15% off coupon on Food Allergy Bands at USA Baby & Big Kids Too

I am excited that our family's journey with food allergies is being featured on Nashville Kids Furniture Blog.  I am passionate about spreading awareness about food allergies and helping to encourage other families who are on a similar journey.

USA Baby & Big Kids Too in Franklin, TN is offering Allergen Free Please readers a 15% off coupon on a Food Allergy Band.  Just in time for pre-school and school starting, you can protect your child from food allergens in a fun, kid-friendly way.  

The Food Allergy-Band was the brainchild of three partners from the Nashville area, who have personally been affected by their kids with food allergies.  The Food Allergy-Band offers an added layer of protection because they stay with the child when parents and guardians cannot.

The initial Food Allergy-Band will be available in three styles:

• Dairy
• Nut
• Food

Did you know that dairy and nut allergies are the two primary food allergies that can be life-threatening? The number of children affected by food allergies has doubled in the past 10 years and now affects over 12 million Americans. Each year more than 125,000 children visit emergency rooms because of food allergy reactions.

Each band is designed for a specific allergy, is 100% latex free and incorporates a "kid friendly" design.

Print out your 15% off coupon HERE (expires September 30, 2011), stop by USA Baby & Big Kids Too and pick your Food Allergy Band up today!

USA Baby & Big Kids Too
1113 Murfreesboro Rd. Suite 370
Franklin, TN 37064
615-595-5565
Mon-Sat 10am-6pm; Sun 1pm-5pm
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Garden of Eatin Organic Tortilla Chips $1

Here is a great coupon/sale match up for you. If you live near a Kroger, they have Garden of Eatin Tortilla Chips (9 oz) bag on sale for $2. Click here to print a $1 off coupon and you only pay $1 for a bag organic tortilla chips. I served the Blue Chips with my black bean salsa and they are great; love em'...love em' more for a buck! Kroger deals end Saturday 3/21.

HoneyBaked for Lunch

If you are like me, I usually think of Honeybaked for around the holidays; but what about for lunch?

We now know that the ham and turkey are safe, so I thought this was a great deal for $4.99. The lunch deal includes your choice of a whole sandwich, chips and a drink. If you are gluten free, I think just eating the ham or turkey by itself would be great!

Click here for the coupon. It expires on 3/6/2010 so you have a little while to use it.

The hardest thing that I have found is to have a safe place for lunch that won't break the bank...this is a great option!

The ham and turkey (smoked or roasted) are free of dairy, milk, eggs, glutens or wheat products, nuts or nut products, and soy products (soy flour, soy oil, etc.)

If you want the ingredient list for either the ham or the turkey, just email me at allergenfreeplease (at) gmail (dot) com and I will send it to you. It is the list from the company.

*If you go, I would speak with the person preparing your lunch and tell them about the food allergies.

I was told at the Honeybaked Ham that I go to, that the meat is sliced on a different slicer than the cheese (which is awesome!); but just make sure, you can never be too careful.

Saving Money in the New Year!

I have been couponing now for about 2 1/2 years. It is amazing how much money I save and how well I am able to feed my family. Not only am I able to save on food, I am able to save on toiletries, paper products, etc.

When I found out Brody had food allergies, I thought, "That's it, I am not going to be able to save money when food shopping; I am going to have to shop at Whole Foods." I returned most of my unsafe, unopened, non-perishable food to Publix (they were so great about it). I went to Whole Foods looking for safe food for myself (since I was nursing at the time) and for Brody. I was SO overwhelmed by having to shop milk, egg, wheat and peanut free. The first time I went to Whole Foods, I don't think I bought anything. I just walked around writing down prices and feeling sick to my stomach. I ran into another mom who pointed out safe butter (Earth's Balance) and we exchanged information (We now keep in touch. It is funny the instant connection you make with others who have to deal with food allergies). Once I started processing the whole food allergy thing, I started finding products (this is how Allergen Free Please started) and realized that if I cooked mostly from scratch, I could control exactly what was going into the food (obviously this cannot be done for everything...and that is why I found go-to products, but try to use coupons when I buy them).

The Sophie Safe Cookbook (free of the top 8 allergens) got me thinking about the family recipes that I had that I could change ingredients and cook for my family. She has great recipes in her book.

Back to coupons....you can buy good, allergy safe food (Muir Glen, which has organic tomatoes, paste, and sauce has coupons out all of the time...I am able to get some of these products for almost free when the company puts out their $1 off a Muir Glen Product coupon). My favorite site that has a bit of everything is Southern Savers. Jenny matches up coupons/products and stores for you. You can even print your list right from her site. IT IS AWESOME!

