Allergy-Free Baking: Even Kids With Food Allergies Can Have Their Cake And Eat It Too

Yum!  Cookies, cakes, candy and that oh so famous nut-bowl—just the thought brings a smile to most peoples’ faces; seriously, who doesn’t love those holiday treats?

I’ll tell who doesn’t like it!  Parents of kids with food allergies. That’s who!  Those classic holiday goodies are usually loaded with ingredients that our children are severely allergic to!

Good news for us!  Most of those ingredients can be easily substituted, so your kid with food allergies can enjoy those treats safely and without feeling deprived.

 

Common Food Allergens

Some of most common food allergens are eggs; milk; soy; wheat; and tree nuts.  (By the way, many people who don’t deal with food allergies have no clue that a peanut allergy isn’t the same as a tree nut one!  Tree nuts include:  cashews, almonds, Brazil nuts; chestnuts; filberts/Hazel nuts; macadamias; pine nuts; pistachios, walnuts and pecans).  Even coconuts are now classified by the FDA as a tree nut—but this is a tricky one for sure. Many people argue that this was a mistake and that coconuts are really a fruit and many kids who are allergic to tree nuts can safely eat coconuts, (of course this is one where you may want to consult with your allergist).

Your kid with food allergies can be allergic to any one of these, or more, there’s no reaction to peanuts.

 

Easy-Peasy Substitutes

For eggs, first figure out if it’s going to be used as a binder (to hold all the ingredients together) or a leavening agent (to make the baked good rise and be fluffy.)

1. To replace EGGS, use some healthy fruit, such as ½ mashed banana or a ¼ cup applesauce. If your recipe calls for an egg white glaze, use some melted margarine instead. If the egg is used as a binder in the recipe, you can use a little mashed fruit, such as 1/2 banana or ¼ cup applesauce.

This is one of our favorites, because it adds a healthy touch to a not-so-healthy item. Mashed fruit makes a great binder.

Oh—and please be careful if you do decide to use one of those commercial egg replacement products.  You want to be sure it says “replacement” and not “substitute.” The substitutes are usually in the dairy section with the eggs—they address things like cholesterol-control, not allergy-control.

2. If your kiddo is allergic to DAIRY, replace it with a dairy-free “milk” substance, such as rice, soy, almond, cashew or coconut—(but of course, be careful, since many of those items mentioned are made of tree nuts and can be a common food allergy substance by itself).

If your kid with food allergies, can’t eat TREE NUTS OR PEANUTS, just replace them with:

Roasted seeds, such as pumpkin seeds, which by the way, are also very healthy; in fact, pumpkin is considered a “super food” (one that’s very high in nutrients) or

Beans or roasted peas or chickpeas.   By the way, did you know that black bean brownies are delish, healthy and popular.  Here’s one recipe that is also gluten-free (but you’ll have to use a substitute for eggs, if your kid has that allergy.  By the way, beans or roasted peas or chickpeas aren’t just for baking; they’re also great in those nut-bowls!

Pretzels.  Yes, you heard that right.   In fact, pecan pie is a favorite on many holiday tables but instead of pecans, use pretzels.!  Here’s one recipe from SouthernPlate.Com—it uses pretzels, not pecans!

 

4. For WHEAT ALLERGIES—these days, there are so many recipes for flour-free cakes. Here’s an article we found on The Huffington Post, written by Alison Spiegel.

5.  SOY—well, if you’re allergic, just avoid it!  For the most part, soy is commonly found in a ton of processed foods and not so much in freshly prepared stuff!
   

 

 

How do you keep your allergy child safe during the holidays?  Don’t forget about the AllerMates Goodie Box?  Sign up and every other month your child will receive a box of allergy free treats, AllerMates educational and safety materials every other month.  The Holiday box (ships mid December right in time for Christmas) is full of Allergy Free Baking Goodies (think allergy free chocolate chips, baking mixes and other holiday treats)!  To learn more, click here.

 

Happy and Safe Holidays!

xoxo

Iris