Food Sensitivies

Buckeye_Chelle

Hi everyone! I've been using the app for about 6 weeks, but I'm just looking to add some friends for support who might have at least some challenges that are similar to mine. One of my big challenges that I just found out about is that I have a pretty extensive list of food sensitivities. In addition to milk (and all of its byproducts) and eggs, I also can't eat turkey, tuna, chicken, coffee, and about 20 other things. Anyone else who might have food sensitivity or allergy issues that might have some advice?

SafariGalNYC

I have a few sensitivities and 1 allergy. Nothing extreme/ but enough to make me congested or bring on gut issues I’d rather not have.

What helped me- I pre log a lot of my diary - that way I avoid (or greatly minimize) all my triggers. (Or try!)

If you omit what you cannot eat… and make a menu of what you can, it’s probably still a huge amount of options.

I stock my fridge with all the other options!

loulee997

Buckeye_Chelle wrote: »

Hi everyone! I've been using the app for about 6 weeks, but I'm just looking to add some friends for support who might have at least some challenges that are similar to mine. One of my big challenges that I just found out about is that I have a pretty extensive list of food sensitivities. In addition to milk (and all of its byproducts) and eggs, I also can't eat turkey, tuna, chicken, coffee, and about 20 other things. Anyone else who might have food sensitivity or allergy issues that might have some advice?

Mine are minor. Lactose-intolerant. Mild allergy to almonds, cranberries, bananas, Too much citrus and I get blisters around my mouth. The only dairy I can really tolerate is small amounts of mozzarella. Things like protein pancakes give me stomach aches. All pancakes are difficult though.

My bigger issue is that I have texture issues. I find jello, pie, rice, noodles, or really soft or gooey anything really hard to eat. The texture. Even really tender steak kind of grosses me out. Anything slimy or super squishy is a no.

I can eat veggies raw, but they tear up my stomach. But if you cook them, the texture is often bad to me.

I always say I'm a fat person, not a food person. Basically, I am not a person to invite to dinner unless I'm cooking.

Basically, none of the recipes in the recipe collection are useful to me.

What works for me is that I take the things I eat and find ways to combine the foods in ways that appeal to me. I also try to add 1 new food a year--but, yeah, that isn't successful very often. Since I hate a lot of textures, I find a workaround. I make my own fruit smoothie so I can make the texture exactly the way I want. I can't eat bananas, but I found that by using certain other frozen fruits mixed with a fruit cup (not frozen) will still give me the same effect if I'm careful. Sometimes, I add a touch of water.

You could switch tuna out with mackerel or salmon packs. Since you don't seem to tolerate poultry, try lean pork in chicken recipes. It's close.

For milk, is it lactose intolerance or do you have an A-1 allergy? Some kinds of milk are both lactose-free and have the A-1 issue stripped out of them. But if all milk in all forms is a no-go--you could try Soy milk...if you tolerate soy. I forgot--soy makes me itch. You can cook with soy milk, oat milk, or almond milk. They don't work for me, but maybe you'll be better off. One note about soy milk--in large amounts, it can aggravate PMS symptoms. Soy impacts estrogen. Just FYI. You'd have to ingest a large amount on a daily basis--but just a heads up in case you have PMS or estrogen issues.

For baking--try coconut milk. It's not really milk. It is a creamy and a bit sweet. It will work in recipes--along with Soy, Almond, or Oatmilk.

For a coffee replacement, you have so many options. Hot Cocoa, Caffeinated Tea such as Chai, Black, Matcha, Spearmint Tea, Chicory coffee (which isn't actually coffee), or caffeinated water.

For cupcakes or cakes--did you know you can replace eggs and oil--with any carbonated soda? It will still bake.

Eggs--you can use a vegan faux egg powder or vegan egg substitute. For a lot of recipes, you can use mashed bananas or avocados. Applesauce will work in a pinch. If the problem is that you need something to rise more and can't use egg--try baking soda and vinegar. It creates bubbles. Mostly BS and vinegar is a trick to use in bread baking. 1/4 of a banana is equal to 1 egg. 1/4 mashed avocado is equal to 1 egg. Vegan egg powder is a thickner.


T

no1racefan2

If you don't already, learn to cook from scratch. Including sauces, spice blends, condiments, etc. It sounds time consuming but after some trial and error it gets a lot easier. My husband has 24 food sensitivities and I have 4--all cause varying degrees of discomfort. The easiest thing for us has been to eliminate most highly processed foods (boxed dinners, frozen meals, etc. etc.) because those have sooooo many ingredients.

Buckeye_Chelle

Thanks, everyone! I have tried some of these suggestions and the others I will attempt to see if they work for me. I have cut out most processed foods already and found substitutes for some of the things. Going to vegan options for butter and almond milk. I was already a seriously picky eater. Tuna was the only fish or seafood I could/would eat. Turkey was my go-to lunch, and chicken was my healthier dinner.

