Allergy-Free Thanksgiving Recipes, 2014

By Kelley Lindberg

Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching, and if you have food allergies in your family, you’re

Yes, it's possible to have an allergy-safe Thanksgiving dinner!

probably already wondering how to make the traditional meal safer. Every year I look for new recipes that are free from the Top 8 allergens, or can be made that way with simple substitutions. So here are some recipes I’ve found this year. (And by the way, when I’m listing all the things I’m thankful for, the internet will be on that list. I can’t imagine how much harder dealing with allergies would be without the internet as a source of support, education, and recipes!) I hope this recipe round-up helps simplify your holiday cooking!

Looking for more allergy-safe Thanksgiving recipes? Check out my earlier posts: Allergy-Free Thanksgiving Recipes 2013 and Allergy-Free Thanksgiving Recipes 2012.

Turkey:

• First on the menu? The turkey, of course. Turkeys, especially the self-basting kinds, are injected with solutions that make them tender. However, those solutions can harbor allergens like milk, wheat, soy, or corn. So check labels before you buy. Read the very helpful article at about.com called “Before You Buy a Thanksgiving Turkey” for some great advice.

Stuffing:

• Traditional Sage Stuffing: For all you traditionalists, this version uses olive oil instead of butter and skips the eggs. Use your favorite type of bread (sandwich, French, or gluten-free bread would all work just fine). 
• Cornbread Stuffing: I come from a long line of Texans, so I love cornbread stuffing. This recipe mixes cornbread and white or whole wheat bread, but you can substitute your favorite gluten-free bread for the white/whole wheat. (My grandmother always used crumbled white biscuits—heaven!) If you need a good cornbread recipe to use in your cornbread stuffing, try this one for Albers® Corn Bread, which I’ve been using for years. However, skip the sugar (unless you like sweet cornbread—but I prefer savory, especially for stuffing). Also, you have to make two or three substitutions: replace the egg with Ener-G egg replacer or other egg substitute, replace the milk with a safe milk, like soy or rice (I use rice milk, and it works great), and you can replace the white flour with your favorite gluten-free blend. 
• Quinoa Sage Stuffing (Gluten-free and Vegan): Dressing without bread? You bet. This one uses quinoa instead, along with olive oil, vegetable broth, and plenty of savory herbs.

Sweet potatoes:

• Sweet Potato Marshmallow Casserole: The popular way to make them is to mash them with safe margarine and spices, then top them with marshmallows. This recipe for Sweet Potato Casserole II adds 3 T of orange juice for an extra little bit of flavor.
• Roasted Sweet Potatoes: Not a fan of marshmallows? Try these Twice-Cooked Sweet Potatoes—the recipe is much easier than it sounds! Just fry sweet potato cubes in safe margarine, then roast them in the oven with some brown sugar, salt, and sage leaves.

Potatoes:

• Mashed Potatoes: Use any basic mashed potato recipe and replace the butter with a safe margarine and replace the milk or cream with rice milk or soy milk. Or, ditch the whole butter-and-cream idea completely and use chicken broth instead to flavor them. Here is the super-simple recipe from Campbell’s Kitchen for Skinny Mashed Potatoes. 
• Garlic Roasted Potatoes: Simple and flavorful! 
• Vegan Scalloped Potatoes: This recipe calls for flour and soy milk. I wonder if it would work with a gluten-free flour blend and another type of safe milk. If you try it, let me know!

Gravy:

• Allergy Free Gravy: I post this recipe from EatingWithFoodAllergies.com every year because it’s simple and it works. It explains the steps well and you can use either regular flour or gluten-free flour. YouTube has lots of videos showing how to make turkey gravy if you’re not sure of the process.

Cranberry Sauce:

Sure, you can dump it out of the can. (And let’s be honest, we like it that way!) Or you can try these versions:

• Traditional Cranberry Sauce: The easiest recipe is the one printed on the bag of Ocean Spray cranberries you pick up in the produce section. Water, sugar, cranberries. Boil for ten minutes, and voila! Cook it up a day ahead and refrigerate it. Perfection! 
• Cranberry Strawberry Relish: Add in some frozen strawberries, and you’ve got something a little bit different and even more delicious. 

