Lotsa "kisses" going around today! It's St. Patrick's Day! (And yes, I am actually Irish. I am not faking that lol) ♣
Today I was reading a couple of articles online and I started thinking, ALLERGIES! Not tree pollen and pet dander but food allergies (I love food. Can you tell?). So today is more of a public service announcement.
People who's children have actual food allergies are a little hard core when it comes to things like cross contamination, hidden sources for that allergy, what you serve at your home for food. Here are a few little statistics and info bits to stew over while snacking or sipping on one of my previous recipes :)
• Just because you "washed" something does not mean the allergen does not exist on that dish/utensil anymore.
•It takes 1/44,000th of a drop of peanut oil to cause an anaphylactic reaction in someone who is allergic to peanuts. That is inconceivable to the human eye. Too small to see or taste or comprehend.
•Steak knives, bread knives and anything with a seraded edge is GREAT for hiding allergens and bacteria... better soak those puppies in some bleach/soap/water mixture before scrubbing.
•Cutting mats are bacteria cesspools! Replace them every 3-6 months. Really.
•Change your sponge for dishes! I mean it! Buy a 12 pack for a buck and use a new one every time you do dishes! It isn't very environmentally friendly but neither is the bio hazard waste that is accumulated when you end up i the hospital over something that could have been prevented. Not only are the sponges gross after a use or two... they easy trap little microscopic amounts of food in them and BOOM cross contamination can happen! It sounds insane but, it happens.
•If you use a toaster for bread with wheat or milk in it, you can not use that same toaster for GF or CF or GFCF bread. Ever. The bread sticks to the grill inside, cross contamination will happen! Every bloody time!
•There is dairy, nuts, soy, wheat, ALLERGENS hiding in everything! Lac = milk so does Whey, Skim Milk, Milk ingredients, Cheese, Cheese powders, Lactic Acid, Lactylate, Lactate... all of these would send my child over the edge! And they are in chips, crackers, some juices, vitamins, cakes, baking mixes, margarines, food spreads, deli meats, sausages, hot dogs, frozen foods, fries... I could go on for days. Reading labels is not always good enough. Some more education into what chemical based ingredients are is KEY!
•When in doubt, SO OLD SCHOOL! Cook a roast with the carrots, potatoes and onions in the pot with the roast! Natural flavor with NO CONTAMINATION! YAY!
Many spices and seasoning "blends" are contaminated with allergens. Salt and Pepper to taste is usually (but not always) safest. This dinner though, is 99% of the time SAFE for all who aren't vegan (that's another post though lol)
•Yes, I bring my own foods alot! Some people will be offended but trust me on this! They will be way MORE offended when you or your child end up puking on their floor due to an allergic reaction or having a reaction while still at the dinner table.
•Learn to cook and have the dinners and potlucks and events at your house! It would be easier in the long run and true friends would go out of their way to help you out, others can go straight to hades :) If they don't "get" it they can find others to play with.
•When in doubt, look it up! This is a great site to find out what is safer (nothing is 100%) when eating out! Whatcha got in that burger?
•Last but not least. What you eat stays with you. It's in your mouth and on your lips. If you wiped your hands on your shirt or dropped some well, it's there too! Always think before you hug and kiss or shake hands. WASH your hands, hand sanitizer is great and all but washing is best with LOTS of soap and warm water!
Now just air kiss your Irish friends and fam today :) ♣
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