Category: Food allergies

Does one (or all!) of your children have food allergies? Sadly this is no longer a rare thing. More and more kids struggle with food allergies now than ever before.

I’ve been there too. Skin testing, blood work, epi-pens…the works. It can be challenging or down right scary.

But you don’t have to live in fear. And you don’t have to just accept food allergies as a life sentence. There is help!

My son went from over twenty food allergies and an epi-pen to being able to eat just about anything. Even nuts!

There are ways to heal the gut and nourish the body so your child can get back to a normal life. Food allergies have so many underlying causes. Once you figure out the root problem and treat it the body will begin to heal.

Don’t let food allergies define your life. I’m here to help you and your child heal.

May 28, 2017

Real Food Meal Plan for Picky Eaters May 28, 2017

This week’s real food meal plan for picky eaters includes sloppy joes, meatballs and creamed spinach (my daughter’s request!). Hopefully it will also include a shift to summer weather!

It feels good to have everyone back to full health again and ready for a new week. We are using our holiday weekend to finish planting the garden and work on landscaping…when it’s not raining, anyway.

Looking Ahead

We took some time last week to plan our summer activities, next year’s curriculum and next year’s activities. It’s exciting and overwhelming at the same time. But I’m determined to be a bit more prepared as we head into our second year of homeschooling.

Since we are doing school year round we don’t have a specific starting and stopping point. I asked my kids if they wanted to “switch grades” in June or August. They chose June. So by the end of the week I’ll have a first grader and a fourth grader!!

Summer Cooking School

One of the things I know we are doing during our summer session is taking a whole week to focus on Kids Cook Real Food and learn new skills in the kitchen. My kids have made great progress this year, but I want even more independence. Have you invited your kids into the kitchen lately? It can be hard to find the time, but it is SO important! You can learn more about Kids Cook Real Food HERE.

Time for a Plan!

The other exciting event this week is our HTMA (hair tissue mineral analysis) consults!!! I can’t wait to really dig into the information and get a plan of action. I’ll be sure to keep you updated.

Here is our real food meal plan for picky eaters for the week. Some grilling, some staple recipes and more experimenting. What’s on your menu?

Sunday
B – cereal, smoothies
L – crockopot roast beef, carrots, roasted potatoes
D – grilled steak, beans, baked sweet potatoes
prep: make granola bars
notes:

Monday
B – yogurt, granola bars
D – grilled burgers, grilled asparagus, chips with dip
prep: prep smoothies, make chip dip, boil eggs, chop veggies
notes:

Tuesday
B – toast with sunbutter, smoothies
D – sloppy joes, roasted purple cabbage, baked potato wedges
prep: bake bread
notes:

Wednesday
B – hard boiled eggs, toast
D – crockpot sweet and sour meatballs, buttered noodles, cauliflower
prep:
notes:

Thursday
B – bagel with cream cheese, fruit
D – broccoli egg bake (new recipe), peas, hashbrowns
prep:
notes:

Friday
B – yogurt, granola bars
D – crackers with cheese and ring balogna, veggies with dip, clementines
prep:
notes: packed dinner

Saturday
B – scrambled eggs, toast
D – bacon grilled cheese OR BLTs (kids decide), creamed spinach (new recipe), home canned peaches
prep:
notes:

May 22, 2017

No Mixer Required Bananas Foster Ice Cream (gluten free, grain free, egg free, nut free)

Ready to think summer? This no mixer required bananas foster ice cream is sure to help! So easy to make and free of grains, eggs and nuts.

Summer is just around the corner. I keep telling myself that so when it’s forty degrees in May I don’t get too discouraged. A couple days of eighty degrees before the forty sure helped too.

One great way to start thinking summer is with ice cream! If you’ve followed me very long you know ice cream is my absolute favorite food. At least these days I don’t eat nearly as much as I used to and most of the ice cream I do eat is homemade. It’s all about the baby steps!

