Nut Allergies are something we take very seriously at Stonybrook Day Camp. It comes down to keeping our campers safe which is always a top priority. We are a nut aware facility, which means that we do not serve any nut products or any products made in factories that also manufacture nuts/nut products. We also do not allow any food products into camp or on the bus unless approved by the Camp Director as nut free. If children eat peanut butter for breakfast, we ask that they wash their hands and face thoroughly with soap and water before coming to camp.
We have lots of experience accommodating nut allergy campers, and we do so in a way that makes any nut allergy child feel like any other camper. In fact, we are getting ready to welcome a new camper with a nut allergy this summer…. Roger’s own son Nate.
In getting the nut allergy diagnosis, Roger turned to two of his own camp families to find out more about dealing with being nut free outside of camp. Janine Berg and Amy Rosenberg, each Stonybrook moms and founders of 2 Creative Moms, were incredibly helpful and full of great advice.
Janine and Amy have actually become experts and now make beautiful nut free desserts. This started because they, like many parents, had been frustrated about finding beautiful, delicious desserts that were also nut free. There was often concern- is this really NUT-FREE? They found that some people think nut free just means that there are no nuts in a product; however, this is not truly the case as there may be traces of nuts from other products that have been produced on the same production line or in the same facility.
Having kids with a love of dessert (who doesn’t?), they often thought- what do you do when you need a dessert for someone who has a nut allergy? After not finding an easy solution, Janine took her passion for baking and Amy took her art and design background, and together they decided that it was time to do something. They wanted to make sure their children didn't get left out when it came to dessert at birthday parties, family gatherings and play dates any longer. They decided to start making custom nut–free cakes and cupcakes for their family and friends. They soon discovered that many people started asking them to make cakes, regardless if their family members had a nut allergy. Check out their innovative, custom designs at www.2creativemoms.com.
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nd we wanted to share some of their expertise with our Stonybrook community. With the holidays upon us, we asked Janine and Amy to share some advice on how to handle parties and events while dealing with a nut allergy. Here is what they shared:It’s always difficult when you go to another person’s house where you know there will be food there that is not nut free. Of course, the thought of having to tell your child that he/she can’t have the goodies that all the other kids are having is often heartbreaking. You have to be careful of people just telling you that a product is nut-free just because it actually doesn’t have nuts in it. Having dealt with this many times, here are some ideas of what you can do.
1. If you can, speak to the host of the party or gathering and see if they can only put out food that is safe for you child –that is always the best thing. But we all know that it doesn’t always happen…so in that case, you must always bring treats that are safe for your child to have.
2. If you are going to someone’s house and you are asked to bring something…like a potluck dinner or a playdate, why not be in charge of desserts and treats? Then at least you know that everything for dessert is safe.
3. At birthday parties, always bring a cupcake or something for your child so your child doesn’t feel left out. Also be aware of what snacks are on the table…always watch those little fingers.
4. When going to a relative’s house, bring along a sheet that states what the allergy is, what foods are unsafe and some suggestions as to what foods are safe. And be specific-don’t just say chocolate chip cookies. You will soon learn that some brands are good, some are not...find ones that are ok and write that specific brand down.
Everyone feels differently about what to or not to do. We all have our limits... it is important to find your own and stick by it. Some relatives and friends in our experience have not completely understood what it means when we come to their house and what foods should be out and what shouldn't be out. It is very stressful having to reiterate that certain foods can be life threatening to our children. Sometimes people think we have blown the reaction to nuts way out of proportion. It can be hard to talk up because of seeming difficult. But rem
ember, our children cannot always talk for themselves. We need to be their advocates.Thanks Janine and Amy for sharing your advice and your beautiful cakes with us!
Don't forget to check out http://www.stonybrookdaycamp.com/
