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Nut-free gluten-free store-bought cupcakes that taste good?


KarenNC
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I want to take cupcakes to my daughter's GS troop meeting to celebrate her birthday, as they are meeting that day. The leaders are fine with it (several families do this), but we have a couple of dietary issues in the troop. At least one is gluten-free and a new Scout is highly allergic to nuts. Before the new Scout joined, I was going to get a set of regular cupcakes from the local grocery store bakery and some gluten-free ones to go with them. With a nut allergy, I'm not sure I'm comfortable getting the regular ones anymore, so does anyone know of a store that carries gluten-free, nut-free cupcakes?

 

I have easy access to the following:

 

Walmart

Harris Teeter

Lowes

Food Lion

Trader Joes

Earthfare

 

less easily

Publix

 

 

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Unfortunately no grocery store is going to have gluten free cupcakes in their bakery.  And even if they said they had gf cupcakes, I wouldn't trust them because of cross-contamination issues.

 

If it were me, I would get cupcakes for the rest of the girls and a pre-packaged gluten free, nut free something for the others.  Kids who have these kinds of allergies are used to others getting treats that they can't have.  In my experience, I would be really happy is someone thought to bring me something I could eat, even if it wasn't the same as what the others were having.  

 

Or, you could skip the whole birthday cake thing and do ice cream instead.

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We are gluten free and nut free, and I have no options for you.  

 

I think, vaguely, that Wegman's used to carry some GF, NF cupcake type items from a bakery not in their store, so they carried a label that said made in facility free of those allergens. These were in a special section, inside the bakery, on a wooden rack.  The cupcakes were in cardboard cakeboxes, and were very good.  I don't recall seeing them for at least a year, though.   I think they also carried a double layer cake in the frozen section that worked, until our allergies expanded to include dairy and other items.  But not sure you have a Wegman's available.

 

I also feel like I might have seen a nut free, gluten free package of mini-cupcakes at Harris Teeter - the type  clear package a store's bakery would use, but made in a GF, NF bakery off site.  Sadly, our Harris Teeter did not carry these for long, so I don't even recall the brand name.  But you *might* have luck if you call Harris Teeter and ask.

 

Good luck!  

 

 

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Thanks. I'm not comfortable bringing homemade anything to any GS event now that I know about the nut allergy. We do tons of nuts and peanut butter. For their end of year thing coming up I'm taking prepackaged things that I can get from the store on the way so it doesn't even enter our house. I have some anxiety issues around serving food to others, which are greatly exacerbated if I know there's any risk of an anaphylactic reaction. There's a big difference in knowing some might get sick, which is bad enough, and the possibility of death if I accidently miss something.

 

Lowe's has prepackaged gluten free cupcakes in store, but the flavors are carrot or banana, both of which often have nuts. I need to go back and check in-store. I'm not sure if we still have one Scout who can only do limited dairy. Maybe popsicles.

 

These are teens, so I don't think lollipops will work, so I'll check into other packaged treats. Any ideas other than rice krispie treats? Cookies? We do have an Aldi, and also a Target and a Costco, though the last two are substantially farther away.

Edited by KarenNC
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Can you talk to the parent of the nut ana kiddo?

 

My son has tree nut anaphylaxis. He's used to not eating at things like this, and it's not a big deal to him.

 

The child's mom may be able to provide some alternative safe for her. Or maybe she would suggest something that might be an alternative for her child and any others who want whatever it is.

 

I would be shocked if there are any tree nut safe store bakery bought cupcakes, though. And gluten free stuff has an ever higher rate of nut cross-contamination in my experience.

 

I know neither my son nor myself would want anyone to forgo a celebration because he was attending. He's rather be a part of something and just not eat what everyone else is eating. 

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OK, does anyone have experience with Kalo Foods brand cupcakes? http://www.kalofoods.com/ The ingredient list for their vanilla and chocolate cupcakes from the online shopping site for our local Lowes doesn't mention any nuts. I've sent a note to their corporate office asking. If they are, this would be very convenient for us, as this is the brand carried locally.

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Yes! Udi's makes delicious gluten free cupcakes. Especially the chocolate ones. They are hard to find, and they are in the freezer section most of the time. My Earth Fare usually has them, but theirs are usually over where all the other Udi's gluten free bread is (at least in my store). You could call around and ask who has them (out of all the stores you have access to) so you won't waste so much time. Grab a tub of frosting, too, (gf/nut free of course). These muffins are best when slightly warmed in the microwave just before eating. The chocolate ones are very, very good slightly warm. You could slightly warm them, and then spread just a bit of frosting on top. But they are just as good plain, too. There are four large muffins in each package.