Make it Real

I recently bought some ice cream for my husband – a limited edition flavor – bananas foster. I tasted it. Wow, was it sweet!! Good, but sweet. It reminded me of egg nog.

My kids (and I) were a bit jealous, so I made our own version. This homemade bananas foster ice cream is loaded with banana flavor – because it is mostly pureed bananas! Then I swirled in some homemade caramel sauce for the “foster” taste. You could really bump up nutrition and save time by using this metabolism boosting caramel with liver!

You can add homemade vanilla wafers for great texture. I didn’t have any on hand…but I can’t wait to try it some time!

A little pinch of nutmeg really makes this bananas foster ice cream stand out.

Feel free to make your version with as much or as little sweetener as you like. The bananas add plenty of sweetness on their own as long as they are really ripe. But a tablespoon or two of maple syrup added to them is just right for us.

Quick and Easy

One of the best parts of this ice cream is that there is no ice cream mixer required. You do have to make the caramel and freeze the bananas in advance. But once you’re ready the ice cream comes together in minutes and is ready to eat.

And if you want to make it even easier just skip the caramel. Banana ice cream tastes amazing on its own. It also makes a great dairy free alternative to ice cream.

Are you thinking summer already? Give this bananas foster ice cream a try. What’s your favorite flavor?

No Mixer Required Bananas Foster Ice Cream

2017-05-21 07:04:52

Serves 6

A creamy banana ice cream with swirls of caramel.

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Ingredients

6 very ripe bananas
2 - 4 Tbsp. maple syrup or honey (optional)
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. unrefined sea salt
3 - 4 Tbsp. caramel sauce
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg (optional)
1/4 cup vanilla wafers, crumbled (optional)

Instructions

Prepare the caramel. Refrigerate.
Slice the bananas and freeze on a parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer.
Combine the frozen bananas, maple syrup, salt and nutmeg in a food processor. Blend until smooth (this will take a few minutes and you may have to scrape down the sides multiple times).
Transfer the ice cream to a freezer safe container.
Gently mix in the caramel and vanilla wafers.
Serve or freeze.

Notes

To make this dairy free simply leave out the caramel sauce. Banana ice cream tastes wonderful on its own!
The caramel sauce can be made dairy free using coconut oil and coconut milk.

By Mary- justtakeabite.com

Just Take A Bite https://justtakeabite.com/

May 21, 2017

Real Food Meal Plan for Picky Eaters Week of May 21, 2017

This week’s real food meal plan for picky eaters includes pesto pasta, tacos and chili. I hope the warm weather returns so we can get out and enjoy some sunshine!

The start of a new week…in May…and I have a couple kids with fevers. This year has been crazy in terms of illness. I’ve been hearing of pink eye, strep throat and the flu going around again! I’m sure the up and down weather hasn’t helped. But I sure am anxious for summer when we have no activities and can be outside all day soaking up Vitamin D. We need to stock back up after the winter.

I’m so glad that we can take it easy this week. Maybe we can do some fun baking projects and take more walks through the orchard. We’re all enjoying the relaxation after a busy school year.

New Recipes

My oldest got a new cookbook for her birthday. We’ve been trying a few of the recipes. This week we’re trying Porky Chops – adapted to be gluten free. And I’ve been creating some new recipes. Hopefully I’ll have time to post them soon!

I’m still researching about HTMA and learning more about our results. We have a couple weeks yet before our consults to really get a plan of action.

Here is our real food meal plan for picky eaters. What’s on your menu this week? Trying anything new?

