We spent 9 weeks managing our daughter's diet to determine what was causing her so much trouble. We began by taking out the following ingredients:
Corn Soy Eggs Peanuts Gluten Dairy
We tracked her symptoms using a diary on a daily basis, noting recipes along the way in case of questions. After 3 weeks, we could introduce one food at a time, while continuing to track symptoms and foods, for 4 days (eg Sun-Wed), then remove all ingredients again for the following three days (eg Thu-Sat.) The following week we would introduce another ingredient. The order of introduction was as follows:
Dairy Eggs Soy Gluten Peanuts Corn
This process, though tedious, allowed us to isolate what food item was causing the problem. When we found success, it made every bit of effort more than worthwhile! Below is a guide to help others get started with this overwhelming task. I spent hours in the local grocery stores searching for foods she could eat, and I'd love to save others the same experience!!
Corn Soy Eggs Peanuts Gluten Dairy
We tracked her symptoms using a diary on a daily basis, noting recipes along the way in case of questions. After 3 weeks, we could introduce one food at a time, while continuing to track symptoms and foods, for 4 days (eg Sun-Wed), then remove all ingredients again for the following three days (eg Thu-Sat.) The following week we would introduce another ingredient. The order of introduction was as follows:
Dairy Eggs Soy Gluten Peanuts Corn
This process, though tedious, allowed us to isolate what food item was causing the problem. When we found success, it made every bit of effort more than worthwhile! Below is a guide to help others get started with this overwhelming task. I spent hours in the local grocery stores searching for foods she could eat, and I'd love to save others the same experience!!
Resources:
This document lists all the ingredient names to watch for on
labels. HOWEVER, it does not include
corn. The FDA does not require that
corn products be listed as an allergen, so they are easily hidden.
You can get an idea of what ingredients are derived from
corn here. Some companies will tell you
if their ingredients contain corn, some call it “proprietary information:”
http://www.livecornfree.com/2010/04/ingredients-derived-from-corn-what-to.html
RESTAURANTS
Chipotle: can
have salad (not the burrito bowl) with chicken, black beans, guacamole and
salsa
Firebirds:
Salmon or steak is okay. Carrot chips, but ask for oil and balsamic
vinegar on the side to make a dipping sauce. Sprinkle with salt and
pepper. Fresh fruit. Green beans. No salad dressings are
okay. All chicken is marinated in buttermilk.
Neomonde: can
have tuna salad, black bean salad, fatoush, cabbage salad. Hummus has citric
acid.
Jujube
– Chapel Hill, can have Cha Gio appetizer and rice noodle salad
with sauce from Cha Gio on side. They
are very knowledgeable about the menu and are very helpful!
Check
allergyeats.com
TIPS:
·
Tylenol contains citric acid
·
Advil/Ibuprofen not certified 100% gluten free,
but none is added. It does contain
corn-derived ingredients. There is no
soy in Jr. chewables, but there is soy in Jr Swallow Tabs. (per Pfizer on 5/13/13)
·
READ LABELS EVERY TIME YOU BUY A PRODUCT, START FROM THE BOTTOM
GROCERY SHOPPING:
NOTE: Read labels
EVERY time you buy a product. If you
buy it once and it’s okay, the formulation may be different in a different
package, even if the packaging looks exactly the same.
BEVERAGES
Juice
Lakewood brand
365 brand – at Whole Foods
Generic brand at Earth Fare
Make sure they do not list citric acid or ascorbic acid in
ingredient list
Milk
Almond Milk – Silk brand does not contain corn-derived
ingredients. Pacific does have
corn-derived ingredients. Blue Diamond
has not been confirmed. Dream milks may
contain corn-derived ingredients.
Rice Milk
Coconut Milk
Try blending sweetened and unsweetened if necessary at first, then decrease ratio.
Try blending coconut and almond milk.
Teas
Numi Honeybush – caffeine free
Numi Rooibos or Rooibos chai – caffeine free
Mighty Leaf Green Tea Tropical – moderate caffeine level
Avoid Tazo teas, they consider "natural flavor"
contents to be proprietary information and will not confirm or deny presence of
corn
Simple syrup
Add one cup of sugar (rapadura/Rapunzel) to one cup of very hot
water. Stir until sugar is dissolved. 2 tsp equals 4g sugar. use to
sweeten beverages if necessary.
Breakfast
Erewhon crispy brown rice cereal with banana-Earth Fare and
Whole Foods
365 Crispy brown rice cereal – Whole Foods
Rice cake with nut butter
Steel cut oats-can make ahead and heat desired amount in the
morning
Be Kind granolas – some varieties are okay in limited amounts,
mix with brown rice cereal for a change
Add Freeze dried fruit (available without citric acid
preservative at Earth Fare/Whole Foods)
***Rice Chex has tocopherol (Vitamin E) that is derived from soy
and/or corn, per General Mills on 5/22/13.
Reportedly, it does not contain the protein and is considered to be
non-allergenic.
Lunch
Rice cake with sun butter or almond butter, add sliced bananas or
raisins if desired
Homemade hummus with rice crackers, veggies and apples for
dipping
Rice wrapper with various fillings...hummus and veggies meat
Applegate Farms has some suitable deli meats
Boars Head All Natural Line...available at HT at Waverly Place
in Cary
....they also have one turkey and one roast beef that is okay
Larabars Recipe from 100 days of Real Food website, use almond
butter instead of peanut butter
Snacks-will need to check labels or make at home
Kale chips
Sweet potato chips
Lentil chips- by Simply 7 available at Harris Teeter
Pistachios
True North cashew almond clusters
Blue Diamond Nut Chips- Earth Fare, Whole Foods
Trail mix- dried fruit, nuts and seeds
Some flavors of Plum Organics Mash Ups (at Harris Teeter)
Raw Crunch bars – Earth Fare?
