Allergies and Cost of Living

[abbs1]

For parents of children with allergies, how are you coping with the cost of living? My food bill is skyrocketing and struggling to feed my children.

My son has a gluten allergy- still waiting on tests to see if it's just wheat so he's having to have gluten free food until the tests can be done.
My daughter has multiple allergies milk, soya, oats, rice and egg which makes shopping a nightmare. We can hardly ever have the same meals as a family apart from a roast dinner.

How is everyone keeping food costs down? It's getting ridiculous now and I need to find ways to save money. I try my best not to buy the ready made/processed food as it costs a lot but even fresh meat/fish etc is expensive.

We have milk, soya, nuts and very picky autistic eaters. Nightmare. I've no advice I'm afraid as if we don't buy the expensive stuff, ours wouldn't eat. But solidarity!

Sending solidarity back. It's so hard. I nearly cried at my food shop this week. Budget spent and still didn't get everything we needed so just going to make do.

We have to use a food bank twice a month - we are a gluten free family - they now get in stuff for us which really helps as it’s so expensive otherwise to manage

You should check if in your area it’s possible to get GF foods on prescription- some areas don’t do this anymore but worth checking (although it’s not the nicest stuff !)

Also we have found Asda to be best for GF foods if you have one nearby

Can anyone access a foodbank or how does that work?

My son is seeing the Dr next week so I'm going to ask as I can't afford to spend £20+ on his food alone eaxh week as all GF specific stuff is made from rice etc which my daughter is allergic to.

We have a small one but doesn't have much gf food. So far I've been using tesco. Found sainsburys quite expensive. I've been using buckwheat a lot but bread, cereal, and finding foods definitely gf isn't easy and if it is it then has my daughters allergens in it.

Some of them you need a referral from school/HV etc (usually the trussel trust ones) but we have 2 locally to us where you don’t need a referral and there’s no limit on how many times you can visit (they operate once a week) one is church run and the other is a charity

The first time we had a brief meeting with someone who works there to find out how many members of our family and dietary requirements, had a chat about finances etc and they signpost to any other help

Each time we go we usually get some fresh fruit and veg which varies as I think it’s just surplus from supermarkets plus we get staples such as gf pasta , rice, crackers, biscuits, cereal and tinned foods . Once a month cleaning products and toiletries

I'm anaphylactic to additives, preservatives, flavourings, colourings and lots of other things. It cost a fortune for me to eat, everything has to be fresh, home made, there's so much I can eat but don't because of the cost.
I can't risk things either as even being as careful as I can I've had about 40 anaphylactic reactions in 5 years .
It's bloody hard when your finding it hard to buy food, sending you lots of hugs x

Tesco have quite a good range too, we like their gf oats they used to do a vanilla cake mix which was good not sure if they still
do but I’d make it up and add ripe bananas too plus some oats and make breakfast muffins (which also freeze well)

Oh right OK. That's good to know. I will see what information I can find out for our area. Thankyou.

Oh bless you. That sounds really hard. Sending hugs.
I'm finding absolutely insane how much rice is in food but as its not a top 14 allergen it doesn't have to be declared so shopping is a nightmare. We currently eat the same 10 meals week in week out as I just find the weekly shop so stressful.

I do like Tesco and they do offer a lot just wish it was cheaper. Also I'm trying not to give my kids too much processed stuff as it's not good for them but then I also can't always do completely fresh food for 3 main meals and snacks everyday as its crazy money.

It's really tricky at times, my allergies are linked to a autoimmune condition so even my safe foods are only safe that time, next time I eat them my body might decide it doesn't like it. I don't get a warning either just straight to anaphylaxis which is why I've had so many.
My food shopping has increased over 50% just to try and have some variety, I can get more foods from places like m&S and Waitrose but I just don't have the budget for that, apart from as special treats.
None of mine are top 14 and everything has flavourings in but it depends what they are as to if I can have it, makes things very time consuming and having to check with companies etc

Are you eligible for a healthy start card ? I think there’s an online checker as that may help ? It’s so hard isn’t it. Very often some of the big supermarkets like Tesco and Asda do veg super super cheap I think it was carrots a few weeks ago I got loads and the dc had carrot sticks for snacks , we grated them and made some savoury baked eggs with grated carrot grated courgette chopped up tomato egg and grated cheese and baked them they had them for lunch and they were cheap but really filling

Have you looked at pulses and vegan recipes?
Most would be suitable for both kids if you tweak it a bit.
I know not everyone likes them or has the time to (learn to) cook them.... but in the long run they could help you making meal times easier and cheaper.

