I came home and logged onto Twitter where I found the following message, "Just got a call from school—a kid was suspended 4 trying to touch my daughter’s face w/ peanut butter when he knows she is deathly allergic ." It was immediately followed by a non-related tweet about some high school cheerleaders who hazed a girl with a peanut allergy by covering her in peanut butter. And just earlier this week, I commented on an episode of Smash where one character slips peanuts to a peanut allergic star to get her off the production.

My son has had food allergies his entire life. Thankfully, he has outgrown allergies to dairy, eggs, and soy. In fact, we were able to dye Easter Eggs for the first time this year. But the peanut and tree nut allergies impact his life. He sits at a special table in the cafeteria in school. He typically can’t eat the cake served at a birthday party – we always offer to bring cupcakes just for him. Halloween holds a special kind of horror for me, and a disappointment for him, as we pull out more than half his candy for nuts or potential nut contamination. He can’t order freely from the menu in a restaurant, and he often can’t enjoy the complimentary bread/chips/whatever that comes out before the meal. There are restaurants he can’t even go to because they have loose peanuts everywhere. We buy tickets to the peanut free baseball games. As fortunate as we are that peanut allergies in particular have a lot of awareness, part of that reason is because peanut oil gets on everything and isn’t as easy to wipe off. It’s scary stuff.

We had one person at our meeting today celebrating that she could finally pack a peanut butter and jelly lunch for her child to bring to school because he’s only allergic to tree nuts. She might as well have said that she was thrilled that she could send him into school with a gun. It’s unlikely that he’ll shoot anyone with it, but if he does, they could die.

It’s not practical at this point to ban peanuts (or other high-allergy foods) from schools or anywhere else. And I know that my child needs to learn to manage his allergy. In honor of Food Allergy Awareness Week, I’d like to make a few wishes, though. I wish that we’d get better about teaching our (non-allergic) kids about food allergies and just how serious they are. I wish that adults would get a grip and stop insisting that their kids have a "right" to a peanut butter & jelly sandwich for every meal when it means risking another child’s life. And I wish that Hollywood would take food allergies seriously (with serious repercussions) and avoid using them in trite plotlines. Lastly, I wish that we could get consistent and clear labeling for food and health and beauty products so we could all make educated decisions.

We’re talking about the lives of the people we love.

Related posts:

1. Fun Food Allergy Chats with Lori Sandler and The Motherhood
2. Healthy Babies: Taking Things for Granted
3. New Directions – Food Allergies Blog and Chat

A mini pumpkin coach for photo ops!

Some of my favorite memories in childhood revolve around our family vacations to the White Mountains in NH. We were never an outdoorsy family, so our trips were a definite departure from the norm. We climbed on rocks, burrowed through caves and just enjoyed the gorgeous scenery that the area has in abundance. But the best part of the trip had nothing to do with nature at all. It was a visit to Storyland, a family-owned theme park in Glen, NH. With storybook scenes and characters, Cinderella’s castle, and a wide variety of rides and attractions, I always thought it was somewhat magical. As the years went by, the park grew, adding new and bigger rides. I have such fond memories of Storyland that I started my bachelorette party there, riding the rides and being silly.

Act like a tree

When my kids were born, I made lists for them of all the things I wanted to show them in the world. High on my list were trips to Storyland. So, two years ago we rented a house for a week with some friends and spent four – yes, FOUR – days roaming around the park with our kids. LadyBug was small – she had just turned one, but Bug was two and a half and a fantastic time exploring, driving “tractors” and taking endless rides on the train. We have

taken them again each year and the kids still delight in all of the many experiences. The park has been sold to a chain, but is still clean and well-maintained, with reasonably-priced concessions.