@loulee977 I appreciate all of the suggestions. I also have texture issues, so that adds another layer to the issue. I tend to avoid all things that taste grainy, or like oats, etc... This is becoming quite the process for me. In addition to all of that, I have an autoimmune thyroid disease, so it adds a layer of other things I am supposed to avoid, one being soy. I would love to switch my coffee to hot chocolate, but everything I have found thus far contains milk. Tomorrow I am taking a trip to Trader Joes to see if I can find anything (I live in the country so it's about 90 minutes away). I appreciate all your insights!

no1racefan2

Buckeye_Chelle wrote: »

Thanks, everyone! I have tried some of these suggestions and the others I will attempt to see if they work for me. I have cut out most processed foods already and found substitutes for some of the things. Going to vegan options for butter and almond milk. I was already a seriously picky eater. Tuna was the only fish or seafood I could/would eat. Turkey was my go-to lunch, and chicken was my healthier dinner.

@loulee977 I appreciate all of the suggestions. I also have texture issues, so that adds another layer to the issue. I tend to avoid all things that taste grainy, or like oats, etc... This is becoming quite the process for me. In addition to all of that, I have an autoimmune thyroid disease, so it adds a layer of other things I am supposed to avoid, one being soy. I would love to switch my coffee to hot chocolate, but everything I have found thus far contains milk. Tomorrow I am taking a trip to Trader Joes to see if I can find anything (I live in the country so it's about 90 minutes away). I appreciate all your insights!

You can make your own hot chocolate mix using coconut milk powder (or maybe an alternative milk powder if you can't do coconut). Tastes great!

loulee997

Buckeye_Chelle wrote: »

Thanks, everyone! I have tried some of these suggestions and the others I will attempt to see if they work for me. I have cut out most processed foods already and found substitutes for some of the things. Going to vegan options for butter and almond milk. I was already a seriously picky eater. Tuna was the only fish or seafood I could/would eat. Turkey was my go-to lunch, and chicken was my healthier dinner.

@loulee977 I appreciate all of the suggestions. I also have texture issues, so that adds another layer to the issue. I tend to avoid all things that taste grainy, or like oats, etc... This is becoming quite the process for me. In addition to all of that, I have an autoimmune thyroid disease, so it adds a layer of other things I am supposed to avoid, one being soy. I would love to switch my coffee to hot chocolate, but everything I have found thus far contains milk. Tomorrow I am taking a trip to Trader Joes to see if I can find anything (I live in the country so it's about 90 minutes away). I appreciate all your insights!

For hot chocolate, I buy the powdered. I make with water. I use 1.25 of a packet makes it a touch sweeter. I can never drink hot chocolate out. It is always made with nasty steamed milk.

Non-Dairy Chocolate Powder Mix SWISS MISS NON DAIRY HOT CHOCOLATE MIX

Don't much too much water in. I use 1.25 to 1.5 packs per cup. But I like mine super chocolatey.

The Vegan version I haven't tried. Sweetened with Monkfruit. 40 Calories.
Vegan Double Dutch Dark Chocolate **You can make with water or milk substiture.


Special Occasion Dairy Free Cocoa Mix (4 Serving Pot)

loulee997

As for chicken and turkey replacements, pork is the easiest. Lean pork can be subbed into a lot of recipes.

Other poultry options: Duck, goose, partridge, pheasant--and maybe game hen.

Duck and goose are a little fattier than chicken/turkey--but might work.

Lamb is a stretch but maybe.


Non-meat---Tofu. BUT---Tofu is all about how you cook it and season it. Grilled or fried--tofu is not bad. Any other way and it's gross to me. It picks up the seasoning you marinate it in. So marinate and grill or fry. Yes, I hated it for years too. It really does come down to how it is cooked.

L

loulee997

Chicory Coffee--Some people like it, some do not. 100% Chicory coffee has no actual coffee in it. It is made from chicory root. You would want pure chicory coffee and not one mixed with coffee beans.

I've linked one for you to research. I can't say if you would like it--but maybe worth a try?

Chicory Coffee Example

---

Some people like Matcha Tea. It has caffeine. It's not for me--but you might like it.

Corina1143

I can't help with sensitivities. But experiment with textures. It might help so you won't have to limit your choices even more.
Oatmeal - I can't stand the slime. I put it in the blender and pulverized it good. Made oatmeal. Still slimy.
But then I made baked oatmeal and overcooked it just slightly to dry it out even more. Dried the slime right out of it.

emgracewrites

You could look into the low FODMAP diet. It’s designed to help you figure out exactly what your triggers are, and then SLOWLY work foods back in. It’s been a tremendous help for me in dealing with IBS issues