https://www.godairyfree.org/news/
nutrition-headlines/the-dairy-free-choc-
olate-easter-bunny-and-more-round-up-
updated-annually
If your child is allergic to eggs, a
fun alternative is hollow plastic eggs.
They’re inexpensive, reusable, and
perfect for holding little prizes. We hid
them around the house and yard and let
the kids run around scooping them up.
As the older cousins joined in, we made
the hunt more intriguing, putting clues
into each color-coded-by-age egg. Each
egg gave a successive clue leading to the
next. The final clue told the young detec-
tives where their basket could be found.
Another challenge we had was find-
ing an alternative to decorating eggs be-
cause my son was allergic to eggs. Lo-
cal (and online) craft stores have light-
weight, inexpensive wooden eggs. They
are perfect for decorating, and used after
for play time.
Other fun alternatives for your basket:
E
aster season is my favorite
celebration. From the beauty
of the message, to the décor
of spring and new life, I have fond mem-
ories from my own childhood and those
passed on to our children.
When our child had multiple food
allergies, we also had a few challenges
to overcome, many of which gave birth
to this column. Because he was allergic
to wheat, our son could not fully partake
in Holy Communion at church. That’s
not usually something people think
about when they hear wheat allergy, but
for those who have this allergy or gluten
intolerance, it is no small matter.
Then comes the basket — filled
with decorated eggs and fun chocolate
shapes — that made a home crafter out
of this gal who has absolutely no craft
skill whatsoever. Happily, there are now
many more choices for allergy-reduced
delightful chocolates and other treats
than when my child was little. Here are
a just a few ideas…
No Whey! Foods has an ador-
able variety of seasonal products, from
78 WNY Family April 2019
Healthy foods like mini-bags of
mini-carrots
bunnies to filled eggs. According to
their website they are 100% Milk Free,
Peanut Free, Tree Nut Free, Gluten
Free, Egg Free, Soy Free, No Artifi-
cial Colors and Flavors! Free of the
common eight allergens! Vegan and
Kosher! www.nowheychocolate.com/
veganchocolateeaster_s/136.htm
Enjoy Life Foods makes a lot more
than candy. We found their dairy free
rice milk Christmas minis at local stores
this year — adorable and delicious.
Their products are free-from gluten and
14 common allergens: wheat, peanuts,
tree nuts, dairy, casein, soy, egg, sesame,
sulfites, lupin, mustard, fish, shellfish,
and crustaceans. https://enjoylifefoods.
com/
As usual, Alisa Fleming has done an
excellent job on her site Go Dairy Free
of providing many options and helpful
in depth reviews. Her site is a treasure
trove of information, and practical “eat
this, not that” — so beneficial before
spending money on alternative products.
Below is the link for Easter candy, up-
dated annually.
Stickers
Pencils
Little games or crafts
Small stuffed animals
Egg shaped chalk
Age appropriate books that re-
mind our children why this time
of year is about more than bun-
nies and treats.
For a copy of our column for mak-
ing homemade chocolates, email aller-
[email protected].
If you have any questions about
our column, e-mail Kathy at allergy@
roadrunner.com. For further information
about food allergies, contact FARE www.
foodallergy.org, or call 1-800-929-4040.
Kathy Lundquist is a Western New York
parent whose son, now an adult, was born
with severe food allergies. Over the last
two decades, she has worked tirelessly, in
a variety of capacities, to increase com-
munity awareness about food allergies.