I buy two newspapers a week for my family. I try to find out which place is selling them for $1 (or I buy them on Monday at the Kroger near my house because they are $1). The "rule" of couponing is to buy a paper for each person in your family, but for right now, two works for us.
I cut out the coupons that I KNOW my family will use. We try to avoid high fructose corn syrup, MSG, trans fat, dyes and of course egg, milk, wheat (we do give Brody some wheat now and he is doing great with it) and peanuts. I save tons of money each week and buy healthy food for my family...coupons are not just for junk food...PROMISE! I get Soy milk coupons, frozen vegetable coupons (great for soups), salad coupons, orange juice coupons, etc, not to mention paper products and toiletries. Now wouldn't you use these? By time grocery stores double the coupons (most up to .50)...you have paid for your paper and much MORE!

Another frugal tip...I have found that Kroger has a great selection of safe food in the organic section for my family. They double coupons up to .50, which makes the price come down quickly. I find safe food for Brody all of that time that has been marked down as "manager's special" and I am even able to find organic meat marked down (getting ready to expire), put it in freezer bags and freeze it for later use.

The Thrifty Momma matches up Whole Food Deals if you shop there (click on categories at the top of the page and then scroll down to Whole Foods). I will run into Whole Foods for my Kid's Fish Oil, Earth Balance Buttery Sticks for baking and any other deal I can score. Don't forget that Whole Foods has the Whole Deal book of coupons that you can combine with a manufacturer's coupon if you have one.

Buy the newspaper this Sunday...there is going to be a ton of coupon inserts. Clip your coupons, head over to Southern Savers for all the details on how to get started and start saving money in 2010!

My favorite (not all grocery deals) site that I love for all kinds of deals is Hip 2 Save!

Barbara's Bakery Puffins Original

Barbara's Bakery Puffins Original is a milk, egg, wheat, nut free cereal (it has soy) that is "made on equipment that manufactures products containing wheat." I called the company the beginning of my allergen free journey with Brody and was told that Original Puffins are manufactured on a completely different side of the factory than products containing wheat and that they have strict manufacturing practices. Due to this information, I felt Puffins Original were save for Brody. They are shaped like Captain Crunch cereal but are less sweet and have much more natural ingredients.

This has been a great snacking food for him also; perfect size.

Customer Service

800-343-0590 x1032

*Call and ask for some coupons

Organic SO Delicious Dairy Free Dessert

Before the weather gets too cold and you think I am crazy for posting about a frozen dessert, I thought I would get this post in :) I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Organic SO Delicious Dairy Free Dessert (and so does Brody). My husband says he is jealous that we get to eat it. It really tastes like good ice cream, without all of the allergens and "junk". My favorite (so far), is Mint Marble Fudge. It is organic and safe, so I feel it is worth it to splurge every once in awhile :) I am sure Whole Foods sells it, but I buy mine at Kroger (sometimes, it is even on sale).

CLICK HERE for Coupons from Turtle Mountain or give them a call 1-866-388-7853

*On the back of the container, it says their products are tested to make sure there are no allergens. Take a look next time you are in the store, I think you will be impressed.

WholeSoy & Co. Organic Soy Frozen Yogurt

Next time you are wanting to try some frozen yogurt that is free of milk, eggs, peanuts and wheat, try WholeSoy & Co. Organic Soy Frozen Yogurt

I had the Swiss Dark Chocolate and it tastes like rich chocolate pudding. If you put regular frozen yogurt (or even ice cream in my opinion) and this product side by side, you would be hard pressed to tell the difference. I think it is really rich, so I am able to eat a small amount and satisfy my sweet tooth.

Don't forget to call WholeSoy & Co. and request some coupons. So far, I have been impressed their soy yogurt and now their soy frozen yogurt.

WholeSoy & Co.
1-877-JOYOFSOY (569-6376)

WholeSoy & Co. Yogurt

I was in Kroger the other day and they had WholeSoy & Co. peach Soy Yogurt marked down from $1.29 to .59. I read the ingredients over a few times to make sure that it would be safe for Brody. I guess I was still a little hesitant because the last time we tried yogurt (it was whole milk though) he immediately broke out in hives. I figured I would give the soy yogurt a try, since he does not seem to be allergic to soy products at this time Brody liked it and did not react, so I am happy to have found another safe alternative. I called WholeSoy and Co. and requested coupons. They are on their way!
*Frugal tip-be sure to check out your grocery store for manager specials. Sometimes products are marked down because they are getting ready to expire (I have noticed more products in organics/speciality because they are pricier) or the store has received too many of them. This is a great way to try some allergen free products at 1/2 the price (or even more sometimes). If I had had my coupon from WholeSoy & Company the other day, my yogurt probably would have been free.
WholeSoy & Co.
1-877-JOYOFSOY (569-6376)

Thank you Garlic Jim's!