Our annual "scared kids" family photo

There are storybook houses and displays to explore, including The Old Woman Who Lived in a Show and Goldilocks and the Three Bears. These are great for younger children to toddle around. There are animals such as goats, ducks, rabbits, and pigs. There is a pumpkin coach ride up to Cinderella’s Castle. There are small swan boats and bigger themed boat rides. All of your favorite rides are there: the teacups, merry-go-round,

antique cars, and a tilt-a-whirl. If you’re more of a thrill ride fan, there is a small roller coaster, a few water rides and the “Flying Fish.” You can go on a jungle safari, stow away on a pirate ship or explore a haunted mine (use caution here!). Our kids current favorite is the Loopy Lab, a building filled with foam balls and all manner of cannons to shoot them in the air. We’ve spent hours just in that spot alone and, although it’s loud and chaotic, they probably would have spent hours more. The overall vibe of the park is for younger kids, but there are quite a few rides that will appeal to the older kids, too. That said, you won’t find anything extreme here. It’s just not that kind of place.

Flying whales

One of the nicest things about Storyland, for us, is that they are allergy-friendly. Each of the food stands has a book listing the ingredients of every item at the stand and the website has a complete ingredient list for every food item in the park. The concessions themselves are all fast food/quick service-type spots, so I wouldn’t bother asking for too many special accommodations, but it is nice to be able to plan ahead for which spots will be safe or your family.

Balls everywhere!

Storyland isn’t an inexpensive trip by any means (tickets for ages 3+ are $26.99 during the 2010 season), and there are no discounts available. But there is one trick that we use religiously. If you arrive after 3pm during peak season, or after 2pm off-peak (when the park closes at 5pm), you can enter the next day for free. It’s a great way for families with young kids to split up time in the park, and for more hard-core families to maximize their visit. We tend to spend as much time as possible that first day so that we can feel free to leave early the next day in case of grumpy kids, bad weather, or other vacation downers.

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I’m going to admit it… the loss of magic was mostly on my end. The kids didn’t know that they were missing out on Edaville Railroad or Zoo Lights. The didn’t realize that I only put out a portion of the decorations or that we missed a couple of parties. They only saw the tree, and the lights. They experienced the Christmas music, the special time with family and, of course, the presents. It didn’t even seem to bother them that they were sick. That all fell on Big Guy and I.

As much as I love Christmas, this year was hard. It seemed as if every time we tried to celebrate, something stood in the way. In fact, LadyBug recovered from a stomach bug just in time for me to feel comfortable taking her out on Christmas Day. I woke up on Christmas morning feeling excited and listening for the sounds of happy kids. Instead, I heard the sounds of Bug throwing up. We took him out anyway, but I spent a good part of the the day feeling worried and guilty.

I guess the funny thing about Christmas magic is that it has a way of sneaking up on you. As I watched my kids delight in their presents despite not feeling their best, I had a glimmer of cheer. And as I greeted my family and sat down for a meal with them, I couldn’t help but feel happy. And by the time we sat down to play Rock Band together, I was having a blast.

I know… I’m ridiculously slow to learn this lesson, but this was another example of letting my kids set the bar. Sure, I had my vision of what Christmas should be. But they were just open to enjoying what it was. And once I was on board with them, I had a wonderful time, too. Let’s hope I can just embrace this for 2010!

Related posts:

1. In Which LadyBug Turns Two
2. This Is the Christmas that Never Ends…
3. The Radio City Christmas Spectacular–Magic for the Whole Family

Anyway, Peapod warerooms are housed in actual Stop & Shop stores. This allows them to have access to the freshest fruits, vegetables, meats, seafood, etc., without holding stock in a regular warehouse. When you place an order, those items (including deli orders) are collected in advance from the full-size store and placed in special bins in the shopping area upstairs.

During our tour, we got to follow a Peapod shopper as she put together an order. The shoppers use a special scanner strapped that tells them the products and quantities to select. They shop through an area that looks like a compact Stop & Shop store. Then they add in frozen items, produce, meat and other sensitive items. Cold items are packed in insulated cases with ice packs, while frozen items as packed with dry ice. When the orders are complete, they’re packed into trucks for delivery. The delivery system is computerized to make sure that each family receives their order during the time frame they specified.

As part of the tour, we were each given a $50 gift card to try out the service. I was thrilled to try Peapod again, but it took me some time to find a day to do the shopping where I knew I could be around for delivery. Shipping is $9.95 for orders under $100 and $6.95 for those over. You can tip the driver in cash or by adding an amount to your delivery receipt.