Green Beans:

• There are a gazillion delicious ways to make green beans that don’t involve cream soups and French-fried onions. Here are a few:
• Bacon-smothered Green Beans: I mean, really. Bacon-smothered. What more do you want? 
• Green Beans with Ham: Okay, ham is good, too. 
• Green Beanswith Caramelized Onions and Tarragon: Can’t do pork? Here’s a meatless version that looks lovely and elegant on a platter.

Pumpkin Pie:

• It’s just not Thanksgiving without a pumpkin pie on the table. So here’s a recipe for Vegan Pumpkin Pie that looks delicious! You can use a regular pastry pie crust, but I like a graham cracker pie crust for my pumpkin pies.
• Gluten-free Pastry Pie Crust: If you need a gluten-free pie crust, try this recipe. 

Allergy-Free Thanksgiving Recipes 2013

By Kelley Lindberg


The food-oriented holidays just keep coming, don’t they? Thanksgiving, more than any other, is ALL about the food. There’s simply no way around it. The crazy thing is, the food is also wrapped up in traditions. Some folks get downright militant about those food traditions. Even if they don’t particularly like sweet potato casserole, for example, they’ll serve that dish or die trying, because it’s tradition, darn it!

Yeah, I don’t really get it, either. But most of us do it anyway.

So if you’re aiming for traditional this year, but you’re dealing with food allergies, I’ve put together another round-up of traditional Thanksgiving recipes that can be made allergy-safe. To see last year’s Thanksgiving recipes, see “Allergy-Free Thanksgiving Recipes 2012.” This year, I tried to go for different recipes to give you more choices. So check out last year’s post, too, to double your options!

