Allergy moms, how do you do it?! Vent and literal begging for recipes and resources

[Excelsior! Academy]

We are in the process of testing for suspected food allergies.  Some we have known, but are now getting the official test results to back it up.  It is worse than we suspected.  Fish, specifically tuna; shellfish, specifically shrimp; egg; wheat; milk; peanut;and hazelnuts are our worst offenders.  To make matters worse, it is highly likely more than one family member has sacilylate sensitivity.  What can we eat?!

[Tess in the Burbs]

The first 30 days are hard. Start making lists of what you can eat and have plenty on hand. Be willing to have different buckets of snacks by person. Then start figuring out meals. My kids do their own breakfast and lunch, and due to food allergies they do not eat anything the same for those meals. I make dinner family friendly for all. It took time. And I made a lot of bad meals in the process figuring out substitutions.

 

It gets easier. Just keep writing down things each person can eat. It helps to see your options when shopping and meal planning.

 

I have one who is peanut, tree nuts, sesame, shellfish, seeds. And due to oral allergy he can't do fresh fruits/veggies b/c the itch feeling freaks him out and he hates taking Benedryl. On salad nights he gets a sandwich.

 

I am gluten free. Which makes substitutions hard since he can't do a lot of gluten free options like almond flour.

Edited May 4, 2016 by tess in the burbs

[Spryte]

((Hugs)) It's overwhelming at first, but it gets easier. What helped me most was making a list of what we *could* eat. That was encouraging.

 

We share some of your allergies, plus some. Some of our favorites might be more restricted than you need recipes to be, but ... What type of recipes would you like?

 

For dairy free butter, Earth Balance is our favorite. Sunbutter is a good peanut butter substitute but don't heat it unless you want something green and inedible in appearance. We like Udi's bread. Enjoy Life products are good. You probably knew all that. :)

 

Here, we are anaphylactic to peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, shellfish, lentils, bananas. Allergic (asthma, eczema, severe stomach pain) to wheat, eggs, spinach, and dairy. And OAS to the point of needing an epi to most raw foods. Its a daunting list.

Edited May 4, 2016 by Spryte

[Schadenfreude]

Food allergies are the worst. My child could eat meat (chicken and beef), beans (no legumes), fruit, vegetables, herbs, and spices, that's it. It felt very overwhelming until I picked up a much older cookbook from a thrift shop. I was able to use most of the recipes with no or little substitutions. So my advice is to borrow your grandmother's cookbook and embrace scratch cooking. It does get easier over time.

[Lolly]

Beef, chicken, pork. potatoes, beans, and rice. The salicylic acid allergy is the tough one. Did the allergist give you any suggestions? Brussel sprouts, green beans, cauliflower, asparagus, pears (no peel), some varieties of apples, bananas,  You may have to try different fruits and veggies one at a time to see if they are okay.

[Guest]

:grouphug:

 

It is hard at first but making a list of foods you can eat is rather freeing. It does get easier the more time goes by. What is hardest, for us, anyway, is convincing the child that it is life-long.

[OnMyOwn]

We are in the process of testing for suspected food allergies. Some we have known, but are now getting the official test results to back it up. It is worse than we suspected. Fish, specifically tuna; shellfish, specifically shrimp; egg; wheat; milk; peanut;and hazelnuts are our worst offenders. To make matters worse, it is highly likely more than one family member has sacilylate sensitivity. What can we eat?!

That is a tough combination. My ds is allergic to fish, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts and he's gluten free. My dd has problems with dairy, which is the real killer, imo. Egg aren't easy either. Sounds like you are in for a lot of meat, veggies, rice and potatoes, which is what we did for years and years, though I don't know anything about sacilylates.

