Everyday Allergen-Free

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A List of My Favorite Food Allergy Books and Cookbooks

Amanda Orlando

A List of My Favorite Food Allergy Books and Cookbooks

There’s so much talent within the food allergy community, from writing to recipe development, to photography, and more. In this post I share a list of some incredible food allergy cookbooks and lifestyle books. I’ve broken them down into categories, so they are presented in no particular rank or order.

And don’t forget to pick up a copy of my new book, Everyone’s Welcome! In Canada (here or here) and in the US (here and here and here)

Kids Food Allergy Books

  • Zoey Has an Allergy, by Anisha Angella

    Format: Hardcover Picture Book

    Buy Link: anishaangellabooks.ca/store/Zoey-Has-An-Allergy-p249612749

    Review: Zoey Has an Allergy is an incredibly well produced picture book for young children, written by an author who has allergies herself. The illustrations are saturated and colourful, and text is simple but descriptive and well suited to kids aged 3 - 5. What I like about this book is the way epinephrine and fanny packs (also called bum bags or pouches) are presented as a totally normal thing for little Zoey. The tone of the book is respectful and informative, while being positive, cheerful, and encouraging. In my opinion this book should be staple reading for any food allergy family. I am willing to bet that even kids who don’t have allergies will enjoy it! For that reason I think it would also be an ideal classroom library book.

  • You, Me, and Food Allergies, by Emma Amoscato

    Format: Picture Book

    Buy Link: https://youmeandfoodallergies.com/product/you-me-food-allergies-childrens-book/

    Review: This an informative and educational book about how to manage food allergies, treat allergic reactions, and prevent exposure, for kids aged 3 - 7. The illustrations are gentle and warm, and invite the reader in. It contains basics that every allergy family would want to have handy, like how to recognize different common allergens. It is a great teaching tool for parents, teachers, or caregivers.

Food Allergy Friendly Desserts and Baking Cookbooks

  • Nutritionally Nicole’s Allergy Friendly Holiday Sweets
    Format: ebook
    Buy Link: https://payhip.com/b/9Adv
    Blog Link: Nutritionally Nicole
    Number of Pages: 15
    Free From: All recipes are free from dairy, eggs, peanut, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish.
    Number of Recipes: 13
    I Baked: Orange Pillow Cookies, page 11
    Review: Nicole’s ebook is ideal for any home baker, especially around the holidays. It’s a well curated collection of simple, tasty recipes that are made with easy-to-find ingredients and without complicated steps. Although branded as a book for the holidays, it would suit all year round. Snippets of her Italian heritage can be found throughout, from pillow cookies (just like my Nonna makes), to pizzelle, and biscotti. These recipes sit alongside classics like chocolate chip cookies and cranberry orange muffins. Nicole’s list of allergies is very similar to my own, and I found very little to no substitutions were required on my end. Her list of trusted brands is very handy too. The photography is light and airy, just like the pillow cookies I whipped up in under a half hour. I found her instructions clear and easy to follow, making it ideal for families (with young kids) who like to bake together. When sharing my cookies with a friend, she declared they were “so decadent”, a wonderful compliment!

  • Nina Modak’s Chocolate Treats
    Format: Paperback
    Buy Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Chocolate-Treats-Decadent-Delights-Allergens/dp/1788080807/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1543524103&sr=8-2&keywords=nina+modak
    Blog Link: https://www.eatallergysafe.com/
    Number of Pages: 106
    Free From: All recipes are free from wheat, gluten, dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soya, sesame, lupin and of course crustaceans, fish, molluscs, sulphites, celery & mustard.
    Number of Recipes: 25
    I Baked: Sweet Potato Brownies
    Review: Nina seriously knows her chocolate. The recipes in this book are diverse and indulgent. As I sifted through it deciding which recipes to bake (it was difficult to decide), I imagined that her friends and family must have loved being taste testers. I think this book is wonderful for families or individuals who manage celiac disease in addition to food allergies. If you love British-isms, you’ll love this book even more. For example, her recipe for “tray bakes” which we call “sheet cakes” in NA. Doesn’t a tray bake just sound so much nicer? Canadians often switch between imperial and metric measurement systems, but if you are used to imperial it would be helpful to do all your conversions before you begin baking. This book is really special and has a sweet treat for literally every occasion.

Slow Cooking and Instant Pot

  • Allergy Awesomeness’s An Allergy Mom’s Lifesaving Instant Pot Cookbook
    Format: paperback
    Buy Link:     https://allergyawesomeness.com/an-allergy-moms-lifesaving-instant-pot-cookbook/
    Blog LInk: https://allergyawesomeness.com/
    Number of Pages: 144
    Free From:     top 8 allergens
    Number of Recipes:     60
    Review:     Because I own neither an Instant Pot, nor a slow cooker/crock pot, or pressure cooker, I wasn’t able to cook from this book. But I think we all know how lovely and delicious Megan’s recipes are, and that they all come from the heart. These family-friendly meals will be a total lifesaver any night of the week, and I love that you can just set it and forget it in the Instant Pot.

