Party Bag Sweets for nut and dairy allergies - please advise!

[404]

Hello I am posting for the first time.
My dd is having a birthday party and some children attending have nut and dairy allergies.

Can you please advise what commercially available treats you would be happy to see in your child's bag if your child had a nut and dairy allergy?

I have had chats with the mums of the children but would really, really appreciate
any advice on this subject ASAP.

Thank you so much!

If you go into the FreeFrom section of your supermarket, then they usually have a selection of guaranteed nut/dairy free sweets. I saw choc buttons in Sainsburys last week that were nut//dairy/soy/gluten free so you could have normal choc buttons for the others and those for the allergic

we have haribo as gf / cf but dont know about df

Have found the info on allergies for Haribo here

I get chocolate buttons from Sains which are dairy and peanut free but they are manufactured in a factory which handles other nuts. Kinnerton sell choccie lollies through sainsbury which are nut/dairy free and they are lovely according to my DDs!

How about this website: www.itsnutfree.com/store/,

I would not give one thing to one and one to another, too much chance of them swopping and the nut free stuff is really very nice. also you don't want to single out the poor kid with the allergy.

Flumps are safe too, long twists of marshmallow from Woolies but full of sugar!

Why don't you do a more interesting party bag, a sheet of stickers and a pen and a tennis ball, stuff from Woolies that is really cheap?

Thank you BlueBumedFly, this is really helpful. I have considered not doing any sweets but I have to say my dd would be very disappointed not to see any sweets in her party bag (yes, she has to have one as well).
Thank you again! 404

I would go for no sweets!

cmotdibbler and PeachyFizzesLikeADampSquibb
Thank you both for choc buttons and haribo suggestions. My friend said that Haribo was okay but I will check link on haribo allergens. Off to Sainsburys tomorrow!

Looking at the suggestions so far, it is interesting to know that you all say Sains first, not Tesco or Waitrose, etc.

And having the same treats so kids don't switch, that is not something I would have thought of (and my friend would not have said either out of consideration to me and dd!)

Thank you for your help, it is very much appreciated.

404

That is such a lovely thought.

Ds is now 7 so not such a nightmare going through party bags to see what he can have. Was more difficult when he was younger, wrestling the bag from him first to check everything!

He has egg and nut allergy, so not much help on the dairy front, I'm afraid.

Kinnerton chocolate lollies (available from Sainsburys and Waitrose), jellytots, fruit pastilles, Haribo sweets, some brands of jelly babies.

I think its really nice of you to make the effort.

I would say though- whilst I give Hrib, there aren't many Muslim / Jewish kids observant enough not to eat pork (or vegans) as Haribo contains pork geletine I believe? Worth knowing

I do think you are being very kind, btw

404 - I wish there were more Mums like you!! My DD has always had the bags taken away as they were always high risk zones. Thank you for keeping all the bags the same, it warms my much jaded heart. Thank you.

Tesco is my most hated shop, even the bloody salad has a nut disclaimer!! Ahhhhh - don't even get me started!!

And you know what really stinks? We were invited to a factory visit at Kinnerton which was FANTASTIC, a child with a nut allergy in a chocolate factory, it was a dream come true. Anyhow, they make all the chocs for M&S so they are safe. However, as M&S use the same lorries to transfer the Kinnerton sweets as they do the sweets from Thornton etc they have to put nut warnings on them.... you know, just in case the sweets jump out of the packets in the lorry and mix themselves up. AHHHHHHH!!

Sorry, rant over.... off to find the cooking sherry. s

I just checked the Haribo pack and it only says gelatine. So there's no way I would have known about it being pork! Well worth knowing.

I am intruiged by Thing One's suggestion. Could you be so kind as to tell me two things: 1) What sweets (if any) do you put in your party bags for your kids? btw my dd is five this year, and apart from years 1 and 2, we've not come across a sweets free party bag so far 2) would you enjoy it more if you KNEW there would be no treats in the bags?

Thanks
x

I think all kids love party bags, as long as there are fab conciencious (sp?) mums about like you 404 everyone can enjoy

I only ever put carrot and celery sticks in my dcs party bags.

Organic, of course.

I don't put any sweets in, no! But then my DS1 (also nearly five) doesn't like sweets or chocolate. He is disappointed when he finds them in his bags. I've bought silly bits of plastic tat or mini notebooks instead. This year they will be getting a balloon animal made by the entertainer (at 50p each). I'm trying to be brave enough to give only this .

Only kidding.

If you can't have sweets at a party, when can you?

Gogos went down well at ds' 7th b'day party a few weeks ago too

What is a Gogos?

Lucky, lucky you, not knowing... they're not quite the next Pokemon, but theyve long since been banned at DS's school due to arguments over trading the blasted things! "If you're really interested! www.bonecrazy.co.uk/"

Basically cheap tat!

Come in packs of 3 for about £1. They collect and trade them (and argue about them and lose them and play with them in bed when they should be asleep!).

ah-ha! will avoid like the plague....

I think all the other mothers will hate me if I put Bones in the goody bag ...

bubble mixture!
Also, for all the children at my 3 year olds party (primary 2 and younger) I bought a helium balloon pack (from Asda and Costco) and decorated the house with the balloons. Then when they left, each child chose the balloon they wanted...I think they enjoyed that!

When my kids were little I used to buy cheap books from discount stores and wrap them up instead of party bags - they like having things to open!

DD and I did our first Kinnerton Lolly tasting today, and they are goooood!
Have decided on lollies and haribo across the board. Thank you to everyone who took time to share your wisdom - I learned so much, it is invaluble stuff and will serve me well in future. Thanks again.