Wednesday, January 28, 2009

It DOES get easier, promise

We have been doing this allergen-free diet for 5 months now and it is really starting to feel like second nature. It's so ingrained in me to flip over a new food and read (AND RECOGNIZE - YEAY) ingredients to avoid. I love that things are feeling normal to me, even as abnormal as they would be for many others. It goes to show you that stepping away from your comfort zone and pushing yourself beyond what you THINK you are capable of can force you to grow. What conjured up fears and anxiety just 5 short months ago, now feels like second nature. I couldn't even imagine things any other way! In fact, the other day, we considered letting Grayson eat some rice, since we know he did ok with a bit of rice flour in a GFCF brownie, but after a momentary pause by Dave and I....we said, "naaaah, why bother, we have so much else to offer him." Not to mention, the foods he eats on a regular basis now are healthier for him and they have shaped his current flavor palate, why interfere with that? Besides, if a kid gets a flavor of something s/he once craved (rice was not one of those for Grayson anyway) you are opening the door for new battles. He is so used to eating specific foods and every morning, he watches me eat wheat toast with coconut oil on top. He takes note, mentions that I am having toast that he can't have, and moves on like it's no big deal. He handles his limitations wonderfully and since we started this so early, I know we will never have problems with him feeling like he is missing out on something. We are learning to duplicate things that other kids can have, like cookies, muffins (he thinks they are cupcakes, he he he), frostings, and even some (although dense) breads! We are getting there and he is happy. Happy child = happy mommy!

I belong to the Yahoo GFCF group (http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/GFCFKids/) and am SO glad to be a part of such a diverse, knowledgeable, and caring group of people! I learn more through them than I learn anywhere else. I am thrilled to also be a part of a product trial with a member who is creating her own GFCF (and many more allergen-free) line of mixes. She mailed the sample boxes out two days ago and I am all but wringing my hands when the mail comes, hoping to find that gem of a box on my doorstep! I'm like a kid in a candy store waiting for the package, I can't wait to get started with a possible product that will be tasty for Grayson and easy for mommy! It will eliminate the need for always baking from scratch and I will give my left arm (I need my right) to anyone who can do this for us! I don't even know entirely what we will be testing, but I will be happy with anything. I will update when we have received it! I hope to have a great new product to recommend to you all. That same Yahoo member (Chef Amy, as I know her) provided our group with a list of GFCF candies to consider for Valentines Day and Easter, so I thought I would share it here:

Gluten/Casein-free candies

*Smarties are Gluten and Casein free and no chance of cross contamination of
GFCF made on their own line, and no soy. Smarties candy necklace may contain
Gluten, be careful.

*Skittles are GFCF

*Starburst are GFCF

*Tootsie Rolls - The only GFCF products are dots, cotton candy and double
bubble.
*These products all have casein in them, but are Gluten free:
Tootsie Rolls, Tootsie Pops, Crows, Charms Jr Mints, Charleston Chews,
Cella's Andes, Sugar Babies, Sugar Daddy,

*The following is a list of U.S. Wrigley products that are free of any
wheat, oat, rye or barley gluten:
Wrigley's Spearmint® gum, Freedent® gum, Doublemint® gum, Extra®
gum, Big Red® gum, Eclipse® gum, Juicy Fruit® gum, Winterfresh® gum, Orbit® gum,
Orbit® White gum, Hubba Bubba® gum, Altoids® Sours, Altoids® Mints, Altoids®
Gum, Lifesavers® and Cremesavers®. All of these products are Dairy free except
for Cremesavers and Altoids with the dark chocolate, all the rest are Casein
free.

*Just Born, Mike and Ike's candy, Sours and Hot Tamales are Gluten and Casein
free.
All their products are casein free except for peanut chews and anything
with chocolate.

*Farley's & Sathers Candy Company - Heide®, Jujyfruits®, Now and Later®, Super
Bubble®, Rain-Blo®, Fruit Stripe®, Sweet Stripes®, Bobs®, Trolli®, and the
rights to sell Chuckles® under license.
Super bubble is GFCF. It may have egg in the product. Now and Later candy is
GFCF but could have egg in the product.
Juicy fruits in the theatre size is GF. Could have cross contamination
with milk, wheat, soy. Rainbow gum is GF.

*Wonka Inc -
Almost all of the current WONKA candies are gluten free, except the
WONKA® Bar. However, we strongly recommend that consumers always read the
ingredient statement for the most current information.

*If a WONKA product is certified Kosher, the certification mark will be on the
packaging label. Please look for an O with a U in it. If the
product contains dairy, there will be a D next to it.

*Buttons below to explore all the exciting flavors -
Wonka® Bottle Caps® The Soda Pop Candy®
Wonka® Gobstopper Everlasting GOBSTOPPER®
Chewy GOBSTOPPER®
Wonka® Runts Fruit RUNTS®
Chewy RUNTS®
Wonka® Laffy Taffy® LAFFY TAFFY®
Sparkle Jerry Cherry
Wonka® Laffy Taffy® Rope Candy LAFFY TAFFY® Banana Rope
Wonka® Lik-M-Aid® Fun Dip Original LIK-M-AID® FUN DIP
Wonka® Mixups® Assorted MIXUPS®
Chewy MIXUPS®
Sour MIXUPS®
Wonka® Nerds®
Wonka® Pixy Stix®
Wonka® SweeTARTS® Giant Chewy SweeTARTS
Giant Color Changing SweeTARTS
Mini Chewy SweeTARTS
SweeTARTS
SweeTARTS Gummy Bugs
Wonka® Shockers
Wonka® Tart 'N Tinys® TART 'N TINYS®
Chewy TART 'N TINYS®

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