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On-The-Road with Safe Snacks!

By Kim Koeller and Robert La France

Allergen-free foods are starting to reach the mainstream and the food industry is beginning to hear our needs! We hope that you are as excited about being able to open pre-packaged individual-serving size allergen-free snacks while on-the-go as we are. Finally, no more putting allergen-free foods in zip lock bags to carry with you!

Some delicious travel-size allergen-free snacks that are manufactured in peanut and tree nut-free facilities include:

Cookies & bars from Enjoy Life Foods (www.enjoylifefoods.com) - free of corn, dairy, egg, fish, gluten, peanuts, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, & wheat
Cookies from Gak’s Snacks (www.gakssnacks.com) - free of dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts and wheat
Cookies from Moonpie (www.moonpie.com) - free of eggs, milk, peanuts and tree nuts
Cookies and popcorn from Divvies (www.divvies.com) - free of dairy, eggs, peanuts and tree nuts
Snack bars from No Nuttin (www.nonuttin.com) - free of dairy, egg, gluten, peanuts and tree nuts
Snacks including those baked, fried and air- popped from Robert’s American Gourmet (www.robscape.com) - free of gluten, peanuts and tree nuts
Soy nut butter snack from I.M. Healthy (www.soynutbutter.com) - free of dairy, egg, peanuts, sesame and tree nuts
A sampling of allergen-free candy and chocolates that are manufactured in peanut and tree nut-free facilities include:

Amandas Own Confections (www.amandasown.com) - free of dairy, eggs, peanuts and tree nuts
Candy Creations (www.nonutscandy.com) - free of peanuts and tree nuts
Gimbal’s Candy (www.gimbalscandy.com) - free of dairy, gluten, peanuts and tree nuts
Kellie’s Candies (www.nutfreecandy.com) - free of peanuts and tree nuts
Nothin Nutty (www.nothinnutty.com) - free of peanuts and tree nuts
Twin Cove Confections (www.twincoveconfections.com) - free of peanuts and tree nuts
Vermont Nut Free Chocolates (www.vermontnutfree.com) - free of peanuts and tree nuts
Some allergen-free snacks are manufactured in shared facilities, which is an indication that your allergen may be present in the factory and processed on the same production lines. Many companies will sanitize machines in between products, so you will want to check with the company if the allergy is more severe.

A sampling of these snacks include:

Apple pie from Fabe’s All Natural (www.fabesnatural.com) - dairy, egg & gluten- free
Applesauce from Mott’s (www.motts.com)
Brownies from Foods by George (www.foodsbygeorge.com) - dairy, gluten & soy- free
Cakes and breads from I Can Eat It (www.icaneatit.com) - diary & gluten-free
Canned fruits from Del Monte (www.delmonte.com) or Dole (www.dole.com) - dairy, egg & gluten-free
Cereals and bars from Nature’s Path (www.naturespath.com) - dairy, egg and gluten- free
Crackers from Nabisco (www.nabisco.com) - dairy and egg-free
Chips from Frito Lay (www.fritolay.com) - dairy & gluten-free (some)
Crackers from Mary’s Gone Crackers (www.marysgonecrackers.com) - dairy, egg & gluten- free
Fruit snacks from Stretch Island (www.stretch- island.com) - diary & gluten free
Pretzels from Ener-G (www.ener- g.com) - dairy, egg and gluten-free with a sesame warning
A short-list of delicious individually packaged allergen- free cookies that are also manufactured in shared facilities include:

Andean Dream (www.andeandream.com) - dairy, egg, gluten & soy- free
Arico Natural Foods Co. (www.aricofoods.com) - dairy and gluten-free
Glutino (www.glutino.com) - dairy, egg and gluten- free
Kookie Karma (www.kookiekarma.com) - dairy, egg, gluten & soy- free
Nana’s Cookie Co. (www.healthycrowd.com) - corn, dairy, egg, gluten & soy- free
Pamela’s Cookies (www.pamelasproducts.com) - gluten-free
We hope that you take the opportunity to enjoy these goodies, depending upon your specific allergen concerns, while at home, on-the-road or anywhere your life may take you!

Remember that as of January 1 2006, the US Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) went into effect. The presence of eight allergens including: dairy, eggs, fish, peanuts, shellfish, soy, tree nuts and wheat are now declared on ingredient lists. However, those following a gluten-free diet have not had their concerns sufficiently addressed since wheat, and not gluten, is included in the current allergen labeling. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently developing a definition for the term “gluten-free,” as there is currently no approved legislature for U.S. food manufacturers or consumers.

In addition, companies are not required to label for potential cross contamination or “traces” of an allergen. If you are unsure about the ingredients of any product, it is always best to contact the manufacturer.

Therefore, always be sure to read product labels diligently wherever you might be, around the corner from your home or around the world, to ensure safe allergen-free eating anywhere!

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