Most people assume that because a certain food does not
contain nuts directly that it is nut free. Take this Drumstick for example. I
retrieved this image from a blog titled “Finally, other people’s dangerous
allergies do something for me,” however it is extremely misleading for three
reasons.
·
The box says “Hold the peanuts”
·
The blog is implying that this product was made
for people with allergies because of his title.
·
I could not find the cookies and cream cone on their
website, but Drumstick describes it’s Simply Dipped Vanilla cone as “Notes of sweet chocolate blend perfectly with
luscious Vanilla. Nothing nutty
about this one. Just classic deliciousness."
Because my local grocery store sells these, and my children
would love to eat these, we have checked them out and they are definitely NOT
peanut free. Yes they do not have
peanuts in the ingredients, but the warning is on the back of the package
clearly stating that it may contain nuts.
This is the ingredients list that I got from the drumstick website.
Ingredients
DAIRY PRODUCT
SOLIDS, SKIM MILK, CHOCOLATEY COATING (SUGAR, COCONUT OIL, COCOA, SOYBEAN OIL,
WHEY POWDER, NONFAT DRY MILK, COCOA PROCESSED WITH ALKALI, WHOLE MILK POWDER,
PALM OIL, CHOCOLATE, SOY LECITHIN, NATURAL FLAVOR), CONE (BLEACHED WHEAT FLOUR,
SUGAR, VEGETABLE SHORTENING [PALM OIL, SOYBEAN OIL], SOY LECITHIN, SALT),
SUGAR, CREAM, CONE COATING (SUGAR, COCONUT OIL, PALM OLEIN, COCOA POWDER, SOY
LECITHIN, PALM OIL, NATURAL FLAVOR), CORN SYRUP, TAPIOCA MALTODEXTRIN,
PROPYLENE GLYCOL MONOSTEARATE, CELLULOSE GEL, GUAR GUM, NATURAL FLAVOR,
MONOGLYCERIDES, CAROB BEAN GUM, CELLULOSE GUM, ANNATTO COLOR, SALT. CONTAINS:
MILK, WHEAT AND SOY INGREDIENTS. MAY CONTAIN PEANUTS.
MAY CONTAIN PEANUTS
For people who do not
deal with allergies on a regular basis it is confusing. That “nut free” ice cream just became a
possible death trap.
FDA Requirements on Labels
The FDA only requires companies to list allergens that their
product contains. They do not require a may contain list or shared on
equipment list. This makes it almost
impossible to know if the food you are eating is safe, so kudos to the
companies who willingly supply their consumers with this information. On the flip side of that, it is equally
frustrating to think that some companies may possibly put this warning on their
product to cover themselves in case of a lawsuit. It seems as if everything has the warning
which seriously limits our food options!
Restaurants
Eating dinner anywhere other than home always brings
concern. Unlike foodborne illnesses, cross- contact with an allergen is not
killed during the cooking process. Advocate for yourself or your children when out to eat.
Snack Guide
If you are unsure about the safety of snacks that your child is eating, check out this online snack guide that breaks down peanut,
tree nut, and egg free options.
Comment to let me know if you would have checked the label if the box said no nuts?
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. 
