ausEE Inc.

We know that holidays can sometimes be a stressful time of year for parents of children with an EGID and multiple food allergies. There are many things we can all do to make Easter enjoyable for the whole family. 

Here are some tips to help you celebrate Easter:

• Many online specialty shops such as those listed on our Allergy Friendly Foods page sell allergy friendly treats, dairy free/gluten free/soy free/nut free Easter eggs, hot cross buns or specialty items to help make your own safe treats like moulds etc.

• Use plastic bunny or Easter egg moulds to make safe marshmallow, chocolate or jelly treats, or use Easter cookie cutters with your favourite safe biscuit recipe. Check out the links on our Allergy Friendly Recipes page to search for some recipe ideas.

• Buy fillable plastic eggs and fill with safe edible treats, stickers, small toys, coins for older children etc. You can put them in their Easter basket or hide them around the house or yard for a fun Easter treasure hunt. These are readily available at most dollar stores and department stores.
• Use fillable plastic eggs to hide notes inside, or hide the note clues around the house or backyard to lead to a bigger Easter gift. There are lots of fun treasure hunt ideas on the internet if you are stuck for ideas! 
  

• Make Easter baskets filled with non-food items such as stuffed toys, cars, books, colouring and craft sets, gift cards etc., Try wrapping the gifts in cellophane or foil.  

• Buy plastic, plaster or polystyrene foam eggs from dollar stores or craft shops and have your child help you decorate them with paint, markers, stickers, glitter etc.
• Have fun making your own Easter egg stones to hide like these Projects with Kids - Easy Painted Easter Egg Rocks.
  

• In recent years there has been an increase in non-dairy and nut-free chocolate Easter products on the market – visit Australian Allergy Friendly Finds on Facebook or Instagram for some suggestions of products we’ve found this Easter!
• Remember to always read the ingredient label on the product packaging carefully before purchasing any Easter treats and to contact the manufacturer directly if you have any questions regarding allergen statements and suitability for your requirements. It’s good practice to triple check ingredients - once when you buy the product, check again when you get home and check once more before consuming.
• Teach your child from an early age not to eat any treats that they have been given without checking with you and the importance of always reading the ingredient labels. Small Easter eggs wrapped in foil from a packet don’t have ingredients on them individually and can all look the same.

• Speak to your child's school or preschool early! Offer up ideas for how they can have fun without food or with allergy friendly food. Ask teachers and classrooms to have non-food parties or offer to bake the treats yourself for the class or arrange a fun craft activity with the class.
• As an alternative to dyeing eggs, we like this idea of dyeing marshmallows from Nerdy Mamma

• Have fun and look outside the square with it (or should we say basket!) Many parents are moving away from too many sugary sweets and will probably be grateful for your ideas!
  
  

We hope you and your family have a wonderful Easter.

Got a tip you would like to share? Please Contact Us so we can include it on this page to help other parents.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 tsp dry yeast
3 1/2 cups plain flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup sultanas
1 egg equiv. (i.e. Orgran ‘No Egg’ egg replacer)
2 tbs dairy-free margarine (i.e. Nuttelex)
310 ml water

Crosses:
1/2 cup plain flour
80 ml water
2 tsp sugar

Glaze:
2 tbs water
2 tbs sugar
1 tsp gelatine

Recipe method from Best Recipes where this recipe was sourced from.

Photo and recipe suggestion submitted by Markeeta.

Ingredients:
1½ tablespoons gelatine
100ml cold water
pinch salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
140ml hot water
colouring (optional)
flavouring (optional)

Ingredients:

250g Nuttelex
1 ¼ cups icing sugar
1 tsp Orgran ‘no egg’ egg replacer mixed with water
2 tsp vanilla essence
3 ½ cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder

Ingredients:

2 cups caster sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
Pinch salt
1 cup desiccated coconut

Ingredients:

Dairy free chocolate 

Desiccated Coconut (you can also use Chang’s gluten free fried rice noodles, bran sticks, shredded coconut etc. depending on what you can eat)

Mini fluffy chicks or safe candy/jelly beans to decorate

Melt chocolate in the microwave or with a double boiler.

Add enough coconut/crunchy noodles/bran sticks to the melted chocolate to reach a good consistency to all be coated by the chocolate and mix well.

Cover a cupcake or tartlet tray with cling wrap. 

Put the chocolate nest mix in the tray and press down with a spoon to make little nest shapes or alternatively make little clusters on a lined biscuit tray.

Decorate the nests with the candy/jelly beans if using to look like eggs. 

Refrigerate until set. 

If using mini fluffy chicks, decorate after they are set.

Tip: If you don’t have a safe chocolate option you can use melted marshmallows to bind the coconut/noodles/bran sticks together to make the nests.

Photo and recipe suggestion submitted by Sarah.

Ingredients:

2 cups self raising flour

1 1/2 cups white sugar

2 tsp Orgran ‘no egg’ egg replacer (recipe also works without but is a little crumbly)

2/3 cup cocoa powder

1 cup of milk (i.e. dairy free milk or any suitable)

1/2 cup oil (i.e. rice bran oil or any suitable)

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 tbs coffee

1 cup boiling water 

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.

Add milk, vanilla and oil and mix well .

Mix coffee in boiling water and mix well into cake mix.

Pour into 2 greased and lined 20cm round cake pans and bake at 180 degrees celsius for 30-40 mins until cooked when tested.

Allow to cool before icing.

Buttercream Icing:

250g Nuttelex

500g icing sugar

50ml water

Cream together until light and creamy in texture.

Ice and decorate cooled cake as desired.

Recipe and photo contributed by Kathleen.