Friday, September 04, 2009

Playing Catch Up

All right, I admit it! School orientation/open house week took me down. Of course it didn't help that my dad and I did a home improvement project this week, too. Swistle keeps inspiring me. We enclosed this weird screened-in (OK, semi screened-in) porch that is built onto the back of our garage. You can't get to it from the house, so we never used it. Also, we needed a place to store all of our summer furniture, outdoor toys, lawn equipment, etc. Behold! Now we have a shed and we will be able to comfortably park in the garage come winter, without having to squeeze by the lawnmower and leaf blower and wicker furniture and whathaveyou. I just need to paint the plywood so it doesn't look like we're preparing for a hurricane.

I need your help while I'm playing catch up on product reviews, etc. Meghan wrote to me recently, saying:

"hi sarah--

i just found your e-mail through your blog (no whey mama). my name is meghan mcdermott and i have 2 children: sarah age 3 and matthew age 1. we found out a few months ago that matthew is allergic to milk and i think i may have narrowed it down to products containing whey. now that we're trying to introduce him to table foods, i find it very hard to find kid friendly choices that do not contain whey. my daughter is a very very (did i mention very) picky eater. her favorites are chicken nuggets and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, along with grilled cheese and drinkable yogurts. matthew can not eat any of these (except for jelly sandwiches which he loves :). so...i find myself at a loss as to what to give him. he is still eating baby foods and cereals ..and at 26 lbs, he is a hearty eater! if you could please give me any suggestions for brands and types of foods your daughter had enjoyed starting at an early age, i would greatly appreciate the help."

Off the top of my head:
So Delicious coconut yogurt
Some chicken nuggets are dairy free (Schwan's, Tyson--check the label)
applesauce
apple butter
Roman Meal bread
cooked chicken breasts
pasta
rice
grilled peanut butter sandwiches
Picadillo
Fake Rice-a-Roni
homemade soups (like chicken and stars)


Cookbook recommendations:
Go Dairy Free

Vegan Lunch Box

First Meals

Vegan Lunch Box Around the World
(Which I will be reviewing here very soon.)

I know there's more, but I need to take the kids shoe shopping. (Kill me.) What do you suggest?

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16 comments:

  1. DoreneSeptember 04, 2009 9:48 AM

    I make Vegan grilled cheese sandwiches for my son. He loves them. I even used the mozzarella flavored cheese in the sandwiches for the days we are eating pizza.
    My daughter loves PB&J so when she is eating that I give my son a sandwich with jelly and Tofutti "Better Than Cream Cheese". That's a big hit around here. And, or course, Tyson chicken nuggets.

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  2. ChristinaSeptember 04, 2009 11:15 AM

    Ohhhhhh Sarah another whey allergy!!!

    You're MORE than welcome to pass my email address and blog onto her and I'll talk her ear off!

    I knew all my anti-whey knowledge would come in handy one day!! :)

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  3. divrchkSeptember 04, 2009 11:42 AM

    I don't think anyone has mention Earth Balance yet - dairy free "butter". We couldn't live without it.

    We've found plenty of chicken nuggets that are dairy free. What about hot dogs? (read the label :-) )My son also LOVES hummus and pita chips.

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  4. Becky @ BoysRuleMyLifeSeptember 04, 2009 2:09 PM

    I started a list of pre-packaged foods shortly after we found out about Witt's allergies. Although my list will also disregard egg and peanut, it might be helpful. I haven't been keeping it up as I would like, but it's a good enough list to get one started.

    http://boysrulemylife.blogspot.com/2008/05/pre-packaged-dairy-free-egg-free.html

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  5. NicoleSeptember 04, 2009 3:51 PM

    This isn't a helpful comment re: food recommendations, but good job on making yourself a shed! The first week of school is kind of killing me too...

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  6. KatieSeptember 04, 2009 4:15 PM

    My 3yr old has a dairy allergy and I just found out that Chef Boyardee Overstuffed Italian Sausage Ravioli is Milk Free! I think it's their only can that doesn't have milk. I know it's not healthy but sometimes you need something fast and easy.

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  7. Not Your Aunt BSeptember 04, 2009 5:12 PM

    I second the Tyson chicken nuggets. Grilled soy cheese sandwiches on whey-free bread. Jell-o instant pudding packets made with soy milk- it isn't as nutritionally as good as soy yogurt, but tastes better. Or soy ice cream instead of soy yogurt. Again, taste.

