To ask you lovely mnetters for nut free chocolate recommendations

[5lilducks]

Hi all

My dd is 3. I haven't given her any chocolate to date. A few months ago we discovered that she has an allergy to cashew nuts and we are awaiting allergy testing. I can see almost all the chocolate we usually get says "may contain nuts" . Can anyone recommend me some good quality nut free chocolate for dd to try out at some point in the future. Thank you x

Cadbury website has a filter. Looks like Twirls and Crunchies are included.

@MuddleMooAh, thanks for that! I will look it up. I did do a Google search and it didn't really bring up any brands known to me. Will go to the Cadbury website and check it out x

[quote 5lilducks]@MuddleMooAh, thanks for that! I will look it up. I did do a Google search and it didn't really bring up any brands known to me. Will go to the Cadbury website and check it out x[/quote]
Is really handy! It says to check the packet still, I guess in case they change factory.

@MuddleMoot It is! I've also just been on the lindt, godiva and green and blacks and none of them seem to have nut free options

Following with interest as I have a nut allergy and am always on the hunt for nut-free chocolate. From personal experience I'm fine with most things (except the things that clearly have nuts in them) but it's always worth exercising caution

My DS has a peanut allergy. He is ok with galaxy, aero, minstrels, malteasers, smarties, revels, bounty, and Dr otkers cooking chocolate

My lo is also allergic to cashews and following tests we confirmed it was in fact all tree nuts. Have a look at kinnerton.

Nut allergy here as well.... pretty much all nuts. (Un) fortunately I have found I'm ok with most chocolate (though happy to conduct further research lol). Do find Hotel Chocolat are pretty crap though as so many are praline based.

NoMo chocolate is genuinely lovely. I have it due to lactose intolerance but it’s vegan and nut free as well.

Lots of dairy free choc is also nut free. I know NOMO is nut free but it is more expensive than normal choc.

[quote 5lilducks]@MuddleMoot It is! I've also just been on the lindt, godiva and green and blacks and none of them seem to have nut free options [/quote]
No experience with Godiva.

G&B is fine, as long as you don't pick one with nuts in it. Avoid Lindt. When Lindt say 'may contain', they really mean it.

Cadbury's is fine. Even Mars is fine. Tesco and Sainsbury's own brands are fine.

M&S and John Lewis own brands can be a bit dodge.

Brilliant, thank you so much for your replies. Good to know I have options! Will definitely look into the others mentioned in here.

@katscamel can I ask, how did you test if most chocolates are okay for you, despite having a nut allergy? Do you just risk it and see if it causes a reaction? If so, what if you did get an allergic reaction? Sorry, we don't have any known food allergies in our families so this is all new to us.

I've had a nut allergy since I was a child, though luckily it's never been that serious. I cant remember now which nuts I am more/less allergic to..last test was 5 years ago I think.
Obviously in the olden days things werent labelled as much as they are now so would have just tried it and gone from there. Even now though pretty much everything 'may contain nuts' I'll still try it ... obviously not if it is actually a bar of nutty chocolate . I have never had a serious reaction luckily, if I have eaten something my throat starts itching and swelling up.. if this happens I drink as much water as possible to try and flush it away. Almonds and walnuts seem to be particularly bad and almonds especially seem to sneak into so many things.
I know it's a worry but dont think you can only try 'specialist' or expensive chocolate, try on the everyday stuff but just make sure you're close by.

Kinnerton is nut free. Not particularly gourmet (although the NOMO range is good), but fine for a child. They usually have a range of Easter eggs/advent calendars etc available in supermarkets too.

Kinnerton guarantees nut-free.
I have 2 anaphylactic dc. One is more sensitive than the other to nut traces in chocolate, so Green and Black is no good for one but the other dc is fine
In your situation I'd offer your dc Kinnerton only until after testing and having Epipens.
Waitrose sell Kinnerton chocolate lollies, and Sainsbury's usually stock the Easter eggs too

Be extremely cautious until you have had the testing, been advised by a consultant and have the appropriate medication prescribed eg Epipen and/or antihistamine. I have seen my child begin an anaphylactic reaction twice and will never forget it.

That said, labelling of food products errs towards caution too. M&S seem to simply label everything as ‘not suitable for nut allergy sufferers’. It is really frustrating. Luckily, my child is ok with traces of nut so we are able, on the consultant’s advice, to give him food with the ‘May contain’ warning. And we always have the Epipen to hand just in case. But we only know this from medical tests and guidance. Until you have that, be very careful.

katscamel your throat swelling up sounds very serious! It sounds like you should go back to the doctor and get a referral just to check this out. If your throat swells too much, your airway will close. This is anaphylaxis. Allergies can be unpredictable and what has been a ‘safe’ food can suddenly trigger a more extreme reaction. Having an Epipen prescribed is lifesaving.

And just to add being ‘close by’ won’t help in the event of a serious reaction unless you have the medication. An ambulance won’t get there in time if the airways swell shut. Sorry to scare you, OP, but I never want to experience it again as a mother. Hopefully your child won’t have this kind of allergy but until you know, go carefully.

Boojoor bonjour are expensive , fab tho gluten , dairy free and if plain nut free.
They make hotel chocolat look like cadburys

Thank you very much for all your replies. Yes, I think I will hold off any chocolate anyway until we have the allergy testing done. Fortunately , dd had been having the kidilicious biscotti which says "may contain nuts" on its packaging and hasnt had a reaction. We only checked the label after she had the allergic reaction to the cashew. We've stopped giving her biscotti and anything that says "may contain nuts" ever since. I was looking into chocolates she can have in future as I feel so very bad when she watches me having a brownie or something else with chocolate on it knowing that she can't have any of it...