Meals

Enjoy the Holidays with Food Allergies

Kevin Aguilar — Fri, 01 Dec 2017 16:04:17 +0000

Thanksgiving has passed and now that the holiday season is in full-swing, prepare yourself for more gatherings and even more food. Creamy dips, cheesy casseroles and homemade sweets will likely be on the menu, but what can guests with food allergies enjoy? Adults and children alike suffer from food allergies and this can lead to feeling left out of the festivities. Here are some helpful tips so both hosts and guests can enjoy this season’s eatings.

For hosts:

Offer alternatives. If guests want to contribute, suggest having them bring holiday napkins, utensils or beverages. This way you can limit the amount of food and be mindful of friends with food allergies.
Consider making a “natural” turkey. All-natural fresh turkeys are free of antibiotics, hormones and allergens. Some pre-basted turkeys may contain soy, wheat and dairy.
Avoid cross-contamination. When preparing food, care with utensils and surfaces is a must. Always scrub all utensils and surfaces with soap and water and wipe clean. Trace amounts of food can cause a reaction for highly allergic people.
Label your table. It’s always a good practice when hosting a gathering to label what you are serving, especially if a dish contains nuts or gluten.

For guests:

Offer to contribute. A polite guest always offers to bring something to the party. A bottle of wine is always a good option. When in doubt, fresh flowers or a festive centerpiece can always be a nice touch.
Bring a dish that’s safe. If you have food allergies and even if the party you’re invited to isn’t necessarily a potluck, still bring a dish or two that is safe to eat. This way your guaranteed there’s something you can eat and enjoy with everyone else.
Snack beforehand. Nervous about what’s going to be served? Have a light meal before the party and then lightly sample what the host has served. This way you won’t be famished during the party and you can still sample to your liking.
Bring medication. Have Benadryl and an EpiPen ready just in case you or someone you know starts exhibiting symptoms of an allergic reaction. Inform others as well on how to administer the medication if needed.

Following these tips will help you plan your menu or at least help organize your holiday game plan with some food allergy knowledge in mind. Just because food allergies exist doesn’t mean you or your friends can’t have a great holiday party. Always remember to consult your physician if you are unsure if you are allergic to a particular food. Happy Holidays!

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Put Those Holiday Leftovers to Work

admin — Sat, 13 Dec 2014 10:00:23 +0000

Languishing Leftovers

Let’s admit it. Leftovers have it pretty rough. They sit around in the refrigerator for days after their debut, and they usually get pushed to the side and forgotten about until it’s too late and they end up in the garbage. The holidays are prime time for leftovers because of all the parties. Now, instead of throwing out all of that delicious food, here are some exciting recipes to turn those leftovers into crowd-pleasing dishes.

Cheese, Please

At many holiday get-togethers, many people serve cheese as appetizers, or you might be fancy and have an entire cheese course during your meal.

Instead of eating cheese and crackers everyday for a week, you can make mac and cheese from scratch, and just use the cheese leftovers in your recipe. This recipe, made specifically for leftover cheese, is perfect for a weeknight meal or to take to a potluck.

It’s Not the Holidays Without Pizza

Is ordering pizza more your style than hosting a seven course holiday feast? If so, you are bound to have leftover pizza the next day. Instead of eating it cold for breakfast like you did in college, try making a leftover pizza breakfast casserole.

Are guests staying with you over the holidays? If you want to impress them, make a leftover pizza quiche for breakfast one morning, or have breakfast for dinner.

The Big Bird

During the holidays, a roast turkey is ubiquitous on many dinner tables, and there is usually a lot of it left over. There are only so many turkey sandwiches you can eat, so how about turning that bird into enchiladas, chili, or a tasty pot pie.

Turning holiday leftovers into mouth-watering meals is so easy, and no one will be the wiser that they were from the night before. Remember, Neighbors Emergency Centers are open 24/7, 365 days a year, which means we are even open on holidays. We hope you don’t need to see us on a holiday, but if you do, we’re here for you.

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Healthier Ingredients for Healthier Meals

admin — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 00:15:38 +0000

Have you been wanting to eat healthier but don’t know where to start? We recommend starting with the basics: cooking with healthier ingredients. We have compiled a list of 5 commonly used ingredients that can be substituted with a healthy counterpart.

Butter or sugar can be substituted with applesauce especially when baking because it adds sweetness to your recipes while keeping the calories and saturated fats low.
Pureed sweet potato can substitute cream when making soup. That way you will be consuming less fat and more potassium, which helps lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of stroke.
Zucchini ribbons or spaghetti squash can substitute pasta. Cut the zucchini or squash with a vegetable peeler in thin slices and bake or sauté for a few minutes to give them a noodle-like texture.
Substitute breadcrumbs with rolled oats and add a little seasoning for a healthy and delicious breaded chicken recipe.
Salads are a great source of nutrients, but next time you have one substitute the croutons for nuts. The nuts will give your salad a nice crunch element and also boost the protein.

What do you think? Neighbors Emergency Center would love to hear your thoughts on healthy meal preparation. Remember, your friendly Neighbors here for you 24/7 in the event of an emergency.

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