Tonight, I had pizza!!!! I LOVE pizza! I ordered my Garlic Jim's Gluten-Free pizza with no cheese (it had sauce and toppings). The crust was surprisingly good. I was somewhat expecting a cardboard like crust, but it wasn't. It was crispy like a thin crust pizza and it was flavored with Italian seasonings. The Gluten-Free pizza is $3 more than whatever "normal" pizza is on their menu, but I thought it was well worth it. I also LOVE that Garlic Jim's takes competitor coupons (example: Papa Johns, Pizza Hut, Domino's, etc.) When you call your order in, just tell them what coupon you would like to use and present it to them when you pick up your pizza. Even though my Gluten-Free pizza was $3 more, I saved that and more by using my coupons (Did I mention that I LOVE coupons?)

I realized that I didn't really miss the cheese on the pizza, it was being able to bit into crust that made me really happy. Everyone else had normal pizza and I had a large all to myself. I thought I was going to freeze the leftovers, but there is not much left. I got a little carried away. Guess I was making up for lost time.

Because Garlic Jim's is take out or delivery only, we found a picnic table close by since we were starving and it was all I could do from ripping the pizza out of the box and eating it in the car. We brought our own plates, napkins and drinks to make our night out even more affordable. It was a fun evening and I just thinking about Brody being able to eat pizza that is safe for him (one day soon) brought a smile to my face :) Thank you Garlic Jim's!

P.S.-When I picked up the pizza, I told the guy who rang me up, "thank you so much" and he laughed when he presented me my gluten-free, no cheese pizza. He told me he had a lady literally cry today when she picked her GF pizza up. I didn't cry, but my heart was happy! It's funny the simple things you miss when you can't have them.

Free Coupon for Betty Crocker's Gluten Free Baking Mix

General Mills is offering a FREE coupon for any one of their new Betty Crocker gluten-free baking mixes!

To redeem your free box, call General Mill’s customer service number at: 1-800-446-1898, which is the same number listed on the Betty Crocker boxes. Then, at the main menu press “4”.
The representative will then ask for your zip code, and if you / your household is gluten-free or limiting gluten, where you normally shop for gluten-free foods, and your address. General Mills promises not to sell or share this info.

According to General Mills, this offer is good until further notice. The coupon will be sent to your home from General Mills within 2-3 weeks. It is good for one (1) box of the Betty Crocker Gluten Free Baking Mixes (There are four types: Yellow or devil food cake mixes, Chocolate Chip Cookies or Brownie Mix

I called and mine is on the way!

Thanks Be Free For Me. Read her reviews to see which mix she liked the best!

boom CHOCO boom...ENJOY LIFE...seriously!

I am enjoying a Enjoy Life dairy-free rice milk bar right now. It is equivalent to a chocolate bar, but it is dairy, nut and soy free! Did I mention that LOVE this company???!!!!! YUM! Normally, I am not a huge chocolate person, but tell me I can't have it and it is all I want (especially after dinner).

I bought a package of Enjoy Life semi-sweet chocolate chips (allergen free) to put in the chocolate zucchini muffins that I made a little while back and I ended up eating the rest of the bag...oops, I was supposed to bake with them. I then decided that I needed to get myself a chocolate bar and ration it out, one little square at a time. I felt more economical by doing it this way :)

Here are some Coupons for you...don't eat from the bag, just get yourself a bar!

.75 Off Coupon (off of 2 bars) for the boom CHOCO boom chocolatey bars (I am printing mine now!!!!!)Hmm...I think the dark chocolate bar is what I will be picking up with this coupon.

.55 Coupon for any Enjoy Life Product

1.25 off of 2 Enjoy Life Products
This coupon was sent to my inbox because I joined the community at Enjoy Life. It's free to join and every penny helps when you are having to buy allergen free foods. Don't you agree? :)

I am really having good success with using coupons for the food items that I have to eat right now. Once you start using coupons, you will be hooked...I promise!

Cherrybrook Kitchen

I have been hearing some great stuff about products from Cherrybrook Kitchen that are allergen safe. I gave them a call today, and they are sending me some coupons in the mail (ask and ye shall receive). Looking forward to trying out their gluten free, egg free, dairy free, peanut free products :)

Anyone have any tips for using a "mix" with the Ener G egg replacer? I tried to make brownies previously and they turned out like a rock...seriously, took us a few days to soak them out of the pan :(

Cherrybrook Kitchen
1-866-I-LUV-CBK

Safe Blueberry Waffles

I had Van's All Natural Blueberry Waffles (wheat free, dairy and egg free) this morning and they were AWESOME! They were thick and did not taste like cardboard. I loved the little blueberries inside. YUM!

