A Wonderful Support System and Easier Grocery Shopping

I have been such a blessed woman since becoming an allergy-aware parent.  My daughter was diagnosed in July and while I was in need of a support system; there was none.  In September, I started a support group in my area with a total of 3 members.  Now, our facebook family of Gluten & Allergy Free KY has a total of 56 members.  How grateful am I?  I have met individuals and parents of children facing the allergy aware challenges that I have just begun to encounter.  We have shared laughs, tears, our stories, recipes, ideas, and lots of encouragement.  I have, literally, been in tears two hours into grocery shopping and called one of our members to help calm me down.  It is only shopping after all, but to a mother of a child with food allergies it can be a horrific experience.  For this reason, I have included a beginner’s shopping list.

Below is a list of allergy-friendly grocery goodies listed as faves from our Gluten & Allergy Free KY support group as well as some of my twitter friends.  These are just a guideline for beginners to the allergy world.  All of these are gluten free, some are nut and soy free as well. 

Anne's sticky rice bowls,

 tortilla chips and cheese,

Udi's bread,

 dried plantains

Boost protien drinks

 nutella

Udi’s muffins and bagels.

Applegate Farms GF chicken nuggets,

 GF Bisquick,

 Annie's GF mac -n- cheese (that one's for me since my son is also casein free),

 McCormick spices,

 Gorilla Munch cereal,

 Larabars (Apple Pie is our fave)

 Applegate Farms bacon and hot dogs

Pamela's baking mix is the best thing we have found. You really can convert your old recipes!

 General Mills is really stepping up and producing some great products as well.

 Rice Chex makes excellent rice krispie bars. Instead of 6 cups of cereal, use 7.

 They also now have fruity pebbles and cocoa pebbles cereal bars!!

we love quinoa,

 corn crackers,

my kids love dry fruit for snacks

basmati rice (better aroma and taste)

 raisins

craisins,(regular, cherry, blueberry)

fresh fruit

cinnamon rice chex

Amy’s Organics microwave meals are a great way to start

Enjoy Life brand snack bars

Sunbutter

EnerG bread crumbs

Bob’s Red Mill AP flour (it is soy free)

Glutino Cereal Bars (the strawberry is soy free)

Lucky Charms Cereal

Captain Crunch Cereal

Udi’s brand frozen pizza crust

Rudi’s multi-grain bread

Whole Foods Bakehouse GF breads (cheaper than Rudi’s and Udi’s)

Trader Joe’s brownie mix

Beans, beans, and more beans.  In the beginning I prepared a bag of beans once a week and froze in smaller meal-friendly bags.

EnviroKids brand