• The turkey: Turkeys, especially the self-basing kinds, are injected with solutions that make them tender. However, those solutions can harbor allergens like milk, wheat, soy, or corn. So check labels before you buy. Read the very helpful article at about.com called “Before You Buy a Thanksgiving Turkey” for some great advice.
• Stuffing: The type of stuffing you like probably depends on where you’re from. Southerners might go for cornbread stuffing, while East Coasters might indulge in oyster stuffing, for example. So here are some variations. (Be sure you substitute safe ingredients, such as your family’s favorite safe bread, for whatever the recipe calls for):
• Traditional-Style (bread, celery, onion, spices): Try these: Traditional-Style Vegan Stuffing, Traditional-Style Vegetarian Stuffing (YouTube video), or this nifty recipe for making your own Instant Stuffing Mix that you can store in the pantry and cook up any time.
• Herbed Oyster Stuffing: Try this recipe, but use a safe cornbread recipe for the cornbread (see below), use safe margarine instead of the butter, and make sure to use a turkey, chicken, or vegetable stock that is safe for your allergies.
• Sausage, Apple, and Cranberry Stuffing: Again, be sure you check the labels on your bread and stock, and substitute safe margarine for the butter. 
• Quinoa stuffing: Skip the bread completely and try this gluten-free quinoa stuffing with zucchini, butternut squash, dried apricots, and cranberries. Yum! 
• Wild Rice Stuffing: Skip the pecans in this recipe and make sure your chicken broth is safe for your family. 
• Cornbread Stuffing: This recipe from The Pioneer Woman is very similar to my grandmothers (except my grandmother’s recipe calls for biscuits instead of French bread). So use whichever white bread is safe for you, use safe chicken stock or broth, and safe butter. Lots of photos!
• Cornbread: If you need a good cornbread recipe to use in your cornbread stuffing, try this one for Albers® Corn Bread, which I’ve been using for years. However, skip the sugar (unless you like sweet stuffing – but I prefer savory, and I’m originally from Texas, so you’ll never find me putting sugar in my cornbread!). Also, you have to make two substitutions: replace the egg with Ener-G egg replacer or other egg substitute, and replace the milk with soy milk or rice milk. I use rice milk, and it works great.
• Mashed Potatoes: To make mashed potatoes allergy-safe, use any basic mashed potato recipe and replace the butter with a safe margarine and replace the milk or cream with rice milk or soy milk. Or, ditch the whole butter-and-cream idea completely and use chicken broth instead to flavor them. Here is the super-simple recipe from Campbell’s Kitchen for Skinny Mashed Potatoes. Or for something a little fancier, try this dairy-free recipe for Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes. 
• Gravy: This is the same recipe I wrote about last year, but it’s a great, simple Allergy Free Turkey Gravy from EatingWithFoodAllergies.com that explains the steps well. You can use either regular wheat or wheat-free all-purpose flour in this yummy Thanksgiving staple. YouTube has lots of videos showing how to make turkey gravy if you’re not sure of the process.
• Cranberry Relish: How about a no-cook Cranberry-Raspberry Relish? Throw everything in a food processor, and voila! Or this Cranberry-Raspberry Relish is even easier, using only 2 ingredients (a can of whole berry cranberry sauce and raspberry Jell-O).
• Sweet Potatoes: Tired of the traditional mashed sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows? Try Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Apples (just use safe margarine or olive oil). And here’s a delicious version of Candied Yams that uses orange juice and brown sugar. Heaven! Just use safe margarine instead of the butter. 
• Green Bean Casserole: Whoever does the marketing for those French-fried onion rings is a genius, because they’ve managed to convince us all that green bean casserole is a traditional food. I’m so over that. Personally, I’d much rather indulge in this traditional Greek recipe for Fasolakia, which is green beans, tomatoes, and onions all sautéed together with a little garlic and olive oil. Super easy, healthy, and delish! And personally, I replace the water with a can of safe chicken broth. This recipe calls for fresh green beans and tomatoes. Here’s a secret: this works equally well with 2 drained cans of green beans (look for Whole Green Beans instead of cut) and 1 can of diced tomatoes. Shhh…don’t tell. You can always sprinkle some safe breadcrumbs or crushed Chex cereal on top after it's done cooking if you want it to look more "casserole-ish."
• Pumpkin Pie: This recipe is a repeat from last year, but really… allergy-free pumpkin pies are hard, and this recipe works: “Mom’s Pumpkin Pie” from the Kids with Food Allergies website.  This recipe is in the “free recipe” section of the website, so you don’t have to be a member to access it!

 

Allergy-Free Thanksgiving Recipes 2012

by Kelley Lindberg


Are you ready for Thanksgiving? Don’t worry. Neither are any of the rest of us. But if you’re still looking for ways to make this traditional feast allergy-friendly for your family, here are some recipes I’ve found that might help reduce your stress. In many cases, making recipes safe can be as simple as substituting safe margarine for the butter, soy milk or rice milk for the cream/milk, and your family’s favorite safe bread for whatever bread the recipe calls for. But I hunted for recipes that come closest to being allergy-safe without modification, because we all need as much help as we can get this time of year!

And while we’re talking about Thanksgiving, let me just say that I’m extremely thankful that I live in a time when finding recipes, tips, support, education, and kindred spirits is just a mouse-click or two away. I can’t imagine having gone through my son’s food allergies in an earlier time without the magic of the Internet at my fingertips. Thank you to all who make the internet food-allergy community a loving place to belong.

Turkey: First things first. Because many turkeys are “basted” or “self-basting,” they may contain allergens (most commonly dairy, soy, and wheat) in the solutions that are injected in them to make them tender. Natural turkeys should contain nothing but the bird and perhaps some water. Read “BeforeYou Buy a Thanksgiving Turkey” from About.com for more information and some guidelines for purchasing a safe turkey.