*If you haven't called already, Remember to give Van's a call and request some coupons

323-585-5581, ext. 245

*Don't forget to check Whole Foods coupons books, I have seen coupons for Van's in that also :)

Yogurt...Without the HIVES!

Yes, Brody will be able to have yogurt (just not the one that made him break out in HIVES)!!!!A safe yogurt is All Natural SO Delicious Dairy Free Creamy Cultured Soy made by Turtle Mountain (it is dairy free, lactose free, vegan and made from organic soy milk). He can have YOGURT!!!! My goal in all of this, is to find things that Brody can have that will make him feel as close to "normal" as possible. It's crazy that I have to be careful with some soy yogurt products because some of them have milk cultures in them...go figure!!??

Turtle Mountain
1-866-388-7853 Ext. 3309 Consumer Relations
*The company is sending me coupons for free yogurt and some money off coupons..NICE!

Thanks Courtney for sharing this product with me!

Another safe option for soy yogurt is Silk LIVE! Soy Yogurt, Thanks Ginger
I called the Silk (1-888-820-9283) and they did not have coupons for the yogurt, but told me to look in the newspaper inserts and check back on their website because sometimes they are on there.

EnviroKidz Nature's Path Organic Animal Cookies

EnviroKidz Nature's Path Organic Animal Cookies (Vanilla) are Brody Safe (milk, eggs, peanut and wheat free)

1-888-808-9505

*They will put you on a list for mail outs

Thanks Ginger

Need Coupons? Call the Manufacturer Directly...you might be pleasantly surprised

I have been using coupons for over 2 years now and it really bothered me when I started to buy new items due to Brody's food allergies that these items rarely go on sale and coupons are not easily accessible (example: in the newspaper inserts). I did a little bit more research and decided to call the companies of the items I was wanting to try/buy.

I was happy with the outcome. You can do this with any item that your family uses, but do not get coupons for. Call the company and tell them how much your family enjoys the product or that you would love to try the item but the cost has been prohibiting you from doing so and then ask if they have coupons that they could send you. Most likely, they will be happy to.
*OR, if you don't feel like calling, drop the company an email and request some coupons. Hope this helps!

COMPANIES
Sunbutter (alternative to peanut butter, made from sunflower seeds)
1-877-873-4501

Earth Balance natural buttery spread (company also makes Smart Balance)-alternative to butter
201-568-9300

Smart Balance Light buttery spread (less expensive version of Earth Balance and it is not organic)-alternative to butter
Click HERE to print coupons directly from the website
-I have seen these coupons often in the newspaper inserts and in blinkies at the stores
201-568-9300

Food for Life
1-800-797-5090

Amy's
707-568-4500
*sent me a booklet of all of their products with allergen info and some great coupons

Ian's: All Natural and Organic Food for Kids
800.54.FOODS (36637)
Click HERE to print coupons directly from the website

Rice Dream Original Enriched
1-866-595-8917
Click HERE to print coupons directly from the website

Ener G
1-800-331-5222
*I was told they do not give coupons. I told the representative what was going on with my family and that some of the products were cost prohibitive and she said they would send me a "sample" package

Vans All Natural
323-585-5581, ext. 245
You can also e-mail and request coupons customerservice@vansintl.com

Enjoy Life (this company is MY FAVORITE...there is no guess work...ALL of their products are free of the top 8 allergens)
Click HERE to print coupons directly from the website
Join Our Community and will get new product info, recipes and for completing the form you will be entered into a monthly drawing to win an Enjoy Life grocery tote and coupons for free Enjoy Life products!

Cascadian Farm
The company will not send out coupons, but be on the lookout for printable coupons online
Harvest Berry Chewy Granola Bar is allergen free for Brody
These bars are often BOGO at Publix

Other sources for healthy/allergen free coupons

Mambo Sprouts
Sign up (for free) to print coupons and be mailed mambo sprouts coupon booklet

Publix Greenwise Market Magazine
sign up to have it mailed to your house. It contains great organic/possibly allergen free coupons

Eat Better America
-sign up (it's free) and you will have access to coupons and more
-they sometimes have $1 off any Muir Glen product. Publix has their organic tomato sauce for approximately .89, which means FREE!

Organic Grocery Deals
-it has a Target coupon generator on it and it will let you type in the number of coupons you want to print AND Publix accepts it as a competitor's coupons which can score you a great deal if you combine it with a manufacturers coupon

Whole Foods
If you walk into Whole Foods, they have a coupon booklet with coupons that can be used at their store. Be sure to ask the cashier where they are.
You can also check out the sale ad online