 

This link states that their baked goods are nut free and baked in a nut-free facility, except for a few of their products which are baked in a separate facility.

 

http://udisglutenfree.com/faq/

 

Here is what the package looks like:

 

http://www.theglutenfreeshoppe.com/default/udis-gluten-free-double-chocolate-muffins.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjwnubLBRC_ARIsAASsNNmAXxyAWU5vJhz6-XvBM6_97BYFhmAsEc7cG28Ckt4P87x9Gv0nlm8aAvybEALw_wcB

 

They have blueberry and a few others, too.

Oh! Yes! We use those all the time. I never think of them as cupcakes though. :)

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This depends on the brand and if cross contamination is an issue.

 

Sounds like you best bet might be some Enjoy Life brand cookies for the two with food issues.

 

That might work for all. Looks like the cooies are readily available around here. Which flavors are the best?

Edited by KarenNC
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Wanted to share the response I got from Kalo Foods, which does the gluten-free cupcakes:

 

"Our facility and our products are nut free.  However we do not have a way to test individual ingredients that we use and they are not certified nut free.  You may not want to risk it if she has a severe reaction to nuts.  I hope this has been helpful."

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Can you talk to the parent of the nut ana kiddo?

 

My son has tree nut anaphylaxis. He's used to not eating at things like this, and it's not a big deal to him.

 

The child's mom may be able to provide some alternative safe for her. Or maybe she would suggest something that might be an alternative for her child and any others who want whatever it is.

 

I would be shocked if there are any tree nut safe store bakery bought cupcakes, though. And gluten free stuff has an ever higher rate of nut cross-contamination in my experience.

 

I know neither my son nor myself would want anyone to forgo a celebration because he was attending. He's rather be a part of something and just not eat what everyone else is eating. 

 

I agree with Sbgrace! 

 

My son is gluten free and dairy free. We buy cupcakes from a gluten free bakery and usually have one or two in the freezer. So, when we know there will be celebrations involving cookies/cupcakes, we just grab one and go.

 

He loves celebrations so he would rather join and watch others eat cupcakes than anything else. 

 

As a parent of a child with diet restrictions, I really appreciate your thoughtfullness. Thank you, Karen!

Edited by MasaMama
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I agree with Sbgrace! 

 

My son is gluten free and dairy free. We buy cupcakes from a gluten free bakery and usually have one or two in the freezer. So, when we know there will be celebrations involving cookies/cupcakes, we just grab one and go.

 

He loves celebrations so he would rather join and watch others eat cupcakes than anything else. 

 

As a parent of a child with diet restrictions, I really appreciate your thoughtfullness. Thank you, Karen!

 

I will hopefully get to meet the parent at the end of year event which is prior to the meeting where I had planned to bring cupcakes or other treat)  and have a chance to discuss this with her. It's primarily that I thought I had the bases covered and found out about the new wrinkle last night.

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That might work for all. Looks like the cooies are readily available around here. Which flavors are the best?

My DS's favorite are the soft baked double chocolate. (I like them too and I don't need gluten free) They do go stale fast once opened, but at a Scout meeting I doubt that will be a problem.

 

Right now, there is a coupon for 1.50 off 2 on many boxes. Ibotta and Checkout 51 have Enjoy Life rebates if you use either of those. I have been stocking up on the cookies while the rebates are available.

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Yes, it's really, really tough. I'm gluten intolerant, and DD is gluten, citrus, and egg intolerant. We can't buy anything now from the one bakery in town that has some gluten free options because they use eggs in everything.

 

For special events, I either bake myself or get something from Daiya or Schar. The baked goods from Udi have eggs.

 

When DD and I went on her senior trip, we went to a gluten-free bakery just outside of a major city that had a number of vegan options. We got frozen donuts and a box of six cupcakes to take home. She was so thrilled!

 

Unfortunately unless you're in or very close to a major city, finding a bakery like that is tough. The nearest one to us would be pretty much a half day trip.

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This is why I almost always take grapes and cheese. We don't have any dairy allergies in our group. 

 

I've priced the GF baked goods. Ouch! We had one local bakery which used to make amazing GF cakes that tasted better than their regular cakes, but, alas, they closed.  

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I think I found a solution---Philly Swirl Sorbet cups or sticks. No gluten, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, HCFCS, and even in rainbow, which will please my LGBT daughter no end. :)  She doesn't do well with a lot of dairy or chocolate.

 

One question--does anyone know of something similar in individual servings without red food coloring? A sibling of one of the girls is likely to be there and can't have red dye.

 

ETA: their organic line has no artificial colors or flavors!  :party:

Edited by KarenNC
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