Help! - Food For Nut Allergy Sufferer

Wardy

I know this isn't really old style, so I hope you don't mind me posting here, but there always seems to be so many wise people on this board that I thought I might be able to get some help.

My daughter is having a friend to stay who suffers from a nut allergy. She's 14 so I guess she pretty much knows what she can and can't have, but I've been asked to make Spaghetti Bolognese for tea tonite and a picnic for our day out tomorrow.

As I've never had to deal with this sort of thing before I could really do with some help. Firstly - would packaging state if it contained nuts, or do not all do that now.

Secondly, I need some basics. Tomato sauce for Bolognese (I'm assuming pasta doesn't have nut traces - sorry to sound thick) and bread for sandwiches tomorrow. Is there anything I should steer clear of and does anyone have any ideas for the picnic tomorrow - apart from fruit etc.

Might be making a mountain out of a molehill but I'd hate for her to have a reaction because I'd been so laid back about it all.

Can anyone help?

gilly1964

I have had this dilemma before and found the best way to cope was by asking the child's parent or as you are talking about a 14 year old, ask them as they will know what they can have.

Most packaging will help you -

I would go for egg pasta and make the bolognese from scratch so you know exactly what goes in.

As far as the picnic avoid malted/granary type breads as they can have nuts or traces of nuts. Perhaps go for wholemeal pitta bread filled with something like soft cheese, tuna, egg mayonnaise and salad. Get the girls involved in what they would like - would they like to bake some cakes, muffins or biscuits. Lots of fruit, dried fruit. Sausage rolls, quiche.

The only other thing to bear in mind is how severe is the allergy. Can the friend be around people eating nuts, if not make sure your family do not have something like peanut butter on toast for breakfast.

HTH
Gilly x

going2die_rich

Ensure she takes her insulin with her incase she does accidentally eat nuts. But I am sure she knows the drill so as long as you avoid actually using nuts for the them days it'll be fine.

thriftlady_2

Hi there,
My 6 yo dd has a nut allergy so I think I can help

Firstly, yes all food packets will say if there are nuts present in the food. Supermarkets have a box marked Allergy information or something similar on the packet just under the ingredients list. As an example I've just checked my Tesco's spaghetti and it says it contains wheat and gluten. If there were nuts present it would clearly state this In fact if you pick up a bag of peanuts it will say 'contains peanuts' on it :rolleyes: I always check the ingredients list as well.

Now, the problem comes with the 'nut warning' which is on a lot of things. This is where the packet says something along the lines of This product may contain nuts, or traces of nuts as it has been produced in an area where nuts are present. I ignore this because it is basically just a way for manufacturers to get out of any legal action in the unlikely event of there being nuts present and someone suffering a reaction as a result. But there are some nut allergy sufferers who would never ignore it, and may well think me extremely irresponsible for doing so. I think the risk is as small as the risk of my dd having a road accident, in fact it is probably smaller.You really need to ask your daughter's friend and her parents what they do about products with this warning on.

As for suitable foods to give her, dried pasta is absolutely fine, there's no need for egg pasta (my dd is allergic to eggs as well). All tomato products like passata, tinned tomatoes, tomato puree are fine. I don't know about ready made sauces as I don't buy them, but check the labels. Keep an eye out for anything with pesto in as that has pine nuts in and sometimes other nuts.
For picnics really anything is OK except nuts Sorry to state the obvious but avoid peanut butter, cereal bars with nuts in them, Snickers bars, biscuits with nuts and check the label on the bread, I make all mine so I'm not sure which have nuts or not. My dd has ham, salami, chicken, cheese,soft cheese, hummus (but check she's not allergic to sesame seeds ) cold sausages, home made pizza. She has muffins, cakes, biscuits but these are all homemade so I know exactly what's gone in. What about making a cake or some muffins for her and the rest of you to take on the picnic ?
If you want to buy chocolate that is guaranteed nut free and made in a nut-free factory look out for Kinnerton chocolate, available at Waitrose and M&S, I think they make a range for M&S.

I'm sure a 14 yo is capable of remembering her medication but make sure she's got it with wherever she is. My dd carries adrenalin pens (epipens) but fortunately we've never needed them.

If my dd was staying with someone I would have a thorough discussion with the parents about labels, what to do if she has a reaction, whether she will react if someone eats nuts next to her (my dd doesn't), how to recognise anaphylactic shock etc . Have her parents given you any advice ?

Hope all that helps, and enjoy your weekend:)

thriftlady_2

going2die_rich wrote:

Ensure she takes her insulin with her incase she does accidentally eat nuts. But I am sure she knows the drill so as long as you avoid actually using nuts for the them days it'll be fine.

Insulin won't help , that's for diabetics - adrenalin is what you need for anaphylactic shock ie severe allergic reaction.:)

wigginsmum

Sainsburys do some very nice chocolate which is great for allergy sufferers. It's made by Kinnerton and is dairy-free, nut-free (made in a nut-free environment), egg-free and gluten-free; I occasionally send bars to a friend in the US.

Wardy

Thriftlady,

Thanks for all that advice - it's really helped.

I was going to make some chocolate chip cookies, the only thing I was unsure about was the flour. That is usually nut free isn't it? What brand do you use, just to be on the safe side.

I've got some nut free chocolate, so that's ok. The other alternative was a chocolate cake, made with cocoa powder. Would cocoa powder be ok?

There's probably lots of you thinking it's blooming obvious, but i'd just like it confirmed by an expert!

thriftlady_2

Flour, well I get through a ton of flour every week so it's safe I use Tesco value plain flour or self-raising for most of my baking. I also use wholemeal plain flour and bread flour. They are all fine. I use Tesco cocoa powder and that's OK too, I think Cadbury's is perfectly safe as well, I've certainly used it before with no probs.