The results are in! Nico does not have Mast Cell Activation Disorder! The blood work came back and showed he is allergic to pine nuts. How a pine nut got into a kitchen that swears is nut-free�is a mystery I can’t investigate from California. Even the “pesto” they use from the manufacturer is supposedly nut-free. I called Morningstar, the maker of the veggie burger he ate, and they assured me there were no nuts of any kind in that burger (I gave them the lot number). Then they offered me coupons for free product.
“I think I’m going to pass,” I said.
Our best guess is that the pesto was mislabeled or there was cross-contamination. He’s only allergic to pine nuts, which his allergist says is one of the rarer allergies to cause anaphylaxis. Pine nuts are actually seeds from the pine tree but are grouped with tree-nuts due to their cross-reactivity. We’ve been advised that Nico should avoid all tree-nut and peanut products, including those items made in facilities that handle the same due to potential cross-reactivity and cross-contamination. I’m not sure if he should also avoid seeds. I need to call his allergist about that and because I’ve been ai found some studies that show pine pollen can exacerbate a reaction to pine nuts. We were in Lake Tahoe–is that a coincidence? My logical side says yes, more than likely. The mother in me says we should go to change.org and petition for the elimination of all pine trees and plants that share the same botanical family.
This isn’t our first time as a nut-free family. It’s rare for a pine nut allergy to return, but here we are. It can happen! I’m a little rusty, but I’m making my way around the grocery store. I found a cereal by an Australian company named Freedom Foods that is made in a dedicated nut-free facility. The boys loved it so, yay! Cereal, baked items, almost everything from a health food store–they’re likely going to have nuts or be made in a facility that handles them. We’ll figure it out. My most pressing concern is school lunches. What do you give a pescetarian child for lunch if they can’t have tree-nuts or peanuts? He can only eat so much tuna safely. Sunflower seed butter once I get the okay, sure, but what else? Dear God, I need to go to Pinterest again, don’t I?
I don’t eat meat so here are some lunch ideas that I think might work (assuming you can find nut free supplies):
– cheese and crackers
– hummus with pita and veggies
– cream cheese and jam sandwiches (my nephew’s favorite) – especially yummy on a bagel
– soup/veggie chili in a thermos
– make your own pizza kits – triscuits/or an english muffin, pizza sauce, cheese, he can assemble it at lunch (and eat it cold – not sure if that would bother him, I wouldn’t eat this now, but as a kid I loved it!)
– make your own soft tacos/nachos – same idea, provide ingredients separately (beans instead of meat) and he can assemble
– pasta/quinoa/couscous salad
– rice and beans
Good luck!
Thank you so much, Caitlyn! I need to ask his pediatrician if seeds are okay before I start on the hummus, but it seems like that will be my go-to lunch protein. It’s just the tahini that has me worried. :)
The make-your-own tacos idea is pretty flipping genius. It’s like “Luncheables,” which the boys want desperately and I’ve always said no. Too expensive, too full of junk.
Here’s a great dip you can make yourself that’s very hummus-like but without the tahini:
http://www.alkalinesisters.com/cannellini-bean-and-artichoke-spread-the-benefits-of-cannellini-beans/1134/
My daughter’s lunches have to be nut-free, and she doesn’t like most meat (or most veggies, ha!), so here is what I send for her (many of the excellent suggestions Caitlin listed!).
–hummus, crackers or pretzels or pita, cheese, veggies (can he have tahini/sesame seed?)
–veggie wraps with hummus (or maybe he would like mayo or tzatziki? He seems like a somewhat adventurous eater)
–the cream cheese and jam sandwiches Caitlin mentioned are a huge hit, and my girl likes them on whole grain waffles
–yogurt and yogurt smoothies
–Dr. Praeger’s fish nuggets (they also make fish sticks). I bake them in the morning and put them in a container with an ice pack and she eats them at room temperature. Dr. Praeger’s also makes all kinds of spinach nuggets, broccoli nuggets, sweet potato nuggets, salmon cakes, spinach cakes, etc. Whole Foods usually has the best selection but I’ve started finding them at other stores. As far as I can tell, they are made in a nut-free facility. My girl likes the spinach cakes with sour cream.
–grilled cheese, if he will eat at room temp
–bagel or english muffin pizza (similar to what Caitlin mentioned, but I often cook it in the morning and she’ll eat it at room temperature.
