The Reader's Advisor

Living With
Severe Food Allergies

A food allergy is an abnormal response to a food triggered by your body's immune system. It is estimated that up to 12 million Americans have food allergies of one type or another. Although people can be allergic to any kind of food, most food allergies are caused by tree nuts, peanuts, cow's milk, eggs, soy, fish and shellfish.

The following is a selection of books available at the Sachem Public Library to inform and help you deal with this serious health issue.

Allergy Information for Teens: Health Tips About Allergic Reactions Such as Anaphylaxis, Respiratory Problems, and Rashes, Including Facts About Identifying and Managing Allergies to Food, Pollen, Mold, Animals, Chemicals, Drugs, and Other Substances.
Edited by Karen Bellenir. Omnigraphics, 2006. [YA 616.97 Allergy]
Provides basic consumer health information for teens on allergies, types of allergic reactions, testing and treatments.

Breathe Easy!: A Teen’s Guide to Allergies and Asthma.
Jean Ford. Mason Crest Publishers, 2005. [YA 616.202 Ford] br>Provides teens with easy to understand information on allergies and asthma, discussing what causes them and how to live with them.

Caring For Your Child With Severe Food Allergies: Emotional Support and Practical Advice From a Parent Who’s Been There.
Lisa Cipriano Collins. John Wiley, 2000. [J PAR 618.9297 Colli]
Presents pertinent facts about food allergies, and also helps families cope with the emotional aspects of raising a child at risk for severe food allergies. Covers a number of timely topics such as working with schools, restaurant and travel concerns, encouraging independence, helping your child help himself, finding support, and developing community awareness.

The Complete Peanut Allergy Handbook: Everything You Need to Know to Protect Yourself and Your Child From the Most Deadly Food Allergy.
Scott H. Sicherer and Terry Malloy. Berkley Books, 2005. [616.975 Sicherer]
Offers clear, easy-to-understand information on the causes of peanut allergies, how to recognize a potential allergy, preventing or dealing with an allergic reaction, teaching your child to handle his or her condition, and how to read product labels, talk to school officials, and question restaurant personnel.

Dealing with Food Allergies: A Practical Guide to Detecting Culprit Foods and Eating a Healthy, Enjoyable Diet.
Janice Vickerstaff Joneja. Bell Publishing Company, 2003. [616.975 Joneja]
Explores the attack on the human body that adverse food reactions can elicit and thoroughly describes the effects on the three major body systems that are targeted – the lungs and respiratory tract; the digestive tract; and the skin and mucous membranes. Also guides the reader through the scientific process of understanding food reaction problems and how they must be analyzed and treated.

Feeding Your Allergic Child: Happy Food for Healthy Kids: 75 Proven Recipes Free of Wheat, Dairy, Corn and Eggs.
Elisa Meyer. St. Martin’s Griffin, 1997. [618.92 Meyer]
Creative, fun, and delicious recipes that will get kids to eat, and keep them happy and healthy at the same time. These nutritious dishes will tempt the most finicky child, while avoiding the four ingredients kids are most frequently allergic to: corn, wheat, dairy, and eggs.

Food Allergies: The Complete Guide to Understanding and Relieving Your Food Allergies.
William E. Walsh. J. Wiley, 2000. [616.97 Walsh]
Dr. William Walsh shares extensive knowledge about the cause of food allergies, which foods and chemicals to avoid, and ultimately, which foods will help you to feel your very best. Includes many enlightening case studies, clinically tested plans for cooking, advice on how to avoid troublesome foods at the store and when eating out and also includes an interesting section on oral allergy syndrome.

Food Allergies and Food Intolerance: The Complete Guide to Their Identification and Treatment.
Jonathan Brostoff and Linda Gamlin. Healing Arts Press, 2000. [616.975 Brostoff]
Explains the differences between life threatening food allergies and food intolerances, offers numerous case studies on these problems and, most importantly, provides much needed solutions and treatments for these problems.

Food Allergy Field Guide: A Lifestyle Manual for Families.
Theresa Willingham. Savory Palate, 2000. [618.92975 Willingh]
Advice on how to manage food sensitivities and allergies to wheat, gluten, dairy, eggs, corn, peanuts, soy, and other common food allergens. Also includes helpful pointers to help your child enjoy parties, field trips, and outings, how to detect hidden food allergens, and advice on reading labels, grocery shopping, and eating out.

Food Allergy Survival Guide: Surviving and Thriving with Food Allergies and Sensitivities.
Vesanto Melina, Jo Stepaniak, Dian Aronson. Healthy Living Publications, 2004. [616.9970654 Melina]
Three leading authorities in dietetics, nutrition, and vegetarian cooking give invaluable advice for those with food sensitivities and their families. Offers unique combinations and practical tips to living well without dairy, eggs, fish, gluten, peanuts, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, wheat, yeast and more.

