Allergy Friendly & Unique Holiday Gift Ideas

Do you love someone with food allergies? Allergy Punk offers a great selection of unique gift ideas that would make a beautiful gift to someone with food allergies, asthma or coeliac disease.   We have a range of Apparel, Books, Travel items and Cosmetics that would make perfect stocking fillers, or helpful items to pack for your summer holiday.

Christmas Cuties

Holiday season is full of fun, catching up with friends and family events. Help protect your little one with one of our adorable food allergy awareness t-shirts. Beautiful, soft cotton and cute designs. Most of all, our allergy awareness t-shirt range is all about FUN and inclusion!

The holiday season can be stressful for families, these tees are not only adorable, but help families raise allergy awareness in a fun way. Talk for Me Tees offers 3 fun designs for the holiday season:

Please Don’t Feed the Reindeer – I have a food allergy
Holiday Reindeer Graphic. Even Santa will think twice about offering a candy cane without checking first.

This little ladybug has a Food Allergy. Food allergy alert t-shirt, ladybug design. Empower your little lady to advocate for herself in a positive way.

Beware of Snack Attack I have a Food Allergy . Fun shark graphic tee. We know that your child is just like every other child, except he or she can't eat some foods. That doesn't mean that they can't have the greatest shirt on the block! 

Allergy Apparel Collection: 
Food allergy alert shirts for kids that rock!

This punk inspired adorable allergy tee collection is designed to help your little one stay safe and alert others about their serious food allergies. 

“Designed to give parents of children without allergies an opportunity to ask questions and to better understand food allergies". 

See the full range of our Rock’n Allergy Apparel Collection

Travel ideas

At Allergy Punk we understand it can take a little extra planning for travel, even for a week-end away for those of us with food allergies, diabetes and other medical conditions.

Living with food allergies and diabetes, coeliac disease often means you need to make sure you bring along snacks and essential medications to events, and when you travel

We have a unique range of lunch & medical carriers designed just for you! 

Great designs and yummy fun colours, and styles to suit your lifestyle! Travel ready and ready for FUN! Don’t let food allergies hold you back!

Smart Lunch Carriers

Our Solvetta Flatbox is the perfect lunch carrier for travel. A unique design that was invented to carry a clean eating surface along with you. Just unzip and it transforms into a clean place-mat. Designed for those of us with food allergies or coeliac disease, and special diets.

Stylish design, fun colours and easy to use - Keep foods off unclean surfaces.

Fantastic for airplane travel, road trips, picnics parties – and everyday school lunchbox.

Insulated neophrene, washable, convertible lunchbox. And tough enough to be machine washable! 

See more in our Lunch & Snack Carrier range

Medical Carriers for Travel

Organise your medications with ease, and leave some time for relaxing these holidays. Allergy Punk stocks a wide range of medical carriers to suit your lifestyle!

From EpiPen carriers, asthma bags to diabetes bags we have you covered! Cool designs to choose from.

Medfriend easy carry medical bag, Epipen / asthma pouch (insulated)

Large EpiPen Case

Fridge-to-Go Medical Travel Wallet was designed for carrying injection pens or vials when out and about. Designed for transportation and cool storage of medical supplies.

Ideal for medicines that need to be kept cool Perfect for everyday or travel. Grab and go! 

Easy to use

Always carry your medications wherever you go, view our range 

Summer Holiday Reading

Children’s Books

We LOVE books, and our carefully selected collection of sensitive books can help children  understand their condition, stay safe, ask questions, and most importantly to know they are not alone! 

Children will be thrilled to discover the magical world of Allergy Adventures where exciting things happen inside a lunchbox. The stories encourage children to enjoy the foods they can eat whilst learning how to question whether foods are safe for them.

Food For Me Must Be Nut Free is a charming story about inclusiveness. It has been written for children with nut allergies/ anaphylaxis, for educators, and for anybody responsible for, or in contact with, children who have serious life threatening allergies.

Meet Emily and Marty!

Join Emily, Marty and their friends in their adventures to help them to understand asthma and allergies in a fun and entertaining way. Soft hugger toys like Emily and Marty make great sensory aides, that can help children discuss their feelings and deal with anxiety at story time.

Shop all children’s books

Guide Books & Recipe Books

Great gifts for a family with a new Food Allergy diagnosis. Holiday time can be stressful, but there are some great strategies to help make life easier in our collection of allergy guide books.

Thai’s Guide To being Food Allergy Smart – Parent Guide on Food Allergies, is user friendly and explains the basics in a fun, and helpful way. 

The first Allergy Guide book for the whole family.

Fantastic for carers and parents of newly diagnosed food allergic children alike! Great gift idea for grandparents or extended family who would like to know more.

Allergic Girl: Adventures in Living Well with Food Allergies

Allergic Girl is one of the first books to finally address the social and emotional side of living with allergies or conditions like coeliac. Sloane offers practical strategies and guidance for dealing with anxiety and family /social stresses, daily living and more. 