 

Lunch/dinner

Rotisserie chicken, salad, baked yams with earth balance butter

Ham and sweet potato casserole with marshmallows

Grilled hamburgers and little white potatoes, salad

Grilled chicken, corn, salad

Tacos with corn tortillas and guacamole

 

 

Breakfast

GF pancakes - kinnikinnick is our favorite

Rice chex, corn chex, cheerios w/rice milk

Oatmeal

Edited May 5, 2016 by OnMyOwn

[UCF612]

((Hugs)) It does get easier! My son is anaphylactic to dairy, eggs, peanut and tree nuts. The beginning is rough, learning to scour labels and make adjustments but you'll find safe foods and get in a groove. My son doesn't eat out at all, we pack him food if we'll be out. He's used to not eating at birthday parties or social events. It sucks but he's a stronger more mature kid because of it. He is who he is and he doesn't pretend to be anyone else!

[UCF612]

I can try to help with recipes but we can do fish and wheat. I've noticed a lot of gluten free options contain egg so be ware of that. I'm gluten sensitive but not allergic but a lot of gluten free things I eat my son can't have.

[OnMyOwn]

:grouphug:

 

It is hard at first but making a list of foods you can eat is rather freeing. It does get easier the more time goes by. What is hardest, for us, anyway, is convincing the child that it is life-long.

Yes, this is the way to do it. Make a list if what you can have for each meal and go from there. You will get creative and find more and more things you can add in as time goes by. It will be hard at first, but it will get easier. Frankly, the only thing that is really a bother to me anymore in our allergy list is the dairy. Edited May 5, 2016 by OnMyOwn

[Acadie]

I've found it easier to think of meals as protein, starch, and veg, rather than recipes. Make a list for each of those three categories of what everyone can eat, then list breakfast, lunch and dinner options based on those foods.

 

I do everything I can to streamline shopping, cooking and cleaning the kitchen, because I need to cook so much. Once you know what foods everyone can eat, you can type out a grocery list organized by section of your grocery store. Making a weekly grocery list is quick, if you can just run through the master list and check off what you need that week. I put mine in a sheet protector and either check what we need off with a dry erase marker if I'm pressed for time, or write a list on a separate paper if I have more time.

 

Sometimes I cook amazing meals within our dietary limits. And sometimes dinner is not terribly exciting, but it's healthy fuel for everyone. I like having options to go either way.

 

Also we have condiments certain family members like and can use, but there are others we just can't have in the house, because my kids love them but they're not healthy for them to eat. For example we stock hot sauce, cajun seasoning, hot pickles, vinegars and hot mustard, because the youngers who shouldn't eat them don't like them anyway, but it spices things up for the rest of us. I don't keep yogurt, curry sauce or jelly in the house, though, because that would just feel cruel to the people who love them but can't eat them. 

 

The whole family cleans up for 15-20 min after most meals. Some might be cleaning the kitchen, others folding laundry, others picking up the living room or scouring a bathroom sink. Even if people are not working in the kitchen, everyone's contribution eases the cooking/cleaning load on me. 

 

One benefit of doing so much from-scratch cooking is that the health of every single member of our family has improved noticeably--even the ones we thought didn't have any health issues. The longer we do it, the more convenience and quick options we find. It's a royal pain in my butt sometimes, but most days it feels like I'm choosing to cook because it makes an incredible impact on all of our health. 

 

Amy

Edited May 5, 2016 by Acadie

[Excelsior! Academy]

Beef, chicken, pork. potatoes, beans, and rice. The salicylic acid allergy is the tough one. Did the allergist give you any suggestions? Brussel sprouts, green beans, cauliflower, asparagus, pears (no peel), some varieties of apples, bananas,  You may have to try different fruits and veggies one at a time to see if they are okay.

 

 

We are being referred to the allergist and haven't seen him yet. The results we have are from blood tests, and an "aha" moment with the salicylic sensitivity. One dd has strawberry and mint allergies and I have trouble with elderberry, essential oils, and eucalyptus.  We just had our dd with the strawberry and mint allergies tested for renal and urinary issues.  Those tests came back negative. When her allergies were mentioned on another message board, someone suggested looking into salicylic sensitivity.  It was like a big light bulb going off when we read the list of offenders, as most of the foods on the list have bothered both us and she and I have most of the symptoms, including the urinary one.  We plan to eliminate high salicylic foods and then try, by process of elimination, of adding them in a little at a time to confirm.  I've read that there isn't a definitive test for those foods, but plan to ask the allergist when we visit him.

