New Year, New Goals: Allergy-Friendly Snacks for Better Health

I’m an athlete, so I try to take care of my body. However, my severe nut allergies make eating healthy while I’m out of my house challenging. I can’t eat much from my school cafeteria, because of the cross-contamination concerns. Instead, I depend on labeled, nut free snacks. Pretzels, crackers, cereal and cookies get me through the day. I can’t eat a bag of healthy nuts or a granola bar like many other people do. So, processed foods from companies that label their products are what I rely on. This is especially true when I’m traveling for soccer. I can always find a Pop Tart or a bag of chips at a rest stop. It’s much harder to go into a restaurant and trust that the salad wasn’t made near nuts or that the chicken fingers weren’t made with breadcrumbs from a bakery that has tree nuts.

When my unhealthy snacks came up with my soccer coach, he was shocked that sugary snacks and cereals have been fueling my day. He couldn’t believe that I could run on mostly sugar. I explained that I snack until I can get home and eat a safe and nutritious dinner. It’s not that packaged snacks are all bad, and they really have saved me. However, I’m trying to eat less processed foods that are full of sugar. In the new year, he's encouraging me to choose foods that are healthier and high in protein.

As a start, my dad (who played soccer at Boston College and knows the benefits of nutritious eating) suggested I make some small changes. Nut-free living can still be healthy he always says. So, I traded my bag of pretzels for fruit and yogurt. Next, I wanted to try adding a mid-day protein shake. However, finding a good tasting protein powder that is guaranteed to be nut free isn’t easy. I am still on the search for an easy protein shake recipe that is safe and delicious, but I will post one once I perfect the recipe.

If you know of one, please share it.