Teddy Grahams - safe for peanut allergies

I don't usually buy Teddy Grahams, but I bought them this week for Rylie as a special treat. I read the ingredients (Mini Teddy Grahams Snak Sak, Honey) and they seemed safe for her to eat, but I noticed that Kraft/Nabisco also make Nutter Butter bites, in the same size resealable bag.

This made me a little nervous, because cross-contamination warnings are not mandatory in the US. I called Kraft today to ask if Teddy Grahams and Nutter Butter Bites are made in the same plant or on shared equipment. The woman told me that it is Kraft's policy to put a statement on the package when products are made on shared equipment or in a plant that processes peanuts, and the Teddy Grahams bag does not have this statement.

For some reason I still don't fully trust the answers I get when I call these food companies. I feel like they don't quite understand the risk of cross contamination and are reading from a script of answers to common questions.

At this point I feel like I've done all I can do - I read the ingredients and called the company about cross contamination. I feel pretty confident that the Teddy Grahams in the Snak Sak are safe for kids with peanut allergies.

This doesn't mean that all sizes or varieties are safe, because the manufacturing process might differ. Please read ingredients and manufacturing statements on all packages, every time.

10 Home Remedies for Itching

Our girls have eczema and never stop scratching. We put olive oil in their bath water and don't use soap. We also slather them in Vanicream and put prescription creams on certain stubborn areas. We give them Zyrtec or Benadryl before bed. And they're still itchy.

I found some great home remedies on Discovery Health. I knew about baking soda and oatmeal, but I may give some of the others a try. Let me know if you have tried any of these remedies, and if they worked.

Read Labels Carefully: Five Recent Label Changes

Recently, several food labels have changed, so this is a great reminder to read labels every time you purchase a product. Ingredients or manufacturing processes can change at any time. Please keep in mind that cross-contamination warnings (such as "may contain..." or "made on the same equipment that processes...") are voluntary and not required to be disclosed on labels.

1. Silk Soymilk labels now state, "May contain almonds or coconut," because the soymilk may be manufactured on equipment that is used by products that contain almond or coconut. Not all containers have this warning yet.

2. Clabber Girl Baking Powder labels now state, "Manufactured on equipment that also processes wheat, soy, milk and egg." The front of the can states they are still producing in a peanut-free facility. Old cans claimed, "Gluten Free".

3. Wheaties cereal states, "May contain almonds." Wheaties Fuel cereal states, "May contain almonds or peanuts."

4. Hostess Cupcakes are labeled with a "May contain walnuts" warning. Some Hostess Donettes are now labeled as "May contain walnuts and pecans."

5. According to the Spangler candy website, Dum Dum Gum Pops and Dum Dum Chewy Pops made in the USA are free of peanuts, tree nuts, egg, gluten, and milk. But be aware that Dum Dum Gum Pops and Dum Dum Chewy Pops made in Brazil are manufactured in a facility where peanuts and milk are used in the manufacturing of other products. Please check the back panel of the item you are purchasing for country of origin. This information is only on the original bag, not on the individual wrappers.

I need to contact Silk about their soymilk. Rylie drinks soymilk because she is allergic to cow's milk, but she is also allergic to tree nuts. I need to find out more about possible cross-contamination with almond ingredients.

Label change info from Kids with Food Allergies

The Christmas Tree Debate - Real or Artificial?

We buy a real tree every year, and I've always wondered what the greenest option is...real or fake? Last year I did some digging around to find out. I came across this article on the daily green, and it had some great points for consideration.

Most Christmas trees are now raised on established farms, meaning deforestation isn't an issue, but they must be shipped, often from long distances. They do require pesticides and fueled vehicles to maintain, and may end up taking up space in landfills.

On the other hand, most artificial Christmas trees are made in China, typically from oil-derived, pollution-releasing polyvinyl chloride (PVC). A number have been found to contain lead. Once finally disposed of, artificial trees will last for centuries in landfills. These days, roughly 70% of Americans choose artificial.

There is no real definitive answer, but they had some good suggestions for making your choice greener:

Going with an artificial tree? Then try to find one made in the U.S., which greatly decreases the chances for contamination with lead or other toxins, preserves domestic manufacturing jobs and reduces shipping.

Going with a real tree? Try to choose something locally and organically grown. You'll cut down on CO2 emissions and help prevent the environmental degradation wrought by pesticides on big conventional operations. You can search for local Christmas Tree farms here.

If your kids have asthma and allergies, there are other factors to consider. This year our live tree caused Rowan to have an asthma attack and she had to go to Urgent Care for breathing treatments and steroids. It's not the tree that most kids have problems with, it's the mold that thrives on the branches. Connecticut researchers found that the mold count from a live Christmas tree rose to five times the normal level two weeks after the tree was brought indoors, and that can prove problematic for people with mold allergies. Read the rest of the article: Live Christmas Trees Can Trigger Mold Allergies.

