I'm a mother of four and the Co-CEO of the Drake household. Having three peanut free kids has shifted my strategic goal to food safety and to inspire others to recognize the severity and commonality of this struggle.
Finding snacks for the kids is always a challenge since it
is an option for companies to state
if it was made in a facility that processes nuts.I recently have tried a few products that
tasted delicious!Here a few that we
have tried personally.
Enjoy Life – We have tried their chocolate chip crunchy
cookies.They taste amazing and are not only
peanut and tree nut free, but of all 8 common food allergens and Non GMO.
Tootsie Roll – The package states that it is made in a peanut
free facility.Who doesn’t love tootsie
rolls?
Sixlets Candy – I have actually got these at the dollar
store on multiple occasions and it also states on the package that it is nut free.
Kettle Brand – We buy the ridiculously sized back from
Costco and they are delicious.In
addition to being nut free, they are also Non GMO! What more can you ask for?
YumEarth Organics – Their suckers, fruit snacks, and gummy bears are awesome! They won’t break the bank either.I have found these at Target and Kroger.Great for Halloween.
Even with peanut free options I still try to limit the kids sugar intake, but it is nice to send these to school so that while other children are celebrating birthdays with food, my children can enjoy a safer option.
Here is a large list of companies that I found that are allergen safe.
While the list has extremely valuable information, always check packaging from any food that you purchase.There were a few companies on the list who have since changed their policy and are no longer nut free.
With estimations of peanut allergies tripling over the last
couple of decades, it is likely that you or someone you know has the
allergy.One statistic on the Food
Allergy Research and Education website says that 1 in 13 children will have some
sort of food allergy.In my family of
six all four children have one.While we
are lucky that none of their allergies are airborne, if ingested it can be
fatal.
We have come across
many people who are on all sides of the spectrum on how to handle the
situation.As a parent it creates
anxiety every time your child is at school, daycare, or with family and friends.Here is some information to understand the
concern of parents of children with allergies.
1.What is a food allergy?
According to the Mayo Clinic, “Food allergy is an immune system reaction that occurs soon after eating a certain food. Even a tiny amount of the allergy-causing food can trigger signs and symptoms such as digestive problems, hives or swollen airways. In some people, a food allergy can cause severe symptoms or even a life-threatening reaction known as anaphylaxis.”
2.Concerns of parents
·Are parents going to abide by the “peanut free” classroom?
·If a child does bring peanuts, are they going to
wash their hands after eating?
·Are the adults supervising your child taking
their allergy seriously?
·Do they know how to use an Epipen?
·Did the person in charge read all labels, or
just assume there was no nuts?
·Kids are cruel – My oldest son told his brother
that the candy he ate had nuts.This was
traumatizing for him and instantly he came to me asking if he was going to
die.We had a long discussion on why
allergies are no joking matter.
3.A few simple things I have done over the
years to ensure our children’s safety
·We don’t keep peanut butter in the house – Seems
easy enough, but my husband and I both love peanut butter.Eventually we decided that the risk was not
worth it!
·We ALWAYS carry at least two epipens per child –
If ingested and an allergic reaction occurs, we have about 15-20 minutes to get
them to the nearest hospital.Having two
gives us an extra 20 minutes since we can administer a second dose after the
first 20 minutes. Remember to check the expiration date!
·We ask friends and family to put away the nut
bowl – A lot of people enjoy eating nuts.It is not uncommon for some households to have a bowl out for people to
enjoy, especially at parties.Do not be
afraid to ask them to refrain from doing so while you are there.Most people just don’t think about it and are
happy to have other snacks available.
·We check every label – Even food that you would
not suspect to have nuts, may have a warning of cross contamination.
·We bring our own dessert – Desserts are one of
the most common foods that may contain nuts.We bring our own to birthday parties so our children can still enjoy
cake and ice cream.
·We teach our children to advocate for themselves
– When my step-daughter lived in Seattle, she would take an accompanied flight
to Detroit.Even though you fill out an
emergency card with vital information, it can be overlooked.She had an experience, twice (insert angry
face) where the flight attendant offered her peanuts.To add insult to injury, after she
respectfully declined letting them know she was allergic, they proceeded to
give it to the woman sitting next to her! Thankfully at 10 years old, she had the
courage to ask this woman she had never met if she would please not eat
them.
Here are a couple of links with information and statistics on allergies and a video on how use an Epipen
YumEarth Organics – Their suckers, fruit snacks, and gummy bears are awesome! They won’t break the bank either. I have found these at Target and Kroger. Great for Halloween. 
