Nut allergy treat advice

[123LuckyMom]

My DS's school has just gone nut free. DS's birthday is on Wednesday, and it's the done thing to bring in treats for the kids to have a little birthday celebration. In my sleep deprived state, I would normally throw money at this situation and buy a batch of cupcakes, but I can't because of the nut allergy issue. Do you have any advice on fun, birthday celebration type treats I could buy ready made? I know there's a Duncan Hines bake mix that's safe, but I really don't want to have to bake and frost, even with a mix. Any suggestions?

[Clarity]

I typically reach for popscicles, pudding or jello when I'm sending bday treats in for my peanut/egg allergic child.

[ett]

How about rice krispie treats?

[Mom of XX&XY]

Yep Rice Krispy Treats or Halloween or other Oreo's are safe. We always use Rice Krispy treats whenever the kids want/need to decorate something with icing or candies.

[DrSally]

Walmart carries a mini cupcake that is nut free. Look for the peanut with a slash over it on the label. I wouldn't plan on baking anything, as most PA moms don't let their kids eat home baked goods unless they really know the baker well. I don't trust Duncan Heinz either, their facilities are rife with peanuts ( or so I've heard). I'm surprisednthere aren't more guidelines. I'm glad our school eliminated bday treats this year.

[citymama]

Our school encourages, rather insist on, healthy snacks rather than treats. Apple sauce squeezies and fruit bars from TJs plus small packs of pretzels or Goldfish are the norm; some families do cute goody bags filled with edible treats.

[MSWR0319]

Walmart carries a mini cupcake that is nut free. Look for the peanut with a slash over it on the label. I wouldn't plan on baking anything, as most PA moms don't let their kids eat home baked goods unless they really know the baker well. I don't trust Duncan Heinz either, their facilities are rife with peanuts ( or so I've heard). I'm surprisednthere aren't more guidelines. I'm glad our school eliminated bday treats this year.

:yeahthat: I was going to suggest the mini cupcakes at Walmart also. I don't let my PA son eat home baked goods, so the mix wouldn't work. I get so nervous when parents bring in birthday treats.

[123LuckyMom]

My preference would be to do the healthy snacks we normally eat at home! Believe me, I am not excited about feeding my child all those chemicals and dyes! We would never use a cake mix under normal circumstances and never prepared frosting!!! My kid doesn't even really like cake. He eats off the (in our house cream cheese) frosting and leaves the rest. Also, our kitchen is FAR from nut free!!! Nuts are a staple of our diet, and I'm pretty sure every pan, mixer, plate, etc. in our house has touched nuts at one time. I'm also very sensitive to this issue, because there was a girl at my boarding school--after my time there--who actually died from eating a pack of pretzels contaminated by nut something or other, so I know this is nothing to mess around with!!! I'm less concerned, though, because the child is not in my son's class and won't be near the treats. Our Walmarts do not have those cupcakes, mores the pity, because that would have been great. I'm making the Duncan Hines mix with the prepared frosting.

[123LuckyMom]

Oops, the baby hit "send"

I'm making the mix, because DS really wanted cupcakes. The other kids all had cupcakes for their birthdays, and he wants them, too. I'm thinking one chemical laden treat won't kill him, and it's his birthday, so fine.

Thanks for all your suggestions, though. I really appreciate them. I'll plan better next year and think more creatively, but this year, cake mix it is.

[DrSally]

Thank you for being so proactive and concerned. If the kid w/ the allergy is not in the class, then I think the mix should be ok.