Do you have a child with food sensitivities or allergies? I do. And let me tell you, at first it was so frustrating to cook meals. I felt limited in my choices, and often felt like there was just about nothing we all could eat. About a year ago, my son had sensitivities to about 10 different foods, and my daughter to about 5. Some of them were more severe than others. But it still made the task of feeding a then 2 and 5 year old quite daunting.

My daughter is a very picky eater, so it made things even more limited than the already limited list of foods she would eat. For the most part my son is a fantastic eater and loves just about anything! Funny how you can raise and feed both children almost exactly the same, and yet they turn out so different.

If you have read about my journey, then you probably know we spent a good 6 months repairing both my son’s and daughter’s gut health (the source of the food sensitivities) to increase the foods they could eat.

They are both now only sensitive to wheat and some forms of dairy, but it seems to be improving as we continue to work on rebuilding their gut health. Read my post here on why gut health plays a critical role in food sensitivities and allergies and can be linked to conditions like asthma and eczema. When we have “cheat” days and consume those foods, the reactions are much less strong, sometimes not even there anymore. So we are on the road to recovery! Yay!

What is the difference between a food sensitivity and a food allergy?

A food allergy is usually quite obvious. It activates an antibody in the immune system, called the IgE antibody, and usually results in the anaphylactic response we are all so familiar with. When the offending food is eaten (the allergen), the reaction occurs very shortly after the introduction of the allergen, and can be life threatening. And, so it is often very easy to recognize the source of the problem.

Food sensitivities, however, are a lot more difficult to pinpoint. These involve a different antibody in the immune system, called the IgG antibody. Reactions can take up to 4 days to present. And therefore, sometimes by the time we even notice the reaction, we can’t remember everything the child ate during that time that could have caused the reaction.

This is where food journaling is really helpful. If you aren’t familiar with food journaling, you record everything consumed over the period of at least one week, sometimes longer, and note all reactions and health symptoms that occur. Often we can pinpoint the cause by recognizing the pattern. I use food journaling with clients to help them identify food sensitivities.

Most people in North America don’t have good gut health because of the diets we typically consume. And food sensitivities are a lot more common than we might think.  The most common allergens or sensitivities are to wheat, dairy, eggs, corn, soy, tree nuts, fish and shellfish. Although, an allergy or sensitivity can occur with any food.

How to feed a child with food sensitivities and allergies

I am sure the biggest struggle for you when you find out your child is allergic or sensitive to something is now what do I feed them? Many of the common allergens are hidden in so many processed foods, and sometimes it feels nearly impossible to know if they are in there and what to safely eat and avoid.

Here are some of my strategies to safely feeding a child with food allergies and sensitivities.

Choose whole foods and avoid processed foods

This one goes without saying. It really is the foundation for eating healthy and you will probably hear me say it again and again. One of the easiest ways to ensure you aren’t unknowingly feeding your child something they are allergic or sensitive to is to feed them whole foods.

Foods that have 1 ingredient and are themselves aren’t going to have all of those secret additives that are listed on ingredient labels with strange names. This is where many of the common allergens are often hidden. So avoid the boxed dinners and make a simple whole food dinner. Try organic chicken breast with baked sweet potatoes and steamed broccoli. Healthy. Simple. Delicious. Allergen free.

Make what you can from scratch

This goes along with the previous point. Many packaged and processed foods contain allergens. You can control the ingredients you are feeding your child by making meals and snacks at home from scratch. There are lots of great snack recipes like homemade bars or balls that kids love. My kids love this recipe for Coconut, Chocolate & Oatmeal Energy Balls (we use dairy and gluten free chocolate chips from Enjoy Life, but you could also replace with raisins).

Use substitutes instead 

Substitutes are a great way to make the same delicious recipes allergen and sensitivity-friendly.  So many health food stores and even grocery stores have some great alternatives so your child won’t feel deprived and can still enjoy the same great recipes. See handy substitution guide below for easy reference.

If your child has a dairy allergy or sensitivity choose nut and seed milks like almond, hemp and coconut or goat’s milk. Often people with a cow’s milk sensitivity are still ok with goat’s milk. You can use coconut oil instead of butter and coconut yogurt or kefir instead of the dairy versions. If you need to use cheese in a recipe, there are some great vegan cheeses readily available in most grocery stores, or choose raw cheese or goat cheese if your child can tolerate it. Raw cheese is much more easily digested.

If your child has a nut allergy, use seed butters like sunflower and pumpkin. These are delicious and super nutritious. Use seeds in recipes that call for nuts, such as in baking.

You can replace eggs with chia or flax. Usually 1 tbsp of chia or flax mixed with 3 tbsp of water and allowed to sit for a few minutes will give the same effect, particularly in baking. Other alternatives are a 1/4 cup applesauce or mashed banana.

Wheat sensitivities can fall into two categories. Those that are also gluten sensitive/allergic and those that are not. If there is not a gluten sensitivity, then you can enjoy other grains that do contain gluten, such as spelt, kamut, einkorn, barley and rye. Spelt and kamut are great for baking and can be replaced 1:1 for wheat. However, they are ancient forms of wheat. We use these a lot in or house as my kids can tolerate them.

Einkorn, another ancient form of wheat, is also an option. Many people with sensitivities to today’s modern wheat don’t have an issue with einkorn, spelt or kamut. Barley and rye do not contain wheat, but they are gluten-containing grains.

If dealing with a gluten allergy (celiac) or sensitivity, those gluten containing grains are not an option. Instead, you can use buckwheat, rice, millet, quinoa, amaranth, sorghum and teff. Oats do not by nature contain gluten. However, they are often processed in facilities that do process gluten containing grains and can be cross-contaminated. So if there is a gluten issue, I highly recommend buying gluten free oats, like those from Bob’s Red Mill.

Eating out

This one can be difficult depending on the degree of the allergy or sensitivity and how many foods your child has an issue with. Sometimes eating out is just not an option. You may have to bring food for your child if eating at someone else’s house. You will have to determine what works best for your situation. I always recommend having snacks on hand wherever you go, since likely anything you can get out if your child is hungry will be unhealthy and contain an allergen.

If you do need to eat out and can, order something off the menu that is more whole food based and contains less ingredients. For example, order a plain grilled chicken breast with vegetables or a salad with oil and vinegar for the dressing.  Sauces and dressings often contain allergens, so skip these if you can. Many restaurants now have gluten free and vegan options that won’t contain dairy, wheat or egg. Your server should be able to give you an ingredient list if you ask.

Using these strategies will make something that seems so frustrating and difficult a lot easier. You will gain confidence knowing exactly what is going in your child’s body.

Are you stuck and in need of further support for a child with food sensitivities or allergies? Book a free discovery call with me so we can discuss how I can help you.

Do you have a child with food sensitivities or allergies? Share your strategies for dealing with food sensitivities and allergies in the comments. I would love to hear them!