Food Allergy Consumer: When A Favorite Food Isn't "Safe" Anymore

Food manufacturers change ingredients and facilities, and this potential for change is one of the primary reasons why it is so important for individuals managing food allergies to always, without fail, read the labels on food products. One of the "safe" foods that has recently become "unsafe" for those managing peanut and tree nut allergies is the Krispy Kreme donut. Personally, I didn't consider them safe to begin with, but that's neither here nor there. For many managing peanut and tree nut allergies, Krispy Kreme was a product considered to be "safe". The announcement that Krispy Kreme would begin introducing donuts with nut ingredients has been met with a great deal of emotion by some mothers of children with peanut and nut allergies in Facebook food allergy groups. There have been other product losses for those with peanut and nut allergies recently too, such as Hostess and Kellogg's. In fact, the Kellogg's ingredient change was met with quite a bit of emotion and even some controversy.

Although my son does have peanut and nut allergies, I am not one of the mothers who is filled with disappointment or sorrow over the Krispy Kreme ingredient change, or the Hostess or Kellogg's ingredient changes. I do, however, feel for those parents and am sorry these ingredient changes have hit them so hard. My son was diagnosed with peanut and tree nut allergies more than 10 years ago, and I would be a liar if I did not admit that the first time we lost a favorite product I was disappointed. I was! I wrote a blog post about it, entitled Another One Bites the Dust, and vented, in my own way. That was about 8 or 9 years ago. I am a bit embarrassed by that old post and my then disappointment, but there is a learning curve in life with food allergies--as there is with most things!--and I was at a different stage then.

After losing Thomas' products, we lost another product, and another, and after a while, I realized that is just par for the course. We adapt, new safe foods come out on the market, and we forget about what we have lost. We don't get attached to specific foods anymore and we are able to make all kinds of goodies ourselves at home. After so many years, you realize it's no biggie to lose a product. That is life with food allergies, and if that's the worst thing that happens, then we are quite lucky! 

Wishing you a happy, healthy New Year full of wonderful new safe food discoveries!