Food Allergy Savings, How FARE can help you save money and your family

I don't know how many people know about FARE. FARE stands for Food Allergy Research and Education. It is a great program and their website has a lot of great information on many food allergies. But one thing that many people don't know is that FARE will help you pay for certain things you or your child need. If you need to get a medical alert bracelet or in our case dog tag they will cover some of the cost. If you need to get extra epi pens for school FARE will help by giving the school epi pens! Along with some really good printed materials. Also at least in my state of Florida, the child can legally carry their epi's with them at school. 

I highly recommend going to the FARE website and taking a good look around. You can find their site here. 

You can become a member and even participate in the annual FARE WALK. We did this for the first time back in June. Was a lot of fun for the whole family and learned about a lot of important things I had not even thought about before going there. 

Little guy might have a new allergy

So this last week has been a bit tough on my little guy and myself. I had to rush him to the night time doctors and it was determined he had an allergic reaction, but not from dairy because he doesn't eat dairy, so the doctors have told me to go back to the allergist and get more test done.

It all started after dinner we removed his diaper and gave him a bath with his big sister(2.5 years and 17 months) he was fine dried him off and got him into a night time diaper and pjs. A few minutes later he started to cry and he had pooped himself, so my mom who was with me the whole time goes to change his diaper she then calls for me slightly panicked and told me something was not alright. my little guys rump was bright red, had lumps and white marks all over him. We quickly got him cleaned up a new diaper, I grabbed the diaper bag, his epi pens and ran to the doctors.

The first thing they did was check his oxygen levels to make sure he wasn't in any a serious medical state. When it was determined he was alright we were able to be slower and more medical with him.

Long story short, though it is already slightly long, he has a new allergy appointment next week and will be tested for bananas, red, yellow, and wheat.

Dinner impossible?

It has been 11 days since I have last posted, from the kids being sick to me going back to work it has been really crazy here. Today I am just going to talk about what happened yesterday and if the kids allow me to later today I will post past recipes that were a success and some that were more misses with the kids but me and the husband enjoyed.

Yesterday was Sunday. I had plans to actually go out with some other moms for lunch, the kids were staying with my husband since it was leaving during nap/quiet time I thought everything would be alright. My mom said she was going to make dinner since after my "play date" I was taking the kids to lil 500 which is a local go kart track that has a set up for little kids to ride with their parents and they wont crowd the track when they are young.

My mom has made this dish since I was a little kid and everyone in my family including my husband loves it. It is called Turkey Loaf found at Walmart in the freezer isle. Well my daughter hates turkey but my mom was like why not try it, plus I didn't have to cook so i was happy. When my mom brought it over I did a quick glance at the ingredients, something that seems like 2nd nature now that I have been doing it for almost 4 months. Right there in BOLD letters were the 2 words I dread seeing Contains Milk. So now everyone is sitting down to dinner and I have no food for my boy. Luckily, my mom also made DF mashed potatoes and had cranberry sauce which my kids love. So, while my little guy was eating cranberry sauce I quickly heated up some DF waffles that were previously made and frozen in my freezer. Crisis diverted, I was just so happy I looked at the ingredients.

ALWAYS CHECK WHAT IS IN YOUR FOOD EVERY TIME!

My Son's Medical Id

Like many other parents out there at some point the discussion of medical alert jewelery will come into effect with a severe food allergy not just dairy. It is an important piece of your child's wardrobe even if your child is with you all the time it is good to get them used to wearing it, that way when you child starts daycare, play dates, birthday parties, school, sleepovers they know to have it on them at all times.

For my son we decided to go the route of the medical dog tag, that way he would feel like his daddy cause he wears dog tags. We were worried about the normal toddler things (eating it, chocking on the necklace part) but we have been really surprised by how well he took to it. From the first time we put it on him he has been 100% fine with it. Sure he nibbles on it from time to time, but hey he isn't even 2 yet.

Now, I know their are tons of sites and catalogues to purchase tags from. You can even go to CVS and get these cute little rubbery food allergy bracelets .They have different foods and I have been told that at the store you might even be lucky enough to get the dairy one which has a kind of tired looking milk carton on it. My son has incredibly sensitive skin so we knew that these would not work well for him.