Sunday
B – cereal, smoothies
L – crockpot pork roast, rice, carrots
D – sandwiches with homemade lunch meat, veggies with dip, chips
prep: make dip, boil eggs
notes:

Monday
B – yogurt, granola bars
D – pesto salmon pasta, broccoli
prep: make pesto, soak oats
notes:

Tuesday
B – oatmeal with blueberries
D – tacos, peas
prep: soak beans
notes:

Wednesday
B – hard boiled egg, toast
D – chili, corn bread
prep: bake corn bread
notes:

Thursday
B – bagel with cream cheese, avocado
D – porky chops, mashed potatoes, roasted brussels sprouts and cauliflower
prep:
notes:

Friday
B – yogurt, granola bar
D – sunbutter sandwiches, olives, peppers, clementines
prep: bake cookies
notes: packed dinner

Saturday
B – fried eggs, toast
D – TBD – kids’ choice
prep:
notes:

May 14, 2017

Real Food Meal Plan for Picky Eaters Week of May 14, 2017

This week’s real food meal plan for picky eaters includes sloppy joes, jello and hot dogs…but real food style! But it doesn’t require any extra effort. What’s on your menu?

Happy Mother’s Day! Such a special day because I know how hard all you mamas work every day! Give yourself some love and some extra snuggle time with your kiddos.

Bye Bye Birthday

We’re finally slowing down this week. Only a few activities and a trip to the doctor for yearly check-ups. And since we did a ton of cleaning yesterday my house is looking good. That means we have time to get our school work done and then have some fun! Maybe we’ll take advantage of the (finally) warm weather and go hiking.

I’m just happy I don’t have to bake any birthday cakes this week! We did have a ton of fun celebrating my son’s sixth birthday. But I’m thankful we get a little break now. Although in typical planner fashion I’m already brainstorming for my toddler’s birthday at the end of August. After four birthdays in a row here I’ve realized one thing…she hates frosting. She really doesn’t like much of anything sweet besides basic fruit (I guess I’ve trained her well). So we may have to skip the cake for her this year and do something simple like popsicles (fine with me!!). But I’ve got time to figure that out.

New Recipes!

Are you anxious for some new recipes? I’ve got some in the works. And hopefully I’ll have time to experiment with them now that we aren’t so busy. My goal is to get back on track with Kids Cook Real Food so my kids can start experimenting too!

Results are In!

Last week we got the results from the HTMAs we did. I can’t even explain how excited I am. But I have to wait a few weeks for our consults to really dig into the info and have a plan of action. On a positive note I was so, so, so happy to see that my toddler is in the normal range on almost everything!! All of our hard work to get her back to full health has been paying off!! She is seriously the most amazing eater now (follow along on Instagram to see her snacks and meals). God is good.

Now for the food. Here is our picky eaters meal plan. We do have a couple nights of quick/easy meals again. But we still keep it real. What’s on your menu?

Sunday
B – cereal, smoothies
L – crockpot roast turkey, rice, broccoli
D – grilled brats and sausage, jello, peas, chips
prep: kids make jello
notes:

Monday
B – yogurt, granola bars
D – sloppy joes, french fries, beans
prep: boil eggs
notes: prep ahead dinner

Tuesday
B – hard boiled eggs, toast, fruit
D – ring balogna, cheese, crackers, veggies with hummus, jello
prep: make hummus
notes: early, light, prep ahead dinner

Wednesday
B – bagel with cream cheese
D – salmon cakes, rice, squash
prep: prep smoothies
notes: make mayo

Thursday
B – toast with sunbutter, smoothies
D – cheese quiche, roasted cabbage, pearsauce
prep:
notes:

Friday
B – yogurt, granola bar
D – sunbutter sandwiches, olives, clementines
prep: bake bread
notes: packed dinner

Saturday
B – scrambled eggs, toast
D – grilled burgers, beans, roasted potatoes
prep:
notes:

May 9, 2017

Simple Steps Towards Mom Self-Care plus a Quick Vegetable Dip Recipe

Do you make mom self-care a priority or do you put yourself at the bottom of the to-do list? Here are simple steps to make mom matter!

I’ve been mom-wired for as long as I can remember. I wanted to play with dolls all day every day from the time I was very little. I dreamed about nursing babies instead of being a princess. I loved to make food for my siblings and their friends and would even clean up after them. I was always willing to help around the house. I would just sit in the kitchen and watch my mom bake because it fascinated me.

Real Mom Life

I can’t say a whole lot has changed since then. I now have three kids of my own. I still love to cook for them and take care of them. It’s fun to dress them in cute clothes and do fun activities with them.

