We are just coming out of cold and flu season and entering into summer time when the cousins get together and so do the germs! These allergy friendly sick day foods and staples are easy to store and bring along on any trip! These allergy friendly foods for the stomach flu or allergy friendly foods for colds are perfect for sick days!
I'll never forget one of our family vacations when my then husbands family got together in a rental home. One of the cousins got sick and then it went through EVERYONE during the trip and after. at one point my poor sister in law just made a bed up in the bathtub for her daughter who kept throwing up over and over and over--on the carpet, bed and anything else that wasn't the toilet or a bowl.
With food allergies, sick days can be tough. It's hard to run to the store and find what you need when you are in the middle of nowhere and it might not be available. And I learned the hard way when i was sick and sent my daughter to the store for me...it can be difficult for someone else to find you the right ingredients or the brands you want (or taste the best) so having easy and convienent foods are the best.
COCONUT WATER:
Sports drinks are popular for rehydration but coconut water has a lot of great benefits and can be better for you than sports drinks that contain sugar, dyes and high fructose corn syrup. Coconut water contains nutrients and antioxidants and is a great source of hydration that's natural.
SOUP:
Allergy friendly soup is a great staple to have on hand. Chicken or beef broth is great for upset stomachs and chicken noodle soup is a classic for sick days.
HERBAL TEA:
Sipping tea can be great for upset stomachs. Teas like ginger tea, lemon water, green tea and hibiscus and rose hip tea can all help calm troubled stomachs.
PRE COOKED RICE CUPS:
My mom used to make rice cups and mix a little cinnamon and applesauce in them when I was sick. it was one of my favorite foods to eat when I was sick and starting to feel better. Rice is easily digestible and great to have on hand when you need something to eat. My good friend will mix in a little butter with his rice cups for his daughter. The smaller portion is also simple on stomachs just trying food again.
MACARONI CUPS
My kids LOVE these when they are sick. They love having these when their stomachs start to feel better but they aren't quite ready for a full meal yet. So macaroni cups are the perfect portion size.
SALTINE CRACKERS
Saltines are classic sick day staples. These gluten free table crackers are perfect for taming upset stomachs.
HONEY STICKS (AGE 1+)
Great for coughs, honey has always been a staple for sick days. But my kids? They will not take any of the honey cough medicine or honey and lemon tea. (Kudos to you parents that can get your kid to take it!) It might be because on a recent trip I got sick and MY MOM tried to get me to take some honey and I was the biggest baby on the planet. And I refused honey and lemon tea. I HATED it when I was little. But honey sticks? The kids love them.
GINGER ALE
Put away the sodas that are supposed to calm your stomach and go for ginger instead. Ginger has some great anti nausea qualities and ginger ale is much better for you than soda. Just make sure it contains REAL ginger, not ginger extract.
OATMEAL CUPS
Oatmeal is a great staple to have on hand. It contains some protein and is good on those days you need something warm. Try to avoid the oatmeal that contains lot's of sugar in it. Opt for plain oatmeal cups and flavor it with real fruit (like bananas! and cinnamon) to reduce the sugar content. And if you are gluten free, you will want to look for a gluten free version.
YOGURT
Yogurt is a great source of probiotics for stomachs. And guess what? Studies have disproved the myth that dairy causes an increase in mucus. Yogurt is rich in calcium and contains a lot of great benefits.
JELLO
A classic sick day staple, jello is one thing I remember from my sick days at home. My mom didn't like the dye filled jello, she she usually opted to make her own like this recipe.
HOMEMADE JELLO RECIPE
To make jello at home: In an 8×8 inch pan, pour ½ cup of juice. Sprinkle 2 ½ teaspoons of gelatin over the top. Allow it to sit. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine 1 ½ cups of juice with around 3 tablespoons of honey or 2 tablespoons sugar. Heat just to boiling, stirring several times. Remove from heat and pour the hot water slowly into the gelatin and juice mixture. Use a whisk, stir until gelatin is dissolved. Refrigerate several hours to set.
Note: Try to avoid pineapple juice. It doesn’t set up properly.
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