Stuffing: I admit it, stuffing is my favorite part of the Thanksgiving dinner, and I’m particularly partial to cornbread stuffing. But some people prefer traditional bread stuffing, while others prefer wild rice or other options. So here are some variations to try (be sure you substitute safe ingredients, such as your family’s favorite safe bread, for whatever the recipe calls for): Bryanna’s Traditional-Style Vegan Bread Stuffing, Vegan Quinoa Stuffing, Cornbread and Wild Rice Stuffing, and Wild Rice and Cranberry Stuffing (you can leave out the walnuts).

Mashed Potatoes: Mashed potatoes are usually loaded with butter and cream or milk. To make them allergy-safe, replace the butter with a safe margarine (like Earth Balance, Spectrum, SmartBalance Light, or Nucoa), and replace the milk with rice milk or soy milk. Or, ditch the whole butter-and-cream idea completely and use chicken broth instead to flavor them. Here is the super-simple recipe from Campbell’s Kitchen for Skinny Mashed Potatoes.

Gravy: My husband is the official gravy-maker in our family. He’s got that whole browning-the-flour thing down pat, and it’s something he can do while the rest of us get the other dishes prepped for the table. But it’s really not that hard to do. (But if I tell him I’ve learned how to make gravy, he might stop, so I’ll never admit to knowing how to do it.) Here is a recipe for a simple Allergy Free Turkey Gravy from EatingWithFoodAllergies.com that explains the steps well. You can use either regular wheat or wheat-free all-purpose flour in this yummy Thanksgiving staple. YouTube has lots of videos showing how to make turkey gravy if you’re not sure of the process.

Cranberry Relish: Sure, you can dump it out of a can, and for some of us, that can-shaped mold of cranberry sauce holds a warm spot in our hearts. But if you’d like to make something a little bit more special for your dinner, try this easy and delicious recipe for Cranberry-Apple Relish, from Cooking Light magazine on MyRecipes.com. One pan, 15 minutes, and you’re done (and you can make it a day or two ahead).

Sweet Potatoes: You can’t beat those traditional mashed sweet potatoes topped with golden-toasted marshmallows (try this recipe for Marshmallow Yam Casserole, but substitute safe margarine for the butter, and rice milk or soy milk for the cream), but this recipe for Healthy Butternut Apple Bake looks awfully tempting, too. And how about layering pineapple and sweet potatoes with a little maple syrup, in this Yankee Sweet Potato Casserole, or adding crushed pineapple and mandarin oranges to mashed sweet potatoes in Easy Allergy Friendly Sweet Potato Casserole/Souffle?

Green Bean Casserole: If you miss the traditional green bean casserole, you might try this recipe for The Best Vegan Green Bean Casserole. You might have to do a few substitutions, though. It calls for soy creamer or full-fat unsweetened soymilk, but if you can’t find that, you might try Tofutti’s soy sour cream. Rice milk might work, too, but it doesn’t thicken at all, so you might try adding a little cornstarch if you’re an adventurous cook. I haven’t tried this recipe, so I don’t know how well it will work. Also, it calls for French’s French Fried Onions as a topping, but those carry a milk contamination warning, so you may want to try something different as a topping, such as safe bread crumbs, safe Panko bread crumbs, crushed Chex cereal, crushed potato chips, or dried Chow Mein noodles.

Pumpkin Pie: Looking for a pumpkin pie that doesn’t contain eggs or milk? Try this recipe from the Kids with Food Allergies website for “Mom’s Pumpkin Pie.” This recipe is in the “free recipe” section of the website, so you don’t have to be a member to access it!

Allergy-Safe Thanksgiving and Holiday Party Tips

by Kelley Lindberg


Thanksgiving is on our doorstep, with its family get-togethers and that huge traditional meal. And as soon as that’s over, we head right into the rest of the holidays, with office parties, family gatherings, neighbor parties, traditional dinners, non-stop goodies….

Egads. Andy Williams says it’s the most wonderful time of the year, but it’s also the foodiest time of the year, which makes it even more stressful for those of us with food allergies.

It’s worse if you have small children. Older kids and adults can understand how to avoid the foods that make them sick, and they can often adjust by limiting what they eat at the party. But for younger children who want to eat everything they see, or who are playing with other young kids who will invariably have food on their hands, it’s a much bigger issue.

