Seeking Peanut-free Nuts

I don't know about nuts, but a nice substitue is "sun butter" Its made from sunflower seeds and is the consistency of peanut butter. My son definitley has an allergy to peanuts and I am to scared to have other nuts around him. The sunbutter is all natural and is made in a nut free facility. I actually like it better than the regular store bought peanut butters. If you can "get rid" of the allergy as suggested by someone below, I'd LOVE to know how. Being that someone suggests the allergy is "psychosomatic", I'd also like to know how a 2 yr old induced a severe reaction on himself that put him in the ER, when he was exposed to peanuts at school one day. ; )

M.,

I want to point out 1st, there is nothing psychosomatic about allergies to peanuts - my children's father almost died from eating a plain M&M because it was made in the same factory as the M&M's with peanuts, hence now the warning labels on most everything....My son cannot even use shampoos or soaps that are nut based because he will break out in severe hives. He was sent to the hospital 3 times in 1 school year before I DEMANDED they remove all peanuts from the cafeteria and this was all just because he was smelling them! He's a very intelligent young man (10) who knows his boundaries when it comes to peanuts....and not only does he avoids them at all cost, it also pleads with people (politely of course) not to eat them around him...with that said...He is Allergic to Peanuts and most other tree nuts...but believe me....when we eat Sunflower seeds we eat them like they are going out of Style....LOL...so if you must, try to eat Peanuts away from you child, however, try Sunflower seeds or Pumpkin seeds (as someone else had suggested) homemade are the best!!!! Just a little vegetable oil and honey and bake and they are great!!! There's always raw fruits & vegetables as a snack alternative....

Hope this helps!

How about in the bulk section? You can get bulk walnuts, hazelnuts, and brazil nuts to name a few. You have to crack them yourself, but that shouldn't be a problem.

Nadia is right. I have one kid with peanut and seed allergies, and another with tree nut allergies. Our allergist said it is very common to have both, or develop the other one, and just to have the kids avoid them anyway.

That being said, I do keep nuts in the house for myself to snack on, and peanut butter for my oldest, who has no allergies. We have learned to be diligent about contamination and we don't sit next to the boys if we happen to eat something with nuts in it.

Obviously you cannot do this if your son has airborne sensitivity, but if it is only an issue with ingestion, you can play it safely. I nibble on peanuts once the boys are in bed, and am super careful about where and how I clean up afterwards.

Our daughter has had an anaphylactic reaction to peanut. When we did not realize the seriousness of this allergy, we still kept nuts and even peanut butter in the house, but she was kept far away. Since she stopped breathing and needed resuscitation and hospitalization, we now have a different view on any peanut, or even nut products. We don't take any chances, and most often (as you have found) nuts are manufactured in facilities that may also process peanuts. I, too, love nuts, and would like to snack on them, but the risk is too great. You could try the website, "peanut-free planet," or Vermont nut free candy company for snack options, but for a peanut allergy, nuts are a very risky option to have in the house.

Tierra Farm offers tree nuts roasted in a peanut-free facility. www.tierrafarm.com
They sell their nuts in bulk in my health-food store, but I wouldn't trust that the bulk container isn't peanut-contaminated, so I would order directly from them online. They also have nut butters and dried fruit - all peanut free.

I have also been on the search for options, and also saw that Blue Diamond Almonds says their facility is peanut-free. Plan to double-check the package, but sounds promising!

Date: 08/09/2010
Hello M.,
I am M. of Raw Organic Nuts. We buy directly from small organic nut groves in the USA and distribute them through our website: www.rawnutsandseeds.com
We are a small privately owned business and we do not sell or process any peanuts where we repack our organic nuts. We hold to high sanitary standards and most of our supplying orchards only produce one nut, such as almonds or pistachios. I will check with all of our sources to assure that where they get their nuts shelled are not handling peanuts. Please contact me through the Contact page form on our website or email me direct at ____@____.com You have raised an important question; that most large online and bricks and mortar stores can not assure their nuts are peanut free. If you have found some one else who has peanut free nuts I would like to know about them.
M.

I would try buying raw nuts and roasting them yourself. Also, try soynuts or edamame which make a great nut-free alternative.

Hi M.,

Have you thought of seeds for snacks? Toasted pumpkin seeds are a delicious and surprisingly nutritious snack. Sunflower seeds too.

For nuts: I'd try a farmer's market or bulk bins (as previously suggested) to ensure they haven't been processed with peanuts.

Good luck!
T.

Be careful b/c he may also be allergic to other nuts, or it can develop over time. I teach third grade and have kids like this all the time. Check the label on Luna bars. I love them and they are super healthy. You're really supposed to eat one, but I eat two if I'm crazy hungry and it's still not as bad as cookies or others. I also try to eat more veggies before I eat the bars, so I fill up more, even when I don't want to!

My cousin has numerous food allergies (nuts, wheat, dairy, soy and more). He does not go into anaphalactic shock but has celiac disease. He is in high school now and is very good about checking what is in foods. His sister has no allergies and likes Sunbutter made from sunflower seeds. I got some at Whole Foods but any health food store is a good bet to find it.