We got his medical dog tag here. The name of the site is American Medical ID. From what we found it was pretty comparable in price and had quicker and cheaper shipping and letter pricing.

On our sons tag we went  the $39.99 Stainless Steel,http://www.americanmedical-id.com/product/stainless-steel-dog-tag-red-51

We went with the red since it is the most common color for medical alerts. On the front we put his first and last name. On the back we put
Severe Food Allergy
NO DAIRY
Carries Epi Pen
Call 911 after use
ICE (my name)-Mother
and my phone number

There is even more room left on the back so I can always add more if he ends up getting more food allergies in the future which is another reason why i liked this companies.

Well I hope that helped. If you have any questions or comments please list them below. Your child is never to young to start wearing a medical alert. There are always family members, friends, baby sitters, strangers who just won't know or understand food allergies. Better safe then sorry.

buffets for older kids?

When  we go out to eat I am always worried about my son, and what he can and can not eat at any location. My biggest fears is that something will get lost in translation and he will get sick or worse. No place to eat is as nerve wracking as a buffet. We as a family love to eat at buffets. My daughter eats her weight in rice, Mandarin oranges, watermelon, cucumbers, black beans, and some meat, and my son enjoys eating hard boiled eggs, soy beans from the salad area and jello for dessert. The kids are free till the age of 3 so it doesn't bother us to go out and eat, but as my son gets older I wonder if eating at these types of places will even work for us. The language barrier is one thing but the foods being cross contaminated is another concern. I wonder if other people eat at buffets and if so what they let their kids eat from them.

Medieval Times Orlando

First let me say hope that all the dads and single moms and deployed family units had a good father's day last night. For father's day My dad, mom, husband, 2 kids, brother, sister in law, and my niece all went to Medieval Times Orlando. If you don't know about medieval times it is a dinner show that involves a knights tournament, and medieval fare with medieval utensils (hands). They have a set menu that they give to everyone, but do have some special changes for those who are vegetarians, vegan, GF, and allergies. The normal meal is a bowl of tomato bisque, garlic bread, a spare rib w/ BBQ sauce, a quarter of chicken, a garlic buttered potato half, and an apple turnover. As you read it is not all dairy free. So after a two hour phone call dealing with the manager and having him read the ingredients of everything they make we ended up with a completely special menu of Hummus and raw veggies, Spare rib w/ BBQ sauce, quarter chicken, and fresh oranges. We were also able to bring his booster seat with the tray so there would be even lesser chance of cross contamination. It was a fun time and I am so happy it was able to work out. It isn't easy doing anything with a toddler let alone 3 toddlers and when 1 is dairy allergic it is anything but. For us Medieval Times was alright. It involves a lot of conversations and special seating and nice mangers.

Mall Kiosk Food List ~ Doc Popcorn

Doc Popcorn is a new kiosk in the Altamonte Mall in Altamonte Springs, Florida. I am unsure if it is a chain or just a single entity. Anyway, it is a flavored popcorn food stop. They do have a few dairy free items, but only ONE popcorn popping machine. They did say they clean it out at the end of every flavor but they make as needed. So if you have serious Cross Contamination issues like my son. I would most likely say to stay away.

I am actually posting an image of the list and then explaining it a bit more in depth. The reason for this is that the list is not as easily understood as it could be.

The flavors you CAN eat if you decide to eat there are as followed:

• Salt- and- pepper
• Klassic Kettle
• Carmel Kettle
• Sinfully Cinnamon

As I stated already they only have one popping machine. You can ask them yourself and if you are comfortable with how they clean the machine enough then enjoy. For my son it isn't worth the risk, since he has such an issue with the slightest bit of cross contamination.

If you have a restaurant or other eating establishment you would like me to find information on please leave a comment below, or on the Facebook page as well. 

FARE WALK TODAY

Today is the FARE walk for Orlando This is our first time going, so we are hoping it will be fun and the kids will have a blast. I will be posting pictures and share our adventure when we return home. We ended up in 4th place for our team Wes' Wheyless Wonders. Not bad for our first time.