So here are a dozen holiday survival tips that I’ve gathered from friends, family, and UFAN members that hopefully will help make this time of year a little easier to manage.

1. When you are invited to someone’s house for a meal or snacks, tell them immediately about your family’s food issues. Most people really want to keep you or your child happy and safe, and they will try hard to accommodate you. Hostesses don’t want to be surprised by a food allergy at the party, and then feel guilty that they served something unsafe. Tell them up front – trust me, you will really be doing them a favor.
2. If you’ve got a relative or two who just doesn’t “get it” and insists on bringing their famous nut-topped casserole, make sure you talk to them calmly beforehand about how serious the allergy is, and how skin contact can send you to the ER on Thanksgiving, which isn’t where anyone wants to be. If they still don’t get it, ask another relative to talk to them.
3. If diplomacy doesn’t work and you know there will be food around that will put your child at risk, remember that this is YOUR life and YOUR child, and you don’t have to do anything dangerous just because someone else thinks a traditional casserole is more important than your child. Don’t be angry or pouty, but explain that although you love them, your young child will be at risk and you’ll be anxious the whole time, so you’re going to skip the huge family gathering and catch up with people later one-on-one, when it’s easier to make sure you don’t end up spending your holiday in the ER. You can tell them that when the child is older, that maybe you can again join the giant food-fest, but for the next few years, you’re going to create your own holiday tradition within your own immediate family, where you know your child is safe. Family gatherings aren’t fun if you feel threatened, bullied, neglected, or ridiculed. Therefore, don’t put yourself or your child in that position. It’s okay to say no. If someone’s feelings get hurt, it’s not your fault. They chose to put your child at risk. You can choose to skip their party.
4. At the party, ask the other parents to make sure their kids wash their hands after dinner. This actually works out even easier if you talk to the kids – kids seem to “get it” and accommodate their cousins/friends more matter-of-factly than most adults. So talk to the kids, and then remind them after dinner, and they’ll probably be happy to oblige.
5. Carry some simple safe food with you. If there’s nothing safe at the party, you can always pull it out and let your child eat that. I used to carry safe chicken nuggets (cooked, chopped, and chilled) everywhere we went when my son was younger. I still tuck a couple of safe granola bars in my purse even now, just in case we can’t find anything at a party for him to eat – at least that will tide him over until we can make a graceful exit and find him some safe food.
6. When going to a potluck, always volunteer to take the dessert. When people bring desserts, they bring their fanciest creations, which for some reason almost always seems to ensure they will include the most common allergens like nuts, chocolate, and dairy ingredients. So volunteering to bring a dessert will cut down on some of that risk, and will ensure that your food-allergic family member gets something sweet to look forward to at the end of the meal.
7. It goes without saying, but make sure you have your antihistamine and EpiPens with you.
8. When you first get to the party, check out the food table, ask who made each dish and talk to them about the ingredients, and then decide which foods you feel comfortable with your child eating. Then take the child to the table and calmly explain which items are safe, and which items will make him/her sick. Try to do this before everyone is loading up plates – it will be more chaotic and noisy if you try to have this conversation while people are crowding the table, and your child will sense the stress.
9. When people say things like, “Gosh, your child’s allergies must be AWFUL! He can’t eat ANYTHING!,” try to turn it into a more positive statement. Those comments can stress kids out and make them suddenly think they’re missing out, when they were perfectly content a few minutes ago. So try to answer with “Actually, it’s not so bad once you learn a few ways to substitute safe ingredients/learn where to shop/read an ingredients label” or whatever works for you. Other fun replies include, “You’d be surprised how much healthier we all are now that we don’t eat all those cream sauces and processed foods.” Or, “It’s made me a much better cook, now. Would you like to try my fruit salad?” The main thing is to make them understand that dealing with food allergies might be an adjustment at first, but once we get our new routines established, it’s manageable, and our children are totally normal. (It’s perfectly acceptable to mention that Aunt Bertha’s green beans with the nut topping would have been so easy to make with safe bread crumbs or crushed potato chips or cracker crumbs instead. In fact, it’s kind of desirable!)
10. If you can, try to make an announcement before everyone starts filling their plates, asking them please not to use serving utensils in more than one dish. If they dip the sour cream spoon in the safe potatoes, those potatoes aren’t safe any more.
11. Move dishes with unsafe ingredients to one side of the table, and safe ones on the other side. If it’s not your party, explain to the hostess what you’d like to do, and they’ll be fine with it.
12. And finally, I have a little trick I like to use called bribery. Before the party, I make a deal with my son that if he can’t eat any of the desserts, he will get a special dessert when we get home. If I was organized enough to make it first, then I show it to him and say, “This is for you after the party, no matter how late it is, as long as you don’t throw a fit over the food at the party.” If I don’t have time to make it first, I promise him we’ll make it together the next day. That deal worked wonders when he was little, and it kept him from trying to sneak unsafe treats.

