how it all began

When my sweet daughter was diagnosed with multiple food allergies it was really no surprise. (She had hived-up at the first "taste" of vanilla pudding.) However, I was totally at a loss to answer the question "where to from here?" I knew that our diet would have to drastically change. I say "our" diet because indeed it was. My daughter was 9 months old and I was still breastfeeding. Once I eliminated all of her allergens from my diet her symptoms decreased dramatically in just a few days. So, milk-lover though I was, I was also totally committed to nursing her for at least the first year and knew that I had to make the plunge to go allergen-free. It was a hard time. I actually had to learn how to cook! I needed a food-lifestyle that was easy (I had 2 kids under 2 to care for), tasted good (hey, I was going to be eating it myself!), cheap (my husband was in school - "tight budget" doesn't exactly describe it), nutritious (I generally like to be able to pronounce what I'm eating) and free of all dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish.

It's been almost a year and a half and we've come a long way! However, it's still a journey and I'm inviting you to join me. I'll share what knowledge I've already gathered including tips for living and cooking with allergies as well as how to do so with little money and little time. I'll gladly pass on what I learn this year as I attempt to bump up the nutritional value of the foods we eat while at the same time paring down our food budget even more. I also plan to include hints for eating out with your allergic child, recipes, product reviews and suggestions for what to do as a guest at birthday and school parties.

Your child can live a "normal" childhood and it can be done without spending lots of money on "allergen-free" foods mostly found at health food stores. You might even come to enjoy, as I have, the challenge of discovering new recipes and ways to save as well as the nutritional benefits to your whole family as your household becomes food-allergen-free.