Sorry for the delay

Sorry for not writing lately. We have been in the process of moving. My son's allergies were getting to bad in our old place that we were renting so we are now in a place with no carpet. Now that his room and the rooms that him and his sister sleep and play in are done. I can continue to write and help give information to you and anyone else that might eat it.

We are currently in 3rd place for our team Wes' Wheyless Wonders, for this years FARE walk on the 7th of June. YAY! We have surpassed our goal and are just trying to get as much as we can at this point. If you would like to donate click here.  Thank you.

FOOD ALLERGY ALERT ~ American Waffle Company

American Waffle Company of Clayton, Delaware is voluntarily recalling 480 cases of Gluten Free Blueberry Pancakes with Best By or Sell By 07/31/15 because the product contains undeclared milk. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk may be at risk of serious or life threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product.

The recalled 14.4 oz. LiveGfree Gluten Free Blueberry Pancakes were distributed in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia and Wisconsin and sold in ALDI Stores in these States.

The product comes in 14.4 oz. box and marked with Best By or Sell By 07/31/15 on the top or bottom display panel.

There was one reported illness and upon our investigation we found that the product contained undeclared milk.

The voluntary recall was initiated after it was discovered that the milk-containing product was distributed in packaging that did not declare the presence of milk. Subsequent investigation indicates the problem was caused by a temporary breakdown in the Company's production process.

Consumers who have purchased these LiveGfree Gluten Free Blueberry Pancakes and consumers who have product affected by this voluntary recall should discard it immediately or return it to their local ALDI store for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact the American Waffle Company at awc@american-waffle.com or by calling (855) 384-9004, Monday-Friday 8:00 to 5:00 EST. During off hours, leave a voice mail and it will be returned.

Jeremiah's Italian Ice ~ DON'T EAT list

Jeremiah's is a homemade Italian ice and and gelatio establishment. This place has a bit of a different list for their allergens. Since they make so many flavors they found it easier to list what you can not eat as opposed to what you can eat.

So this list that follows are the flavors you CAN NOT eat. Repeat do not eat these flavors if you have an allergy to dairy.

• All Ice Cream & Gelatis
• Cafe Latte
• Cake Batter
• Chocolate Chips (in chocolate ice)
• Cookies & Cream
• Scoop Froggy Frog
• Mochaccino
• Pumpkin Pie
• Bahama Freeze
• Coconut
• Key West Tropical 
• Parrothead Paradise
• Pina Colada 

It is still important to let the makers know that you have a dairy allergy in case there are new flavors that are introduced. Remember do not eat this flavors listed above. If you have  a place you would like me to try to find the information to please let me know in the comments below.

Mother's Day Resturant Food List ~ Boston Market

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there. Today myself, kids, my mom and my dad went to Boston's Market for the Mother's special. If you don't know what that is. It is where the moms get to eat for free as long as someone is paying for their meals. So my dad and my daughter paid for food and myself and my mom where free. My son is the one with dairy allergies. So I made sure to get my chicken on its own plate so he could have some food.

They only have 4 items which he can have so here is the list of dairy free items that you can have at the restaurant.

• Rotisserie Chicken
• Rotisserie Turkey
• Steamed Vegetables
• Cinnamon Apples

Even though they veggies and apples are dairy free they are in the same area as the other dairy containing foods. The meats are kept separate and that is why I found it okay to share my chicken with him, and he loved it. 

Restaurant Food List ~ Logan's Steak House

Logan's is a steak house restaurant which can be dangerous if you also have a peanut allergy as they serve peanuts at every table and allow people to throw the shells directly onto the floor of the restaurant.

If you don't have a peanut allergy then this is a great family place to eat. It is nosey but the food is priced well and they normally have specials.  Here is a list of the items that are listed as dairy free from the company itself. The list was not available online but if you write an email you can get any allergen list emailed to you.