Do you have more suggestions? Post them in the comments so we can all learn from your experience and ideas. And here’s looking forward to a safe and yummy holiday season!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Allergy-Safe Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

by Kelley Lindberg


Over the weekend, we went to a Halloween party – kids and grownups alike dressed up and spent a fun evening eating and having a great time.

Here’s something crazy: Four of the six families there had kids with food allergies. We didn’t plan it that way. We didn’t go out and hunt for folks with allergies. Food allergies are just becoming that common.

So anyway, in addition to our usual prohibition of milk, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame seeds, fish, and shellfish (which we’ve been eliminating from our parties for years), at this party we also got to eliminate gluten and citrus fruits.

And it still worked out great, with plenty of food to spare! We had tacos with all the fixings (including Daiya cheese and Tofutti sour cream), salsa, corn chips, pinto beans, Spanish rice, Jell-O Jigglers, cornbread, and pumpkin chocolate chip cupcakes. Those cupcakes were so good! I asked Cathy if I could post her recipe here, and she graciously said yes. They’re easy to make using an allergy-safe yellow cake mix! So here is her super-yummy recipe, just in time for Halloween and Thanksgiving get-togethers.

Cathy’s Allergy-Safe Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

• 1 box safe yellow cake mix (Cathy used Cherrybrook Kitchen’s Gluten-Free Yellow Cake Mix)
• 1 15-oz can of pumpkin (make sure it’s canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, and 1/4 ground cloves)
• 1/4 c. rice milk
• 1/2 c. dairy-free, nut-free chocolate chips (such as Enjoy Life brand)
• Frosting
• Safe decorations, like colored sugar, safe sprinkles, or plastic spider rings

Mix the cake mix according to the directions on the box, then add in the pumpkin, spice, rice milk, and chocolate chips. Pour into paper cupcake liners, and bake according to the instructions on the box. (Cathy baked hers at 350 degrees for 18 – 20 minutes.) Cool, frost, and decorate!

For frosting, try Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Cream Cheese Frosting (warning: contains soy), or use your own safe recipe. Cathy used this recipe, which tasted amazing:

Cathy’s Dairy-Free Cream Cheese Frosting (contains soy)

• 1/4 c Tofutti dairy-free cream cheese
• 1/4 c safe margarine (such as Earth Balance or Nucoa)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 c powdered sugar

Beat until smooth, then frost.

 

Thank you so much, Cathy!

Food-Allergy-Related Things I’m Thankful For

by Kelley Lindberg


As Thanksgiving approaches, it seemed like a good time to recall all the things I’m especially grateful for. And while having food allergies may make a traditional Thanksgiving feast a little problematic, it shouldn’t keep us from remembering that in many ways, we still have so much to be thankful for. Here’s my Top Ten List for this year.

