Preparing for Kindergarten: Allergy-Edition

One of the scariest things about having a child with food allergies is the thought of sending them off to school...without you. Up until this point, you have been the main person handling your child's food and making sure his environment is safe. It's what you do. It's encompasses your every thought. Now, what seems like all of a sudden, you are having to turn some of this control over to your child and his school environment. Will she be ready? Will she know what's okay to eat and not to eat? Will she feel peer pressure to partake in yummy snacks that someone else's parent brings or will she be able to show restraint? These are questions I asked myself before my daughter started Kindergarten last year. I was a bit nervous about how things would go for her because this is her first year of school. In order to make this a smooth transition and not a fearful one for my daughter, I knew there were some things I needed to do.

First, I found out who her teachers would be. I contacted them ahead of the school year and talked with them about her food allergies to milk, eggs and peanuts. One thing I needed to know was how often would there be special snacks {brought in by teachers or parents} and would I be able to know about them ahead of time. My daughter's teachers assured me that they would contact me ahead of time and give me a schedule of the snacks so that I could prepare my daughter a comparable snack on those same days. They also suggested that I bake a few cupcakes that they could keep in the freezer, along with sending in her own icing that they could pull out on days when snacks were brought in unannounced. This has been a great life-saver!  My daughter's class also has a snack every morning that is provided by the teachers, so I compiled a bunch of handy snacks for her so that she has some variety and can participate in the snacks everyday without me having to remember to send in a snack every single day.

Second, we discussed whether they needed to make the classroom peanut-free. This may be necessary for a lot of peanut-allergic kids because of the severity of the allergy, but my daughter's allergy isn't life-threatening so we opted not to do that. A lot of school do this automatically now anyway.
Lastly, I made a plan for the teachers of what to do 'Just in Case' of an allergic reaction. Thankfully, my daughter knows when a reaction is starting and she can tell us and/or the teacher. They have a chart in the classroom stating if 'X' happens, then do 'Y'. Emergency numbers are listed, as well as, Benadryl doses, and they keep her EpiPen in their desk.

Communication with your child's teacher and school nurse {if applicable} is the key! Make sure to communicate your wishes and keep that line of communication open so they can feel free to text you or call you with any food-related questions. Your child's safety is of utmost importance and you and your child's teachers should be have the same game plan.

Amy Mc Combie a mother of 3 girls, one of which has life-threatening food allergies. Her goal is to inform and encourage those who have food allergies or know people with food allergies by sharing her journey with the hope that they can learn from my mistakes and successes. You can read more about Amy's journey at  www.allergyfree.wordpress.com

Keeping it Simple – Healthy eating for moms on the run

by: Trisha Novotny

Record It - keep a food diary where you record everything that you eat during the day. This helps you to realize what exactly you are eating during the day A great website is Sparkpeople.com. A place that you can track food and fitness. It will also give you a plan. Give you the calories,fat,carbs,protein and burn this much to reach your goal. Also - it is free!!!

Portion it - Portion size is key – use a smaller plate. Stop using the large dinner plates fro ever meal. Eating several small meals instead of 3 big ones.

No Skipping - Don't skip breakfast - start with a healthy breakfast to jump start your metabolism, even drinking a smoothie is better then nothing

TIP: Try pink grapefruit for breakfast. It packs 25 times more beta-carotene than its paler cousin, and it's usually sweeter. Pair it with a cup of oatmeal topped with an ounce of chopped almonds or a quarter cup of dried apricots, and you'll have a complete breakfast with about 7 grams of fiber, a third of the daily recommendation.

Hydrate - Always keep water with you. Don't add a sugary, calorie-rich drink to your meals. Water is good for you. Drinking a large glass of water with your meal will help you feel fuller earlier.

Be Prepared - Always keep ready to eat veggie in the fridge cut up and ready

Stock your car with bottled water and healthy snacks. Buy a small portable ice chest to take your snacks and lunch for on the go. Have a small snack before the cravings hit and you're less likely to stop for fast food.

Hold it – Hold the Mayo it can add up to 100 calories or more. Stop drowning your salad in dressing by asking for it on the side and only add in enough to add flavor.

Avoid that afternoon slump - Eating between meals can keep your energy up and your weight down . Choose snacks that combine carbohydrates with protein for a pick-me-up that lasts. Such as: carrots and hummus, apple slices and peanut butter, or cheese on whole wheat crackers. Because peanut butter, hummus, and cheese are high in fat, it's best to limit your daily servings of these.

Choose a frozen fruit treat - For a quick and healthy sweet snack, wash seedless grapes, put them in a zip-top bag, and toss them in your freezer. Freeze other fruits as well.

Fast FOOD – Eat at deli-style fast-food chains where you can order a sub or sandwich on whole wheat bread or a wrap, a lower-fat and lower-calorie option than fried food. Also ask for 1/2 the meat, 1/2 the sauces etc. Taste the same with less calories.

Everyday Exercise - Take the stairs, park further away. Try going up and down your stairs more than once for each trip. Do your squats while drying or curling your hair.

Snack with 100 or little more calorie snacks:

A few examples:

An orange and a few dry-roasted nuts

10 cashew nuts or 10 almonds

One medium Banana

1 cup fresh strawberries of ½ frozen

Dried apricot halves, cooked, unsweetened, 1/2 cup

1/4 cup fat-free ranch dressing with mixed raw veggies

6 Wheat Thins crackers with two teaspoons of peanut butter (or any nut butter)

1/2 cup frozen orange juice, eaten as sorbet

3 handfuls of un-buttered popcorn, seasoned with herbs

Frosted Mini-Wheat's, 1 ounce (about 1/2 cup)

100 calorie packs of snacks sold pre-packaged.