My writing is much the same. It focuses on feeding kids nourishing food and working through picky eating and allergies. All of my recipes have to be kid-approved. I even wrote two books about feeding kids (check them out here)!

Putting Mom Last?

You may have noticed that one thing has been left out of all of this…myself. Yes, I am just like so many other moms. I put myself at the bottom of my to-do list.

As I write this post I’m starting day seven of my husband being out of town. With a house and farm to care for, three kids to feed and tend to, lots of activities and home schooling I bet you can imagine how much time is left to think about myself (next to none).

Mom Life Rocks!

I don’t say any of this to take pity on myself. It’s actually quite the opposite! I love my life. I wouldn’t change it for the world. But sometimes (ok, almost all the time) I forget that mom needs care too.

Over the last few months I have finally made it my goal to really focus on my health and making nourishing food a priority (i.e. sardines, liver and spinach for breakfast!!). It has been amazing to see my health continue to improve (even after 2 1/2 years of breastfeeding on a very restricted diet that left me worn out and depleted). I actually feel better now than I ever have. It’s a good thing since my life requires a lot of energy!

How Body Shape Fluctuates After Childbirth

Along with the health changes have come changes in my body shape. For a while now I’ve been in a constant state of exhaustion and adrenal fatigue. This leads to skinny legs and booty with weight in the belly. Plus you lose muscle. For this once fit and active woman it was strange…but eventually became my normal. My husband and I even joked that I seemed to loose more booty and gain more belly with each child (now I know that is from being so run down)!

But as my health has been reversing back to balanced hormones and fully rested my weight is shifting back to the places it should be. I have a figure again! And now my clothes don’t fit (especially pants!).

What’s the Problem?

Yet one thing I still never do for myself is buy new clothes. Although it sounds trivial, when you’re wearing old yoga pants and ten year old t-shirts with holes in the armpits every day, it really doesn’t make you feel so great about how you look. It impacts your self esteem. And your kids notice. But it’s about all I have that fits.

You can imagine my excitement when I had the opportunity to partner with Stonyfield Yogurt and prAna again. I’ve worked with them in the past to help me figure out my style and learn to embrace bold. This time I combined both my love of simplicity and my need for bold colors with this royal blue dress. It fits perfectly with prAna’s celebration of #TheWholeYou. This dress is ALL me.

From the moment I pulled it out of the box I knew it would be one of my favorite pieces of clothing. Sometimes I get caught up in budgets and kids’ needs and forget that I have needs to. I am always willing to go without. I forget that a few simple pieces of clothing that actually fit and make me feel good can make a world of difference in my attitude and my confidence.

How to Make Time for Self Care

I want to encourage you to do something today to take care of yourself. Whether it be taking a walk alone, meeting a friend for coffee and having uninterrupted adult conversations, finishing that book that’s been half read for months, taking a yoga class, going on a date with your spouse or buying a new outfit that really makes you feel good.

Moms often forget that they have needs too. I don’t know about you, but I need a reminder once in a while (or maybe all the time) to not always put myself last. A happy, healthy mom is better able to care for her family and help create a happy, healthy home.

Mom Wardrobe Inspiration

I’ve got TWO ways to take mom off the bottom of the to-do list today.

First, check out prAna and buy yourself something nice. Seriously, their clothes are AMAZING. So comfortable and good quality. If you’re like me that is so important since I don’t buy new clothes often. It has to last.

Easy Homemade Vegetable Dip

Second I’ve got a yummy treat for you (though you can share if you want – my kids sure love it…there I go again, handing over my food to my kids). I LOVE vegetables. I always have. But I like raw veggies even more with dip. You can make this super simple dip in about sixty seconds. Jazz up your veggies with something delicious and do your body a favor with nourishing foods. It’s a win-win.

All those great vitamins in vegetables need fat for absorption. So Stonyfield full fat Greek yogurt makes the perfect base. Add some seasoning and you’ve got a great snack or addition to your lunch.