We’re the same, on a strict budget but with soya, wheat and nut allergies it’s hard to keep costs down.

I make cakes on a Sunday to last for lunch boxes that week, so I’ll make a tray bake/cupcakes/cookies that are gluten free and we all eat them- it’s cheaper than buying ready made cakes.

I tend to buy meat and veg (either fresh or frozen) and add my own herb/spices to flavour and serve with rice, we all eat the same meals unless I’m doing pasta as I’ll have a pot of gluten free pasta, a pot of wheat pasta and a pot if sauce/meatballs/Bol, then divide the sauce into the 2 pasta pots.

I also try to bulk out meals so leftovers can be eaten for lunch so we don’t have to buy much gluten free bread (as it’s so expensive).

I’m sorry your struggling too 😞

No unfortunately we're not. We're stuck in the middle where we can't get extra help. I'm trying to get a job as my partner is the sole earner but trying to get childcare so I can find work is too expensive and I can't get enough hours cover the cost of nursery and still have money left to be better off so currently staying home with the kids. Hopefully that will change soon and I can get back into work.
The veg and egg would be a great option for my son! He would love that so will have a look.
I struggle a lot with my daughter as her diet is so limited and if she ate his food by mistake it's an A&E trip.

I will see if I can bake and freeze stuff for the week to save more money.

I haven't looked much into this but I will. Thankyou. Any way I can bulk out meals to make them stretch further is a bonus.

Oh that's a good idea. I love using buckwheat as it's so versatile and both my kids can eat it.

I need to try and find an egg substitute for my daughter that my son can also have as that will make things cheaper as well.

My kids 4 and 2 just eat so much food it's like the kitchen is a cafe all day long so I'm trying to find more filling snacks so they don't eat as much.

Feel your pain.

will the new funded hours for childcare help? From sept can get 15hrs for even 9mth olds if you are working.

multiple allergies here, including gluten for two in the house.

when the pandemic started, we began growing some veggies at home. I have found that 2 cherry tomato plants ( bought from school sale or in our area people have a day a they out out free plants to give away which is fab) in a grow bag on the patio with a stick to grow up gave us so many cherry tomatoes. Instead snack provided plus lots to cook for pasta dishes.

just the little things like that help.

Miss the days of prescription bread and pasta,

My eldest is off to school in September but my youngest at the moment can only get 3 mornings a week from September. She's on a waiting list for more but all the nurseries in our area are so oversubscribed they said the waiting list is now Sept 2026 which is when she will start school. I'm looking for a part time job during those hours but so far nothing as its too few hours a week and employers want more. Once she's 3 she will be free on the 15 hours so that's good.

We definitely want to do a little garden this year so will see what veggies we can grow!
Seems unfair coeliacs can get prescription bread/flour in some areas still but wheat allergies etc can't.

It's such a struggle. It's a full worry every single month.

I've got 3 x Dairy free
And 1 of them is also Gluten free.

We're chopping the shop between 5 stores.
1 of them being muscle foods for meat. It's online but worked out massively cheaper.

I just can't believe we don't have any help.
There's DLA recognising that having a child with needs comes with costs

But a basic recognised need for food isn't recognised.

Catering for gluten allergy in one child and oat/rice in the other must be really hard.

For main meals could you do very traditional British meals - you mentioned a roast works for everyone so presumably so would other potato-based meals like cottage pie, shepherd's pie, stew, baked potatoes, meat/fish & 2 veg, etc? The kind of diet I mostly ate as a child basically - we always had mash plain (no butter/milk/cheese) so that would work I think. So would burger, chips and beans (no bun).

Specialist gluten-free foods and free-from milks are always expensive unfortunately.

You have my sympathies - it takes so much energy catering for restricted diets. Have you been given any indication whether they're likely to grow out of their allergies?