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The Allergy Friendly Kitchen

June 9, 2018 By Lena

This post is sponsored by Pfizer Canada. All views and opinions are my own.

With summer just around the corner – as long as Mother Nature cooperates, fingers crossed! – I’m so looking forward to everything the season promises. Long days followed by lazy nights, ice cold drinks and hot dogs off the grill, and of course, the steady stream of traffic from neighbourhood children popping in to play.

Hands up if you run a restaurant from your kitchen – primary demographic, discerning 6-12 year olds? Yeah, me too.
The truth is, I’m a happy host. Our door is always open and our fridge is always full, so why not share the goodness? However, having an “everyone’s welcome” policy means that I have to take special care to ensure that my kitchen is allergy-friendly. Did you know that an estimated 2.6 million Canadians are impacted by food allergy, with almost 500,000 of them being children? Quite a few of our neighbourhood pals are affected (peanuts, tree nuts and shrimp are the most common) so I have to be extra careful when both preparing and serving snacks. 

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the Allergy-Friendly Kitchen event held in partnership with Food Allergy Canada and Pfizer Canada.
There, I watched expert home cook and allergy awareness advocate Thea Vanherwaarden, and NASCAR driver Alex Tagliani, unveil three allergy-friendly recipes through an interactive cooking demonstration. As they both have food allergies, they also led a valuable discussion on tips and key information for allergy management and preparedness. Today, I’m happy to share my three major takeaways with you!

1. Read Food Labels. Remember, manufacturers can change their production process and alter their products at any time, so it’s important to read food labels each and every time you purchase a product. Do the triple check: once at the store before buying it, once when you get home and put it away and most importantly, before you serve or eat the product.

2. Check Your Prep. It’s not too complicated to dole out allergen-free prepared snacks, but you need to bring your A-game if you’re cooking meals for an allergic individual. Prepare foods that are free of the person’s allergens first, using separate cookware and serving utensils. Keep the food covered in a space where it will not be splashed or come into contact with other foods. Wash hands often, especially between preparing meals that contain an allergen, and use a separate sponge to wipe down surfaces.
It’s also a good idea to have two dishwashing cloths: one for cleaning pots and pans that contain the allergen, one for cleaning pots and pans that are used for allergy-safe meals. The same goes for cutting boards, of course.

3. Carry an Epinephrine Auto-Injector. Even with all my kitchen precautions, life doesn’t always go as planned. I’m not too shy to insist that guests with food allergy come prepared by carrying an epinephrine auto-injector with them at all times, and have found that it’s a necessary conversation between parents – especially during the summer season when kids can turn up at any time.

Disclosure: Epinephrine auto-injectors are indicated for the emergency treatment of anaphylaxis. This product may not be right for you. Always read and follow the label.

Now that we’ve gone over the basics, let’s get on to more delicious things – like the recipe for a refreshing acai bowl!
1/2 cup (125 mL) Frozen blueberries
1/2 cup (125 mL) Frozen strawberries
1 Banana (½ for bowl, ½ sliced thinly for topping)
1 tablespoon (15 mL) Sunflower seed butter
1 tablespoon (15 mL) Pumpkin seeds, divided
1 tablespoon (15 mL) Chia seeds, divided
1/4 cup (60 mL) Gluten-free oat flakes
3/4 cup (175 mL) Fortified rice beverage
3 – 4 Fresh blackberries (cut in half)
2 Fresh strawberries (sliced thinly)
1/4 cup (60 mL) Fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon (15 mL) Cocoa nibs

In a blender, add frozen blueberries, frozen strawberries, 1/2 banana, sunflower seed butter, 1/2 of the pumpkin and chia seeds, oat flakes and rice beverage. Blend until smooth and thick. Pour in desired bowls and top with fresh blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, cocoa nibs, remaining banana (sliced) and seeds.
Mmm… allergy-free and the perfect way to start the day, or a powerful afternoon snack for energetic kids! For recipes (including sushi and chicken tacos pictured above), visit Food Allergy Canada/SummerofTAG.

Filed Under: Food Tagged With: #allergyfriendlykitchen, food allergy canada, summer of tag

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jenn Erin

    June 9, 2018 at 11:00 pm

    Fortunately we don’t have severe food allergies in our family, but I’m glad that Food Allergy Canada is around because they sound like such an awesome and helpful resource!

  2. Lynda Cook

    June 10, 2018 at 8:31 am

    No allergies in my home, and I am also glad that my girls are done with school too, so many food allergies anymore, I was surprised to hear that strawberries are not even allowed in the school in our town. Just seems like the kids of today have way more allergies compared to when I was younger

  3. kristen visser

    June 10, 2018 at 8:45 am

    Thankfully we do not have anyone in our family who suffers from allergies BUT i do know quite a few people who do and it could get pretty bad.