60 Second Veggie Dip

2017-05-06 13:46:35

Serves 4

A quick and nutritious veggie dip using Greek yogurt.

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Ingredients

1 cup Stonyfield whole milk Greek yogurt
1/8 tsp. unrefined sea salt
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion salt
3/4 tsp. dried dill weed
(optional: 1/2 tsp. desiccated liver)
(optional: 1/4 tsp. turmeric)

Instructions

Combine all of the ingredients. Add more garlic or onion if desired.
Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Notes

You can substitute sour cream for the yogurt
This is great as a vegetable dip, chip dip or topping for tacos or nachos.

By Mary - justtakeabite.com

Just Take A Bite https://justtakeabite.com/

What are you doing today for some mom self-care? I’d love to hear how you make time for yourself! I have a lot to learn.

I am working with Stonyfield Yogurt and prAna on this post. I have been compensated for my time commitment but all opinions are my own.

May 7, 2017

Real Food Meal Plan for Picky Eaters Week of May 7, 2017

This week’s real food meal plan for picky eaters includes grilled cheese, meatballs and waffles. Plus another special birthday celebration. We’ll soon have a six-year old in the house!

We made it! Well, almost. My husband has been out of town since last Sunday. We are all more than ready to have him home (tonight!!). Doing double duty for a week sure has worn me out.

Happy Birthday…Again!

But no rest for the weary. My son turns six on Tuesday! So it’s back to the kitchen to bake a special cake. We’re trying some natural food coloring so we’ll see how it goes. He really wants a blue dog on his cake. He also wants grilled cheese for his birthday dinner so I need to bake another loaf of bread.

Thankfully after this week most of our regular activities are done for the year. I am so excited for a slower pace for a while. Especially since the farm work is just starting to ramp up!

Now for the food. It’s back to normal meals this week with Daddy home. Here is our real food meal plan for picky eaters. What’s on your menu?

Sunday
B – hard boiled egg, toast
L – roast beef, potatoes, carrots
D – tacos, roasted cabbage
prep: bake bread, bake cake
notes:

Monday
B – yogurt, granola bars
D – beef vegetable soup, crackers with cheese
prep: make frosting, soak oats
notes: prep ahead dinner

Tuesday
B – oatmeal with blueberries
D – grilled cheese, roasted cauliflower and brussels sprouts, fruit salad (Birthday dinner request)
prep: decorate cake, prep smoothies
notes:

Wednesday
B – toast with sunbutter, smoothies
D – crockpot pork chops, rice, beans
prep:
notes: prep ahead dinner

Thursday
B – cereal, fruit
D – meatballs, buttered noodles, broccoli
prep:
notes:

Friday
B – yogurt, granola bars
D – ring balogna, cheese, crackers, veggies with dip, clementines
prep: chop veggies, make hummus
notes: dinner at t-ball game

Saturday
B – scrambled eggs, toast, fruit
D – waffles, bacon, roasted cauliflower
prep:
notes:

May 1, 2017

Penguin Parfait and a Trip to the Zoo!

Want to make science fun? Spend a day at the zoo learning about your favorite animals. Top it off with a delicious penguin parfait!

My kids are true animal lovers. Just one more reason we moved to the country to start our own farm a few months ago!! But it’s not just farm animals. They are fascinated by just about any animal.

Science In Action

This is our first year homeschooling…and we chose to study land animals for science. They really, truly love animals! So when I heard that Stonyfield Yogurt was promoting World Penguin Day and Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Saving Animals from Extinction (SAFE) program I knew we had to see what it was all about.

We took a trip to our local zoo (John Ball Zoo) to see the penguins up close. I’ve been going to JBZ ever since I was little. Whenever I visited my grandparents they took us to the zoo, and we each got a balloon. It is one of the best (and only) memories I have of my grandparents (I was very little). But I cherish those memories. And I love that I get to take my own kids to John Ball now!

