talkhealth Blog

Caveat first: These are a selection of pre-packed treats that MyItchyBoy enjoys without any adverse reactions.  This post in no way suggests that your child will be fine if they are allergic to any foods.

As much as I like to ensure that MyItchyBoy has a good supply of fruit, vegetable sticks and healthy, homemade, allergen-free snacks with him when we go out, sometimes we just need something that really ticks a box of a ‘treat’.  Pre-packed treats are also great for sticking in the bag for situations like a trip to the hospital, a long car journey and meeting friends whose kids are tucking into ‘normal’ cakes and ice cream mean that rice cakes just won’t cut it.

Here’s a quick list of treats we keep in the cupboards for those special occasions, in no particular order:

Bear YoYo

These are two rolls of dried fruit.  They are good for keeping a little one more occupied than usual as they can spend time unwinding each roll before eating it.  They also come with a card inside that has a fact and picture of an animal on it.

These can be collected and the bar codes from the packet can also be collected and exchanged for things on their website.  They are sold in Caffe Nero coffee shops too, so good if you want a few minutes peace with your hot drink as there is little else in there that is free from most of the common allergens.  They are found in boxes in the supermarket but Holland & Barretts sell them separately in a range of flavours. They now also sell Bear Paws.  These are more like normal jelly sweet looking things with several in a packet.  MyItchyBoy seemed happy enough to try these but less impressed I think than the normal YoYos.

Fruit String

These are the Big Guns.  Called Wiggly Worms in our house, these are a special treat.  Not sure why, but I think because to MyItchyBoy they are most like a normal jelly sweet that he is aware of others eating.  There is only one string in there but it is quite long.  They are usually sold in a box in the supermarket.  The Fruit Factory also do star shapes which are good too.  I happily enjoy these as treats for me too.  They are softer than something like Haribo and much tastier.

Frootz High Fruit Buttons

These are packs of small fruit buttons that have a sugary coating.  Think Fruit Pastilles in mini with fewer ingredients.  They come in a few flavours but here the favourite is raspberry.  They are found in boxes in supermarkets or individually.  They are great for little lunch pack treats as you can pop a few in for a treat and just clip the packet back up.

Goodies Soft Oaty Bars

These are a highly practical way of carrying something in the bottom of the bag that has a bit more substance than jelly sweets.  The biggest use for these is when MyItchyBoy has eaten everything else we’ve taken out and is sitting on the pavement refusing to move two roads away from home.  These bars contain oats and fruit so they give him that bit more energy to motivate him to get up and get walking.  Even if they are squashed, they are still usable as they don’t crumble too much.  They are sold in boxes in the baby section of supermarkets.  Other flavours are available.

Kiddylicious Banana Bites

These are available in supermarkets and usually are on offer.  They are simply dried fruit.  Great to grab when you don’t have any fresh fruit to hand.  The downside of these is that they will smash up into small bits if carried around for a bit.  MyItchyBoy’s favourite are banana and pineapple bites, but there are other fruits as well.

So, these are our family favourites.  What are yours?

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MyItchyBoy

My son has atopic eczema and he reacts badly to dairy, soya and we are slowly working towards him eating eggs again. He's had a mild anaphylactic reaction to peanuts and has regular flare-ups to random things that we rarely manage to pinpoint. I started the blog to share my experiences and frustrations of having an itchy boy.