Dairy-Free Day!!

It is so difficult to know what is dairy-free and what isn't. I've been wondering if baby J's restless nights are linked with somehting that I've been missing (or something that isn't missing) in his diet. Reaffirmed. Walking into Wendy's today, I noted a large chart, about the size of 3 posters, hanging as I entered the front door. It is a new feature and I am glad they have added it. It has a list of the 7 most common food allergens and their presence (or potential presence) in foods offered by the franchise. They are broken into 3 categories, distinguishable by different colored dots. Red means that the allergen is present, blue means that the food is cooked on the same surface or in the same oil as that allergen (and may be cross-contaminated), and green (?? the colors are on the chart, but I don't recall this one) means that the food is prepared or manufactured on the same line as the allergen (and may be cross-contaminated). Wow! What a concept! Just put it out there for everyone to see. So dairy-free at Wendy's is even more limited than I had believed. There were a lot of red dots. But now I know.

This encouraged me to venture into the land of the unknown regarding other fast food restaurants and allergen information. Here is what I've found so far. I will continue to update the list as I learn more. And remember that just like all processed foods, the ingredients continually change and so the facts today may not be the facts tomorrow.



McDonald's (note that the bottom section lists actual allergens- like milk- and what products they are in)

Arby's lists the allergens in red next to the name of the food item.

Burger King

Chipotle makes it easy by only using dairy in their cheese and sour cream. That's why we love you, Chipotle!

Panda Express says milk in the Orange Chicken and mixed veggies, so no more for baby J, but at least the Mandarin Chicken is still okay!

KFC says go for the Original or Grilled with Dairy allergies, but avoid anything breaded or extra crispy.

Popeye's makes you work for any info. They list all ingredients, but only a few allergens that are contained in each. For example, they list "wheat" as an allergen, but not "milk", although the ingredients clearly state that they contain milk. Sigh. Virtually everything has an allergen. Buh-bye.

You've got to love Subway for just putting it all out there. Usually good old non-processed ingredients.

Taco Bell lists the allergens in a great, easy to use chart; but it is only accessible online. It isn't possible to print it.

Wendy's who gave me this idea.

White Castle for those with iron stomachs.

Have fun eating out with the help of my list! These are just places local to me, but if you'd like to review other options, a great resource is the Go Dairy Free dining out guide and the shopping lists.

Attention All Mommies; I'm Calling a Truce

As children, we are always eager to do our best and gain acceptance and approval. When we become teenagers, while we pretend that we want to be individuals and thrive on excelling, it is the security of genuine love that gives us strength. While single, young adults, we have no one to think of but ourselves and feel lost. Then we marry, have babies, and sacrifice much of what we are to offer our sprouting young ones the best.

With this in mind, it is no wonder that we dote, spoil, and place these little replicas of ourselves on pedestals.

Since the birth of our little replica, I've noticed a pattern. I love him more than I ever imagined I could love someone. I know that all mommies and daddies empathize. With all these factors in mind, a competition seems to ensue.

And so, I'm calling a truce. Whether you breastfeed, bottle feed, formula feed, work outside the home, work at home, stay at home, co-sleep or don't. If you have a child who is off the charts, average, below average, silly looking, a Gerber baby, looks like the wrong gender, eats Play-Doh, has shaggy hair, or no hair at all, this is to your advantage.

Let's all just be happy for each other. No more snide remarks or comparisons. Let's all remember that we are in the same boat. We all want our children to grow into loved, well-rounded adults. So, if someone offers uninvited advice, please smile say thank you. Because they're just trying to help.

Happy Truce Day! May we all enjoy these precios moments of child-rearing which will pass much too quickly.

Venting

I decided to take a detour from our routine. Wanting to replace my stolen coat and take advantage of a sale, I went to Old Navy. I was cutting it close in relation to naptime but was ecstatic upon finding what I needed. Baby J wasn't though. He was growing sleepy at an alarming rate. The line seemed to be progressing slowly, which I attribute mostly to my perspective. When I was second in line, I quickly realized that I didn't have an overactive imagination, but the clerk really was having troubles. The manager assisted her through every item. Then the manager left the register. Baby J was now nearly inconsolabe but we persevered... until she got to me. She had trouble ringing the coat up so she set it aside and rang up my other items. Then she attempted again to ring the coat up. She asked the manager for assistance but the manager apparently thought thus was the best time to teach her to fendfor herself, so she nonchalantly stayed five feet away and told her to "try something else". By this time, my boy was furious so I cancelled the transaction, rudely thanked the manager for not intervening and left. I should've been more patient and exhibited more self-control, but things like this seem to becoming much more common. And, not as a means to justify, my husband and I are going it alone. While we have many friends, my village is non-existent. I'm made to feel as if I must call in favors for such small daytrips or beg for help with projects. I know that I'm not alone, but after dozens of these encounters, I really wish for practical assistance.

Hopefully a good night's sleep will provide feelings of renewal and a more positive perspective. If not, for your own protection, please avoid my cynicism.

Decaffeinated Mommie- A Tragedy

As a result of my eagerly sought after desire for rest, I have found solice in my unrequited love for coffee. A true romantic, I anticipated each day the dance that the cream and sugar would have with the freshly brewed beans. I say cream because I am truly infatuated with cream, otherwise known as half & half. The colour that it creates as it blends into the rich brew is a comfort. The aroma that it creates arouses the senses. But the taste, ah, the taste has always been a reward to me. Now, more than ever, my fatigued brain craves it all.

However, my son seems nearly recovered from just shy of 9 months of hysteria-induced insomnia. The solution seems to have been a dairy allergy. Being a true fan of natural nourishment, he still nurses upon his request. While it is not nearly as frequent as during infancy, it is often enough that my dairy consumption affects him adversely. For this, I began to express my deep affection for the unnamed manufacturers of a product referred to as "non-dairy" by their own label.

As a trusting person, I did not second-guess their claim. I simply consumed their product gratefully. All the while, I was not able to mask this lie from my son's digestive system. Because recovery from his most recent dairy consumption was not happening, I began to investigate. To my dismay, the culprits are the very ones who offered me comfort on those tiring mornings. So, to the makers of shmInternational Deliars, at least I know where we stands. It is my deepest desire that we are able to reconcile our failed relationship. Until then, please know that I think of you often. Soon the wounds will heal. I will learn to love again. But for now, I endure.