Meal Planning/ Everyday Cooking

  • Corinna of The Friendly Pantry’s Weeknight Allergy Busters
    Format:     ebook
    Buy Link:     https://www.friendlypantry.com/products/weeknight-allergy-buster
    Blog Link:     https://www.friendlypantry.com/
    Free From:     Top allergen flexible
    Number of Recipes:     3 weeks worth of weeknight recipes
    Review:     I love that Corinna’s book is allergy flexible. Many of us have allergies to some combination of top allergens and gluten, but might not want to avoid other top allergens that are safe for us. This book provides many substitutions and ingredient options so that you can cater the meal to your dietary needs. I really like that her recipes are so simple and nutritious. For example the pumpkin seed dip was delicious and so versatile; it can be combined into many recipes outside of the ones in this book too. The book was designed as a meal plan with families in mind, so each recipe is portioned accordingly and the ingredients are easy to shop for. A must-have for food allergy families.

  • Allergy Hospitality
    Format: spiral bound
    Buy Link:     https://allergyhospitality.com/products/allergy-hospitality-cookbook
    Blog Link:     https://allergyhospitality.com/
    Number of pages:     148
    Free From:     top 10 allergens plus corn, oats, yeast, coconut, chocolate, and refined sugar
    Number of Recipes:     65
    Review:     Like many of the food allergy cookbooks on the market, this one was written by a busy allergy mom! And it includes her backstory about why she decided to create such an inclusive cookbook for other families like her own. She provides a detailed list of the products she uses which is helpful for beginners or those who are unsure how to stock their pantry. The recipes are extremely simple and designed to feed a hungry family!

Dairy Free Cookbooks

  • Alisa Fleming’s Eat Dairy Free (also see Go Dairy Free)
    Format: paperback
    Buy Link:     https://www.amazon.ca/Eat-Dairy-Free-Essential-Cookbook/dp/1944648720/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=eat+dairy+free&qid=1568059039&s=gateway&sr=8-1
    Blog Link:     https://www.godairyfree.org/about-alisa-fleming
    Number of pages:     275
    Free From:     dairy, with options for egg/soy/gluten/peanut free
    Number of Recipes:     100+
    Review:     I’m a huge fan of the Go Dairy Free blog, and of Alisa’s books. Eat Dairy Free is intended for those who either have to avoid dairy due to allergy, or who choose to avoid dairy for health and wellness reasons. The recipes are beautiful and vibrant, printed on glossy paper and in full colour. The book touches on nutrients, organic and non-GMO, meal plans, milk alternatives, forms of coconut, and other simple ingredients swaps. Recipes range from sweet to savory, and can be accomplished by any home cook. Fantastic book for recipe inspiration, or for those living with dairy allergy and who either love to cook or are learning to navigate the DF kitchen for the first time.

Lifestyle Food Allergy Books

  • Don’t Kill the Birthday Girl
    Format: paperback
    Buy Link:     https://www.amazon.ca/Dont-Kill-Birthday-Girl-Allergic/dp/0307588122/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=dont+kill+the+birthday+girl&qid=1557333563&s=gateway&sr=8-1
    Review:     When I came across this book, I bought it immediately. Reading Sandra’s story was like reading my own story. It was a reminder that there are so many shared experiences between those living with food allergy. From drinking stories to dining in restaurants, it all felt very real as I reflected on my parallel experiences. I highly recommend this book for any teen or adult living with food allergy. For parents of kids with food allergy, this book provides valuable insight into what it’s like for your child to grow up with food allergy, and how it doesn’t get easier as they get older - the challenges and successes change over time.

  • When Every Bite Matters by Olivier Deldicque
    Format: Paperback
    Buy Link:     https://www.amazon.ca/When-Every-Bite-Matters-Allergies/dp/0578418533/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=olivier+deldique&qid=1557337345&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spell
    Review:     Olivier’s writing about his life experiences with multiple food allergy reinforces that you can do so much despite your allergies, and that family and friends are a great support system. It’s also a reminder for someone like myself, who has not been a teen for quite some time, about how teens think about their food allergy. He provides handy resources for learning more about food allergy, and some of his favorite recipes. This book could be a spring-board for discussions about food allergy with teenage kids.
    ”Having food allergies in the teenage years can be tough for many reasons. That’s why I wrote the book, “When Every Bite Matters”. It takes you through my journey and how I’ve dealt with my food allergies” - Olivier