The bento boxes that are so popular these days are great for these kinds of hodgepodge lunches. Also, if you follow Weelicious on instagram, she has fantastic examples of lunches that she makes for her kids that are all nut-free. You’ve got this!
Nico isn’t a fan of cheese at all, but I might have him try to cream cheese sandwich idea and see what he thinks. Thank you so much for the Weelicious rec! I’d never heard of her. :)
Big relief about the blood results. I’m sure you’re right about cross contamination and being at Lake Tahoe.
Caitlyn and Lindsey have beaten me to the lunch box ideas :)
My children will eat pretty much anything in a wrap- does he like cheese? Cheeses and salad/grated carrots/coleslaw etc. I make my own coleslaw so it actually counts as a vegetable- British shop-bought coleslaw is a bit of rather soggy white cabbage, carrot and onion in a sweet gloopy dressing. Slicing/grating a variety of vegetables (my children’s favourites always contain apple) takes a few minutes and I even make my own mayonnaise (which is actually the 30 second stick blender version, so not quite as impressive as it sounds!) and a little honey or maple syrup makes it very child-friendly. I also add a bit of natural yoghurt to the dressing.
My 3 also love fish pate- basically fish mixed with cream cheese and/or yoghurt. Smoked mackerel is a favourite, as is smoked salmon, and tinned sardines taste like tuna but ring the changes a bit. Gherkins/chopped pickled cucumbers/relish can all be added for a change.
I would definitely second (third) the hummus. I’d also put it in a wrap/pitta/sandwich, maybe with roasted veg? Making versions of hummus is also dead easy- try blitzing cooked butter beans with olive oil, lemon and parsley or chives if green bits is ok.
I can’t remember if he eats eggs? Egg mayonnaise sandwich/wrap/pitta? Or potato salad with hard boiled egg. I’d add chopped pepper, cucumber etc, and maybe some lettuce to round it out. Frittata?
I’m not sure whether any of these food names survive the trip across the Atlantic. Do you have any idea what I’m talking about??!!
Well, there you go! Lots of unsolicited advice ;-) Hope some of it is useful.
Frittata. And by that I mean saut�ed veggies in any combo (onion, celery, bell pepper, squash, etc.), beaten eggs (enough to almost cover) poured on top once veggies are soft and fully cooked. Cook slowly, flip (it will break but just patch it), finish cooking on second side, let cool. Cut in squares, or wrap pieces in tacos.
I don’t know anything — but the rash he had, couldn’t that be related to pine pollen, or sap?
Henry eats a lot of dinner leftovers for lunch, with lots of fruit sides. If there’s not enough or he wasn’t thrilled about dinner, he gets a jam sandwich.
Henry has a big sweet tooth. Guittard makes a chocolate chip in a peanut-free facility, we can usually find it at Ralphs. (Nestle chips are processed on the same line as peanuts, and I think the Enjoy Life ones at Whole Foods or any of the ones made with chocolate liquer) taste terrible. It sits right next to the Ghirardelli chips and has nearly the same packaging, so be sure to get the right one.
You know I’m here for you — and I love to grocery shop. :) I’ll let you know what we end up doing. There are some brands that are really wonderful about having tree nut- and peanut-free facilities. And there’s always making your own granola. Ahem.
Does Nico do eggs or cheese?
(At one point E. was considered allergic to eggs AND nuts. Talk about a pain in the rear.)
Anyway, let me know how I can help.
The password is…”hummus”.
That’s the first thing that popped into my mind as a lunch alternative, and I see I’m in good company. :) I like it as a dip or on a wrap. My sister was just telling me she makes a veggie wrap for her daughter and uses Laughing Cow cheese as the spread, which holds everything together nicely. (I’m forgetting where Nico stands on dairy.)
So thankful you have a definitive answer!! Re-calibrating is hard, but not nearly as much as avoiding the dangerous unknown.
My son is (severely) peanut allergic, and (mildly) tree nut allergic. We get seeds and dried fruit online from a place called Gerbs. When I make granola or granola bars it is nice to add pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and dried fruit that I know are safe.
Oh!!! BLESS YOU! You�re comment brought tears to my eyes. Comments like yours I why I keep blogging. It�s like I get to tap into a wealth of real-life experience with the click of a button!
Thank you so, so much.