Whether you have food allergies, know someone who has food allergies or just want to understand more about living with food allergies, this book is for you.

Books for Cooks 

  

Discover some new gluten free or allergy free recipes this holiday season!

Why not let your kids in the kitchen and involved in the fun this holiday season too? We have a range of books with easy recipes for children. Cooking can be such a healthy and rewarding activity for children with allergies and special diets.

See our full range of Recipe Books 

Natural, Safe Cosmetics – for the whole family

We have left the best for last!

Perfect stocking fillers for your little miss, or something special for mum! Feel special this holiday season with our Kiss Freely Allergy Friendly - Beauty & Body products.

Natural & Beautiful and SAFE cosmetics created by an Allergy Mum. You can read more about the Kiss Freely story here.

Perfect for children with allergies

Kiss Freely Candy Pink Lip Gloss, is made with only 3 natural ingredients. 

Non toxic, chemical free and allergen free 

Pixie Dust Eye Shadow

So many people have a hard time finding eye shadow that doesn't irritate their eye.  As always, Kiss Freely keeps ingredients simple.  This eye shadow is beautiful, long lasting and best of all non irritating.

Kiss Freely Range includes: Gorgeous Body Butter, Sugar scrub and luxury lipsticks & gloss range designed by and for the food allergy & coeliac communities. Children's Face paints, shimmering range of eye-shadows, Gift Packs and more!  

Free from top 8 allergens and then some! 

Vegan, cruelty free and gluten free! 

Shop the range 

Explore our Allergy Punk store today for more Holiday ideas

Thai’s Guide to Being Food Allergy Smart – Parent Guide

Are you looking for an easy, beginners guide to living well with Food Allergies?

Thai’s Guide to Being Food Allergy Smart – Parent Guide, is the latest in the My Food Allergy Series, featuring the lovable character Thai, who helps children with allergies learn how to be safe and also feel included. 

Now, we as parents can be informed and delighted with Thai’s Guide to Being Food Allergy Smart – Parent Guide.  While a food allergy diagnosis can at first appear overwhelming, we can tackle a new life with food allergies, when we have clear steps to stay safe and live positively.

Thai’s Guide to Being Food Allergy Smart – Parent Guide is totally unique, and is the first accessible guide book suitable for the whole family!  Siblings, grandparents, extended family and teachers can join in, and learn about ways to help keep children with food allergies safe and included. With beautiful illustrations, photos and visuals this allergy guide book explores everyday situations simply and beautifully: How to stay safe at social events, bbq's, through to shopping tips and eating out with food allergies. We are presented with clear easy to read information, and easy steps to staying allergy safe and having fun in our everyday life, with the help of our friends.  

“It takes a village to raise a child”. We can all become food allergy aware, food allergy friends.

Food allergies are a growing health concern across the globe, and the rate of diagnosis is increasing at staggering rates. Hospital admissions for severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) have doubled over the last decade in Australia, USA and the UK. Australia is allergy capital of the world with one in ten children diagnosed with food allergies.  Adults onset anaphylaxis is also becoming increasingly common too, making it vital we all understand more about food allergies.

Thai’s Guide to Being Food Allergy Smart– Parent Guide is the perfect book to share with extended family, as it helps explain what’s involved to help care for your allergic child in a clear, easy to understand way.  

In this allergy guide book you will find many practical tips & tips on subjects such as:

• Symptoms of allergic reaction

• How to read food labels

• Cross-Contamination & Hidden Allergens

• Eating out tips & thinks to consider

• Safe & fun tips for social occasions, parties, barbeques & Picnics

• Sleepovers and playdates

• Social impact of food allergies, tips for inclusion

This is a practical, easy to read guide book – jam packed with tips, ideas and things to remember when living with food allergies. Most of all, the book emphasises beautifully, what we all know: children with food allergies, are just like everyone else! Just like Thai!

Buy the Book

About the author:

Jackie Nevard is a hardworking food allergy awareness advocate, mum of two and author of the children's educational series My Food Allergy Friends. She runs her popular allergy awareness educational sessions aimed at all children, across Australia and New Zealand. Navigating the challenges we all face being a food allergy parent Jackie has turned this to her advantage and uses her real life experiences to help others.

Other titles in the series:

Thai goes to a birthday party

Thai's Big Adventure In The City, Dealing with Food Allergies

                                     Thai's Exciting First Week At School, Dealing with Food Allergies

                                            Thai's New Friend At Kindy, Dealing with Food Allergies

See more in store at Allergy Punk

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Briam - delicious Greek vegetable bake

Easy Sunday night comfort food! This delicious Greek style vegetable bake could be the most delicious roasted vegetables you have ever tried!

This recipe is an adaption of Briam, the Greek style vegetable bake and similar to the French Ratatouille or Italian Caponata. 

A perfect homage to the Vegetable – love the tomato! As it’s a time when many of us could use a boost of vitamin C to get us through the rest of winter! And tomato is surprisingly packed with Vitamin C. Traditionally a summertime recipe, but I think it’s really an anytime recipe. 

