Happy Mother’s Day to all Mothers and Food Allergy Moms

YES Bar, Black Sesame Sea Salt

“The YES Bar was founded out of love in my kitchen for my son with food allergies,” says founder Abigail.

“My son was born with so many food sensitivities, I was always having to say “no” to the foods he wanted to try. In frustration and out of love, I went to my kitchen and took out all the ingredients that I could say “yes” to, and made a snack that he could eat.  He loved them because they looked and tasted like a cookie. I loved them because of their nutritious, premium quality organic ingredients. From that day on the YES Bar was born.”

The black sesame sea salt bar is made with sesame seeds, almonds, pecans, pumpkin seeds, coconut and sea salt. It’s a savory blend of sweet, salty and crunchy.

YES Bars are fully plant-based, paleo, vegan and free of GMO’s, gluten, grains, dairy, corn, soy, eggs, & peanuts. However, they are not nut free, containing tree nuts, including coconuts. Other flavors include Strawberry Coconut, Salted Maple Pecan, Dark Chocolate Chip, Coffee and Chocolate, and Macadamia Chocolate. Every purchase supports the Heart Institute of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. 

Cybele’s Free to Eat Oatmeal Raisin

Cybele Pascal calls herself the allergy friendly cook. When her son was diagnosed with severe food allergies, she tied on her apron and began baking from scratch.

The oatmeal raisin cookies are made from oats, rice flour, potato starch and tapioca. They are chewy and mouth-watering and the cinnamon is not overwhelming. They are also baked in a dedicated, allergy friendly facility and free from the top 8 allergens: dairy, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish.  They are also sesame free and sulfite free. Other flavors include chocolate chip and snickerdoodle.

It is wonderful that we, along with her son, have a tasty alternative to traditional cookies. She ends her story with “You are now Free-to-Eat!” Yes, indeed Cybele, great job.

Partake Foods Cookies

When Denise Woodard’s daughter, Vivienne, was diagnosed with severe food allergies as an infant, there were few healthy and delicious snacks for her. Frustrated by the lack of options, Denise left her corporate job and set out to make her own, and that’s how Partake was born. The cookies come in a variety of flavors, including seasonal fall flavors.

Carrot Cake is crunchy with an authentic carrot cake taste.

Ginger Snap has a strong ginger taste with a soft center and great crunch.

Cookie Butter’s name is a little misleading since it does not taste like a butter cookie but rather a delicious cross between an oatmeal and shortbread cookie.

Birthday Cake has a sweet, cookie dough flavor, tasting and smelling like vanilla batter. And of course, no birthday celebration would be complete without rainbow candy confetti.

The cookies are gluten free, vegan and allergen friendly, being made without peanuts, egg, dairy, soy, sesame, and tree nuts. They are made from a gluten free flour blend of buckwheat, cassava, oat, and tapioca flours.

As if delicious cookies that are safe and free of the top allergens isn’t enough, they also partnered with the Food Equality Initiative to ensure families in need have access to the food, education and advocacy they deserve.

Leah’s Better Bites, Birthday DŌ Bites, Cookie Dough

When Leah Lopez’s son was 2 years old, she discovered he had life-threatening food allergies. So, she started making “Better Bites” in her home kitchen so her family could enjoy allergen free desserts together.

The company’s mission statement is “At Better Bites Bakery, our mission is to bring people together by providing delicious, plant-based treats that are free from the top 8 allergens, because we believe celebrations and special occasions are always a little sweeter when everyone can enjoy what’s on the table.”

The bites are 6 mini cakes that taste like cookie dough, mixed with sprinkles and covered in chocolate. They are perfect for a birthday celebration or as an appetizing snack.

Leah’s Very Strawberry Cake Bites

The strawberry cake bites are covered in chocolate with strawberry sprinkles on top. They are just as good as the cookie dough. The cake is moist with a great strawberry taste and the chocolate tastes like milk chocolate. They are delicious and perfect bite sized portions.

The bites are made from rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch and corn starch. They are sold refrigerated.

Conclusion

Robert Browning’s quote “Motherhood: All love begins and ends there” is evident with food allergy moms who could not, would not, stand by seeing their kids suffer with food allergies and having limited options. They put on their aprons and began experimenting and creating delicious treats they could enjoy with their families. Lucky for their kids. And lucky for us.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the great women including moms, grandmas, aunts, sisters, and step moms.

Fun Food Fact

Mother’s Day is the most popular day of the year to eat out, according to the National Restaurant Association. Many moms will be treated to brunch.

Did You Know

May is Celiac Awareness Month.

Food Allergy Awareness Week is from May 9 to May 15.

Quotes

A man loves his sweetheart the most, his wife the best, but his mother the longest – Irish Proverb

“I kept battling with myself back and forth — like, why am I doing this diet? I have always felt fine before when eating dairy and gluten, but I do believe that we have one life to live and I would like to live it feeling my best. I have noticed a great positive change in behavior with my children when we stick to a gluten-free and dairy-free diet. I don’t think everyone needs to eat this way but we had muscle testing done, which showed we all have sensitivities to corn, gluten and dairy.” Kourtney Kardashian