Tips for a Safe & Happy Halloween with Food Allergies

Tips for a Safe & Happy Halloween with Food Allergies: Don't Be Scared, Be Prepared! This post is sponsored by Nice 'n CLEAN. Read my full disclosure statement here.
This time of year the stress level of a food allergy parent skyrockets. Food centered holidays involving parties at school, church, with friends, and with family. I'm often asked how we handle them, especially Halloween. My answer: Don't be scared, be prepared!
Little Miss is now eleven and we have never shied away from participating in Trick or Treating. Since a young age, we have always had a plan in place and I've taught her how to handle situations. 
That being said, it's important as parents we are prepared with how to deal with situations as they arise and should your child come in contact with an allergen. Always carry epinephrine auto-injectors, inhalers, antihistamines, and Nice 'n CLEAN Antibacterial Hand Wipes. 

Lunch Made Easy: Food Allergy Awareness Love #TealTakeover

This week, May 10th-16th, marks Food Allergy Awareness week for 2015. This is something we actively participate in each year. 
There are great ways to get involved within your community to raise awareness, including handing out bracelets, information sheets, reading an allergy-friendly book to your child's class, sharing information on social media, and May 12th is #TealTakeover Day.
Teal is the color of food allergy awareness. By wearing teal today, you can help support your friends and family by raising awareness for food allergies. Little Miss loves sporting her teal and I love making her a sweet lunch to go with it. 

Super Hero Allergen-Free Plate {Review & Giveaway} #MySafeFamily @SafeHappyFamily

I've followed Holly & Chris from Safe & Happy Family via Instagram for some time now. They are the founders of Safe & Happy Family™ and food allergy parents.
They started their company as a way to bring a little more fun and ease to food allergy families lives. (Sounds like my kind of people, right!? We're all about focusing on the fun!) ;) 
They were kind enough to send us one of their adorable dishware items to review and giveaway choice to our readers! 

My ID Square: Medical IDs you WANT to wear! #FoodAllergies #MedicalAlert

Did you know that over 95% of EMTs look for Medical IDs in emergencies? (source)
Medical IDs can also prevent a potential life threatening situation from happening by helping you get help before it becomes an emergency.
That's why we love our new My ID Square Medical ID! They're a fun, colorful and interchangeable Medical ID that was designed by doctors, EMTs and patients to keep you safe (and looking great). 
I'm also happy to share below a promo savings code for KeeleyMcGuire.com readers for the next 30 days so you can see for yourself all the benefits.
My ID Square is special because of the unique design offering a scannable QR Code and FREE online medical profile. Keep reading to learn more...   

{Enjoy Life Foods Friday} Our Trip to the #EatFreely Factory

Today is a special edition of {Enjoy Life Foods Friday}! It's all about our trip last week to the factory in Schiller Park, Illinois. 
In today's post, I talk about our trip and awesome day we had with our food allergy friends visiting Enjoy Life, as well as, photos and yummy details about the company themselves.
First, I wanted to start off with something special which is a video of Little Miss and I (yes, a video! Something I have been wanting to do more of and there's no time like the present). Unrehearsed and unedited, lol, so forgive our silliness in some parts. ;) 
As you'll see, Little Miss was nervous at first but turned into a goof ball at the end like she normally is. Love her, silly girl. 
The reason I wanted to share this was to give Little Miss' perspective about Enjoy Life and our trip. Obviously, as parents' we know how great it is to have a company you can rely on for gluten & top 8 allergen free products - but what does that mean to a kid and what did she learn from our trip?
Check it out and see for yourself:  

MEGA Food Allergy Awareness Week & Celiac Disease Awareness GIVEAWAYS!!