[bluemongoose]

It does get better!

 

We have a long list here too between 4 of us:

 

Anaphylactic: Peanut, tree nut, shellfish, halibut

Very bad but not anaphylactic: all meats, dairy, fluoride, penicillin/molds (think bree cheese)

Bothersome: SLS, sunflower, cucumbers

OAS: Peaches, oranges, tomatoes

And of course add in the seasonal allergies and it gets a mess around here.

 

However! My DS is going through desensitization treatments for his allergy to peanuts. AND IT IS WORKING!!!! He is at the level now that he can be touched by them without reaction! There is hope!

 

 

[IfIOnly]

Mexican, Asian, meat, veggies, potatoes, and corn/rice/zucchini pasta.

 

I'm sorry. Food allergies suck.

 

We all do feel so much better being good on our diet though. The stinky gas nonexistence alone is worth it. Ha!

Edited May 5, 2016 by ifIonlyhadabrain

[sbgrace]

You will adjust. It's hard at first.

Think in terms of what you can eat. Think whole foods. I set up a diet of basically four safe for all rotating dinner, breakfasts, and lunches initially. Some, well many, of the lunches were dinner leftovers. It got us through that set up period.

Gluten free stuff with other allergies can be hard if you're trying to purchase gluten free stuff. Tree nut particularly was hard. But remember that lots of things are gluten free (meats, fruits, vegetables, and some readily available whole grains like quinoa).

 

 

:grouphug: You'll make it.

[Lolly]

We are being referred to the allergist and haven't seen him yet. The results we have are from blood tests, and an "aha" moment with the salicylic sensitivity. One dd has strawberry and mint allergies and I have trouble with elderberry, essential oils, and eucalyptus.  We just had our dd with the strawberry and mint allergies tested for renal and urinary issues.  Those tests came back negative. When her allergies were mentioned on another message board, someone suggested looking into salicylic sensitivity.  It was like a big light bulb going off when we read the list of offenders, as most of the foods on the list have bothered both us and she and I have most of the symptoms, including the urinary one.  We plan to eliminate high salicylic foods and then try, by process of elimination, of adding them in a little at a time to confirm.  I've read that there isn't a definitive test for those foods, but plan to ask the allergist when we visit him.

 

My dd is the only person I had ever heard of with a mint allergy until now. I knew they had to exist, but... Strawberries are also off her list. All of the spices that are in the mint family. It makes food quite bland. When I looked up salicylic allergy from your post, I was surprised. Dd reacts to pretty much every one of the foods in the high and moderate ranges. Then again, she reacts to most every food period! Fortunately for her, she has zero problems with gluten. Eggs and dairy she is not allergic to, but she also cannot handle them in any quantity. At least she can eat products that have trace amounts! Her seasonings are almost limited to salt and pepper. She didn't have food allergies until she was a teenager. It has been a drastic change. Currently, the last 2 months, the only things she can eat are a few breads, turkey, potato, rice, and chicken. Doctors haven't been able to figure out what is going on. If she eats more than a tiny amount of anything, she gets sick. She has an appointment with a new GI Friday. This doesn't seem to be allergy related though. In fact, her last endoscopy showed no irritations. Guess that is one good thing from only being able to eat potatoes for a month?

 

Oh, another great food item: sweet potatoes! Dd has found them to be a good friend.

Edited May 5, 2016 by Lolly

[MomatHWTK]

I found wheat the toughest to cook without. Sometimes you can take a gluten free recipes and then convert it to leave out the milk and egg too. 

 

Kids With Food Allergies (http://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org/) has been around for over 15 years. They started out as a Yahoo Group! You can find a recipe bank on their site.

