Allergen Free Cookies

[RuthLS]

Hi all,

I'm a stay at home mom to 2 boys, one of which has several life threatening food allergies. I've had to make everything for him from scratch as there are not a lot of products he can eat.

I have several friends with children who also have allergies that have encouraged me to consider producing my cookies for people who are in the same boat as we are.

I currently have cookies that are soy, pnut, nut, dairy, and egg free. They are not gluten or wheat free. But they do taste just like any other gourment cookie you can get out there.

I am looking for some feedback...I am wondering if any of you would buy this product or consider buying it for yourself or your children. If it is something you would buy on a regular basis. What allergies your child has, etc.

I've been asked to consider gluten free as well. I just want to make sure I have a cookie that tastes just like any other cookie. Gluten free cookies don't quite seem to taste the same. But I am working on it and would consider it if there were a high demand.

Any thoughts or ideas are greatly appreciated. We would need to build a completely allergen free facility and I want to make sure there really is a need before we spend a lot of money. If there is a need, I would love to be able to help others out there that are having a hard time finding tasty allergen free snacks like we have.

You can email me if you prefer at rlovettsmith@yahoo.com

Thanks,
Ruth

 

[Selket]

I think there are some businesses that make and sell similar cookies.

You might look at this: http://www.divvies.com/ They do cookies, popcorn, etc.

And this: http://www.gakssnacks.com/ They sell cookies to institutions and stores but not sure if they sell direct.

There is another company that provided gluten/peanut/nut free cookies and things to a diabetes conference we attended at WDW.

These folks advertise on peanut allergy board and other allergy internet sites. I think the big key is finding a store or some distribution facility that will carry them - offer them to institutions, etc.

My son has peanut/tree nut allergies and it is usually easy enough to make baked goods for him without allergens. But if you could make these cookies and sell them to some place like WDW for them to offer to guests (perhaps they even put their own label on it). etc. that would be a great benefit.

Good luck!

 

[RuthLS]

Carol,

Thanks for your response. It's nice to meet another allergy concened mom. I'm glad you are able to still bake for your child.

I am acutally familiar with both Divviess and Gaks Snacks. Both of which contain soy. Divvies in the form of soybean oil and soy lecithin and Gaks Snacks in the form of soy lecithin which can contain small amounts of soy protein. Divvies also uses shortening which contains a hydrogenated oil.

Our recipe is completely free of hydrogenated oils and is therefore trans fat free. I also don't use any artificial flavorings or extras that you sometimes see in ingredient lists. So our cookie is all natural and allergen free with the exception of wheat.

My son has a soy allergy and I don't allow him to have products that contain any amounts of soy because I believe you can never be too safe. I also know of a lot of people with a soy allergy and they also steer clear of anything made with or possibly containing any amount of soy. Products are certainly hard to come by as it seems most everything contains soy these days.

So although there appears to be similar products on the market, I think ours is a little different. If I were to produce our cookies, my goal would be to produce allergen free cookies (with the exception of wheat) without all of these added extras that companies often add. I am also a strong believer in not using hydrogenated oils. If you google the term you will certainly understand why.

I agree with you that we would need to find a large buyer. I'd love to do that. I think Disney would be a great idea. I just knew there were a lot of people here with food allergies and was wondering if they thought there was a need before I plowed forward with money, time, and effort.

Thanks again for your response!
Ruth

 

[Schmeck]

You'd also have to purchase a large chunk of insurance! You'd have to make sure your suppliers are 100% honest about their products as well. Good luck!

I'm sure a lot of school systems would be interested in your products - they would have something to offer all students!

 

[Selket]

Ruth
I figured soy was a major issue for you as it seems like the other bakers don't avoid it. I know there is a fair number of folks who look for gluten free things. My son with the peanut allergy is also a type 1 diabetic. Apparently celiac disease is more common for type 1's so we tend to run into them more than the average folks when we have get-togethers.

Best of luck with your plans! I have no idea how to start a business but I'm sure there is lots of info out there on business plans, etc.

