If you’re reading this and you’re a parent, chances are you’re no stranger to food allergies in kids. They may not be your own kids, but I think parents these days have to be super-sensitive to all children with food allergies. We start out every new playdate with the usual questions - Where should we play? Is your child afraid of dogs or cats? Are they allergic to anything? I’ve seen EpiPen demonstrations, received numerous lists of what foods are included in tree nut allergies, and have lobbied for peanut-free schools. This startling report from the CDC that 1 in 26 kids have a food allergy (up from 1 in 29 kids in 1997) confirms what we’ve been seeing - that food allergies are on the rise, and there’s not much we can do about it - except by protecting our kids now by giving them healthy and safe food choices.

This Thanksgiving (and all year, of course) there are plenty of choices for preparing an allergen-free, often completely organic meal. It’s amazing what can be found in supermarkets! This year, be thankful for healthy families, and these wonderful companies who help keep Thanksgiving enjoyable for everyone -

If you’re not used to dealing with food allergies in kids, it can be tough to completely understand how to go about creating a safe yet enjoyable menu. If you’re cooking for kids with allergies, it’s worth checking out informational websites to make sure you’re covered. Eating With Food Allergies breaks down the “Top 8″ food allergens (dairy, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, treenuts, fish and shellfish), where they may be hiding and how to avoid them. Their comprehensive Thanksgiving section features a ton of recipes for a complete allergen-free Thanksgiving meal! The site Kids With Food Allergies is a nationwide non-profit organization that also offers support and many recipes as well. Aside from many articles about food and food allergies, their Buyer’s Guide can help you identify products offering safety for kids (and peace of mind for parents!)

I wrote about Local Harvest last year, and thankfully they’re still around to provide all the information you need to find local, organic products for the holidays and beyond.

In the “I can’t decide what kind of pie the guests may like, so I’ll buy them all” department, Wholly Wholesome Baked Goods contain nothing artificial, irradiated, bleached or synthetic in any of their pies, cakes, cookies or pie crusts. While many of their products contain wheat and/or soy, most are eggless. They also have a dairy-free pumpkin pie as well as spelt and whole wheat pie crusts.

Browsing the on-line store of the Gluten-Free Creations Bakery is less dangerous than if you actually order. Their Holidays and Special Occasions page is a Thanksgiving dream, from the homemade pecan pie at your Thanksgiving table to the gingerbread donuts with your coffee the next morning. Each product is wheat and gluten-free (they are a GFCO certified bakery), and there are a few that are dairy-free as well. Double check by clicking on each product for a list of ingredients.

Finally, for something completely different, Apartment Therapy the kitchn went on a brief “anti-pie” dessert campaign. While I think kids won’t like most of the recipes, I may have to try this Spiced Apple Cider Sorbet (without the alcohol, duh). Don’t forget to browse the site though - they just had the “Best Pie Bake-Off” contest!