This is the first year M has been with other kids that have FAs. There are 4 of them in the the class.

It boggles my mind!

There is the other little boy, the one I mentioned in an earlier post in this thread.  Different allergy set, but his family is on the same page as far as cross contam, avoiding may contains, reading labels, sharing food, risk/benefit, etc.  She and I are the only 2 present at all class activities that involve food. We are the only 2 with 504s.  We are the only 2 that use allergist A.

The other two families defer to us "if it's OK with J&H then I'm sure it's fine". They drop off for play dates, no intructions given, no questions asked. One leaves an epi.  One does not. One got snarky when teacher stated she preferred to keep Holiday party food free since it would only be 30 mins. "As an allergy parent myself, I don't understand why....what exactly are the allergies in the room again?". When M was at one of their homes on a short drop off playdate , they tried to talk him out of the no food unless it's approved by mom rule, by saying,"but it's OK for T!"  They use allergist B.  Allergist B says may contains are not an issue 

Quote from: GingerPye on February 12, 2014, 08:53:16 AM
My DD prefers Lucy's cookies to Enjoy Life cookies.  Our regular grocery store carries them.  You can get them packaged as snack-packs, if you want to go to that expense.

My daughter also prefers the Lucy's cookies.

My DD prefers Lucy's cookies to Enjoy Life cookies.  Our regular grocery store carries them.  You can get them packaged as snack-packs, if you want to go to that expense.

Another brand of commercial cookie I thought of is Kinnikinnick.  There is a "where to buy" thing on the website which might help you (now or in future).

http://consumer.kinnikinnick.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/consumer.home.html

If you find  Enjoy Life, the crunchy cookies (chocolate chip or choc choc chip) are better than the soft ones (IMHO).
I have made safe treats for the class that has other FA kids but the kids in question were allergic to nuts and my house is nut free.  I always ask the teacher to contact the other FA patent and tell them I am pa/TNA etc.  I'm not sure I'd be comfortable making a gluten free treat since we don't deal with that.  But I'd think gluten free, dairy free Rice Krispie treats would be the easiest thing to make.  I've found Lucy's at my local grocery store.

So, my final plan is to just bake what ds wants me to bake, and try to get a labelled, packaged treat for the 2 kids with gluten allergies.  I know the 2 with PA only will ask me and choose my treat.  They have eaten every other treat at the other parties(including store bought foods a mom embellished.  Teacher does not seem to care.  I shudder, because dd had this teacher and I was in communication about the allergies and was definately assured things were safe.  I did give stuff for dd.  But, I see now that the teacher pretty much does her own thing and works when we room moms are in for a party!  She is not fully engaged in the party with the kids.  She did help me once, when no other moms showed up to help. 

Oh, yeah, in preschool, they would approach me and ask if certan things were safe *for other allergic chidren.*  When I said something to the director, that I could not be certain what was ok for other kids, not knowing how they do things and all of their allergens, she would give me a look and say, "Oh, well, you are more careful that his parent, and I do not want to hurt this child!"  She was not naming the children in these cases.  But very, very many people are much less careful than out small group here.  I dare say, most.  In my community, anyway. 

One of the kids in the class was recently at ds's bday.  No epis.  He ate the pizza and cake.  I made the cake and it was safe for dd and I had vetted the pizza for her too.  I did share my info with the dad, and we even discussed the allergies.  Got the, "his aren't so bad," line. 

Quote from: PurpleCat on February 11, 2014, 06:00:56 PM



I would not to do so for another child at school.  There are too many variables.  I would not trust I knew everything.  For example, at my son's birthday party years ago someone asked me if my DD was going to eat the cake.  I said yes, it was safe for her.  This Dad then proceeded to tell his child he could eat the cake because my DD had allergies and she was going to eat it!   

Thank goodness I heard him.  I immediately asked the Dad what allergies his son had.  He wasn't sure!      He called his wife.  In addition to peanuts, his child was allergic to milk and soy!!!  Well this cake was not milk free and probably not soy free, neither of those are my DD's allergens!!!

I really need to know all the details before I'll bake for anyone with allergies.  As for that Dad     !!!

BTDT.  When DS was still in elementary, the nurse lamented that there were parents who, upon hearing that I had checked the ingredients and OKed them, they would let their allergic child eat it without checking themselves.  I would have happily shared info with them, but no one ever asked me.  And I am not sure it was the same allergies.

I do know there was one other mother who checked every time her son bought--different allergy.  Checking lunches together was how we met, and we are still friendly.

I recall the newspaper comments thing now, Ajas!  My local paper?  Gosh, I forgot all about that!  Oy, what an ordeal that was. 

Here is link to the Lucy's - actually Dr Lucy's

http://www.drlucys.com/

Ajas, not sure about your newspaper reference? 

Never heard of Lucy's. 

But, it just dawned on me we do have an awesome organic/natural market and they stock a lot of gluten free products.  They may have Enjoy Life and more.  I do not go there often, as they are crazy expensive for shopping for a family with picky kids where you toss too much food!  I used to go there for egg replacer.  We do not need that anymore.    That place is 5 mins down the road.  DUH!  I drove by it twice today, lol.  I tend to forget about it because it is not the best place for PA/TNA, due to lots of bulk bin products. 

Crud, posting at same time as you -- sorry the Whole Foods is too far to go.

What about Lucy's cookies?  Can you get those?  They might cover all the various food allergies and requirements?

They can be found at Whole Foods.

((becca -- as an aside, I seem to recall my DH posting in the comments section at a newspaper once upon a time, yes?))

I do not have a close enough Whole foods to do that this week.  It is out of my area.  But I have seen a few enjoy life products at one store.  I looked at my usual store today.  I saw a pack of cookies that said on the front:  Nut, gluten and dairy free.  Then on the back was a statement that it may contain milk proteins!  Ummm, how is that dairy free.  I forget the brand.

I know the parents would be ok with what I might make.  My greater concern is what if I do cross contaminate something and someone is ill.  I don't want that on me.  I would feel awful.  A child could be harmed.  I used to make things for 2 girls in dd's grade.  I was far more careful than their moms.  The girls would eat stuff my dd never would.  So there, I knew I was likely keeping them safer!  The GF is what concerns me.  I just do too much in my ktichen with it, even if I actually usually avoid it myself.

This is a good conversation, so that is why I posted it.  So many things to consider.  Ds wants me to try to make it safe, as he is friend with the 2 boys.  He is so caring for others and wants me to include everyone.  I will try to find something special I can hand to those kids.  They are all getting candy with the Valentines, and ours are safe there.  So they  will have lots of sweets available to them on this particualy party day.  I could even bring some extra bags of skittles for them. 

Skittles cover me on all fronts, right?  Package say GF.  If I fail to find a pack of cookies or such.  Where I live is a town where there is only smaller independant grocers, or local chains, and the one main chain is still a small store.  No super stores with the broader selection of allergy specialty foods. 

I'm not seeing that it's worth the stress for you to try to bake for those allergies --- bake for your own...and then a super awesome good-kharma thing would be to buy Enjoy Life cookie packs for the food allergy kids    They usually have them at Whole Foods.

I'm sure...that if you usually see them looking longingly at the baked goods...that when you whip out the cookie packs...you'll have a halo glow around you   ...and how big will their smiles be?!

(I'd still check w/ the 'rents though on the Enjoy Life and their own comfort zone)