How to Live with a Nut Allergy: Everything You Need To Know if You Are Allergic to Peanuts or Tree Nuts.
Chad K. Oh and Carol Kennedy. McGraw-Hill, 2005. [616.975 Oh]
Lifesaving information on reading labels for hidden nut ingredients, safe airline travel, avoiding nuts when dining out, and what to do if a reaction occurs.

Let’s Eat Out: Your Passport to Living Gluten and Allergy Free.
Kim Koeller and Robert La France. R & R Pub., 2005. [616.975 Koeller]
A book dedicated to eating out and around the world while managing 10 food allergens including corn, dairy, eggs, fish, gluten, peanuts, shellfish, soy, tree nuts and wheat.

The Peanut Allergy Answer Book.
Michael C. Young. Fair Winds Press, 2001.
[J Par 616.975 Young]
Written by a pediatric allergist, this book explains the basics of a peanut allergy, how to prevent reactions, and how to manage the social and developmental issues food allergies can cause in every stage of a child’s life.

Peanut Butter, Milk, and Other Deadly Threats: What You Should Know About Food Allergies.
Sherri Mabry Gordon. Onslow Publishers, 2006. [616.975 Gordon]
For a person with food allergies, the most common foods – such as milk, eggs, or peanut butter – can cause a life-threatening reaction. Author Sherri Mabry Gordon explains what it is like to have a food allergy and tells about ways that teens and their families cope with the problem.

Taking Charge of Your Child’s Allergies: The Informed Parent’s Comprehensive Guide.
M. Eric Gershwin and Edwin L. Klingelhofer. [618.9297 Gershwin]
A complete guide to childhood allergies and asthma. Written for concerned parents in simple, jargon-free language. Pay particular attention to chapter 4 on food allergies.

Understanding and Managing Your Child’s Food Allergies.
Scott H. Sicherer. Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006. [618.92975 Sicherer]
For children with food allergies, eating – one of the basic functions of life – can be a nightmare. Dr. Scott Sicherer, a specialist in food allergies, gives parents the information they need to manage their children’s health and quality of life, including why children develop food allergies, the symptoms of food allergy, and the role of food allergy in behavioral problems and developmental disabilities.

Food Allergy Cookbooks

The AiA Gluten & Dairy Free Cookbook.
Compiled by Marilyn LeBreton. Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2002. [641.5638 Lebreton]
An extensive cookbook which focuses on helping parents to implement a gluten, casein, and artificial sugar free diet for their child who is on the autistic spectrum. Also aims to help those who are lactose, dairy, wheat, and gluten allergic or intolerant.

Allergy Free for All Ages: Milk-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free Recipes.
Penny L. Webster. Publishamerica, Inc., 2005. [641.5631 Webster]
Created by a mother of a son with multiple severe food allergies, the recipes are all of her own family recipes. All recipes are dairy-free, egg-free, peanut-free, and tree-nut free.

Amazing Dairy-Free Desserts.
Penny Wantuck Eisenberg. Surris Books, 2006. [641.563 Eisenber]
A comprehensive collection of dairy-free desserts and information for all occasions. Contains both elegant and simple creations, kid-friendly dessers and old favorites, including ice cream, cheesecake, tiramisu, brownies, and pumpkin pie.

Bakin’ Without Eggs: Delicious Egg-Free Recipes from the Heart and Kitchen of a Food-Allergic Family.
Rosemarie Emro. St. Martin’s Press, 1999. [616.9750654 Emro]
Millions of people – including 5 percent of all American children – have a food allergy, with eggs being one of the most common culprits. This cookbook offers more than one hundred crowd-pleasing desserts and other treats that do not contain eggs.

The Big Book of Wheat-Free Cooking, by Antoinette Savill.
Thorsons, 2004. [641.563 Savill]
Contains over 180 recipes including soups, chicken and fish dishes, appetizers, and desserts such as honey, almond, and thyme ice cream and pecan roulade. A wonderful addition for any cook who needs gluten-free, dairy-free, and reduced fat recipes.

Cooking Free: 200 Flavorful Recipes for People with Food Allergies and Multiple Sensitivities.
Carol Fenster. Avery Publishing, 2005. [641.5631 Fenster]
Enjoy your favorite recipes with creative, and delicious alternatives to gluten, dairy, eggs, and sugar.

The Corn-Free Cookbook & Survival Guide: For the Corn-Intolerant and Corn-Allergic.
Laurel Lee Steele and Merelee Knott. Cumberland House, 2006. [641.5631 Steele}
The perfect cookbook for anyone who is living with corn-related allergies and intolerances and focuses on recipes for quick meals, breads and grains, veggies and salads, fruits and fruit salads, meats and fish, beans and eggs, milk and cheese, casseroles, soups, and desserts.