• Smokin' Hot Wings
• Baby Back Ribs Basket
• Country Fried Chicken Tenders
• Mild to Wild Wings ( only in the flavors of sesame ginger, mild buffalo, bourbon BBQ, Cajun dry rub, and Caribbean jerk)
• Award Winning Chili ( no Cheese)
• Anything & Everything Salad
• Roadhouse Salad
• Mesquite Wood Grilled Chicken Salad
• Grilled Steak Salad
• Grilled Shrimp Salad
• Fried Chicken Salad
• Kickin' Logan's Chickin'/Steak Salad ( don't toss with roadhouse ranch dressing)
• The Logan
• 6 & 8oz Sirloin
• Teriyaki club steak
• 11 7 18 oz NY strip
• 6,8 & 12oz Filet
• 12, 16 & 20oz Ribeye
• 16oz T-Bone
• 220z Porterhouse
• Chopped steak (plain)
• Logan's Grilled Chicken (no dressing)
• Southwest BBQ Chicken (no cheese)
• Teriyaki Grilled Chicken
• Mesquite Wood Grilled Salmon ( no garlic dill sauce)
• Mesquite wood Grilled Pork Chops
• Country Friedn Chicken Tender Dinner
• Mesquite Wood Grilled Shrimp Skewers
• Santa Fe Tilapia ( no cilantro chipotle sauce)
• Half and Full Logan's Famous Baby Back Ribs
• The Route 66 Burger (no cheese)
• Roadhouse Deluxe Burger (no sauteed mushroom or cheese)
• Bacon & Egg Burger
• Seasonal Vegetables (Broccoli) GRILL SPICE ONLY
• Grilled Vegetable/ Grilled Mushroom Skewer
• Brewski Onions
• Crispy Onions
• Baked Potato (plain only)
• Logan's Sweet Potato ( cinnamon sugar only)
• Coleslaw
• Potato Chips
• Fries
• House Salad 
• Ken's Amazin (Burger) Sauce
• Ken's Red French Salad Dressing
• Ken's Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Ken's Honey BBQ Sauce
• Ken's Horseradish Sauce
• Ken's Tarter Sauce
• Kraft Golden Italian Marinade/ Dressing
• Kraft Classic Dijon Mustard ( Grey Poupon)
• A-1 Steak Sauce
• Heinz Tomato Ketchup
• Ventura Cocktail Sauce
• Lemon Pepper Seasoning
• Grill Spice
• Seasoning Salt
• Blackening Season
• Cinnamon Sugar
• Fry Seasoning
• Rib Rub
• Liquid Phase

The items in orange are the meals and everything else is sides, appetizers, and dressings. 
All Burger Patties need to be grilled plain ( No margarine or butter) You can substitute Mesquite -wood grilled chicken at not additional charge.

Make sure all steaks are grilled plain and that they don't add any margarine or butter after grilling.

Make sure to substitute something else for the Bed of rice or cinnamon apples. Also please note that bread is not listed on the dairy free menu.

As always make sure to tell your server of your allergies, and ask questions. If you have a restaurant you would like me to find information on please let me know in the comments.

Wes' Wheyless Wonders ~ FARE Walk

We as a family will be walking in this years FARE Walk for food allergy research and education. With 15 Million people effected by food allergies there are many reasons to donate.  This is out team page named after my soon and his food allergy. If you would like to donate or if you are in the Central Florida area and would like to join our team (we have 2 spots left) click the link below. 

Wes' Wheyless Wonders's Team Page for 2014 FARE Walk - Orlando

Milk Allergy Alert: Noh Foods of Hawaii

    
NOH FOODS OF HAWAII, of Honolulu, HI and Gardena, CA is voluntarily recalling its 2 ounce, 4 ounce, and 3 lb. (48 oz) packages of “Hawaiian Coconut Pudding” because they may contain undeclared dairy product.

People who have allergies to milk or dairy products run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product.

The recalled “Hawaiian Coconut Pudding” has been distributed nationwide in retail stores and through mail orders. The product comes in a 2 ounce, 4 ounce, and 48 ounce yellow and white package with the following UPC numbers:



073562000504 for the 2 oz package
073562000559 for the 4 oz package
073562000511 for the 48 oz package (3 lbs)
The company received a consumer complaint and although no serious injury or illness was reported, they have initiated a voluntary recall of this product or the concern only to those individuals who have allergies to dairy.
Concerned consumers who have purchased any of these items are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact NOH FOODS OF HAWAII at 808-944-0655 or 310-324-6770 between the hours of 8 a.m. through 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.