Pros

• Ease of shopping
• Same sales that you’ll find in-store
• A variety of delivery times with discounts for less popular times
• Shop from lists of your own favorite/commonly shopped items to save time
• Manufacturer coupons are accepted (give them to the driver in an envelope and they’ll apply them to your bill)

Cons

• Brands and package sizes are limited to more popular options
• Delivery costs/driver tips (optional) may make it feel too much of a luxury for regular use

Special Highlights

Nutrifilter – Peapod has a special filter you can use to find items that match your own dietary criteria. There are some built-in filters, like peanut-free, low sodium and Weight Watchers, but you can also create your own with mix-and-match features. Features include, fat, cholesterol, protein, vitamins/minerals, Kosher, organic, gluten-free and more. As you shop, items that match your plan will appear first with a special icon to let you know they’re ok. The system isn’t perfect. Sometimes that should match a filter aren’t recognized (this is a particular issue with fruits and vegetables, in my experience), but it’s a good start.

Customer Service – Peapod has excellent customer service. They are always quick to resolve a problem and reimburse you when necessary. I just can’t say enough about it.

My Experience

I have used Peapod a number of times and have generally been quite happy with the results. While I was still happy with my experience this time around, there were a few anomalys I want to note:
1. The driver was a bit early. I was glad to see my driver early, but typically the store would call to see if an early delivery works for you. It was only by 10 minutes or so, so I guess it wasn’t worth calling ahead, but I was a bit surprised by the knock on my door!

2. We received an incorrect item. In all of the times I have used Peapod, this has never happened. In fact, after watching the quality control in the system, I’m not sure how it could happen. As shoppers place items into your order, they scan the item in as a way of confirming that it’s correct. In our case, they swapped out one flavor of sausage for the one we had ordered. Since we had specified “no substitutions” on our order, I gave customer service a call. In no time at all, we had been reimbursed for the mistake.

3. We received some scrappy corn. Whenever I mention grocery delivery to people, they either worry about cost or the the quality of produce and meats. Honestly, I have never had a problem. And, I know that Peapod will reimburse you for any products that sneak by that don’t make their high standards. This order was the first time that I was unhappy with my produce and it’s really a specific complaint. I am picky about corn. I won’t take home an ear of corn that looks ratty at the top when you pull back the husk. Those ears often aren’t as juicy or flavorful. Our corn was packed without anyone looking under the husk and it just wasn’t very good at all. Lesson learned… some things you just have to do yourself!

Bottom Line

Peapod is a convenient way to get your shopping done when you don’t have a car, you’re feeling sick, or you just don’t want to drag your kids through the supermarket. You can also use it creatively to order all of your heavy/bulky items once a month or every other month. You can generally rely on the same quality (if not better) than you would receive during your own shopping trip and it arrives at your door just as it would if you came home from the store. [Note: Peapod uses plastic shopping bags. We use them for trash, so it's fine for us, but reusable bags aren't an option at this time.]

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Suave Wild Cherry Blossom Body Wash, Photo Courtesy of Suave

I was recently given the opportunity to try out Suave Naturals Wild Cherry Blossom Indulgent Body Wash (infused with cherry blossom extracts and Vitamin E), I was certainly interested. Cherry blossoms have a lovely scent, so I was excited to try it out. The directions say to pour a small amount of the body wash on a “pouf.” Now, I’m not a pouf kind of gal, so I was a bit concerned about being able to get a decent lather. I had no problems whatsoever. The wash, which seems like it might be too thin to lather, actually gives a nice foamy result with a facecloth or even with just your hands. The scent of the While Cherry Blossom Body Wash is delightful… it’s a delicate floral scent that isn’t too overpowering. I love it!

In addition to the Body Wash, I was able to try out some of the other products in the Suave line, including two of their body lotions and the Apricot Exfoliating and Ocean Breeze washes.  I’m already a fan of the Advanced Therapy lotion, which is moisturizing without being heavy or greasy. I was also very excited about the Apricot Exfoliating wash. Bug is allergic to nuts and I have had to throw out a few of my other scrubs because they use walnut shell. The Apricot wash seems to be free of nut products, so I feel comfortable using it without endangering my son.