 

[RuthLS]

You'd also have to purchase a large chunk of insurance! You'd have to make sure your suppliers are 100% honest about their products as well. Good luck!

I'm sure a lot of school systems would be interested in your products - they would have something to offer all students!

Thanks for your response. I have thought about insurance. It certainly would be costly. And I agree that getting guarantees from suppliers would be key. Thanks for your thoughts and advice.

Ruth

 

[RuthLS]

Ruth
I figured soy was a major issue for you as it seems like the other bakers don't avoid it. I know there is a fair number of folks who look for gluten free things. My son with the peanut allergy is also a type 1 diabetic. Apparently celiac disease is more common for type 1's so we tend to run into them more than the average folks when we have get-togethers.

Best of luck with your plans! I have no idea how to start a business but I'm sure there is lots of info out there on business plans, etc.

Carol,

Soy is definitely an issue for us. And I've run into many others with soy allergies as well. Many people with a peanut allergy can have a soy allergy because both are legumes.

One of the main reasons many others don't avoid soy (to be honest) is that it is very expensive to make a product without it. Many choc chips are made with soy lecithin. It's very hard to find a soy and dairy free chip.

I know there is definitely a large number or people with gluten allergies. But it seems there are more products available to them than those who have food allergies other than gluten. I've found that the gluten free cookies just don't taste the same in my opinion.

I want to be able to offer a cookie that noone would know was wheat based/allergy free. It really just started with my own frustration of not being able to find things and having to bake constantly. Like most parents-my son can't even eat birthday cake at friends houses. This just breaks my heart. So now I make allergy free cakes for him.

It must be very hard for you to deal with the peanut allergy and diabetes. Has there been any link to diabetes and food allergies that you know of? I'm just curious b/c there has been a link to food allergies and a lot of things these days. i definitely think there is a reason that food allergies are on the rise.

Thanks for the well wishes and good luck to you!
Ruth

 

[Selket]

It is amazing how many things have soy in them. I guess at least the peanut allergy is starting to be better labeled. I hope the same for the soy one - I do notice it labeled in many things but not sure if the labeling is as good as that of peanuts/tree nuts.

His allergist did make a comment about William's immune system going "haywire" perhaps because of the peanut allergy. He also had an unexplained reaction a few months later - we still don't know to what. Literally one side of his body had hives and swelling and the other didn't. I have no idea why! He did end up getting an epi once we got him to the emergency care at our HMO.

I sort of hope that he might be one of the lucky few to outgrow the peanut allergy if indeed his immune system was over-reacting. We'll continue to have him tested every few years. The diabetes is PLENTY!

Any chance you can develop calorie free cookies? Best of luck!

 

[momof2inPA]

Cherrybrook Kitchen makes the best gluten/wheat/egg/nut/peanut/soy free cake and cookie mixes. They taste better than normal cookies, and the cake is like an eggless torte. They are a life saver.

 

[RuthLS]

It is amazing how many things have soy in them. I guess at least the peanut allergy is starting to be better labeled. I hope the same for the soy one - I do notice it labeled in many things but not sure if the labeling is as good as that of peanuts/tree nuts.

His allergist did make a comment about William's immune system going "haywire" perhaps because of the peanut allergy. He also had an unexplained reaction a few months later - we still don't know to what. Literally one side of his body had hives and swelling and the other didn't. I have no idea why! He did end up getting an epi once we got him to the emergency care at our HMO.

I sort of hope that he might be one of the lucky few to outgrow the peanut allergy if indeed his immune system was over-reacting. We'll continue to have him tested every few years. The diabetes is PLENTY!

Any chance you can develop calorie free cookies? Best of luck!

Calorie free, now that would be something!

It is so hard when they have a reaction and you have no idea what to. It's really hard to narrow it down and pinpoint exactly what it is.

I too am hoping for an outgrow...but I don't think it will happen with us. Maybe the egg and other allergies. But probably not the nut ones.

I have seem Cherrybrook kitchen and have heard good things about them. Unfortunately the choc has soy in it. Thanks for the suggestion though..I'm glad you like them.

Ruth