Production for the product has been corrected with notations “Contains: MILK”

May is Food Allergry Action Month

May is the official month for food allergy awareness. The set upon week for all the Food Allergy Awareness is May 11th through the 17th. Today is May 1st. So today the action calender which you can download here, says to spread the word. So, here is an infographic that FARE is sending out to spread the word.

What is the word you ask?

It's okay to eat differently!

Restaurant Food List ~ Applebee's

Applebee's are practically everywhere. So, it is no surprise that someone has asked me to find information for them. Applebee's has a wonderful allergen list. They have broken down their menu for multiple food allergies, including but not limited to Soy and Peanut allergies. The restaurant has stated that they use a shared kitchen with cooking and preparation of food items and places like the fryer use both dairy free items as well as dairy items. The company also states in bold that because they use a shared area that they can not guarantee that the food items can be completely free of allergens. So to me this sounds like the biggest problem here is cross contamination, but then again that is a major issue everywhere.

Here is a list of the food items that Applebee's says is dairy free.

• Chips & Salsa
• Riblet Basket
• House Sirloin
• New York Strip
• Ribeye
• Steak & fried Shrimp
• Steak & Honey BBQ Chicken
• Steak & Riblets
• Citrus Lime Sirloin
• Grilled Onions
• French Fries
• Fruit Side
• Mexi Rice
• Crispy Red Potatoes
• Fried Shrimp Side
• Grilled Shrimp 'N Spinach Salad (needs certain dressings)
• Grilled Oriental Chicken Salad (needs certain dressings)
• Honey Mustard Salad Dressing
• Thousand Island
• Hot Bacon Vinaigrette
• Classic Turkey Breast Sandwich
• Pico de Gallo
• Honey Barbecue Sauce
• Guacamole
• Tarter Sauce
• Chipotle Mayo
• Marinara Sauce
• Wing Sauce
• Salsa
• Bruschetta Sauce
• Balsamic Glaze
• Black Bean Corn Salsa
• Signature Slider Sauce
• Mayonnaise
• Chunky Roma Pepper Relish
• Chimichurri Sauce
• Kids Fried Shrimp
• Kids Steak
• Kids Chicken Grillers
• Kids Hot Dog
• GoGo squeeZ Applesauce
• Kids Steamed Broccoli ( no butter on the kids version but is on the adult version)
• Kids White Rice
• Kids Fries

As always you need to let your server know that you have a dairy or any other food allergy. Foods in orange are actual meals, everything else is mostly sides and sauces.  If you have a restaurant you would like me to find information for let me know in the comments.

Restaurant Food List ~ Mellow Mushroom

Today we tackle our favorite food to eat when your too tired to cook. That is right Pizza! But wait, how can we get pizza when we are to tired to cook it ourselves. The answer is Mellow Mushroom. Not only can you do dairy free their but they also have an amazing allergen sorting system that you can view here. This is a great tool if you have multiple food allergies.

Mellow Mushroom has been around a lot longer then you would think but I will admit I never knew they had a menu for the dairy free using Daiya Foods Cheeses.  As with all restaurants you still need to let the servers know that you have a dairy allergy even if you order the dairy free version of their food.

So here is the list of foods that Mellow Mushroom says is dairy free

• Tossed Salad
• Kids PB&J
• Kids Organic Apple
• Anchovies
• Andouille Sausage
• Applewood Smoked Bacon
• BBQ Chicken
• BBQ Tofu
• Buffalo Chicken
• Chicken Menu
• Crumbled Italian Sausage
• Curry Chicken
• Ground Beef
• Ham
• Herb Vinaigrette Chicken
• Jerk Chicken
• Jerk Shrimp
• Marinated Tempeh
• Pepperoni
• Salami
• Sausage Links
• Shrimp
• Steak
• Teriyaki Chicken
• Tofu
• VEGAN CHEESE
• Alfalfa Sprouts
• Artichoke Hearts
• Avocado
• Banana Peppers
• Black Olives
• Broccoli
• Caramelized Onions
• Caramelized Pecans
• Chives
• Cucumbers
• Dried Cherries
• Fresh Basil
• Garlic
• Green Olives
• Green Peppers
• Iceberg Lettuce
• Jalapeno Peppers
• Kalamata Olives
• Mushrooms
• Onions
• Pepperoncini
• Pineapple
• Roasted Red Peppers
• Roasted Red Potatoes
• Roma Tomatoes
• Sun Dried Tomatoes
• Baked Pizza Crust
• Bavarian Sauerkraut
• Black Truffle Oil
• French Bread
• Multi Grain Bread
• Pretzel Bread
• Wheat Pullman Bread
• Bruschetta Tomato Topping
• Gluten Free Crust
• Italian Seasoning
• Olive Oil
• Romaine Lettuce
• Salad Mix
• Spinach
• Spring Mix
• BBQ Sauce
• Hot Sauce Swirl
• Jerk Sauce
• Mayo
• Red Sauce
• Sweet Chili Glaze
• Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
• Herb Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
• Esperanza Salad Dressing
• Honey Mustard Salad Dressing

