Food Allergies - Design Your Daily Life Series - What to Make for Dinner
This post is designed to take the Panic out of the Pantry. I remember vividly the moment I got home from the doctor's office with my son after his diagnosis of multiple food allergies. I looked into the pantry to see what to make and thought, "Oh my gosh, all I have is potatoes." Well, while potatoes were nice, it wasn't going to be enough. What was I going to feed this child?
After a few moments of sinking feelings, I pulled it together and went into action. Initially the goal was to put something together I knew was safe on a daily basis. Then as I grew in knowledge, I explored flavors, spices, and safe substitutions. There are so many cookbooks available for special diets now. There are far more resources than there were eighteen years ago. What I would like to offer you here is ideas of how to cook stress free.
Stress Free Cooking - Quick and Dirty
In the early years when he was a toddler he liked simple food. I used products with very few ingredients. In other words I did not buy things with loads of ingredients. I made as much as I could from scratch. I made bread with a bread machine, and made my own spaghetti sauces. For meat, I started by simply roasting with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Vegetables were simple also, by steaming, and adding dairy free margarine. For cakes, I found recipes that did not call for eggs. Quick breads were helpful, since most used oil, and leavening agents such as baking soda and baking powder.
You may be saying right now, "I can't do that! How is that quick?" I say, "Yes, you can. Here's how."
Simple Meal Example
Remember to always check labels of everything you use.
Roast Chicken - Roast 3 at a time. Very little prep time. Rub with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast and freeze left overs for many future meals.
Prepare Frozen Peas/Carrots/Corn/Green Beans - with dairy free margarine
Baked Potato - Bake in oven or microwave (Serve with a safe ketchup if you have a toddler)
or
Rice Pasta - Chop a little garlic, fry in dairy free margarine, and pour over cooked pasta
If you can't eat chicken, try, beef, pork, lamb, turkey, or bison. Use what works for you.
If you never cooked before, this is a double learning experience for you. Both learning basic cooking, and how to manage food allergies. Give yourself time to learn and navigate this new reality by not making it complicated. I felt more in control of risk when I made the food we ate as opposed to depending on the accurateness of labeling from processed foods and the knowledge of restaurant staff.
Cook in large quantities. I would make two large main dishes and a soup all in one day. Freeze most of it and eat it throughout the week. I would only need to make side dishes as the week progressed.
Each new dish and meal you make becomes a welcome friend you can fall back on.
After a few moments of sinking feelings, I pulled it together and went into action. Initially the goal was to put something together I knew was safe on a daily basis. Then as I grew in knowledge, I explored flavors, spices, and safe substitutions. There are so many cookbooks available for special diets now. There are far more resources than there were eighteen years ago. What I would like to offer you here is ideas of how to cook stress free.
Stress Free Cooking - Quick and Dirty
In the early years when he was a toddler he liked simple food. I used products with very few ingredients. In other words I did not buy things with loads of ingredients. I made as much as I could from scratch. I made bread with a bread machine, and made my own spaghetti sauces. For meat, I started by simply roasting with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Vegetables were simple also, by steaming, and adding dairy free margarine. For cakes, I found recipes that did not call for eggs. Quick breads were helpful, since most used oil, and leavening agents such as baking soda and baking powder.
You may be saying right now, "I can't do that! How is that quick?" I say, "Yes, you can. Here's how."
Simple Meal Example
Remember to always check labels of everything you use.
Roast Chicken - Roast 3 at a time. Very little prep time. Rub with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast and freeze left overs for many future meals.
Prepare Frozen Peas/Carrots/Corn/Green Beans - with dairy free margarine
Baked Potato - Bake in oven or microwave (Serve with a safe ketchup if you have a toddler)
or
Rice Pasta - Chop a little garlic, fry in dairy free margarine, and pour over cooked pasta
If you can't eat chicken, try, beef, pork, lamb, turkey, or bison. Use what works for you.
If you never cooked before, this is a double learning experience for you. Both learning basic cooking, and how to manage food allergies. Give yourself time to learn and navigate this new reality by not making it complicated. I felt more in control of risk when I made the food we ate as opposed to depending on the accurateness of labeling from processed foods and the knowledge of restaurant staff.
Cook in large quantities. I would make two large main dishes and a soup all in one day. Freeze most of it and eat it throughout the week. I would only need to make side dishes as the week progressed.
Each new dish and meal you make becomes a welcome friend you can fall back on.
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| Not just for Christmas - an unstuffed Roast Turkey has an amazingly simple preparation. Cut up and freeze the leftovers for many future meals. |
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