Just because college is a new start doesn’t mean you can hit the reset button on your food allergies. Trust me, if I could, I would.
If your allergies are really severe, when grocery shopping check the ingredients list for peanuts and tree nuts, as well as any specific label that states that the items were “made on the same machinery as peanuts and/or tree nuts” or “may contain nuts” before buying, just to be safe.
If you’re allergic to snacks with nuts, or even if you’re not but aware of how much water it takes to produce one almond, then here are some delicious alternatives!
1) If you want some nut-free snacks from the grocery store, check out:
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Chewy’s Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
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Trader Joe’s Roasted and Unsalted Sunflower Seeds (Under $2!)
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Don’t Go Nuts Snack Bars (rare, but delicious!)
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Craisins Dried Cranberries
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Enjoy Life Brand Snacks, Granola, Cookies, and Chips
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Sun Butter (a sunflower seed substitute for peanut butter)
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Any variety of Sun Chips
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Any variety of Pop Chips
2) If you’re a big fan of granola, try this recipe for basic granola from Chow, but replace the nuts with a ½ cup of Trader Joe’s sunflower seeds. I also recommend adding ¼ cup dark chocolate chips, ¼ cup dried cranberries, and a sprinkle of finely chopped rosemary.
3) When I developed my allergies at age 17, my biggest source of envy was everyone else’s ability to consume Nutella without getting a swollen tongue, tight throat, or hives. Friends, envy no more.
Nut-Free Nutella
Ingredients:
2 cups of Sun Butter
1 tablespoon of vanilla
¼ cup cocoa powder
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ teaspoon of salt
⅓ cup of milk (or soymilk)
Supplies: A bowl and spoon!
Measure ingredients in the bowl. Mix until all the ingredients are combined. Add more cocoa powder to suit your taste. Enjoy!