(Read part 1 and part 2 off this account first.)
The aftermath of discovering my son’s food allergies was a blur of research and education. I was not only educating myself on the details of cooking and eating around a food allergy, but I was educating everyone in my son’s life that would be remotely involved in feeding him. If we went to a potluck, everyone there had to know that he could absolutely not have peanuts. People offer kids treats and cookies all the time at parties. I can tell you that I will never give a child food again unless I have permission from their parents first. You just never know…
One of the major hurdles we faced was rebuilding our family menu. The majority of the foods we ate on a regular basis were full of his allergens. Have you ever stopped to think about how many popular meals contain dairy products like milk, cream or butter? Between milk, eggs and nuts, most desserts are out. Our menu mainly consists of fresh poultry (no fillers), homemade bread, homemade crackers, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole wheat pasta and a few other pantry staples that we have found to be free of his allergens, such as a few different cereals and Prego traditional pasta sauce.
Another hurdle we faced was trying to teach our families the importance of avoiding these allergens. Some people think it is not a big deal if the child has “just a little bit.” The fact is, if it’s a life threatening allergy, the tiniest amount could be lethal. If it is not a life threatening allergy, a small amount could still cause big problems. With my son, if a person eats something with milk in it and then kisses him on the cheek, he’ll develop a rash on that spot. If he eats a tiny amount of dairy – even the smidgen found in a snack like Cheetos, it gives him horrible stomach cramps and diarrhea. Food allergies should always be taken seriously!