  4. Sarah

    June 10, 2018 at 10:41 am

    We don’t have any allergies that we have encountered so far. I find these tips helpful for when we have guests or family members over with allergies! :)

  5. Marissa

    June 10, 2018 at 11:36 am

    No food allergies in our home so far and thanks for the great info.

  6. kathy downey

    June 10, 2018 at 11:45 am

    We have no allergies in the home but I do have nieces with severe allergies to dairy,these are great tips !

  7. Erin n

    June 10, 2018 at 7:14 pm

    Thanks for the information! Good to know.. I don’t have allergies myself, but I know people who do.. And those recipe pics look sooo good!

  8. Lisa L

    June 10, 2018 at 7:14 pm

    The acai bowl looks amazing. I’d love to try to make this!

  9. Athena

    June 10, 2018 at 8:44 pm

    Great tips! We don’t have any food allergies in the household thankfully, but at least I’ll be prepared if needed!

  10. Heidi c.

    June 11, 2018 at 12:37 am

    One of my little guys has peanut and nut allergies so we are always very careful about food prep, restaurant visits, eating at friends or family…My son has a Medic Alert bracelet and a waist pouch with his Epipen. We also have an emergency kit that we bring with us on the go. It can be scary but my son is very good at staying away from anything that he is unsure about.

  11. Nicole Graham (nicolthepickle)

    June 13, 2018 at 6:57 am

    I wonder why food allergies are so prevalent now. It’s an interesting subject.

  12. kathy downey

    June 16, 2018 at 12:53 pm

    That’s a great tip about the dishwashing cloths

  13. nicky

    June 19, 2018 at 5:42 pm

    Mmm, would love that acai bowl for breakfast tomorrow! ;-)

  14. kathy downey

    June 21, 2018 at 11:38 am

    I’m going to try making the acai bowl for brunch on the weekend!

    • kathy downey

      June 24, 2018 at 1:58 pm

      We did try the acai bowl on the weekend and I only wish I had made more,everyone who got to try it really enjoyed it

  15. Clair Palmer

    June 24, 2018 at 2:31 pm

    oh my goodness that looks lovely I need to try that, we have family coming over from England and I know we will not be moved into our new home but they can see and I will host so maybe I can try this :D

  16. Lushka Smith

    June 27, 2018 at 10:31 am

    Great tips, some I didn’t think of before.

  17. Kristi Friesen

    June 27, 2018 at 10:25 pm

    I have an egg intolerance so need to watch that. The smoothie bowl looks so yummy.

  18. Calvin

    June 30, 2018 at 3:15 pm

    Good to be on alert for prevention. My household has few allergies,

  19. Krista M

    July 4, 2018 at 12:57 pm

    Food allergies can just be so dangerous. We take for granted that we are able to eat all foods. I’m thankful no one in our family suffers with food allergies. For families that do, they need to use these tips daily & be diligent in their food prep.

  20. Tara Gauthier

    July 7, 2018 at 4:06 am

    We have food intolerance in our house but no actual allergies although my daughter randomly breaks out in hives, we are still waiting to have allergy testing to try to pinpoint and allergens.

  21. l p

    July 10, 2018 at 12:41 pm

    This is such a great post! there are people for whom I make treats etc., and I’m always concerned about cross-contamination etc. A great start for a safer kitchen. Thanks

  22. Nate

    July 14, 2018 at 4:08 pm

    Wonderful tips for anyone that has food allergies

  23. AD

    July 21, 2018 at 10:41 am

    Good tips! I deal with allergies in the family; I am quite good with it in my own kitchen, but eating out is a nightmare!

  24. jon

    July 27, 2018 at 9:53 am

    Good insight into the challenges of safely feeding a family with food allergies.

  25. Donna L.

    July 31, 2018 at 12:24 am

    Good tips, thanks.

  26. Melinda

    November 4, 2018 at 9:03 am

    I check with friends if they have any allergies before I prepare any food for them.

  27. Jay M

    November 4, 2018 at 9:26 am

    We have a range of allergies in our family. It can be annoying at times (especially if we’re all together at once), but we’re used to it. It’s great to have good resources!

  28. Andrea B.

    November 15, 2018 at 6:55 pm

    Thanks for the recipe. I recently had to go gluten free due to an allergy. This looks healthy and wonderful.

  29. Debbie White-Beattie

    November 30, 2018 at 8:21 pm

    It’s got to be hard to have to worry about food allergies

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Lena Almeida

Toronto Blogger, Social Media Strategist for Listen to Lena Inc. Television & Radio Personality, Columnist and Speaker. Family Travel Expert. Star Wars Fanatic. Perfecting the Art of Conversuasion. Read More…

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