Crying in the grocery store is frowned upon, but I’ve done my fair share. Once we knew the scope of our son’s food allergies, most of our pantry staples had to go, and we were back to square one with shopping. Brands we grabbed without thinking were no longer safe; the ease of grocery shopping based on what looked good was no longer an option. Going to the grocery store with an almost-toddler was already a heck of a trip, but adding in stopping at every single box and reading the label – it overwhelmed me tremendously. I definitely had a few mini-meltdowns those first few trips. It’s taken some time, but grocery shopping is much simpler now that we know which brands and products are safe and allergy-friendly for our boy.
If you are new to the food allergy world, let me encourage you! No matter which allergies your child may have, there are options out there! It takes diligence, patience, and a little creativity, but you can do it, Mama!
Where to Shop:
One of the ways we started finding allergy-safe brands was through Thrive Market online. The company has an app and website, and it’s easy to shop because you can filter by allergy or type of diet you want. If it weren’t for Thrive, I would have had a much more difficult time at the store because stopping to read labels was overwhelming. On each product, they have all of the certifications and exclusions to ingredients, making it simple to know if it’s allergy-safe for your particular allergies. We still get a monthly box from Thrive, but many of the brands are also in our local stores. It was just a huge help to become familiar with the boxes and labels in the comfort of my home first.
For us, we have the most luck at Publix and Kroger for options in person. Wal Mart and other grocery stores have a few things, but to me, they aren’t organized in a way that makes it simple to find. I’m sure if you have a Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s, you have many options!
Ways We Make It Fun:
-add “sprinkles” (chia seeds, flax seeds, pepper, everything bagel seasoning)
-serve in a different containers like muffin tins or a new plate
-eat somewhere out of the ordinary and call it a picnic
-cut things into different shapes
Processed/Prepackaged Foods: Our Favorite Allergy-Friendly Choices: (**not all of these are free of the major 8 allergens; please always double check labels! I’ve included links to the websites so that you can check them out before shopping.**)
Enjoy Life chocolate chips, cookies, and bars
Hippeas Puffs
Violife vegan cheese
Nature’s Bakery Fig Bar
Siete tortillas
So Delicious yogurt
Good Thins crackers
Our Go-To Snacks:
A lot of these are major 8 free, but if not, there are often times a substitute
(gluten free tortilla, substituting almond butter for peanut butter, regular yogurt instead of coconut based, etc.)
