Toddler allergic to eggs and they have pizza Fridays; what to do

[Anonymous]

Hi all,
My 2.5 year old is severely allergic to eggs. Her school orders pizza every Friday. She is one of a handful in her class that does not eat the pizza. Our concern is that there could be a cross contamination with egg products from the pizza place. We have sent cooked and tin foiled pizza (Amy’s, Costco frozen) with her to school. She won’t eat it. It breaks our and her teachers heart as she begs and cries for the pizza that all the other kids get. I’ve searched everywhere, but just checking if there are other parents out there with an egg allergy kid and what do they do for pizza day at daycare or school?

[Anonymous]

Consider Xolair, do your research on the OUTMATCH trial. Approved for 1 yo and up. Give the kid freedom to eat and you your peace of mind.

[Anonymous]

Is there egg in the pizza your childcare serves? I make pizza dough often and never use egg - I also don’t put egg in any of the toppings. Verify it contains egg before doing anything else.

[Anonymous]

Does the pizza place have egg products?

[Anonymous]

Have you called the pizza place to ask what they have on premises?

Can egg be in the crust dough or absolutely not? (Cooking doesn't nuke the allergen?)

What does your daughter like about the other pizza's looks? Are the kids getting pepperoni and she is not?

[Anonymous]

Most pizza doesn’t have eggs. I’d call the place and see if you should actually be concerned about cross-contamination. They may not even have eggs on the premises. I know childhood allergies are scary, but never allowing a child to eat anything you didn’t prepare even if the possibility of cross contamination is merely theoretically is going to make both of your lives much more difficult.

[Anonymous]

Most pizza has no egg and is made separately. Call the pizza place and ask.

[Anonymous]

She might like bringing her own pizza if she helped bake it and uses her favorite toppings. Especially stuff that a daycare wouldn’t order (e.g. my picky eater loves olives). I know that’s a pain to do weekly but perhaps the dough can be made in advance and frozen. Or maybe there’s a pre-made dough from an egg-free factory. Perhaps some of the parents would let their kids eat it too so it feels communal.

Or is there another treat that could be substituted? So instead of getting an inferior pizza, she gets a special…McDonald’s happy meal, etc?

Tbh the teachers don’t sound very thoughtful. If it really breaks their hearts, they could do vegan cookies or something instead. There’s really no need for a weekly treat, especially one that is not inclusive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does the pizza place have egg products?

OP here. Yes. This is the concern. The pizza place makes hoagies with ranch (containing eggs) on the same line as the pizza so the risk for cross contamination is high.

[Anonymous]

I would go get a stack of boxes from the pizza place and have the teachers serve her pizza from home from the same box like the other kids.

Another thing to consider is that kids this age melt down over things and if it’s not one thing, it’s another. It’s part of their development and it just is what it is.

[Anonymous]

My older kid is allergic to peanuts. He almost never eats the birthday treats. We’ve offered to send him with a nut free cupcake but he prefers just not to eat the treat - there is always some other kid doing the same for whatever reason.

You offer to send your daughter with her own pizza, she chooses not to eat it- that’s her choice. I know it feels hard but the less of a big deal you and the teachers make of it, the less of a big deal it will be to her. (And a lot of young kids don’t like pizza - that’s a weird treat in preschool IMO).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most pizza has no egg and is made separately. Call the pizza place and ask.

This.

I do not know of any pizza with eggs. Flour, water, and yeast are the usual pizza dough ingredients.

The pizza supplier will have a list of ingredients and allergens available. Restaurants are used to this type of question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does the pizza place have egg products?

OP here. Yes. This is the concern. The pizza place makes hoagies with ranch (containing eggs) on the same line as the pizza so the risk for cross contamination is high.

That stinks, OP, I'm sorry. I also am offended that anyone has the audacity to put ranch on a hoagie/sub/whatever you want to call it. Barbarians.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does the pizza place have egg products?

OP here. Yes. This is the concern. The pizza place makes hoagies with ranch (containing eggs) on the same line as the pizza so the risk for cross contamination is high.

Would switching to another company work? There are several pizza chains that don’t make hoagies.

I agree that involving her in making the pizza might help her like the pizza from home.

[Anonymous]

Send in something else that's a treat for *your* child on those days.