Survival Tips for Daily Living!

• Family members need to support those who chose recovery through food and environmental changes. Health and safety FIRST; need

over want!

• Explain and be honest to children. Confront obstacles and tackle them together. Often, what bothers us about eating differently in public doesn’t bother our kids and vice versa. Just ask and plan ahead!

• Get kids involved with creative cooking and eating. Anytime of year is a great time to go explore. Research new recipes on line and make them together. It might even be a great school project for your kids!

• Teach by example and be thoughtful in front of others. If others are eating cookies your child cannot have, refrain from taking one for yourself. Standing alongside your child’s needs above our wants will help make you a true hero in their eyes.

• Call ahead and pack alternatives to take to parties and gatherings. Regular ice cream compared to a dairy alternative is a close match, but a milk chocolate bar next to dried fruit snacks may not help your child stick to the healthier choice!

• Trade for Your Treat” coupons easily slip in your wallet for emergency moments. It’s hard to always have alternative treats on hand to exchange with your child for the unexpected treat they were just offered, so have coupons on hand to give your child an “IOU” that fits their needs.

• Encourage family and friends to participate and offer alternatives. Help them by asking to help supply their cupboards when you visit. Always travel with necessities.

• Send a letter to teachers, students, friends etc., requesting notification before treats are sent to school or offered at a party. Then, you can provide a fun allergy-free alternative.

• Bake or make treats ahead of time and freeze for emergency birthday parties, such as iced cupcakes ready to defrost or pizza crust rolled and ready. Melt non-dairy chocolate chips into candy molds. Wrap with plastic wrap, include a personal message and decorate with holiday or character stickers to add to the fun. Use a special treat container to pack their snack.

• Keep an emergency snack box at school so no one misses the fun.

• Ask restaurants for help by providing empty containers. At fast food parties, explain the food allergies and request the empty containers to fill with your foods, i.e. McDonald’s parties but with YOUR chicken nuggets in their container. Pizza boxes with your pizza to deliver

to the party.

• At home, keep a treasure chest filled with their edible and non-edible surprises. Use the treasures to trade your kids for the candy they receive from holidays and parties.

• Add a small, clean toy or stickers in a Ziploc bag into the cereal box.

• Make an international day! For example, chose an all-Asian day in DC with pandas at the National Zoo, art at the Smithsonian,

Chinatown for markets and restaurants. Go to the library and borrow movies, books, music, and cookbooks about Africa. Make a craft,

a meal, and a memory.

• Concentrate on preparing dinners with leftovers. Now you have a great breakfast and lunch for the whole family. Freeze portions to use later when you need quick, healthy meals.

• Puree and mix in veggies, legumes, and fruits into things like hamburgers (i.e. black beans, zucchini, and cabbage) and muffins (i.e. fruits and carrots). Your child may never know.

Under “Testimonies” see Scott’s Testimony