How my daughter's food allergy made me a FAAN

Having a kid with a food allergy may be more common these days, but that still doesn't mean it's super easy to navigate the supermarket, a classmate's birthday party or even a simple school lunch. That's why when my oldest was diagnosed with an allergy to milk, I looked for support from the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network which thankfully shortens to FAAN.

FAAN was started by Ann Munoz-Furlong back when it was even harder to navigate the supermarket aisles. They even helped with the passage of the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2006, for which I'd like to kiss them on the mouth. But, considering I've had people working in restaurants ask me if there is milk in cheese, we still have a way to go with education.

The FAAN website is a wealth of information, although one of the most useful things FAAN does  is to send out email alerts when a food or pharmaceutical product is recalled for having an undeclared ingredient. The most memorable alert remains the recall of a Death By Chocolate product for undeclared walnuts, but, in all seriousness, these recall alerts are a real life saver for those who have a child with a serious food allergy. -Christina

To find out more about FAAN and to sign up for email alerts, go to foodallergy.org.

EXTRA COOL: YOU COULD WIN IT! If you have a great peanut, tree nut, milk and egg-free cookie recipe, submit it to the FAANtastic Divvies Cookie Contest by February 15, and you could see your cookie manufactured and sold by CMP fave, Divvies. For additional prize information and contest rules, check out the FAAN website.

 

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