How do you deal with food allergies in your family?

I was wondering how many other kids or adults deal with similar food allergies. Where you shop & eat out? Did any of your kids outgrow their allergies?

I shop for her groceries mostly at health food and Asian stores (cheap rice flour & garbanzo flour! I mean really, I get a bag 3 times the size of what I pay for in the supermarket or health food store. The difference is usually that the stuff made in America and labeled as Gluten-free is packaged better and hold up to FDA standards). Does anyone have any tips to share? Wheat-free gets expensive! And I can only feed her so much rice, LOL.

Please share! I am very interested in your story.

Thanks,
Blessed Momma

Jenna is turning 4!

She'll be 4 in 2 weeks! Jenna is very excited and looking forward to a Princess Birthday Party. I think I am more excited than she is, LOL!

Her birthday falls in the middle of the week so we decided on having Italian ice to celebrate with her (daycare) class. Jenna loves Luigi's Italian Ice and it was the best solution I could think of to to stay away from cookies, cupcakes, or ice cream so she can enjoy the same treat as the rest of her class. I could have given her a special dairy-free & gluten free cupcake or cookies but it is HER day and I didn't want her to feel different than anyone else on her special day.

Speaking of cookies, she is a pretty smart one & understands that some things make her very sick. She has been very careful since she had a severe reaction to candy her father gave her without reading the label over a year ago. She did not enjoy throwing up repeatedly or the intense pain in her tummy and she remembers it vividly. She also had a terrible reminder when she first reacted to wheat and had to endure a similar scenario a few months ago. She always asks about new food items - "Does this have milk?" and "Does this have wheat?" or "Will this make me sick?" Even when I give it to her! At first, I was a little taken aback (and a little wounded!) and responded quickly, "Do I ever give you anything you can't eat?" Then I realized it was a good thing she is overly cautious and always assure her that I made it special for her or that I read the ingredients and it was safe to eat.

I notified Jenna's Daycare of her new allergy and spoke with all the teachers save one who was out that day. I was told she would be informed. One day shortly after reacting to wheat, the teacher I missed told me that Jenna announced at snack time, "I'm allergic to wheat so I can't eat pretzels anymore". Her teacher replied, "Are you being silly? You eat these all the time". Jenna firmly repeated the mantra I kept telling her over the past few days (because she loves pretzels and would ask for them a lot) and the teacher took away the pretzels and told her to get something from her lunchbox instead. I was so proud of Jenna! I was so relieved that a potentially dangerous reaction was avoided (not to mention angry at the owner. I shudder to think of the "what if" alternative.) They have benedryl for her at school just in case but it doesn't stop all the pain if she hasn't thrown everything up first. Thank God!

Our own restaurant!

I have been toying with the idea of quitting my job and starting an allergy friendly restaurant but I have no clue how to start a business let alone a food establishment. If anyone has experience,I'd appreciate any advice. Do you think there is a market for it?

I wonder how many families would drive the extra mile or pay the extra dollar to be able to share a meal out together or have ice cream for dessert together? I know I would! How divine would it be to sit down, order a delicious meal that we could all enjoy together! We can't eat out anywhere and an allergic reaction to McDonald's french fries led me to find they are made with milk! I started checking online and found that Burger King make theirs with wheat! Wendy's is the only place that has wheat/milk free fries but they fry them in the same "contaminated" oil with their other wheat & dairy products and I did not want to risk trying them. So many hidden hazards for my little girl so we play it safe now and avoid anything I can't read/verify the ingredients for.

Thanks,
Blessed Momma