Now some of these items are pretty obvious that they don't have dairy in it, but being a pizza based restaurant it is important to list all items that you can in fact put on your pizza. So instead of using orange to say the full meals it is going to be used to highlight the important aspects of the pizza you need to make sure you ask for. 

If you have a place you would like me to try to find the information for let me know in the comments.
Now, enjoy some pizza!

Unexpected benefits of being dairy free

So if your like me and have to now figure out how to take all the dairy out of your or your child's diet. I have been noticing that my child has started sleeping very quiet since I started taking dairy out of his diet. He used to snore and make these really weird noises while he slept and now it is so quiet and still that I have to check on him by putting my hand on his chest to feel him breathe. I wanted to know why, and after some research I found that when you remove dairy from your diet after having respiratory issues it lessens the problems rather quickly.

This got me thinking. What other benefits are associated with dairy free living.

1. The respiratory issues lessen rather quickly
2. loss of weight occurs
3. Your sense of taste will be stronger
4. decreased likelihood of developing osteoporosis, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and heart disease

I am not a doctor or claim to be. I have done a lot of research on this through the Internet as well as contacting a professional nutritionist on the subject.

Restaurant Food List ~ Seasons 52 SPRING menu only

Seasons 52 is a fresh grill and wine bar that lets you enjoy  a seasonally-inspired menu in a casually sophisticated ambiance. This means that their menu changes every season and bits and pieces every week are different specials. The restaurant has complied a list of safe foods to eat for the spring season for the non dairy community. You can find other list here. This is one of the few places I have found so far that actually has a good assortment of actual meals which is really great in my mind. They have been expanding rather quickly so odds are Seasons 52 might be closer to you then you think. 

• Flatbreads (can be made without cheese toppings) 
• Gengler Farms Organic Edamame
• Hummus Duo
• Tuna & Avocado Sushi Roll
• Organic Field Greens 
• Organic Baby Spinach  (request without gorgonzola cheese) 
• Sesame Grilled Salmon Salad (request without lemongrass mayonnaise)  
• Maui Tuna Crunch 
• Vegetarian Tasting quinoa (request without cheese on taco) 
• Rocky Mountain Buffalo Burger (request without truffle cream and without blue cheese)
• Grilled Turkey Burger (request without cheese) 
• Oak-Grilled Beef, Chicken Breast Market Fish can be made to order using salt, pepper,
   extra virgin olive oil, with new potatoes, roasted asparagus, baby carrots (request plain) 
• Cedar Plank Atlantic Salmon Red Bliss potatoes, vegetables (request without dill sauce)
• Grilled Boneless Rainbow Trout roasted potatoes, asparagus, baby carrots, grilled lemon
   (request without dill sauce) 
• Caramelized Grilled Sea Scallops roasted asparagus (request no risotto and no lemon butter)
• Plainville Farm Turkey Skewer grilled vegetable-farro pilaf, Zinfandel BBQ glaze 
• Oak-Grilled Filet Mignon fresh vegetables, roasted mushrooms (request roasted potatoes) 
• Roasted Asparagus
• Broccolini
• Cremini Mushrooms
• Roasted Baby Carrots
• Leaf Spinach
• Red Bliss Potatoes
• Fuji Apple Slaw
• Quinoa-Citrus Salad
• Fresh Fruit

The items listed in orange are actual meals. The other items are sides, and appitizers.  Remember the most important thing is to always tell the server that you have an allergy to dairy.