All-in-all, the Suave products have been a nice treat for me. I’m going to hide my Wild Cherry Blossom body wash to take with me to BlogHer. When I’m traveling, I always like to take some products that make me feel pampered and the smell of that body wash just makes me happy.

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Our families are familiar with our food precautions for Bug. He’s allergic to peanuts, tree nuts and eggs and we are always checking labels, questioning ingredients and bringing our own everything. We have some wonderful recipes for allergen-free baked goods, but there have also been some less-than-stellar experiments. People were either skeptical or curious about the Divvies options.

Divvies Goodies

The Divvies cupcakes are shipped unfrosted in a cute Divvies box. Each half dozen cupcakes is sealed in a separate container, which is nice for smaller occasions. The cupcakes come with a large tub of frosting and a cute little container of sprinkles. You can frost your cupcakes in advance or allow your guests the pleasure of a diy experience. As an added bonus, the Divvies cupcake containers flip over to serve as a spill-proof carrying case for frosted cupcakes. Genius. Our chocolate cupcakes were moist and fudgy and the frosting was fantastically chocolatey. My only complaint (and it’s small) is that the frosting cover seems to be designed to come off and not go back on. We wrapped it in plastic wrap, but with so much thought into other design aspects, that was disappointing.

We also shared our sugar cookies with our guests. This particular package came with two dozen sugar cookies wrapped in pairs. Sugar cookies aren’t my favorite, but my husband (who is a huge fan) really likes these. They were just the right amount of chewy and sprinkled with decorative sugar. We experimented with some chocolate frosting on these as well and that was a huge crowd pleaser.

Divvies sent us a 6 oz. bag of their caramel corn. We didn’t share that with party guests because it was better suited in quantity for our family movie night. The small bags would probably be best shared with maybe 2 or 3 people, but they sell larger quanities (including chocolate and kettle varieties) on their site. I was concerned because bagged popcorn can sometimes be stale and chewy, but the caramel corn was incredibly fresh. Honestly, I missed the peanuts, but that has nothing to do with the quality of the product! If your family has had to remove peanuts due to allergies, this is going to be a real treat for Cracker Jack fans.

The last little treat in our Divvies box was a BingGo! Divine Chocolate Bar. It came wrapped in it’s own bag with an ice pack to keep it fresh. When you buy chocolate without dairy, you’re going to expect a dark chocolate since creamier versions require milk. This bar was definitely a dark flavor, but also sweet and without any of the bitterness that you might expect. Obviously the Divvies people had true chocolate lovers in mind when creating these bars. Each bar is marked off in two parts. There is a big portion that is roughly 2/3 of the bar, and a smaller portion. The larger side is labeled “Mine” and the smaller side “Yours.” Very, clever! We aren’t dealing with dairy allergies in our house, and I generally prefer a milk chocolate, but I think these bars would be a nice stocking stuffer or thank you gift for anyone who can’t have dairy.

BingGo! Divine Chocolate Bar

Divvies says on their website that their products are free from soy other than soy lecithin and soybean oil, so they would be safe for more people with a soy allergy. They also say that their products are vegan friendly. If you’re hosting a houseful of people for the holidays or a birthday party, Divvies are a really safe bet to keep around. You can even sign up for monthly cookie orders to keep your house stocked with allergy safe treats. Great for people who just don’t have time to constantly bake cookies and cakes from scratch.

I pride myself in writing balanced reviews when testing products and I honestly have nothing bad to say about the Divvies samples (other than the frosting container cover!). They were fresh, well-packed and delicious. My guests agreed and so did Bug and LadyBug who have been enjoying the extra cupcakes and cookies!

If I’ve set your mouth watering with this review, you can have a chance to win a dozen Divvies cupcakes to share with your favorite people.

*Update: Susan from Divvies emailed to let me know that the frosting container lid should be able to go back on. Looks like user error! That said, it broke pretty easily, so be careful.

*Disclosure – Yes, Divvies sent us treats so that we could actually write an accurate review. Although they were delicious, we were in no way obligated or swayed to write a biased review as a result of the free food. This is an honest and balanced opinion of the product in question.

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