I love my food allergy & gluten free community. It's a family. 
A support network. A mutual understanding. A place to learn from, grow, share, and thrive.
I can't imagine where I would be without all of YOU. Yes, I share here and try to help inspire... but I have learned so much from YOU. Your feedback, your comments, your ideas. 
Thank you!
This week (May 11th-17th) is Food Allergy Awareness Week. May is also Celiac Disease Awareness Month. Although the two are different, they're very much the same - We each are battling awareness and trying to educate those about FOOD. 
To celebrate all of YOU, I'm having a MEGA giveaway! 
What does that mean? Well, instead of multiple posts over multiple days and spread all over... why not have ONE BIG PARTY and giveaway TONS of prizes to lots of YOU!? 
Sounds good to me! Let's get started... 

Lunch Made Easy: Food Allergy Awareness Week #TealTakeover

Yesterday began Food Allergy Awareness Week 2014 (May 11th through 17th). We have a BIG giveaway planned this week on KeeleyMcGuire.com, so stay tuned.
Monday is also #TealTakeover Day: Teal is the official color for Food Allergy Awareness and you can show your support today, and every day after, by wearing teal! 
Follow my #TealTakeOver board on Pinterest for tons of ideas on how you can incorporate teal into your life!
I decided to kick off the school week by making Little Miss a Food Allergy Awareness lunch, as well.

Join Me at the Expo! #GFAFexpo Chicago + WIN A FREE ONE DAY PASS!

You might remember my posts last year about the Gluten Free Allergen Free Expo (GFAF Expo) in Chicago. 
I had such a great experience and am thrilled to be attending again this year as an invited Media Blogger for the weekend.
The Chicago Expo will be held April 12th & 13th, 2014. They'll be making in stops in other cities too throughout the year! Including Atlanta, Secaucus, Springfield, and Dallas. 

{Enjoy Life Foods Friday} Decadent Bars Lunch Box Fun & More! #GlutenFree #AllergyFriendly

March means another fun challenge for our Enjoy Life Foods Friday posting!
This month, I admit, seemed more challenging than past months. In the end, however, we came up with some delicious and creative ideas to use Enjoy Life Foods Decadent Bars for lunch & more! 
The bars come in four yummy flavors: S'mores, Chocolate SunButter, Cherry Cobbler, and Cinnamon Roll. They're gluten free, top 8 allergen free, and verified by the Non-GMO Project. 

{Enjoy Life Foods Friday} Baked Chewy Bars Lunch Box Fun #GlutenFree #AllergyFriendly

I was deliciously looking forward to this month and our Enjoy Life Foods challenge. 
If you're been following along, we've partnered with Enjoy Life Foods and once a month we feature one of their yummy products lines. Little Miss and I do our best to come up with creative ways to use them in new and inventive recipes that are great for lunches and snacks. 
This month we're featuring their Baked Chewy Bars. Not only are they top allergy 8 free but gluten free, as well. 
We've been a long time fan of Enjoy Life's bars - Little Miss especially loves the Cocoa Loco variety - and have packed them in their "original bar state" over the years for both lunches and snacks. Now the task was to set a new bar ;) and find fun ways to use them differently!

Dear Mom in Survival Mode...

Dear mom in survival mode,
When did life make you feel like it was competition? That being a mom was a competition?
When did you start putting other people down in order to make yourself feel better?
Yes mom, who's name I have decided to hide in the below photo, I am writing this letter to you. 
Because I am you. I'm a mother. In survival mode.

First Annual Food Allergy Bloggers Conference #FABlogCon 2013

The food allergy & gluten free community is a special one. 
We all have different stories, different experiences, different allergies... but one thing is constant: We all face challenges with food and advocating our, or our children's, rights each and every day. 
It's a family. An instant embrace. Within five minutes of speaking to a fellow parent or person with food related issues, there's an instant connection. Someone who "gets it", understands, knows what it's like. There's no judging, only educating and sharing. 
These are my peers. My fellow advocates. Fellow bloggers. Together, we can make a difference. And I am forever grateful to Jenny Sprague for having the courage and creativity to bring us together at such an amazing conference.

Jenny Sprague, founder of FABlogCon and blogger at Multiple Food Allergy Help, and Caroline Moassessi, blogger at Grateful Foodie & all around food allergy renegade!

