Finding out your child has a peanut allergy can come as a shock and will be a cause of much anxiety for everyone concerned. Suddenly, making healthy food choices becomes a daunting task.

In an era where much of the food we consume is processed, it can seem that every food label warns against the possibility of nut contamination, even those that don’t have nuts as an ingredient!



Though such labeling appears to rule out large numbers of food products, they are enormously beneficial for those who have a peanut allergy when it comes to finding out which foods to avoid.

Risks of eating peanuts

According to the Mayo Clinic, peanut allergies are one of the most common causes of anaphylaxis, and are responsible for more allergy-related deaths than anything else. However, the risk of a fatal attack is actually quite low, where around 150 people die every year from all causes of allergic reactions, not just those resulting from an allergy to peanuts.

When does a peanut allergy develop?

Food allergies such as a peanut allergy, typically develop during early childhood and a baby whose immediate family have a history of allergies, will be more likely to develop an allergy or intolerance of some sort. According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a child is unlikely to outgrow a peanut allergy.

Symptoms of peanut allergy

Many parents have no idea their child might have a peanut allergy until they suddenly display an allergic reaction after eating something. Common symptoms can range from a tingling or swelling around the mouth and throat, vomiting or diarrhea, sneezing or a runny nose as well as difficulty with breathing. The strength of an allergic reaction varies in severity among children, but the symptoms most often occur within a few minutes of eating the offending food.

Foods to avoid

Some children who are allergic to peanuts subsequently find out they are not allergic to all nuts. For example, tree nuts are of no relation to the peanut. This means that some children who are allergic to peanuts can eat tree nuts and vice versa. And some will be allergic to both. Areas of particular concern for those suffering a peanut allergy include all foods with peanuts as an ingredient, such as peanut butter, peanut oil or groundnut oil, nut butters or anything with peanut flavoring.

Other foods to avoid include anything containing or might contain nuts in some form. For example, mixed nuts, cereals and cereal bars, marzipan, nougat, seeded or grain breads, cookies, pastries, ice cream, candy and chocolate including Easter eggs. Also be careful with sauces and salad dressings.

Eating out

Eating out can be tricky, especially in restaurants where nuts are often used in sauces or desserts. Certain cuisines such as African, Chinese, Mexican, Indonesian, Thai and Vietnamese may feature nuts as an ingredient. You will always need to question the individual outlet with regards to their policy on using nuts.

Less obvious sources of peanuts

It’s particularly important to read the label on every food item that is purchased. Manufacturers are quite stringent nowadays with their labeling procedures and the majority will state whether or not the product contains nuts or was produced in a factory containing nuts. This is because minute nut particles can become airborne and cross-contaminate other foods.

While a child may be upset at having to do without certain foods, especially when all his friends seem to be enjoying them, he will soon learn that it’s far worse to suffer the effects of the allergy than going without those trigger foods. As he grows older, he’ll become well versed in which foods pose a hazard and avoiding them will simply be a part of life.