Food is an integral part of a child’s party and many hosts go for the typical snacks and meal items with few having considered if their guests have any food related allergies. Children are more likely to be afflicted with food allergies than adults, and additionally, over the last few years it is reported that there have been significant increase in the share of the population so afflicted.
For parents hiring a food catering service, the task may simply be to pass on specific ingredient allergy information which guests have and that the caterers need to provide suitable alternatives or exclusion from the prepared meals. But for parents with the food preparation responsibility and with little to no knowledge regarding allergen free foods, this can seem to be a daunting task. Well, it doesn’t have to be financially or emotionally stressful. There are many products that are naturally free of each food allergen.
A parent who would like to host a wheat free children’s party could opt for the following naturally wheat free snacks:
- Tamarind balls
- Popcorn
- Fruit cups
- Fries with salt
- Nachos (use corn chips)
- Banana chips
- Marshmallows
- Fried ripe plantains
- Jell-O
- Mashed potato
- Steamed shrimp
- Fried chicken made with cornmeal instead of flour
- Orange juice
- Grape juice
- Apple juice
Always check product labels, especially the ingredients listing, to ensure that wheat is not listed. If the label indicates that it “may contain wheat” or “manufactured in a facility where wheat is present” or “manufactured on machinery that processes wheat products” do not use that product. Traces of wheat is enough to send some persons with wheat allergy into a reaction and even anaphylaxis, and to adversely affect someone with celiac disease. Some labels will indicate “wheat free”.
For cakes, several brands carry wheat free cake mixtures that are easy to make and produce delicious results. A few examples:
www.bettycrocker.com/products/glutenfree/products
www.namastefoods.com/products/cgi-bin/products.cgi?Function=show&Id=19
www.orgran.com/products
This is an example of how parents can approach food preparation for children parties. The principles mentioned may also be applied to most other food allergy scenarios. As always with any birthday party or celebratory events, always remember to have fun.
Interesting article! Never considered having a wheat free party for any of my 3 children. Kudos to the author for actually listing food ideas I can get at the market and supermarket without busting my budget.
ReplyDeleteThis is a serious wakeup call. But is there a way to know if a child is allergic before he actually gets close to wheat?
ReplyDelete"A food allergy occurs when the immune system responds to a
Deleteharmless food as if it were a threat. The first time a person with
food allergy is exposed to the food, no symptoms occur; but the
first exposure primes the body to respond the next time. When
the person eats the food again, an allergic response can occur." (http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/foodallergy/documents/foodallergy.pdf)
"Diagnosing wheat allergy
A GP (general practitioner, primary care physician), qualified nutritionist or immune system specialist will probably use a number of tests, as well as carrying out a physical exam, before being able to make a proper diagnosis - these may include:
Food diary - the doctor may ask the patient to write down everything they eat and when, as well as detailed notes on symptoms.
Elimination diet - all suspected foods are eliminated from the patient's diet. After a few days, suspected foods with allergens, which in this case would be wheat, are reintroduced at intervals. With the help of an eating diary, carefully noting down each item consumed and symptoms felt, the patient may identify which particular foods are causing problems. The ultimate aim is to substitute unpleasant foods with others that do not cause an allergic reaction. It is important that this is done with a qualified health care professional.
Food challenge testing - this is generally done in a hospital or specialized allergy clinic. The patient eats capsules which contain suspected allergens. The patient starts with small doses, which are gradually increased over a period of hours or days. During the whole process the individual is monitored for allergy signs and symptoms.
Skin-prick test - drops of diluted foods are placed on the patient's arm. The skin is then pierced through the drop, thus introducing the food into the system. If there is itching, redness or swelling, the indication is most likely a positive reaction. Experts say that negative results are 95% accurate, while positive results are 55% accurate.
Blood test - this test looks for antibodies for specific foods, giving an indication of the likelihood of an allergy to those foods. A blood test may be a good alternative for patients with existing skin conditions or interactions with certain medications - these patients may not be able to do the skin-prick test. Experts say that negative results from a blood test are 95% accurate, while positive results are 55% accurate" (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/174405.php)
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ReplyDeleteAgain, I'll point out how informative these posts are, and more importantly, a refreshing angle!
ReplyDelete