My experience & take-aways from the 2013 First Annual Food Allergy Bloggers Conference:

Back to School with Food Allergies & Intolerances ~ MUST HAVES!

August is among us, my friends. That means back to school!
Time to have the kiddos try on their sneakers and jeans, find out what still fits and what doesn't. Make sure there are no rips, holes, or stains on backpacks, coats, etc. and go buy new, if need be.
Supply lists of notebooks, pencils, scissors, markers, and crayons. Barbie folders or Hello Kitty? Tough decisions. 
It also means for food allergy families (or those on special diets with an intolerance, for example) refilling numerous prescriptions - like inhalers and epinephrine injectors, 504 meetings and plans, and figuring out how to clearly manage the school year as safely and educated as possible.
I'm often asked what are my favorite lunch boxes, allergy ID tags, bracelets, food allergy t'shirts, and labels for my own daughter for school. So, I decided to put together a nice post of "Must Haves", featuring just some of the items we love, that can help give you ideas for your own family as you prepare for back to school!
ETA: This post has been updated for 2016

Lunch Made Easy: WEXY Lunch & Munch Bags {BPA Free}

This week my Little Miss had a field trip to the zoo. I was glad I was able to take the time off to help chaperone, as well. 
This trip also required disposable lunches for the both of us. We love reusing/ recycling strawberry containers or other leftover items when we have field trips, but this week we were excited to use our new WEXY Bags for the trip! 

My Date with Jerome Bettis "The Bus" {Football Legend & Severe Allergy Advocate}

My Date with Jerome "The Bus" Bettis: NFL Running Back, Super Bowl Winner, Future Hall-of-Famer, & Severe Allergy Advocate.
Okay, it wasn't a real date but rather an interview. Never the less, this "NFL junkie of a Mama" was SO stoked to be speaking to such an amazing person about his own journey dealing with food allergies and anaphylaxis, as well as, the new The Severe Allergy & Anaphylaxis Playbook he developed with Auvi-Q.

Auvi-Q.com

My Weekend at the GFAF Expo in Chicago

Whew! Sorry this has taken so long to post - It has been nonstop around here since... well, Easter it feels like!
I was fortunate to be invited the weekend of April 20th & 21st to the GFAF (Gluten & Allergy Free) Expo in Chicago as an official blogger for the event.
It was a weekend of education, friendships, delicious food, and fun!

Join Me at the Expo! {GFAF Expo Chicago}

I announced on Facebook about a week and a half ago that KeeleyMcGuire.com was selected as an Official Blogger for the GFAF Expo in Chicago! 

What is the Gluten Free Allergy Free Expo and why is this exciting?? I'll tell you!!

{Allergy Friendly} Bento Lunch Packing Dream Giveaway!!

Today is a very special day, my friends!
Exactly one year ago today my Little Miss started her {gluten free} journey. We had already been packing school lunches for over five years and eating {nut free} due to her food allergies, but this would be a life changing decision.
In the past year my Little Miss has changed so much! No more tummy aches. No more digestive problems. No more random vomiting. Her eczema is better. Her asthma is better. Her overall attitude is better... Because she FEELS better!  I am one relieved and smiling Mama!!  A day so special could not go without a celebration! That's why I've teamed up with some of my friends to bring you the ULTIMATE {Allergy Friendly} Bento Lunch Packing Dream Giveaway!!

Food for Thought: Treat Your Valentine to Maplehurst Bakery {Peanut Free} Cupcakes!

Last fall, I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to review Maplehurst Bakery {Peanut Free} Cupcakes. Well, you can only guess my enthusiasm when they asked me to do a write-up again and try their seasonal Valentine's Day cupcakes currently for sale. Umm, yes please! (A woman does not turn down cupcakes, no sir!) 

Lunch Made Easy: Pack It #GlutenFree with @MOMables!

This is a very special edition of MOMables Monday folks! Today I'm sharing about the *brand new* Gluten {& Nut} FREE Menu Plan! Can I get a WOOT WOOT!??!