As luck would have it when we walked into the zoo they were just about to feed the penguins. So we hurried right over and got to see penguins swimming all over and enjoying fish. My kids thought it was great.

The fun didn’t end there. We spent the rest of the morning exploring tigers, bongos, spider monkeys, goats, chickens, chimpanzees and more. My animal-loving kids could have stayed all day. They really had fun on the new funicular. And, of course, we took a snack break and enjoyed some Stonyfield yogurt!

Penguin Fun

We can’t wait to go back to the zoo again this summer when we have more time to explore and more animals are active. But leaving the zoo didn’t put an end to our celebration of World Penguin Day.

At home we went on a waddle walk to see just how hard it would be to walk miles and miles like penguins do. The kids were out of breath after waddling across the yard. I don’t know how the penguins do it!

Later that day we watched some videos about penguins and learned about Emperor Penguins by watching Planet Earth. The kids were glued to the tv, fascinated by how the male penguins care for the eggs and wait for the females to return with food.

A Special Yogurt Treat

In honor of all of our Penguin Day fun we decided to make a special snack – a penguin parfait! This fun treat is easy to make and reminds us to do our part in keeping wildlife safe. I combined Stonyfield yogurt with tummy calming activated charcoal to create a black and white parfait you can enjoy for breakfast, lunch or a snack.

Yogurt has a great balance of sodium to potassium which is great for your heart! This parfait also contains a nice mix of protein, fat and carbohydrates. Activated charcoal is my go-to supplement for settling tummies after an illness or an allergic reaction. I sometimes give it to my kids to help with gentle detox as well. It’s great for tummy maintenance once in a while. So this parfait is more than just a delicious treat. It’s filled with nutrition too.

I encourage you to help your kids explore and discover God’s beautiful creation. Take a trip to your local zoo and learn about the animals and how you can help protect them (don’t forget you can earn FREE zoo tickets when you buy Stonyfield yogurt!). Then enjoy a penguin parfait!

Penguin Parfait

2017-04-29 13:19:21

Serves 2

A simple yogurt parfait to celebrate World Penguin Day.

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Ingredients

1 cup full fat plain creamy or greek-style yogurt
2 Tbsp. honey or maple syrup
1 capsule activated charcoal (260 mg)
1 medium-size ripe banana, halved and sliced
2 Tbsp. mini chocolate chips

Instructions

In a bowl combine the yogurt, honey and charcoal. Mix until charcoal is fully distributed.
Divide the yogurt between two cups.
Top the yogurt with a layer of banana slices and 1 Tbsp. chocolate chips per cup.

Notes

You can replace the yogurt + honey with two YoKids yogurt in your favorite flavor.

By Mary Voogt - justtakeabite.com

Just Take A Bite https://justtakeabite.com/

I am working with Stonyfield Yogurt on this post. I was compensated for my time but all opinions expressed are my own.

April 30, 2017

Real Food Meal Plan for Picky Eaters Week of April 30, 2017

This week’s real food meal plan for picky eaters includes salmon cakes, guacamole and waffles. What could be better?! Life is getting busy on the farm so it’s easy, nourishing meals all week long.

It’s almost May…hopefully that means the rain ends soon and we get lots of sun!! We’re ready for more May flowers.

Let the Farming Begin!

This is an exciting week as we just moved our chickens outside to their coop. The garden is well under way too. It’s actually starting to feel like a working farm! And we’re all loving it.

We’ve got another busy, but fun week. We’re taking a little train ride and checking out a new home school co-op. The kids are very excited.

No Picky Eaters?

I’m trying to be a little creative in the kitchen this week with some different meals. I’m putting my “not picky eaters” to the test. Will they like liverwurst and lentils for dinner? We’ll see!

If you haven’t grabbed your copy of the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle do it today! After tomorrow it’s GONE. Over $2,000 worth of resources and bonuses for less than $30. It really doesn’t get any better.

Have a blessed week with lots of nourishing food. What’s on your menu? Anything new or exciting?