And I have included some little cheats, to make it even easier. We used tin tomatoes, as it’s winter – a good time to use conserves, and a time saver. This kid friendly version, omitted the eggplant and garlic – but of course you can add if you like! Needless to say you can of course experiment with any of your favourite vegetables!

Ingredients:

 I x large red capsicum chopped into chunks

      4 x large potatoes (1 kg)  chopped into 2 cm cubes (or slices)

4-5 x baby zucchini (courgette) sliced

1 x brown onion or a few brown (French) shallots (optional) sliced 

2 x tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Dried oregano/ thyme or spices of your desire 

Tin of tomatoes large (whole) 800g  including the juice

100 ml Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 200 c 
2. Heat some olive oil in a frying pan over a very low heat. Add brown onion slices or shallots, adding more oil if necessary, saute for 5 -10 minutes, until softened and golden and just caramelsing. Turn off heat.
3. In your roasting pan, add all the vegetables including the tin of tomatoes – with juice, (except zucchini) sprinkling your onion over the top along with olive oil.
4. Add another 200ml water to your dish.
5. Sprinkle with your dried herbs such as a sweet oregano, season generously with sea salt and ground black pepper. Combine well with your hands. (great for children to help with)
6. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and add your zucchini slices and a big splash of water if it looks like it's too dry, season further if needed.
7. Bake for another 30 minutes, or until the top has browned and vegetables are tender. Top with fresh parsley!

The traditional versions often include eggplant – which you can add too. Feel free to add chilli flakes, or garlic and spice if you desire! 

Serve with your favourite crusty bread,  warm flat bread or a bed of rice.

You can add other herbs such as mint or fresh basil when serving.

Aromatic comfort food that's full of goodness, and free from the top 8 ! 

Enjoy!

 #Glutenfree #Vegan #kidfriendly #yum

Delicious Dumplings

Goyza dumplings

... nom nom nom

Delicious Dumplings - Secret Chef recipe 

Easy as, steamed dumplings! Perfect for a cold winter day. 

Popular with children, and a fantastic cooking activity for keen young chefs too! 

We are making steamed dumplings here. 

If you are avoiding Asian style restaurants due to food allergies, here is a perfect recipe - no need to miss out and in fact I don't think you can find as good as these at any shop. Homemade dumplings are the best, hands down! 

Ingredients:

• 400 grams quality organic ground pork mince (or chicken mince)
• Half small Napa (Chinese) cabbage
• Fresh ginger – 5cm piece or to taste
• Garlic chives optional
• Soy sauce or tamari
• Sesame oil - optional
• Dumpling goyza wrappers (rice based rather than wonton)
• Dumpling sauce of your choice
• Cornflour (wheat free is best)

Eeasssssy, lets go! 

Thinly slice cabbage. Sprinkle liberally with salt. Now, let the cabbage sit quietly.

Juices will start to release. Sit for about an hour

 

Meanwhile make your filling mix.

Finely dice your ginger and garlic chives. Add ginger, chives and a good dash of your soy and other flavours to taste. Put to one side for a short while to marinate and allow the flavours to infuse.

Back to the cabbage. Squeeze out liquid with your hands. Rinse under water through a sieve. Squeeze out again. Combine the mince mixture with the cabbage well. Almost kneading to combine.

Remember! Try to use an equal amount of pork/chicken mince to the cabbage. Roughly one to one. This gives a great texture as well as flavour balance – yum!

Goyza time!

Arrange your wrappers on a clean board. Around one teaspoon of mix for each wrapper  - spoon a small amount of the mix into the centre of the skin. 

Dip your finger in some water and moisten the edge of the skin to make it easy to seal. Fold the filled goyza skin in half and pinch at the top to seal it. Dip your water and cornflour mix (2nd picture).

Folding is the tricky part but don’t be overwhelmed, it takes only a little practice to become a master at this! You are folding over and pinching as you go. (see picture below right)

  

Cooking time

Ok. Now it’s time to get the water on.

We are making Steamed Dumplings here, rather than fried or boiled. Tasty and easy to do.

We are using a double boiler steamer here. Bring the water to the boil.

Coat your steamer lightly with vegetable oil or baking paper. This is to stop them from sticking. (hence, the other name for these dumplings, pot stickers). Make sure they are spread out evenly and not touching each other.

When the water has come to boil, add your dumplings to the steamer top.  Place a lid on top of the pan and leave the heat on high.

Cook for 8-9 ,minutes.

Eating time

You can buy or make your own dumpling sauce. 

Be quick! ... best enjoyed when hot and steamy! Enjoy ! YUM!

Great winter food! 

Tips and Information

Freeze uncooked Goyza to cook and eat at a later date - and they do freeze amazingly well. Great, easy hearty food to pull out on a week night or when friends drop round. 

You can substitute the meat for other vegetables to make vegetarian gyoza. Try using shiitake mushrooms as an ideal substitution for meat. You can also make chicken or prawn gyoza if you feel like a change from pork.