Enjoy Life Foods offers products free of all of the big 8 allergens.

 

We started with rice as our starch and eventually added potato. If it is a true wheat allergy rather than a gluten issue, then you can probably use Irish oats safely. I used oat  and brown rice flour for a lot of baked goods.

[aaplank]

My daughter has FPIES which is a whole host of complex and crazy food allergy issues. It has turned our world upside down.

 

You will figure it out, it just takes patience and trial and error. Let go of anything extra that isn't needed in your schedule so you have time to focus on making new food.

 

On the worst days, when I'm completely overwhelmed, I just tell myself to take it one meal at a time. If I can just get through this one meal it will be okay.

 

Hugs to you.

[almondbutterandjelly]

Think dinner food.  Throw a beef roast in the crockpot with some potatoes and carrots and cover with water, for instance.  Grilled chicken breast or pork (on the foreman grill or outside) and corn on the cob.  

 

We like soy milk by Silk at our house.  Silk also makes yogurt.  There is soy-based ice cream made by So Delicious.  There is also coconut based ice cream.

 

And get in to see your allergist as soon as possible.  They do not necessarily suggest eliminating everything right away.

[Guest]

((Hugs)) It's overwhelming at first, but it gets easier. What helped me most was making a list of what we *could* eat. That was encouraging.

 

We share some of your allergies, plus some. Some of our favorites might be more restricted than you need recipes to be, but ... What type of recipes would you like?

 

For dairy free butter, Earth Balance is our favorite. Sunbutter is a good peanut butter substitute but don't heat it unless you want something green and inedible in appearance. We like Udi's bread. Enjoy Life products are good. You probably knew all that. :)

 

Here, we are anaphylactic to peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, shellfish, lentils, bananas. Allergic (asthma, eczema, severe stomach pain) to wheat, eggs, spinach, and dairy. And OAS to the point of needing an epi to most raw foods. Its a daunting list.

 

Just so you know...Udi's bread has egg in it.

 

:0)  

 

(Your list is longer than mine, but there are a lot of overlaps, and I agree heartily with the recommendations for EarthBalance and Enjoy Life brands.)

[Guest]

Your list is a lot like mine but I have some additions, and I *can* eat tuna and I can't eat any dairy at all.  

 

Here is what I did when the hammer came down and I was told that for a certain amount of time, I could consume only 13 foods.  Water and salt were two of them.  So 11 actual foods.  

 

I learned HOW to cook and from scratch.  If you learn WHY you do what you do, you can enhance the flavor of anything.  (You can make soup by throwing vegetables in store-bought broth and it will be soup.  You can make *wonderful* soup if you learn how to make a miripoix, how to brown meats first and deglaze the pan, how to make a bone broth.)  Alton Brown is a wonderful teacher; his books were a good place to learn about this.  

 

Shop the perimeter of the store and the frozen vegetables and fruits. Try some new foods.  You might be surprised at how yummy rutabagas and parsnips are in soups.  

 

I did away with anything requiring a substitute, for a LONG TIME.  Now, I am *certain* that soy-based "ice cream" really tastes nothing LIKE *real* ice-cream, but I don't really remember the real flavor at this point, so the soy-based product is a yummy treat for me.  I still don't do wheat substitutes in baking or anything--if I want a cookie, I get a box of Enjoy Life's Graham Cracker Crispy Cookies (and most likely eat the whole box on the way home from the store). 

 

If you need to thicken something, use small amounts of sweet rice flour.  I use this to make a soup a "stew."  My dh makes fantastic turkey gravy with rice flour. 

 

Eventually, when the diet opened up (but is still stricter than what you have), I went ALONE to the grocery store and read every label of everything I was ever likely to eat.  I  noted brand names of items that were clean.  *This took 3 hours.  Go alone.*

 

I hope this helps somewhat.  I don't know what specific "diet" your food restrictions fit, but if there is one, get one of those cookbooks.  As Orthodox, I fast from certain foods throughout the year.  It is mostly a vegan diet for those times, so I use vegan cookbooks and ignore any recipes with nuts or wheat.  

