if you’re allergic to corn, snow cone stands might be an option, but be sure to ask first!
• Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt (Bountiful, Farmington, Highland) contains milk, but most of their products are free from the other Top 8 allergens. Says Lynn: "We avoid the toppings bar (bring our own in a baggie), and they do have a peanut butter yogurt, but they keep it in the same machine and we avoid the other flavor in the same machine." (Thanks, Lynn)