The Dairy-Free Cookbook.
Jane Zukin.Prima Publishers, 1991. [641.5632 Zukin]
This cookbook contains a wide range of recipes for milk-free appetizers, main dishes and desserts. There are also special chapters devoted to children with milk intolerance or allergy, to dining out, and to learning how to shop to avoid milk-related fillers and sweeteners.

The Everyday Dairy-Free Cookbook: Over 189 Delicious Recipes to Make Eating a Pleasure.
Miller Rogers and Emily White. Surrey Books, 2003. [641.5632 Rogers]
Includes over 180 easy-to-make recipes including dairy-free recipes for appetizers, light meals, main dishes, vegetarian delights, sauces, salads and dressings, puddings, sweet and treats, baked goods, and breakfasts. Also includes nutritional analysis for each recipe, and an extensive introduction covering the latest medical and dietary findings.

Feeding Your Allergic Child: Happy Food for Healthy Kids: 75 Proven Recipes Free of Wheat, Dairy, Corn and Eggs.
Elisa Meyer. St. Martin’s Griffin, 1997. [618.92 Meyer]
Creative, fun, and delicious recipes that will get your kids to eat, and keep them happy and healthy at the same time. Includes nutritious dishes to tempt even the most finicky child, while avoiding the four ingredients kids are most frequently allergic to: corn, wheat, dairy, and eggs.

Incredible Edible Gluten-Free Food for Kids.
Sherri L. Sanderson. Woodbine House, 2002. [641.5638 Sanderson]
A comprehensive cookbook that provides gluten-free recipes formulated especially for children. Recipes include items such as macaroni and cheese and fudge brownies – foods kids will want to eat and the rest of the family will want to try them too !

Sophie-Safe Cooking: A Collection of Family Friendly Recipes That Are Free of Milk, Eggs, Wheat, Soy, Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Fish, And Shellfish.
Emily Hendrix. Lulu, 2006. 641.5631 Hendrix]
A collection of family friendly recipes that are free of milk, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish which are also kid-friendly.

Sweet Alternative.
Ariana Bundy. Whitecap Books, 2005. [641.86 Bundy]
Contains more than 100 dairy, gluten, and soy free recipes for cookies, muffins, cakes, ice cream and other irresistible treats.

Sweet & Natural: More Than 120 Naturally Sweet and Dairy-Free Desserts.
Meredith McCarty. St. Martin’s Press, 1999.
A collection of recipes including pies, cobblers, cakes, cookies, sorbets, and fresh fruit desserts that are low-fat, no-cholesterol, and contain no sugar, milk, butter, or eggs. Also includes information on the ingredients that replace the fat, refined sugar, bleached flour, eggs, and other elements that weigh down many traditional desserts.

Totally Dairy-Free Cooking.
Louis Lanza and Laura Morton. William Morrow, 2000. [641.5632 Lanza]
Presents delicious and imaginative recipes that taste so great, you won’t realize the dairy is missing. Recipes include creamy pasta dishes and satisfying soups, pizza, and ice cream, all made without milk, cream, butter, or cheese. There is also a chapter with recipes for kids, including recipes such as Old-Fashioned Macaroni and Cheese.

The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook: Delicious Dairy-Free Cheeses and Classic “Uncheese” Dishes.
Joanne Stepaniak. Book Pub Co., 2003. [6410563 Stepania]
Enjoy the glory of your favorite cheesy dishes without the cholesterol, animal protein, or dairy allergens that can be harmful to ones health. Recipes include “uncheese” cheese sauces, spinach and “cheese” calzones, and traditional “cheesecake”. Will help you expand your repertoire of nutritious comfort foods.

What’s to Eat? The Milk-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free Food Allergy Cookbook.
Linda Marienhoff Coss. Plumtree Press, 2002. [616.9750654 Coss]
Fabulous recipes your family will love – milk, egg, and nut-free – and delicious!

Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World: 75 Dairy-Free Recipes for Cupcakes That Rule.
Isa Chandra Moskowitz. Marlowe & Co., 2006. [641.5636 Moskowit]
This unique cookbook contains over 50 recipes for delicious, dairy-free, egg-free, and vegan-free cupcakes and frostings, all with beautiful color photographs. Recipes include both innovative and classic recipes such as Classic Vanilla Cupcakes, Crimson Velveteen Cupcakes, Chai Latte Cupcakes, and Banana Split Cupcakes.

Wheat-Free Gluten-Free: 200 Delicious Dishes to Make Eating a Pleasure.
Michelle Berriedale-Johnson. Surrey Books, 1998. [641.563 Berriedale-Johnson]
Written by a nutritionist/chef who invented, tested, tasted, and retested over 200 easy-to-make recipes to create this cookbook. Complete nutritional information accompanies each recipe and each includes a healthy balance of protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, and sodium.

Helpful Websites

National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases

Sachem Library cardholders may search for articles on food allergies at eResources on the Sachem Library Homepage. Just go to RESEARCH TOOLS. Requires barcode verification.

Bibliography by Donna Mazovec

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