Because we were forced to ditch our real tree and buy an artificial one, I did some more research on artificial trees made in China. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, most fake trees (85%) in the U.S. are imported from China. Almost 10 Million fake trees were sold worldwide in 2003. The potential for lead poisoning is great enough that fake trees made in China are required by California Prop 65 to have a warning label.

I didn't think it would be too hard to find an artificial tree made in the US, but I couldn't find any in local stores, and there were only one or two companies that sold them online. We ended up ordering ours from US Christmas Tree. It was pricey, but it I love that it's made from 100% lead-free recycled plastic. I'll miss the smell of a real tree, but I'll feel better knowing that our girls breathing won't be affected.

Allergic to Thanksgiving

The holidays can be stressful when you have a kid with food allergies. Especially life-threatening food allergies. Rylie's allergies seem pretty easy to deal with, compared with Rowan's. She needs to avoid 9 different types of food/ingredients.

I was thinking about what I needed to prepare for the girls to eat at Thanksgiving, and I realized that Rowan is basically allergic to Thanksgiving.

Rylie will be able to eat Turkey (no butter used when baking) and mashed potatoes made with soy milk instead of cow's milk. She can also have stuffing. But Rowan is allergic to turkey! Her choices for protein are always beef or fish. She loves Organic Prairie hot dogs (made from certified organic, pasture-raised beef...also uncured, with no synthetic nitrites or nitrates.) I'll probably pack one of those for her. She can have mashed potatoes made with rice milk, if I have time to make them ahead. Or she can have the sweet potatoes that my mom is making, with no butter. She can't have stuffing (allergic to eggs and wheat) or pumpkin pie (allergic to dairy, eggs and wheat), so I'll have to pack some side items and a safe treat for dessert. Our favorite allergy-free store-bought cookies are Enjoy Life Chewy Chocolate Chip or Enjoy Life Snickerdoodles. I can usually find them at Kroger and Biggs.

The one thing that makes me a little nervous is the pumpkin pie - eggs and milk are REALLY dangerous for Rowan, and if someone touches her after eating it, her skin will break out into welts. We'll just have to remind all of the adults to be very careful when eating it, and wash hands immediately afterward.

I realize that all of this sounds like such a pain in the ass, but I'm used to preparing food for Rowan whenever we eat away from home. And during the holidays and other family get-togethers, my mom is always on top of it. She calls me ahead of time to talk about the menu and figure out how to modify  some of the food to make it safe. Rowan doesn't even know what's she's missing, and the kids probably won't spend more than 15 minutes at the table. The girls will be excited to play with their cousins, and we'll all get to enjoy time with family.

Have a safe and happy thanksgiving!

Green Cleaning Tips

Because our girls have asthma and allergies, I think it is important to avoid home fragrances and irritating chemicals. Some of my cleaning supplies are green, but some are not. It's hard for me to give up bleach, because it does such a kick-ass job. I try to use it when the kids are asleep, but I think I just need to stop using it all together.

Our homes aren’t safe and clean if the air inside is polluted with chemicals from household cleaners. Follow these 10 simple tips to protect your family’s health while you clean your home.

1. Less is More
Dilute your cleaning supplies according to instructions and use only what’s needed to get the job done.

2. Open the Window
Clean with windows and doors open so you don’t trap air pollution inside your home.

3. Use Gloves and Other Precautions
Cleaning chemicals may harm or penetrate skin and eyes – check warning labels.

4. Keep Kids Away
Children are more vulnerable to toxic chemicals. If they like to help, let them clean with soap and water, not toxic cleaners.

5. Avoid “Antibacterial”
If your family is generally healthy, there’s no need to use potentially toxic “antibacterial” products, according to the American Medical Association. Wash your hands with plain soap and water.

A close call with tomato paste

I was making homemade spaghetti and meat sauce last week, and I thought about adding a can of tomato paste to thicken it up. It turned out that I didn't need it, so I put the can back in the cabinet. I didn't plan on reading the label, because it was made by Contadina and I remembered reading the label at the store.

Thank God I didn't add it into the sauce - I read the label later and it turns out I bought Tomato Paste with Italian Herbs. Sounds harmless, right? I read the ingredients and it contained MILK!

Holy crap, that would have caused Rowan to have an anaphylactic reaction. We would have had to use the epi-pen and call 911. I must have bought a couple cans and grabbed that one by mistake?

This is such a great reminder that you need to read labels and ingredients EVERY TIME, even when you get home from the store.

Tomato Paste Ingredients: Tomatoes

Tomato Paste with Italian Herbs: Tomato Puree (Tomato Paste, Water), High Fructose Corn Syrup, Salt, Dried Onions, Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (Soybean And/Or Cottonseed), Spices, Hydrolyzed Corn Gluten, Soy & Wheat Gluten Proteins, Grated Romano Cheese Made From Cow's Milk (Cultured Milk, Salt, Enzymes), Garlic, Citric Acid, Yeast, Soy Flour. Contains Soybeans, Wheat, Milk.

All of this got me thinking about possible cross-contamination in the manufacturing process. I emailed Contadina to find out more, and you can read their response after the jump.