Sunday
B – toast with sunbutter, smoothies
L – crockpot roast chicken, rice, peas
D – avocado chicken salad, peppers and cucumbers with dip
prep: make graham crackers, bake bread
notes:

Monday
B – yogurt, granola, fruit
D – squash and sausage soup, muffins
prep:
notes: prep ahead dinner

Tuesday
B – scrambled eggs, toast, fruit
D – salmon cakes, roasted cauliflower and Brussels sprouts
prep: make hummus
notes:

Wednesday
B – salmon, roasted cauliflower
D – black eye peas, liverwurst, rice, spinach
prep:
notes:

Thursday
B – toast with sunbutter, smoothies
D – red lentil soup, crackers with cheese
prep:
notes:

Friday
B – yogurt, granola bars
D – sausage, chips with guacamole, clementines
prep:
notes: dinner at t-ball game

Saturday
B – fried eggs, toast, avocado
D – waffles, bacon, roasted cabbage
prep:
notes:

April 25, 2017

World Penguin Day is Here!

We’re celebrating something special today – World Penguin Day! We’re taking a waddle walk and heading to the zoo to check out some penguins in person.

Have you heard of World Penguin Day? It’s today!

Learn Something New.

As a home schooling family it’s exciting to learn about unique events like World Penguin Day and to take the time to learn what it’s about. Studying penguins is on our agenda for today (and you’ll hear about our trip to the zoo to see the penguins soon!). My toddler will be so excited. She loves penguins.

April 25 is approximately when penguins migrate north. Maybe I’ll take my kids for a waddle walk north and see how long it takes us to go just a few steps!

Good Stewards.

I also want my kids to understand how important it is to support conservation efforts for majestic animals like penguins, part of God’s beautiful creation.

I’m thankful there are good companies like Stonyfield Yogurt helping these efforts.

Stonyfield YoKids is sponsoring the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Saving Animals from Extinction (SAFE) program; together on a mission to help save endangered species. As part of a year-long effort, Stonyfield will not only be contributing funds to field work but aiming to drive kids and their families to see animals and conservation projects first hand at zoos, aquariums, and on the ground where research is happening.

Get in on the Action!

You can tune in LIVE to a fun event where you get to meet endangered African Penguins at the Mystic Aquarium. Tune in HERE.

This year the African penguin will be featured on Stonyfield YoKids packages in addition to a special offer to get FREE tickets to your local zoo!

If you need another fun activity to help celebrate World Penguin Day with your kids check out these funny videos of kids answering the question, “Can a cow save a penguin?”

Get outside for a waddle walk and do your part to take care of God’s good creation. Show the penguins some love. How will you help support the penguins?

I am working with Stonyfield Yogurt on this post. I was compensated for my time but all opinions expressed are my own.

April 24, 2017

How to Handle Food Allergies When You’re Not at Home

Cooking for a family with allergies is manageable, though sometimes challenging. What happens when you leave the comfort of your own kitchen? How do you handle food allergies then?

It is very common in the world of real food to be on some type of restricted diet. Whether it be paleo, AIP, keto, GAPS, low FODMAP or another healing diet. Then there are those who have to avoid certain foods due to allergies. Either way it makes eating somewhere other than your own home challenging.

What Can You Do?

The easiest solution is to always eat at home. But let’s be realistic. There will be times that you have to eat out or get an invitation from a friend to have dinner together or even eat with family. In order to avoid going hungry or appearing rude you need to take measures to ensure there is safe food for you and your family.

I deal with it all the time. My family has dealt with a myriad of allergies over the last few years. This is in addition to trying restricted healing diets. We even did have a stretch where we didn’t eat at a restaurant for over a year because there were just too many severe allergies. But I’ve learned how to live with food restrictions and still eat somewhere other than my own home. Here are some simple coping strategies to make this task easier.

