Nut allergy at child's party - Help please!

[AlmaMartyr]

My DS is having a birthday party soon and one of his guests has a nut allergy. I was planning on doing pizzas, crisps, biscuits and a few veg. Maybe some cocktail sausages. I'd really like this little girl to be able to eat most things - where's the best place to shop? I can go anywhere but Asda but most supermarkets are a bit of a drive so thought it was best to ask in advance. Or does anyone have good tips on alternative food to provide? I've heard a lot of places will put 'may contain nuts' on any product just in case. I'm keeping the packaging for her mum to check and she can be around them so the whole party doesn't need to be totally but free but I'd like to accommodate her as much as possible.

Another guest has a lactose allergy, which I've already sorted I think!

[AlmaMartyr]

Oops, meant to say thanks in advance for any help

[piggychops]

Just serve regular party food but nothing with nuts in and you'll be fine!

[lemonyone]

You really should be fine with that menu. Go for lots of nibbly fruit and vegetables, crisps are generally fine (altho the more 'artisan' ones can be friend in nut oil, so go cheap as possible ).

I find M&S is the best place to get nut-free chocolate as it's clearly labelled. But pizza should be absolutely fine. Again - careful of 'artisan' ones and ones from Costco (if you have that there) as they can have pesto in the sauce.

Buy some simple ice cream as well - again, the cheaper it is, the less likely it is to be farted around with and have nuts added to it. Careful of chocolate sauces though as they can have fragments of nuts.

Personally, I would stick to buying things that don't list nuts as an ingredient and then keep the boxes for the mum to look over, just to reassure.

As a mum who has allergies and has a DC with allergies I really appreciate you taking the time out to fret about this. Thanks!

[caravanista13]

You're doing exactly the right thing. Lovely to see someone being so thoughtful.

[Strictlyison]

Add jelly and vanilla ice cream, no nuts and kids love it!

[AlmaMartyr]

Thanks for the advice, that's great. Will go cheap as possible

Friends who have kids with allergies have told me that parties tend to be a minefield, hence hoping to make it as inclusive as possible!

[neolara]

Generally m & S food is labelled not suitable for nut allergy sufferers.

[SavoyCabbage]

I would ask the mother if the child can have food that is labelled 'may contain traces of nuts'. Or similar. My dd can, but a girl in her class can't.

[SoupDragon]

I agree with checking about "may contain traces of nuts" food. I have done several nut free parties and remember that once a packet of ham had this warning on.

[momb]

Speak to the Mum: there will be lots of things that say 'ingredients from a factory which handles nuts' and she will be able to advise what she knows is safe.
...and from another thread I read on here, do remember that almonds are nuts too: so no cherry bakewells etc!

[AlmaMartyr]

Thanks so much for all advice :) Party is this afternoon. Everything I've bought has no nut warnings on any of it (including no 'traces of' or 'manufacturing methods' iyswim). The only thing that I couldn't track down was nut free icing, and I needed to use fondant so have bought her some nut free cupcakes of her own to have instead. Will be keeping the wrappers for her parents to double check but should all be OK.

Momb - do people really not realise about almonds? Crazy!

[Otterwa]

Bit late now sorry but if you have to do this again Fabulous Baking Boys cakes etc used to be made in a nut free environment.

It's also worth checking what nut they are allergic to and how severe is the allergy. As someone said earlier some can have 'made in a factory' others can't.

Also ask what to do if they do have an allergic reaction, again depending on the severity you may need an epipen or piriton or both.

As a mother of a nut allergic child I would be so grateful of the effort you have made.

Hope the party goes well.

[chloesmumtoo]

Fabulous Baking Boys have changed nut policy now unfortunately //www.bakinboys.com/nut-policy/4577173500