Making Valentine’s Day Special with Food Allergies: Free Download

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I’ve said it before, but one of my main goals of motherhood is to create a childhood that feels magical and special and to curate an environment that yields openness and creativity. Holidays have a good bit of all of that magic and wonder built in, but what happens when the food that is a big part of a celebration could make your child sick (or worse)? I mourn a little of the easy normalcy of special treats quite often with our two year old. Going to Krispy Kreme for a donut and milk, baking those frozen patterned sugar cookies with holiday characters on them, getting a cookie at the grocery store bakery when shopping: none of those are safe options. Fortunately, there are a million alternatives to the things our son can’t have, but it does sting a little when everything has to be homemade or a few steps more complicated. 

Sadness aside, I do consider it a true honor to help our home celebrate holidays and milestones and to play whatever size part in making the memories that my family will look back on with fondness.Valentine’s Day is one of my absolute favorite holidays; it’s low pressure (if you make it so!), full of color, and easy to celebrate (because who doesn’t love somebody?)

Because it’s one of those holidays that can sneak up on you, especially after the Christmas/New Year season, I have a few tips and tricks on making it special:

  1. Plan ahead: As a food allergy family, planning is the name of the game. Long gone are the days of running into the Publix deli to grab cupcakes or swinging by Starbucks to grab a cake pop. Instead, it takes prep. I am a natural planner and live by my paper calendar, so I’ll make sure that I have any specialty ingredients purchased well in advance of a known holiday to be able to make a few treats or memories on the fly. We keep vegan butter, coconut oil, egg replacer, and apple sauce on hand for baking, and seasonal sprinkles are always stocked in our pantry. If I know we are celebrating a holiday with family or friends, I communicate with the host to know what may be served; I then make a treat that is equivalent to one being served and pack it with us so that our Sully can safely enjoy something fun, too.
  2. Don’t overthink it: Really…stop overthinking it! The magic of childhood is that anything and everything can be special as long as there is love and attention put in it. It’s as simple as throwing some rainbow sprinkles into a yogurt and calling it a special treat. Sully LOVES sprinkles, so we add them to oatmeal or yogurt or peanut butter toast. Cut your snacks into different shapes and brand them as something else: heart shaped toast, smiley faces added to rice cakes, etc! Whatever you come up with, your kid will surely love!
  3. Use non-food items to make the moment special: Sometimes, time or energy just aren’t in stock. I get it! Reading ingredient labels to find a new treat or baking up a safe batch of something is just not happening. No worries!  Think of ways to make the serving of normal, safe, everyday food just a little more special. Instead of serving a meal with a regular setting, cut a large heart from construction paper to put under a plate as a placemat. Light a candle on the table and call it a fancy dinner. Anything can be special with a little flare!
  4. Spread holiday love: A fun part of being a food allergy family is sharing our food and recipes with others. My husband especially loves making vegan food that tastes really close to “normal” food and surprising people by telling them it doesn’t have butter, eggs, or cheese. Before having Sully, vegan food or any specialty diet food was a hard “no” for me, but now that it has become our normal, I find it quite tasty and want others to know that despite the extra time and ingredients, our food life is similar to theirs. This Valentine’s Day, we are making vegan donuts and dropping them off to friends!

Here is a link to our favorite vegan donuts: VEGAN CINNAMON SUGAR DONUTS. The recipe is easy enough to include your toddler and kids in the making of it, and with a label, it’s instantly festive! You can also download a FREE donut valentines label to attach to any treats you may make or buy by clicking on the image attached!

 

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Leigh Ann Parker
Leigh Ann Parker is a recovering self-declared non-domestic woman passionate about creating an environment where her husband (Cody) and son (Sully) feel loved and supported. While that should probably look like a home-cooked meal or a clean house, it is usually through a dance party, made-up game, or delivery pizza. A former elementary teacher and technology integration specialist, now stay-at-home mom, she spends her time building memories through play, creating digital resources for families, and getting as many smiles from her Sully as possible. Motherhood has brought Leigh Ann more joy than she could have ever imagined, both in the biggest and smallest of ways!