About three weeks ago, we found out that our 2 year old is allergic to peanuts, soy, wheat and eggs. We have found that anything in the same family as peanuts and soy make him sick (beans, green beans, peas). It has been a very difficult transition. We cleaned out the cubbards and have been diligently reading labels. But it is so very difficult to find a variety of foods to make that won't make him sick. As a family, we have eliminated most of our favorite foods. We now make everything from scratch, but are still have limited options. We've replaced our flour with rice flour. But the texture is very different. Between that and egg substitutes, cakes and other baked goods are crumbly. The rice flour doesn't thicken in gravies or soups as well. On top of all this, he is a picky eater. He will cry and ask to go to bed if he doesn't like how something tastes. I worry about his nutrition. Does anyone have any advice or ideas for a tasty variety of foods I can make?
My grandson is allergic to everthing you mentioned except soy. Whole foods has a great section of wheat free items and my daughter found great wheat free pasta there as well. My Grandson (age 3) also eats lots of veggies and fruit. My daughter has Kaiser and visited a dietitician. Also do a search for celiac disease, on the web, you will find some great ideas.
Goodluck!
Oh, I feel your pain. My son, (who will be 8 in July) was diagnosed with SEVERE food allergies at 9 months. Yeah, 9 months! It took 2 months of throwing up, GI tests, blood tests, weight loss (he was a runt to begin with at 6lbs 4oz)and lots of rashes and tears before we found out he was allergic to everything we were feeding him.
Whole Foods Market was a life saver for us. We switched everything to rice based foods. If you have a Whole Foods or market similar go now! Rice milk, rice cheese, rice butter, rice pasta..........so many things. Hydrogenated soy-bean oil was another trigger and we discovered just how many food products contain this. Label reading is a must, and unfortunately, choices can be pretty limited. For the first 2 years we kept a journal of what he ate every day.
At first, he didn't like the fruits or veggies we introduced, but I think hunger took over. Corn, carrots, potatoes, anything rice based, bananas, apples, grapes, chicken, turkey...........that was pretty much his diet. It was nothing fancy because he was so sensitive, but he slowly began to gain weight.
Does he have a reaction to cooked eggs in a cake? I wound up using applesauce in place of eggs for somethings, and rice flour in place of regular flour. He simply didn't like it. We stuck with the basic foods, I used salt and pepper to add a little flavor, but that was pretty much it. Maybe if you tried simple foods on their own he might like them?
We did a lot of trial and error. The journal helped more than anything. Through his diet, we were able to control most of his allergies (and asthma and exzema). I spent a lot of time online looking up recipes to try, but most of the recipes I tried, he didn't like. They tasted funky, even to me. So I figured if I didn't like them, why would my little guy like it? Even if your son only eats a few things, if he eats them, and keeps them down, then you'll know he's getting some of the nutrients he needs.
To this day my son still drinks rice milk. He's used to it and likes it. He's still allergic to peanuts, egg whites and fish. He's outgrown the rest. Legumes are tricky. He can have peas, but green beans make his mouth itch. He can eat almonds, but not walnuts. This has all been figured out by trial and error. Try a new food item, then wait a couple of days before you introduce a new one. If he is going to have a reaction, it will usually happen in 1-2 days , if not immediately.
Hang in there! It really does get easier.
I can't help much but corn starch is what we use to thicken sauces at home.
Good luck
I empathies with you, I am going though the same thing you are; my daughter is 9 and a vegetarian. We just found these allergies a couple of week ago also. She is allergic to the same foods as your son plus, legumes, spelt, gluten. I found a good website called allerjenn.com, and kidswithfoodallergies.org . My daughter loves the amaranth muffins on allerjenn.com. Tinkyada makes a really good rice pasta. Check out the celiac section of your store, they have a nice wheat free selection of safe flours.My daughter has been eating a lot of fruits ,vegetables, brown rice and spaghetti while I figure out how to cook all over again .Good luck
J.
F.~ I totally understand!! I have a son who is now 2 and can't do Milk and Eggs. His older sister cannot do Wheat, gluten, barley, oats.
I feel your frustration.
Here I some tips:
go to the country store and get Xanthum Gum, about $15.00 a bag, (only need a small amount) but will help make cakes/cookies, breads, stick together better. like a glue for doughs.
When baking use a variety of flours, white rice alone is always crumbley. I mix white, and brown, and use cornstartch.
To make baking work you need to have flours that have a high protein content, thats what keeps things together which is why All-purpose wheat flours work so well. Aim high for protien. If he can handle it the best flour I have found is the Garbonzo Bean All purpose flour from Bob's Red Hill. You can find this one at SaveMart. Each store up here has different types of Bob's. Pamela's gluten free browines are awesome!!
