Healthy Lunchbox 2014: Lauren from Epi Family

It wasn’t until about 12 years ago that I ever gave any thought to what food allergies really were or even had any inclination that they would ever affect my family. The day my son took just a couple of bites of shrimp, began vomiting shortly after then swelled up and was rushed to the hospital will never leave my memory. Nothing is scarier than seeing your toddler suddenly struggle and recognise that their life could be in danger…

With this, Lauren’s story over on EpiFamily.com hits very close to home. 

I have heard other parents scoff and try to argue when a school decides to make the leap to peanut or nut free, but if it were their child, I have no doubt they’d be grateful for increased awareness. Today Lauren shares a little of her experience and a delicious allergy-friendly sandwich we can all enjoy. I am grateful to have Lauren participating in this years Healthy Lunchbox series. Thanks, Lauren! 

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Cucumber Sandwich

Hi I’m Lauren from EpiFamily.com.  I have two boys (aka my little men) who have life-threatening food allergies.  My oldest (age 5) is anaphylactic to eggs and my youngest (age 4) is anaphylactic to dairy, eggs, peanuts, all tree nuts, and sesame.  Most of the meals that I create are top 8 allergen free as I have a gluten sensitivity and my little men haven’t tried fish or shellfish yet.  Having so many restrictions makes every mealtime a bit of a challenge.  Of course, you eventually get used to the new way of grocery shopping and cooking – buying the same items over and over again.  However, my little men (and my husband and I!) need and want some variety in their meals.  So I’m constantly trying to come up with new recipes that are safe for everyone to eat.

This is the first year that I’ve begun actually packing a lunch as my oldest is in full day Kindergarten.  I’ve truly enjoyed the challenge of creating fun lunchbox meals for him and I know he looks forward to being surprised by what’s inside.

Today I’m sharing with you my recipes for Allergy-Friendly Cucumber Sandwiches and Hubster’s Honey Mustard Dip.  

EpiFamily Lunch Box

Both are staples at our house.  I’ve found that it’s hard to find gluten free bread that doesn’t contain egg.  So I either make it myself or I use cucumbers as a bread replacement.

These are super easy to make.  I begin by cutting cucumbers and roma tomatoes into 1/4″ slices.  Then I use a biscuit cutter (same dimension as the cucumber slice) to cut the turkey. You could also do this with non-dairy cheese. Next I start the assembly.  I slather one side of the first cucumber with guacamole (I use Organic Wholly Guacamole).  Then I layer on the tomato, turkey, and top with another slice of cucumber.  I put a fun toothpick in the top to hold it together and viola!  You now have a yummy yummy cucumber sandwich!

Allergy-Friendly Cucumber Sandwiches

  • 1 Cucumber cut into 1/4″ slices
  • 2 Roma Tomatoes cut into 1/4″ slices
  • 6 Slices of Turkey cut with biscuit cutter
  • Guacamole

Using the above ingredients, assemble sandwiches with the cucumbers on the top and bottom.

When packing my little man’s lunch, I always add a fruit and a crunchy snack. In this case, I used grapes and Glutino Pretzel Sticks with the Hubster’s Honey Mustard Dip.

Hubster’s Honey Mustard Dip

  • 1 Cup Dairy-Free & Egg-Free Mayonaise (I use Earth Balance Soy-Free Mayo)
  • 1/3 Cup Honey
  • 1/3 Cup Mustard

Mix together the mayonnaise, honey, and mustard until it’s fully incorporated and all lumps have disappeared. Taste and adjust by adding more honey or mustard as desired.

 

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