Happy Holidays!  Here are four of my favorite allergy friendly gift guides for the traveller, foodie, cookbook collector and kids in your life.

I’ve rounded up a list that reflects the items we use on a daily basis; things that help us manage our daily food preparation and life with allergies . Even though most of the below items are practical, they have brought our family joy in and out of the kitchen.

1. Skip Hop Silicone Placemats-  We own three mats for school, travel and eating out. The place mat is dishwasher safe, dries easily and folds up. It fits perfectly on an airplane tray table, keeping our child’s food separate and safe.
2. Pillowfort Plastic Kids Silverware Set– Dishwasher safe and sturdy.   Fun color utensils are inexpensive so you won’t be sad if your kids “forget’ to bring their utensils home.
3. Joseph Joseph Pop Chopping Mats– Set of 3- BPA free. Cutting boards, especially wooden ones, can be notorious for cross contamination with food allergens. We take these to see grandma, school events or friends’ houses. We prep and cut food items to keep them separate and safe.  They scratch easily but their light weight makes up for it.
4. Kuhn Rikon 4 inch Nonstick Pairing Serrated Pairing Knife– comes with a cover and make it really handy to use for food on the go.
5. Insulated cooler-keeps everything in one place. We love a cooler like this to take anywhere we need to bring our own food.
6. Millie Lottie Totes and Wraps– locally made by Jan Hammock, a designer and creator based in San Francisco. The denim wraps sold in small and medium sizes are stylish, functional and chic.  They keep your food protected and looking good.

 

1. NordicWare Grand Popover Pan– Fresh baked bread can be tricky with a sesame allergy. This pan makes it easy to whip up popovers. One pan makes six popovers which is never enough so order two!
2. All Clad Stainless Steel Classic Round Waffle Maker–  Waffles freeze well so we make a big batch on the weekend and re-heat for busy weekday mornings.
3. Lodge cast iron pans-all purpose tough, sturdy pan for searing, baking, broiling and frying.  We have multiple sizes.
4. Handmaden ceramics by Linda Goren-Northern California local potter and ceramist. Linda’s pieces are beautiful and affordable. Her work is displayed on  Instagram and shop page is found on Etsy.
5. Enamel Jelly Roll Tray– oven, stove top and dishwasher safe. I love it’s rustic vibe and own a few different sizes for serving & baking.
6. Snapware Snack n Stack 2 Layer Cookie and Cupcake Carrier – Comes with a tray, making it easy to serve straight from carrier. My favorite part are the layers which snap together. Nice for transport to school, parties and park.
7. Nordic Ware Baker’s Half Sheet with Storage Lid– Make a sheet cake, transport and serve straight from the pan.
8. Zerrol Food Portion Control Scoops-  2.25 inch, perfect for scooping meatballs and ice cream. I also have the 1 7/16 inch size in pink ( 1 tablespoon scoop) and the 1 9/16- purple color ( 2 tablespoon scoop for cookies).
9. Libertyware Eighth Size Aluminum Sheet Pan , Pack of 2.  How did I live without these tiny sheet pans?  They’re perfect for baking a few cookies or my kids chicken nuggets.
10. OXO Good Grips Multipurpose Stainless Steel Scrapper and Chopper– one of my favorite kitchen gadgets!  It’s not just for baking; use it to also clean up scraps in the kitchen.
11. Microplane Premium Classic Zester Grater-for zesting citrus and cheese.
12. Chef’n FreshForce Citrus Juicer-   Easy to juice and will stay contained and not on you!
13. Ball Wide Mouth 24 ounce Jars– The flat sides make it freezer safe; great for storing leftovers, soup, broth and more.
14. Colored Masking Tape – label freezer items and refrigerator food. You’ll never run out with this six pack colorful bundle.
15. Sharpie Permanent Markers-   Even though I keep hiding these markers, my kids find them so you can never own too many! Fits easily into a stocking too.

1. The Flavor Bible– my all time favorite cooking book. It’s not a cookbook but more like suggestions for pairing flavors and ingredients together.  Even though it’s not allergy related, I think it’s an absolute must for someone who has food allergies or dietary requirements because it can serve as a source of creative inspiration.
2. Everyone’s Welcome- The Art of Living and Eating Allergen Free– Amanda Orlando has created a thoughtful collection of allergen free recipes. She also shares aspects of her life with food allergies. Most recipes are free from the top 8 allergens or with substitutions.
3. An Allergy Mom’s Lifesaving Instant Pot Cookbook– Megan Lavin is a blogger who creates recipes for the busy allergy mom and families with food allergies. Megan doesn’t skimp on flavor. Her recipes are free from the top 8 allergens.
4. The California Date Cookbook – a collaboration between Just Date Syrup, Rancho Meladuco Date Farm and eleven food bloggers celebrating dates and date syrup. I’m honored to share five of my allergy friendly recipes in this book! There are also many vegan & vegetarian recipes too.

1. Fanny Pack -my daughter recently asked for a fanny pack to carry her medication at school. Sometimes her class leaves school to take a walk or go to the park. Now that she is eight years old,  she no longer want to carry her heavy backpack everywhere.  Although we haven’t used this specific one, it looks like a stylish way of carrying her EPI pens and medications. Note: Her EPI pens are stored in an insulated pack that would fit inside this fanny pack.
2. Lunchbots Large Cinco Stainless Steel Container –  Dishwasher safe, for school and travel.
3. Sushi Making Kit . These sushi mats make it easy to make our own sushi in the comfort of our safe kitchen. A fun activity for all kids.
4. Set of 3 Japanese Lunch Bento Boxes.   My kids love these because they feel like they are dining out in a fancy Japanese restaurant.