Whole Foods.
Terra Chips – Sweet Potato and Exotic Vegetable variety
Beanitos (Target)
Treats
55-60% cacao dark chocolate bars. Just check serving size
Alter Ego Dark
Quinoa chocolate bar
Newman’s Own
Organic Espresso Dark Chocolate
365 Organic Dark Chocolate – Whole Foods
Yummy Earth Organic lollipops (1 lollipop)
Next Organics – Dark Chocolate Walnuts or ginger
Living Raw Coconut Karma Truffles
Ciao Bella sorbet – some flavors, very small serving sizes
Pantry staples
Pacific broths – use in place of bouillon cubes/granules
Brown rice pasta noodles...available at super target. Tinkyada brand has great texture and flavor.
Most beans are okay
Tomato products - Check labels carefully for citric acid or
natural flavors. These brands are generally okay:
Pomi
Earth Fare Organics
Eden Organics
Cento (Harris
Teeter)
Rao's and Bertolli (all natural) both make “safe” spaghetti
sauces
365 Fruit Spread – Whole Foods
Bonne Maman fruit preserves (watch serving size)
Sunflower butter
Justin's Maple Almond Butter
Cashew butter
Bumble Bee Very Low Sodium Tuna in water (doesn’t have vegetable
broth)
CHALLENGE WEEKS
Dairy Challenge week
Most flavors of yogurt have "natural flavors"...
Except Vanilla or Plain. Try adding a bit of jam or granola
Shredded cheese may have a corn based agent to prevent caking
Harris Teeter Organic Ice Cream is okay – limited serving size
Z Pizza can accommodate restrictions.
Egg Challenge Week
Hard boiled eggs for snack/lunch
Any kind of eggs for meals
Meatballs with egg binder
Soy Challenge Week
Harris Teeter Naturals Organic Soy Milk (blue box) does not contain
ingredients that are derived from corn.
Use wheat-free Tamari instead of soy sauce, which contains
wheat.
Add edamame to stirfry
Fry in soybean oil/saute
Gluten Challenge Week
Great Harvest Bread – Honey Whole Wheat, Spelt, or Dakota
Bread
Neomonde Pita Bread
Peanut Challenge Week
Roasted peanuts for snack
Peanut butter on rice cakes or crackers
Corn Challenge Week
Quaker Whole Hearts cereal
Angie’s Sweet n’ Salty Kettle Corn (1 cup)
Homemade popcorn
Put 1/4c of plain kernels in a lunch
size, brown paper bag. Microwave for
2-2.5 min, monitoring for popping to slow.
While stil in bag, spray with olive oil, sprinkle with desired seasoning
(salt, salt/sugar, cinnamon, paprika) and shake up to mix.
Any products with ascorbic or citric acid (juices, salsas, etc)
Condiments: ketchup and mustard can be used
Smooze ice pops (Earth Fare/Whole Foods)
Rice Chex
Recipes and Dinner Ideas
Kale chips
Wash, dry and tear into bite size pieces. Toss with olive oil, salt (and other spices
if desired – try paprika, cumin, or grated parmesan on dairy week.) Roast at 400 degrees until edges are crispy,
then reduce heat to 200 until crisp all over.
Sweet potato
chips
Peel and slice very thinly. Toss with olive oil cinnamon and a bit or
rapadura sugar. Roast at 200-300
degrees, turning occasionally, until crisp.
Hummus (in food
processor or blender)
Rinse 1 can
garbanzo beans/chickpeas, reserve liquid
Add 1 clove
garlic
1-2 T olive oil
2 T tahini
Juice of ½
lemon
Salt and pepper
to taste
Optional – one
roasted red pepper
Blend all ingredients, adding water and/or reserved
liquid to desired consistency
Salmon
Reduce jam and
vinegar on stovetop to make a glaze
Sweet
potatoes – roast and sprinkle with cinnamon
Salad
dressing - nothing with white vinegar. Try some flavored vinegars
No Bake Protein Bites
Sub in almond
butter, use raisins instead of chocolate chips
Unsweetened
coconut is available in bulk bins at Earth Fare and Whole Foods
Spaghetti (brown rice noodles)
with chopped grilled chicken, salad on the side
Turkey chili
(serve over rice and top with avocado)
1 - 1.5 lbs ground turkey (or 2 cans
of black beans)
1 medium onion
1 bell pepper, diced
salt (1 t)
pepper (1/2 t)
ground cumin (1 t)
2 T chili powder
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes w/ puree
water (I play with this and usually
put in slightly less that the 28 oz can to desired consistency)
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
2 cups beef broth
1T brown sugar
Opt: can of kidney/chili beans
Brown onions and peppers to golden
and set aside. Brown turkey and strain off fat. Combine onion and turkey and
add spices, stirring over low heat. Add rest of ingredients and bring to a slow
boil. Turn heat down to low and simmer for at least 30-45 minutes
Black Beans
and RIce
Use lettuce
or rice wrappers in lieu of bread products
Aidell’s or
Bilinski’s Chicken and Apple Sausage (At Harris Teeter, Earth Fare or
Whole Foods)
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