Having food allergies can be challenging. It forced me to get in the kitchen beyond getting a glass of water to learn to cook and create nourishment for my family and me. I was mama bear in the kitchen here as well. I was not going to let my kids be without. The schools they attended were not the most supportive and sensitive to this at the time, but I was. I was determined to create recipes that were safe for us, healthy and delicious at the same time. That was a huge push of motivation for me.
I love it when I can find food items that are more allergy aware and considerate of food allergies, food sensitivities, and that fully understand no cross-contamination. Saying vegan and gluten-free is not always enough for me, especially when ordering baked items. I share with you here some food items that have helped my children and me on a few occasions. Whether you have food allergies or not, in my opinion, it cannot hurt to avoid digesting some food ingredients that may cause havoc in another way on our system. Food allergies and food sensitivities are real and guess what, they are becoming more and more prevalent. You may not be bothered by them today, but it is not to say you won’t tomorrow for each day is a new day.
I randomly discovered this sourdough bread while grocery shopping in California. I love sourdough bread. I appreciate the taste and love that it is fermented bread. I started purchasing this bread like crazy, even getting some of my family and friends hooked on it too. I started ordering it directly from the company online instead of my usual grocery store because I do not like that there is not a proper safety seal on it. You can simply open the bag and voilá, there is the exposed bread, and you cannot tell if someone opened it to see inside before you purchased it to take it to eat it. I have personally witnessed people open items in the grocery store and simply close them back. I see this most with grapes.
Do you see this too? Anyhoo, I prefer to have it shipped from them directly. In my honest and simple opinion, I think they’ll eventually add a safety seal. They’ll ship their yummy bread directly to you. 3 loaves, pick your preference from the options they offer. They have sandwich rolls, cinnamon raisins, and a few more options. I like most the ‘classic’ option. I hope one day to try the cinnamon raisin. It is not only gluten-free, but they omit a few of the top known ‘common’ allergens like egg, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, and soy to name a few which are helpful for my family and me and a huge plus to me. I personally do not know if it is Glyphosate free and/or organic, so please inquire with them personally, especially if you need and/or prefer organic and glyphosate-free products most or all of the time like me. I prefer sans glyphosate. If you freeze it, slice it first before freezing it. It does not offer a long shelf life (which I really appreciate, to me- fewer ingredients used to keep it alive) if not frozen, so keep that in mind. Tell me what you think of it if you order and taste it. Be sure to read all ingredients and listen to your body, because it does have its’ own way of talking to you directly after receiving the food you gave it, so pay attention!
Bread SRSLY
Another place I enjoyed ordering so much from online that was so helpful to my children and I is in the dessert category. I have written about them in the past when I had a blog on food allergies many years ago.
I ordered so often and more in the past the popcorn and the chocolate chip cookies. Chocolate chip was my favorite. I have friends whose children are allergic to certain ingredients in baked goods and this is a sweet gift I like to send if it is not my own baked cookies. I like to let them know they are thought of with their food allergies and they do not have to feel left out and that they too can partake in that sweet experience more safely with their peers. We find ways to make things happen and we do not have to be without due to our food allergies/food sensitivities.
Divvies has a few yummy options- oatmeal cookies, chocolate chip cookies to popcorn, and more. They are vegan (meaning no eggs, no dairy, no animal protein) and are also nut-free. I am not sure about the gluten level, or the glyphosate, so it is best to inquiry with them personally. Sugar is present, so be sure to read the ingredients to determine if this is suitable for you and your dietary preferences. Enjoy.
Divvies
Recently when I went for muscle testing, she tested me to tell me I needed to up my protein intake by 20%. She picked this up all through muscle testing. Not too surprising considering I juiced most of this summer for healing and ate more cooling foods than heated. I have been to many places for health support and I must say, I have been properly supported with nutritional suggestions with food the most by my muscle testers. More than a nutritionist in a doctor’s office (My personal experience). All of me was considered holistically and we were able to work together to determine which foods worked in my favor or not as a result. She suggested I eat not just oatmeal, but a certain kind of oatmeal. My muscle tester in the 90’s applied proper nutrient suggestions to me as well. I learned what and how to eat. It is how I became vegetarian to vegan/plant-based. I found what was not working for me and what worked for me then and most of my years following.
I have never really had it as detailed and supported the way the muscle testers present it which I find very interesting. Both muscle testers suggested sprouted food items. In the ’90s and in the 2000s. Sprouted is germinating the food that is being sprouted. Sprouted can increase the nutrients, reduce the carbohydrate in that food, the fiber can be more soluble as a result and possibly less presence of gluten. Germinating is a process that occurs through the sprouting process. The muscle tester informed me recently to start eating Sprouted Rolled Oatmeal by One Degree Organic Foods.
I had purchased their Sprouted Brown Rice cereal numerous times and I like to use it to make our rice Krispy treats Sprouted Brown Rice Crisps – One Degree Organics, but I had never tried their Oatmeal. I am happy I did I must say. I like it because it is made in a peanut-free facility, it is not only gluten-free but organic, sprouted, and glyphosate-free. Glyphosate is a toxic herbicide known to be extremely dangerous and toxic on another level to our health, food, grass, and the environment. This is exactly why I am not a big grain fan consumer anymore. We can be eating it and getting sick from it and no one connecting the dot to glyphosate unless you do a great, quality, and accurate toxin test. Now, some people have their own opinion if glyphosate is really in products that say organic.
I am no expert in this area of cross-contamination with farming and if pesticides/herbicides actually come in contact with organic items while out in the farms?!?! It is a great question. Do you know? It is on the One Degree label that it is bio-checked certified to be glyphosate-free. Like anything else, we must make ourselves more aware and more educated in food and health, if we did this, I think most of us would feel better, and possibly have fewer chronic health issues (not all health issues) that can be avoided through food choices or eliminating foods. I always soak my oats overnight even if they are or are not sprouted. For me, I digest it a bit easier, and sprouted helps make it easier to digest. If you are looking for sprouted oatmeal, maybe you may enjoy this brand. I switch things up and eat different breakfast items a few times a week. Everything is in moderation, even a healthy bowl of oatmeal.
One Degree Organics
Please note, nécessité is not earning any commission or any compensation or partnership by this friendly caring mention. It is purely an honest share from one caring food-allergy/food sensitivity being to you.
We simply want to share from our hands-on experience in case you are in desire like my family and me.
Enjoy and as always, read ingredients and work with your trusted health care practitioner especially if ever in doubt or question. Please get in touch and ask or share your allergy story below.
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Much love and gratitude,
Certified Holistic Health Coach
Certified in Gut Health
Author of The Thriving Child, Shut Up and Cook!
Erica Reid, Founder of nécessité