    My girls live on beans, corn tortillas, guacamole and salsa.

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  8. NowheymamaSeptember 04, 2009 6:56 PM

    Dorene--Yes! We love jelly and Tofutti, too!

    Christina--It sounds to me as if they are avoiding dairy entirely, but I will certainly point her your way.

    Divrchk--YES! Earth Balance!

    Thank you, Becky and Nicole!

    Katie--REALLY??

    B--Do you do anything extra to help the pudding...pud?

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  9. BeckSeptember 04, 2009 8:14 PM

    I SO much want the two vegan lunchbox books! What a great list! And I loved the Mario cake - cuuute!

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  10. MeghanSeptember 04, 2009 8:32 PM

    thanks everyone SO SO much for all of your suggestions! i just tried matthew with the tyson nuggets and he loves them, as well as black beans. i will definetely be on the lookout for the dairy free butter, and i'll test him with some hummus (which i LOVE). now also, to find the vegan cheese. i'll have to go off to the healthfood store (i really wish wholefoods was closer)!
    i'll now be a regular nowheymamma blog visitor...thanks again for all your help!
    MM

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  11. jamie.winchellSeptember 05, 2009 8:22 AM

    Hi everybody!! I'm a new reader of this blog and mom to a little guy with food allergies, too. Max is 10 1/2 months old and is all about feeding himself--I am always on the lookout for fun new things he can eat. I'm so happy to read all of these great ideas!

    One snack that your little Matthew might like, Meghan, is Toddler Mum-Mums. They are dairy-free (unlike the Baby version, oddly)--perfect-sized tasty rice biscuits. Max eats a lot of rice cakes, sometimes with apple butter or pumpkin butter (which makes an enormous mess).

    Jamie

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  12. jamie.winchellSeptember 05, 2009 8:28 AM

    Oh! And I also just discovered Amy's Bistro Burgers--they are vegan AND gluten-free, and they are wildly delicious! I did the stove-top method and I think the oil helped make them all the more savory. Seriously, these things are wonderful and well worth the $$. Our Whole Foods has them on sale right now.

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  13. SueSeptember 05, 2009 2:16 PM

    I remember being here all too well. Never thought of jelly and tofutti cream cheese - will have to see if my girls like that.

    Ians Chicken Nuggets, Fish Sticks and Alphatots. But be sure to make sure you get the allergen-free ones.

    We also use Tyson chicken strips.

    Also check the whole food store for ice cream alternatives. Lots of choices made from soy, rice and coconut milk. I find mose dutch country whole wheat breads are dairy-free. Nathan's hot dogs.
    Enjoy Life products have an awesome product line of snacks, cookies, etc.

    I know it's not real foods but you can get delicious chocolates and candies from www.choclat.com and www.amandasown.com - halloween, easter bunnies, etc.

    Good luck - if I think of more I'll be back.

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  14. AnonymousSeptember 05, 2009 8:53 PM

    My kids love Van de Kamps fish sticks and pigs in a blanket using turkey hot dogs and Pillsbury crescent rolls which you can find in the refrigerated section. Tonight for dinner we had tacos using garbanzo beans instead of beef or turkey. Use a dairy free taco seasoning packet & water same as you would normally, and then pulse a few times in a food processor so it's chunky and the beans don't roll off the taco shell. It tastes so similar you wouldn't believe it!

    Kim

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  15. AnonymousSeptember 05, 2009 11:33 PM

    french toast, pancakes, waffles made with almond milk. Or eggs-in-a-hole with dairy-free bread.

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  16. Alisa - Frugal FoodieSeptember 06, 2009 12:02 PM

    I love snack and breakfast foods that can be made in advance (say when little ones are sleeping!) and kept in the fridge or freezer for easy items to nosh on all week.

    Topping the list:
    Homemade granola bars (the store-bought ones often contain whey are straight up milk)
    Hearty waffles made with milk alternative
    Apples with a nut butter, honey, and cinnamon dip (apples cut fresh of course)

    As a kid, I couldn't get enough bread and "butter" (Earth Balance works great here) and fresh fruit (any kind) cut up for easy noshing. My parents introduced whole grain bread from the beginning so I always loved it (it actually has more natural sweetness I think). Some bread has milk, but not all, and homemade can be quicker than you think!

    Thanks for the book mention, I am so honored!

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