Eating at a Restaurant Tips:

Choose a restaurant with an actual chef. They can accommodate almost any request.
Ask for your food plain. Most restaurants have chicken breast and broccoli. They can even cook it in water to avoid unhealthy or unsafe fats.
Choose meals with individual components (meat, vegetable, starch) instead of mixed foods like pasta and burritos.
Order a few sides instead of a main dish. A baked potato, salad and a vegetable makes a good meal.
Don’t be afraid to bring your own food. A salad is a great grain free option. Simply bring a small bottle of your own dressing to make it healthy. I often bring extra raw vegetables for my kids to add to their meals since restaurants have a limited selection and they are sometimes prepackaged with unsafe fats.
Speak up! It’s not always easy, but in my experience most restaurants do their best to accommodate special dietary needs. My little secret? Regardless of why you have to avoid the food I always say it’s an allergy. They’re more likely to respond well to an allergy request than an “I don’t eat that” request.

Eating with Friends or Family Tips:

Ask for the menu ahead of time. Let your host know you have allergies and you want to be sure there are safe foods. It’s much easier to work through the details in advance than showing up and having to decline everything offered.
Offer to bring a component of the meal. If grains are the problem you can offer to bring homemade bread or rolls that are safe. Maybe you want to be sure there will be plenty of vegetables. Offer to bring a salad or roasted vegetables. Bring something safe so there will be at least one thing you can eat.
Eat a light snack before you go. Then even if there are limited options you won’t go hungry. Enjoy what you can eat and focus on enjoying time with friends. Don’t draw attention to the food.
Be the host. This is usually my default. I’m glad I like to cook! Since my kids are the ones with allergies I try to take the responsibility of hosting and preparing special food.
Speak up! This applies to friends and families just as it does to restaurants. Most people are more than happy to accommodate special diets. If it’s someone I don’t know well I still always call any food restrictions allergies.

It’s Just Food.

Food restrictions tend to cause me anxiety. Sometimes the most important thing is to remember it’s just food. It’s just one meal. Focus on the conversation and the company. Know that most people want to help and are more than happy to make special accommodations for you. It may take a little courage, but you can work around food allergies without being stuck at home. Then you can turn around and be a blessing to someone else when it’s your turn to host. It’s always my first question when I invite someone over for a meal – do you have any special dietary needs? When the host starts the conversation, it makes the whole process easier for everyone.

There is no need to shy away from family gatherings or a special meal out when dealing with special dietary needs. Simply follow these tips to make it an enjoyable experience for everyone!

Looking Ahead

Summer Cooking School

Time for a Plan!

Here is our real food meal plan for picky eaters for the week. Some grilling, some staple recipes and more experimenting. What’s on your menu?

Make it Real

Quick and Easy

Are you thinking summer already? Give this bananas foster ice cream a try. What’s your favorite flavor?

New Recipes

Here is our real food meal plan for picky eaters. What’s on your menu this week? Trying anything new?

Bye Bye Birthday

New Recipes!

Results are In!

Now for the food. Here is our picky eaters meal plan. We do have a couple nights of quick/easy meals again. But we still keep it real. What’s on your menu?

Real Mom Life

Putting Mom Last?

Mom Life Rocks!

How Body Shape Fluctuates After Childbirth

What’s the Problem?

How to Make Time for Self Care

Mom Wardrobe Inspiration

Easy Homemade Vegetable Dip

What are you doing today for some mom self-care? I’d love to hear how you make time for yourself! I have a lot to learn.

Happy Birthday…Again!

Now for the food. It’s back to normal meals this week with Daddy home. Here is our real food meal plan for picky eaters. What’s on your menu?

Science In Action

Penguin Fun

A Special Yogurt Treat

Let the Farming Begin!

No Picky Eaters?

Have a blessed week with lots of nourishing food. What’s on your menu? Anything new or exciting?

Learn Something New.

Good Stewards.

Get in on the Action!

Get outside for a waddle walk and do your part to take care of God’s good creation. Show the penguins some love. How will you help support the penguins?

What Can You Do?

Eating at a Restaurant Tips:

Eating with Friends or Family Tips:

It’s Just Food.

How do you cope with special diets when you’re not at home? Do you have any tips to add to the list?

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