1. Rice milk and egg replacers.
2. The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA), which became effective January 1, 2006, and required manufacturers in the United States to label all foods containing the top 8 food allergens, and to declare the allergen in plain language. This single act has made living with food allergies so much easier.
3. The Utah Food Allergy Network (UFAN), the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), Kids with Food Allergies, the Food Allergy Initiative, and other organizations that provide the information, resources, recipes, and support that make our lives a little bit easier.
4. Manufacturers who are beginning to recognize that food-allergic customers are a sizeable force and are making an effort to produce allergy-friendly products.
5. My son’s best friends, who have stuck by him all these years and make sure he always has someone safe to sit by at lunch.
6. Restaurants and wait staff who actually care and make an effort to keep unsafe allergens out of our food.
7. Teachers who are willing to modify their curricula to eliminate food projects or replace them with safe substitutions, who call me when they need food items for classroom projects, and who welcome me on field trips and at parties to “keep an eye on things.”
8. SelectWisely.com, who makes those great translation cards for food allergens, which make it possible for me to travel with my son more confidently.
9. That we live now, when awareness is blossoming and making it more manageable to live with food allergies than it was even a decade ago.
10. Good friends who go out of their way to make their homes and parties safe, who have helped me develop recipes over the years, who keep their eyes open for new allergy-friendly products, and who offer a shoulder to lean on whenever I need it.

And a bonus thank you to all of you who read my blog each week, share your experiences, and reach out to make this a better world for people with food allergies everywhere. Happy Thanksgiving!

Getting Ready for Thanksgiving Gatherings

Today, as I was driving around town running errands, I drove past the city park and workers were already putting up holiday lights. It was a little bit of a shock – the sun is shining, the weather is still warm, my husband had to mow the lawn again yesterday… It doesn’t feel like the holidays are approaching. But then I realized Thanksgiving is next week.

How did that happen?

Like it or not, the holidays are, indeed, on their way. And with the holidays come family gatherings, parties, and traditional feasts. And as if there isn’t enough pressure surrounding large family gatherings, when you throw food allergies into the mix, the holidays can sometimes feel like a field of land mines.

To help prepare for Thanksgiving, we had our November meeting of the Davis County support group last week. Our first order of business was to welcome a new member to our group! We spent quite a bit of time discussing safe foods and how to find them, such as chocolate chips, granola bars, cereals, cake mixes, brownies, cookies – all those foods we love to indulge in but have to be especially careful of when we shop and cook for food-allergic family members.

We also exchanged some allergen-friendly Thanksgiving recipes, such as the Salt Lake Tribune’s recipe for Apple Crisp, found here. (Just substitute safe margarine for the butter, and gluten-free flour if necessary.)

When it comes to holiday survival techniques, we talked about a few ideas that have worked for us. One survival technique many of us have used at family gatherings is to simply bring our own food for our food-allergic kids. I used to carry safe chicken nuggets everywhere we went when my son was younger. I still tuck a couple of safe granola bars in my purse even now, just in case we can’t find anything at a party for him to eat – at least that will tide him over until we can make a graceful exit and find him some safe food.

Another tip is when going to a potluck, always volunteer to take the dessert. When people bring desserts, they bring their fanciest creations, which for some reason almost always seems to ensure they will include nuts, chocolate, and dairy ingredients. So volunteering to bring a dessert will cut down on some of that risk, and will ensure that your food-allergic family member gets something sweet to look forward to at the end of the meal.

We ended our meeting by sampling some tasty treats from Enjoy Life! Foods, who graciously sent us a sampling of goodies, such as four flavors of granola bars, two flavors of cookies, chocolate chips, and their latest product – scrumptious Boom Choco Boom chocolate bars! Enjoy Life! Foods makes products that are free of the top 8 allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, soy, wheat, fish, and shellfish). Locally, we can find their products at Smiths, Dan’s, and Whole Foods Markets, as well as others. Check out their website here.

It was a good meeting, and we enjoyed sharing tips and ideas with each other.

Next week, I’ll be exercising my favorite Thanksgiving survival technique – escaping. I’ll be as far from electronic devices as possible, so I won’t be posting a blog entry next week. But I’ll be back after Thanksgiving, so look for a new blog entry when I return!