Living with Food Allergies

Tree nut allergies have become a nemesis for many families all-across the country, causing many households, schools, and community centers to maintain a nut free environment. This can be complicated, especially with the prevalence of nuts in all sorts of snacks and sweets. New research being presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting suggests that peanut allergies in children has increased 21 percent since 2010, and that nearly 2.5 percent of U.S. children may have an allergy to peanuts. One of the most frightening aspects of this allergy its ability to become fatal. Childhood hospitalizations for food allergy related occurrences tripled between the late 1990s and the mid-2000s.

Here at Gourmet Gorilla, we provide lunches for children all throughout Chicagoland. We understand how important it is for parents to feel at ease while their kids are at school-especially when those kiddos have allergies. For this reason, our facility is 100% nut-free; this means not only does our food not contain nuts, but nuts never enter our production facility or office spaces. However, nuts aren’t the only allergy that more and more folks are struggling with day-to-day. According to the FDA, there are 8 foods that make up 90% of allergic reaction cases in the U.S.

Allergies to the foods listed above are becoming commonplace in schools across the country. Because of this, we also provide allergen free menus, which eliminate ingredients such as gluten, dairy and eggs. Food allergies are not something to be taken lightly, and to ensure that Gourmet Gorilla kids are getting exactly what their growing bodies need (and shouldn’t have!) we send out comprehensive lists of ingredients to our schools each month.

We know how tricky it can be to have a child with food allergies. It isn’t as simple as running into the store and grabbing a quick snack. Rather, as a parent of a child with food allergies, quite a lot of time is spent scouring labels and mentally checking off the boxes for ingredients that aren’t there. Not sure what snacks are safe for your kiddos? Well, fear not, Gourmet Gorilla has got you covered with some home-made snack ideas.

Keepin’ it Simple: Allergen Free Snacks

Life is busy; between sports, play dates, grocery shopping and family outings, it’s not always easy to plan ahead. In order to make your days a little simpler, we are going to share some kid-tested nut free snacks that are easy to make and transport. Time saving, worry-free, and delicious.

More Questions?

Still have questions about your child’s food allergies? Check out this useful sheet for kids and parents from Kidswithfoodallergies.org. This list runs through important information such as hidden names for allergens and clever substitutes. https://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org/page/living-with-food-allergies.aspx