 

 

 

 

[prairiewindmomma]

We are in the process of testing for suspected food allergies.  Some we have known, but are now getting the official test results to back it up.  It is worse than we suspected.  Fish, specifically tuna; shellfish, specifically shrimp; egg; wheat; milk; peanut;and hazelnuts are our worst offenders.  To make matters worse, it is highly likely more than one family member has sacilylate sensitivity.  What can we eat?!

 

eat:

rice

beans

chicken

beef

almond milk--double check this is ok first

 

I like flaxseed or ener-g egg replacement.

Earth's balance (we use the soy free!) is our preferred butter substitute.

 

My best advice is to make a two week menu, live with it, and adjust from there.  There are SO many more mixes and GF items available than there were even just 3 years ago.  Best wishes!

[Spryte]

Just so you know...Udi's bread has egg in it.

 

:0)

 

(Your list is longer than mine, but there are a lot of overlaps, and I agree heartily with the recommendations for EarthBalance and Enjoy Life brands.)

Thank you. :)

 

DS's allergy is a true IgE mediated allergy but he has passed a baked egg challenge. So he can have egg that's been baked (high temps) but not a plate of scrambled eggs, or something like that. It's small, but we're grateful! Hoping he'll pass a baked banana challenge, too, but since he's had anaphylaxis to a banana recently, we're all scared to try.

[Guest]

Thank you. :)

 

DS's allergy is a true IgE mediated allergy but he has passed a baked egg challenge. So he can have egg that's been baked (high temps) but not a plate of scrambled eggs, or something like that. It's small, but we're grateful! Hoping he'll pass a baked banana challenge, too, but since he's had anaphylaxis to a banana recently, we're all scared to try.

 

Oh, I totally get the unwillingness to try.  Also, if it meant the return of banana bread...hmmm.

 

I had that kind of egg allergy for about 30 years...when I was born, no eggs at all, but then I could have them in cookies and cakes but not pies and custards.  And when I was preggers, I could eat EGGS.  Heaven!  But now...nothing at all is possible.  

 

The weird thing for me was that when I was born, all I could have was bananas, rice and lamb.  Then I got *everything* except eggs and nuts for about 30 years.  And  now, I can't have *bananas* (of all things) or dairy, wheat, nuts, eggs, and shellfish.  It's been all over the map and a bit of a muddle from time to time.  :0)

[melbotoast]

I think the Practical Paleo cookbook has a section on low sacilylate foods. I checked it from our library. We're dealing with corn/wheat/milk allergies. Good luck, lots of good advice here.

[kbutton]

Yes, the list of what you can have is all you should look at for a while. It will help a lot, and it will become more automatic. Then you can start looking at things in a box and stuff like that. If you try to find things and then check if they are okay, you'll go nuts and have a mental block.

 

Good luck. I am figuring out food intolerances and OAS. I have been gluten free for several years. 

[waa510]

That sounds so difficult. Maybe look at celiac resources for the wheat-free aspect (like bread recipes) and also searching for vegan recipes (subbing out the wheat and nut components when needed) could help quite a bit. We love to use budgetbytes.com and also minimalistbaker.com for recipes, along with pinterest and youtube. 

 

For egg replacer, look into how to make flax eggs. I buy the big bag of whole flax seeds (keep in the freezer as they go rancid quickly) and blend up what I need in my little blender cups, then add the water. Putting the cup in the fridge for a couple minutes speeds up the gelling. Milk subs that work well are Silk soy milk or coconut milk. We like Earth Balance butter as well. 

 

The learning curve is great and you'll feel really frustrated at times but it'll get easier as you find new favorites. Good luck! 

[UCF612]

My son loves a lot of recipes in the Food Allergy Mama Baking book. It does contain wheat but if you found a safe flour sub I think it'd be fine though I haven't done it personally. All her recipes are dairy, egg, peanut, tree nut free.