The Problem With Teal Pumpkins ...
...and allowing strangers to say what's safe for your kids.
I wish I'd written this earlier, but sorry, I've been a bit sick.
The problem is too many people think they understand what foods contain allergy ingredients, and haven't a freaking clue.
When I was working as a CNA, I got a job at a facility that proudly stated, when I was hired, that it could provide safe, gluten-free foods for it's patients with allergies. This was a medical facility, so I assumed they would know what they were talking about.
Unfortunately, they didn't have a CLUE. In fact, what they did not know about gluten was mind-boggling.
It took one day for me to figure it out. I actually over-heard one of the old-timers in the kitchen explaining to a new employee that gluten was wheat. So no wheat bread for patients who couldn't have gluten. But white flour was OKAY.
When I tried to explain to them the opposite, and that gluten could also be found in spice mixes, dressings, marinades, and even some raw meat -- a lot of the fancy turkey brands like ButterBall have been marinaded -- they told me, quite disdainfully, that they'd talk to the head chef about it, but weren't going to change policy because of something I'd said.
When I refused to have a gummy bear that I was offered on a break before reading the ingredients, they laughed at my silliness. "How could wheat gluten be in a gummy bear?" But when I insisted they check the ingredients, they found, much to their surprise, that yeah, it contained wheat.
In fact, one of the ladies who over-heard this was dumb-founded, because her child was gluten sensitive, and she had been trying to feed him properly. And no one had told her that it could be in CANDY. So I gave her a quick primer. She was horrified when she found out it was also in many brands of licorice. She'd been letting him have that, and was wondering now if that was why he still had an upset stomach.
So, please, Friends, don't trust the Teal Pumpkins. It is NOT SAFE to trust that other people will know what won't hurt your children. Even if they work in the medical industry, there is No Guarantee.
ALWAYS DOUBLE CHECK. Unless they're passing out non-food items, you can't be sure. And while we're at it, do double check your info too.
I wish I'd written this earlier, but sorry, I've been a bit sick.
The problem is too many people think they understand what foods contain allergy ingredients, and haven't a freaking clue.
When I was working as a CNA, I got a job at a facility that proudly stated, when I was hired, that it could provide safe, gluten-free foods for it's patients with allergies. This was a medical facility, so I assumed they would know what they were talking about.
Unfortunately, they didn't have a CLUE. In fact, what they did not know about gluten was mind-boggling.
It took one day for me to figure it out. I actually over-heard one of the old-timers in the kitchen explaining to a new employee that gluten was wheat. So no wheat bread for patients who couldn't have gluten. But white flour was OKAY.
When I tried to explain to them the opposite, and that gluten could also be found in spice mixes, dressings, marinades, and even some raw meat -- a lot of the fancy turkey brands like ButterBall have been marinaded -- they told me, quite disdainfully, that they'd talk to the head chef about it, but weren't going to change policy because of something I'd said.
When I refused to have a gummy bear that I was offered on a break before reading the ingredients, they laughed at my silliness. "How could wheat gluten be in a gummy bear?" But when I insisted they check the ingredients, they found, much to their surprise, that yeah, it contained wheat.
In fact, one of the ladies who over-heard this was dumb-founded, because her child was gluten sensitive, and she had been trying to feed him properly. And no one had told her that it could be in CANDY. So I gave her a quick primer. She was horrified when she found out it was also in many brands of licorice. She'd been letting him have that, and was wondering now if that was why he still had an upset stomach.
So, please, Friends, don't trust the Teal Pumpkins. It is NOT SAFE to trust that other people will know what won't hurt your children. Even if they work in the medical industry, there is No Guarantee.
ALWAYS DOUBLE CHECK. Unless they're passing out non-food items, you can't be sure. And while we're at it, do double check your info too.