For crumb crusts use Puffin gluten free cerals, Original is yummy and it smooths nicely in a food processor.
I also use flax meal in everything. Yummy!
Applesauce for eggs. (as well as some egg replacer, trial and error)
Try rice milk.
Search the Internet. Lots of great reciepes out there online. I can make a killer tofu cheesecake with a gluten free cereal crust. It can be done.
expect failures in the kitchen, they are gonna happen.
But trust in yourself. We made a fantastic, dairy,egg and Wheat free Thanksgiving dinner it can be done.
Make sure your family understands and is willing to try new things.
Best thing you are doing is finding support!
I understand love to talk any time
~D.
Cornstarch is an excellent thickener for gravies and soups. There are other flours too, almond flour makes great dense cakes, and steaming the rice flour is the way to "bake" sticky cakes, he might love that kind of stuff. There's also mochi you can buy and bake at home, organic, with cinnamon and raisins. You score it, break it, and bake it off like cookies, my kid loves it. Sacto Co Op has it. Puffs into hot squares of not-too-sweet.
Also, I'd be making tons of kefir smoothies for such a kid, and cutting pretty much all legumes out completely. Sad!! It's harder to find processed foods without a lot of protein from legume based food. Yogurt with pureed veggies makes a great dip for stuff too.
our 2 year old loves sushi, chicken, veggie stir fries, and especially likes to help "cut" the veggies. She eats more when she can help out. That might get him to participate in meals more. Our kid isn't picky, but she's a very light eater.
Can your son handle Black beans, lentils or chickpeas? They are legumes, but they make great pasty sauces and are packed with protein. They might be different on his system, they're from a different part of the world.
Peanut allergies can be really scary, does he have trouble breathing from all of the foods you mentioned?
Hi F.,
My son is allergic to peanuts, eggs, wheat and corn. If corn was not on your allergen test I suggest that you ask to have your child tested again. Many people do not know they are allergic to corn and it is in everything (including soy formula)!
For a special treat my son can have plain potato chips. Lays makes them with three ingredients: potatoes, sunflower oil and salt. When we go out I order a cheeseburger with no sauce or bun and french fries. At home he loves to eat rice and cucumber rolled in seaweed from the Korean market. Most of the fruits and vegetables I buy are organic. If they are not in season, I get them frozen at Trader Joe’s. Also, try plain rice cakes. The Asian markets have rice cakes with sugar.
I recently started using the cookbook Sophie Safe Cooking by Emily Hendrix. Many of the recipes call for oat flour which can be made in your blender. I buy oatmeal in bulk.
Having a kid with allergies is difficult and can be overwhelming. You are doing the right thing by asking for advice.
Hope this helps!
Angela
Good quality meats, with lots of veggies in butter from cultured milk. For sauce thickener use arrowroot.
Yoghurts, real ones, not the pretend with gelatin. I buy organic big tub of plain, whole milk yoghurt, and then my girl can flavor it according to her whims, one day with a bit of strawberry jam, another with a little maple syrup.
A lot of food allergies may disappear as he grow older, but then you already have laid a foundation for a life of good nutrition.
Lucky you...now your family will be healthier and live much better!
My husband is also allergic to wheat and dairy but not the others. I have found that barley and spelt flour are pretty good substitutes for wheat flour. Buckwheat can be added for some things as well and is high in protein. It is good in barley biscuits and pancakes. Barley and spelt are similar to wheat so use them with care to be certain he is not also allergic to them. Barley by itself is good in soups instead of noodles. We tried rice pasta but it was difficult, corn pasta was better. Ultimately it was better to just make a seperate batch of noodles for him and the best are just the plain asian rice noodles that you don't boil but just add hot water to and let them soften. Smoothies with whey powder and yogurt to add protein would be a good way to boost protein without eggs or legumes. Good luck and be creative.
Spelt flour is another good option, but keep in mind that sometimes those with sensitivities to wheat may be sensitive to spelt. It's texture is very similar and a great replacement. We use it for variety and don't have wheat sensitivities. Cornstarch or arrowroot powder are great thickeners. There are also many gluten free products on the market, a bit spendy, but worth it as a treat to keep him motivated. Almond butter makes a great substitute for peanut butter in recipes. I know it seems stressful, but he really will eat when he gets hungry enough. When I first changed my daughter's diet to a vegan one when she was 3, I really stressed out about her lack of appetite. She's now 9 and her taste buds are fully adjusted. Hang in there. We will keep your family in prayer. :o)
I don't, but my son is allergic to the same, make sure you have an epi-pen on hand. Ask ur Dr for this, it is VERY important!!!
